Meet Shellaberger's 2011 Tennis Center Staff
Rosemarie Shellaberger Tennis Center
(505) 473 - 6144
Eric Rose, Co-Owner
Eric grew up in the Northern Virginia and fell in love with tennis at about the age of 12.. From that age through high school he could most often be found at the neighborhood swim and tennis club. The miles on the court paid off as he went on to play four years of varsity tennis in High School and played for George Mason University in college. Upon graduating with an economics degree and a passion for tennis Eric had a big decision to make, he chose to follow his passion. Eric’s first full-time job in tennis was with Club Med. After enduring a year on three beautiful islands, Eric decided it was time to return to the mainland and go skiing, so he moved to Colorado. While in Colorado, Eric worked at a variety of clubs and held various positions including tennis pro, head tennis pro, tennis director, co-owner of a tennis management company, and most recently in New Mexico as the co-owner of the fabulous Shellaberger Tennis Center. The other co-owner in both situations is his good friend Sam Hitman.
Sam Hitman, Co-Owner
Sam is originally from south Jersey, where he developed his tennis game on his family's tennis court as a kid. After a very successful high school career, he went on to play tennis and basketball at Rutgers University. After graduating, he grabbed his bike, and, like Forrest Gump, put together a group to ride across the country. One of the states he crossed that caught his eye was Colorado, so he decided to move to Denver. Once there, he quickly became the co-head tennis professional at Gates Tennis Center and soon thereafter took a position as the tennis director at the JCC Tennis Center. Sam orchestrated an amazing turnaround of the JCC Tennis Center. When he took the position, it was scheduled to be knocked down in place of a museum; now, after surviving the storm, it is one of the top tennis facilities in Denver, with a sold-out membership. In May 2006, Sam and Eric Rose formed Colorado Tennis Management (CTM) and were chosen as the management team of the at Gates Tennis Center. A year later, CTM signed a contract to run the JCC Tennis Center as well. At home, Sam is a dedicated step-father to two wonderful boys, Sonny and Jackson, father to a beautiful daughter, Louise, and husband to his better half, Sara. They enjoy riding bikes and watching the Phillies win world championships.
Corey D. Matney, General Manager
Corey spent all of his career, 14 years, in tennis club management, teaching and coaching. Prior to his current position, he served as Business Manager of the Shellaberger Tennis Center, beginning in 2005. He also provided private and group lessons to junior and adult players. In 2009, the USTA Southwest Section honored him with one of its highest awards for distinguished service in advancing the sport of tennis. In 2008, he was recognized for his contributions to the sport by the United States Professional Tennis Association and named USPTA New Mexico District Pro of the Quarter. Corey began his career at the Riverside Tennis Center, in Wichita, Kansas, where he served as assistant manager and as a teaching pro. While there, from 2002 to 2004, he was also the Assistant Men’s Tennis Coach at Wichita State University. He helped to guide the team to back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference Championships and NCAA Division I tournament appearances. He was elected Vice President of the Northern New Mexico District of the USTA Southwest Section in January 2009. He is also the New Mexico District Coordinator for the United States Professional Tennis Association. He is a certified USPTA teaching professional.
Warren Fulgenzi, Head Tennis Pro
Warren brings to Shellaberger Tennis Center the credentials of New Mexico’s foremost tennis instructor. He is also recognized as perhaps the greatest player to emerge in the professional ranks from New Mexico. He is an outstanding motivator, teacher, strategist and coach, known for individualizing his approach to every level of player. On the world pro tour, in the early ‘90s, he won enough points to place among the top 600 in singles and the top 800 in doubles. At the collegiate level, he was the first player in University of New Mexico history to qualify for the NCAA Division I Championships in singles, doubles and with the team in the same year. He founded the Fulgenzi Tennis Academy in 2007. Prior to that, he spent 10 years running the tennis program at El Gancho Fitness, Swim and Racquet Club. He was earlier on the tennis staff of the Lobo Tennis Club at the University of New Mexico. He graduated from UNM with a BA degree in 1992.
