USF men's tennis head coach Matt Hill is pleased to announce that Gary Needelman has joined the Bulls' staff as Volunteer Assistant Coach for the 2014-15 season. In addition to his coaching duties, Needelman will coordinate periodic USF Tennis Camps, lead community initiatives and assist in player recruiting.
"Gary brings a wealth of experience in virtually every facet that touches our program," Hill said. "we are incredibly excited about him being a part of our coaching staff."
Aside from head professional roles for the highly-regarded Tennissmith School and Saddlebrook Tennis Academies, Needelman served for 13 years as Director of Tennis and Head Teaching Professional at Carrollwood Country Club. From 2003-2010 Needelman trained Chamberlain High School's tennis teams, leading to six individual state champions and two team Class 3A state runner-up finishes. Past students of his have gone on to win state and national junior titles, collegiate championships and competed on the ATP, WTA and ITF circuits.
Many of his students earned collegiate scholarship offers as well. For his work, Needelman and his programs have been featured in various publications, including Florida Tennis Magazine, Village Views and the Tampa Tribune.
Needelman was trained as a player and instructor by renowned coach Steve Smith and is certified both by Tennissmith and the Professional Tennis Registry. He competed throughout Florida in USTA Open Circuit tournaments and won numerous local and regional events before devoting full-time to teaching. Needelman stays active in the community by regularly hosting free tennis clinics at elementary schools and speaking to students about careers in sports.
Prior to his tennis career, Needelman spent 10 years as a sportswriter and also served as communications director for a Major League Soccer franchise. He is a native of Miami Beach and 1994 graduate of Florida State University.
"I'm thrilled to become part of what Coach Hill and Coach (Brandon) Wagner are building here at USF," Needelman said. "USF Men's Tennis is already a top national program that is rising fast and we all share a determination to see that growth continue."
