Bird Key Yacht Club tennis director named America's Top Coach

Jackie Bohannon, the tennis director for the Bird Key Yacht Club, can now add "America's Top Coach" to her resume. She was announced as the winner of Tennis Channel and TOPSPIN's contest on May 11. 

“It was really, really exciting, because I mean, I can name 30 great coaches just in the Sarasota area,” Bohannon said before she won. “And then to make the top five was just shocking. It’s nice to be recognized.” 

Nominations came in during February and a panel of judges narrowed it down to the top 25, which were split into five U.S. regions. After a couple weeks of public voting, Bohannon was named the top female coach for the Southeastern U.S. The contest closed on May 2. The top coach on the male side is Orlando-based coach John A. Richards III. 

Bohannon has been the tennis director at BKYC since July 2020, when she approached general manager Scott Brynski about giving her a chance. Very quickly, the tennis activity at the club exploded under her care. Out of about 350 members, there are about 200 who regularly play tennis. Bohannon began clinics, lessons and social tennis events, which had never been part of the club before. 

“One of the things I've always loved doing is not only starting programs from scratch, and watching them grow, but also starting people from scratch,” Bohannon said. “That's what was really exciting about finally getting my opportunity here is getting a chance to program how I want to program … I've always gotten to be able to do that with my players. And now I get to do that with my own program with my own club.”

Bohannon began playing tennis at 10 years old, when her grandmother took her to the Field Club in Sarasota in the hopes of wearing down her hyper granddaughter. She'll never forget the way her backhand came naturally on her first day of lessons. From there, she played at Stetson University and began working at the Longboat Key Club. She coached their junior tennis clinics and summer camps. 

"I just love coaching, and I just love meeting people," Bohannon said. "I just really try to make a positive difference in people's lives."