2008 PTR Member of the Year: Jorge Andrew
Jorge Andrew is the ultimate tennis professional. The director of tennis operations for the Lexington County (S.C.) Recreation and Aging Commission, Andrew is a premier teacher of the game. He is a fixture at industry events as a presenter (in both English and Spanish), serves on sectional and national committees, and is one of only a handful of teaching pros who are master professionals in both teaching organizations.
“Jorge is one of the shining stars in this business,” says PTR CEO Dan Santorum. “Everything about him is so positive. He really is wonderful.” And Andrew genuinely cares not only about tennis, but also for everyone who plays the sport.
Because of his total dedication to tennis, Jorge Andrew is RSI’s PTR Member of the Year.
Andrew grew up in Caracas, Venezuela, and played on the pro tour for 10 years, reaching a career high singles ranking of 61 and doubles ranking of 69. He left the tour in 1982, but he says playing professionally taught him to be disciplined, something he has carried over to his jobs in tennis.
“My teaching philosophy, too, has changed since I left the tour,” says Andrew. “At first, I enjoyed teaching top-level juniors. Then in the club business, I enjoyed teaching women’s and men’s teams. And now the thing I enjoy the most is doing QuickStart Tennis and working with beginners, not just juniors but also adults.”
Andrew has been the only tennis director at the 21-court Lexington County Tennis Complex, which opened in 2002. Soon to be added to his long list of responsibilities will be a second major complex, with 24 courts, expected to be completed in 2010.
But Andrew is involved in so many areas of the business, it’s hard to keep track. “Jorge just does an amazing job with everything,” says Santorum.
- Plan your work and work your plan. “I try to plan every day, and I also plan the time with my family,” says Andrew, who has two sons, ages 10 and 13.
- Make sure that when you teach, the main interest is your student’s needs, not yours. “Everyone would like to teach the No. 1 player, but we need to keep every single person that we touch.”
- When teaching beginners, the most important thing is to teach them how to rally. “The moment you have them rallying, you’ll have them hooked on tennis,” says Andrew. “Make it fun, so they’re not just chasing balls.”
See all articles by Peter Francesconi
About the Author
Peter Francesconi 
is editorial director of Tennis Industry magazine.
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