Rocky Royer, Tennis Professional
Rocky was formerly ranked professionally in the world’s top 100 in singles. Before joining Shellaberger Tennis Center, he was Head Pro and Tennis Director at Sangre de Cristo Racquet Club, where he spent more than two decades years teaching and developing players in Santa Fe. He was earlier Head Pro at Beverly Hills Country Club, in California, and Associate Pro at Houston Racquet Club, in Texas. His students have gone on to become avid recreational players, tournament players, and national and world-ranked players. In his amateur and professional career, the USPTA-Certified master coach and teacher won ATP tournaments in Brazil and Portugal, played Number One at Rice University, in Houston, and ranked thirtieth in NCAA Division 1 Singles. “I was attracted not only by Shellaberger’s virtually perfect indoor and outdoor teaching conditions,” Rocky says, “but also by the opportunity to work with a community of tennis players noted for its enthusiasm as much as for its competitive spirit and dedication to the game.”
Rosemarie Shellaberger Tennis Center
(505) 473 - 6144
Jerry Prohaska, Front Desk Manager
Jerry has been with Shellaberger as an employee since March of 2009. Prior to working at Shellaberger Jerry was an active member of the club since it opened. Jerry played a vital role in the efforts to keep the club open after the College of Santa Fe closed. Jerry is also very active with the USTA/Northern New Mexico District. He served as the district secretary during 2009 and 2010 and is currently on the adult competitive counsel and grievance committee. Jerry was raised in Albuquerque where he lettered in football and basketball at Highland High School. Jerry attended the University of New Mexico where he played football and received a B.S. in Chemistry. He was named an NCAA academic all American in 1959. After UNM Jerry played football for the Houston Oilers in the AFL in 1960. He went to dental school at Baylor before receiving his M.S. in Orthodontics from The University of Southern California. He was a very successful Orthodontist and owned his own practice in Albuquerque. Jerry has been married to his wife Paula for 46 years. The two were married in Tokyo, Japan and have two children S. Jason and April Ann.
Victor Villareal, Tennis Pro, Stringer, Front Desk Staff
Victor has been with Shellaberger since April 2009. A multi-skilled employee Victor is a teaching pro, our head racquet stringer, reception desk staff member, and more... Prior to working at Shellaberger Victor played college tennis at Mt. San Jacinto Community College in California and the College of Santa Fe. He attended Colton High School in Colton, CA where he lettered in Tennis, Basketball, and Football. Victor was born in Landstuhl, Germany and raised in Colton, CA. He has two sisters, Maria and Vanessa.
Erika Copeland, Massage Therapist
Erika’s educational background is in neuromuscular trigger point therapy, deep tissue, joint range of motion, acupressure, and Swedish massage. For fun she enjoys practicing yoga, martial arts, cycling and is an endurance ultra runner, just to name a few of her athletic interests. Through her education and personal athletic experiences Erika understands how to help one stay in the game when one’s body is under high physical demands! Additionally a massage with Erika will help one realize greater peace, harmony, and energy.
Monique Gomez, Massage Therapist
"Monique is a long-time student of health and wellness. Before becoming a licensed massage therapist, Monique earned a bachelors degree in community health at New Mexico State University. After receiving her bachelors degree, Monique attended The Scherer Institute of Natural Healing. She went on to study organic farming and a community farm in Hawaii before returning to Santa Fe to practice massage therapy. Monique likes to approach her clients with an intuitive, nurturing, therapeutic and holistic attitude toward wellness. Her specialties include Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Reflexology, Trigger Point therapy, and Energy Healing. When not engaged in healing work, Monique enjoys cooking, sports, yoga, and dance.”
Veronica Clare, Massage Therapist
Veronica Clare became an Licensed Massage Therapist in Columbia, Missouri, January 2006 and received her New Mexico state license in 2011. Veronica moved to Santa Fe at the beginning of 2010 to begin the study of acupuncture; a reiki practitioner with a minor study in biology and a future focus in communications she enjoys learning and growing and working within the community. Clare considers herself a lifetime student, bringing together an eclectic and enthusiastic approach to maintaining health and wellness She looks forward to working with you, providing Swedish style deep tissue relaxation massage; for your general maintenance and focused conditions.
