Located in the beautiful Turks and Caicos Islands, TCI Tennis Academy was founded in 2014 by Reinaldo (Rey) Garcia, an ITF Level 3 certified coach and former #1 ranked Columbian junior, who brings with him a wealth of local and international tennis playing, coaching and administrative experience.
Rey’s academic background in Physical Education and Sports Training, together with his expertise in biomechanics and his experience working alongside top coaches and players, laid the platform from which he developed his own unique, science-based methodology, focused on maximising the potential of players of all ages and abilities. Rey’s contagious passion for all things tennis is expressed in his tendency to coach within a fun and inclusive environment.
TCI Tennis Academy offers its students the opportunity to train and learn with the best, while surrounded by stunning white sandy beaches and idyllic stretches of clear turquoise water. The Academy operates out of the Provo Golf and Country Club, only 5 minutes walk from Grace Bay beach and easily accessible to the surrounding suburbs and luxury resorts.
A Columbian national, Reinaldo (Rey) was drawn to tennis from a very young age and excelled as a junior, where he was ranked number 1 and crowned as Regional and National Champion in both singles and doubles (with his partner Oscar Montanez). Rey studied Sport Education and Physical Training at university where he was able to develop his understanding of the technical side of the game through biomechanics (the study of movement of the human body). His studies took him to various tennis camps in USA for both research and work experience.
Rey has trained and played all over the world, giving him valuable insight into the minds of some of the biggest names in tennis. Working with John McEnroe’s former doubles partner, Peter Fleming, Rey learned the ‘effortless method’ which involves a focus on breathing as the foundation of movement. He also spent 2 years working with renowned tennis coach Gabe Jaramillo (former tennis director at IMG-Bollettieri Tennis Academy) who is famed for developing some of the most successful tennis training academies in the world.
Rey has tennis administration experience as the developer of Tolima Tennis League in Columbia, where he managed the ‘Tennis Initiative for Schools’ program. Rey is well known on the island, having worked as the tennis pro for Graceway Sports Centre before deciding to launch the Pro Tennis Academy in TCI. He holds a range of high level internationally recognised tennis coaching qualifications and has more recently become certified as a Peak Performance Tennis Coach (Level 3) by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
Certified as Peak Performance Tennis Coach, Level 3 (International Tennis Federation), 2014
Certified as Tennis Developer of Tolima Tennis League and Program Manager of ''Tennis Initiative for Schools'' (Colombian Tennis Federation), 2007
University degrees in Physical education and Sports Training (Tolima University, Colombia), 2007
Certificate of Assistance of South American Tennis Conference and Workshop (Barranquilla, Colombia), 2006
Certificate of Mini-Tennis Coaching (Colombian Tennis Federation), 2003
Certified as an International Tennis Referee (Colombian Tennis Federation), 2002