Tennis Director

Michael Bratt

Michael joined Club Fit Briarcliff in March of 2013 as a Tennis Professional. He quickly built up a large following of all ages and levels. Michael has coached nationally and sectionally ranked juniors, collegiate players and both men and women professional circuit players. He is known for his ability to motivate players and bring out their unique individual talents.

Michael’s skills at maximizing a player’s potential, his work ethic, and his attitude have led his players to succeed at levels they never thought possible. He is recognized as a top developer of junior talent. Many of his students have gone on to attend and play on tennis teams at colleges around the country. Michael has been a huge proponent of increasing junior, adult and senior tennis. He shows his dedication to all players, from the beginner to the top ranked competitors.

Michael had a major influence in growing the tennis program at Club Fit in Briarcliff and now we’ve been able to steal him away to be our Program Director here at Club Fit Jefferson Valley.

Testimonials

“I want to let you know how thrilled I am with the coaching I am receiving from Michael Bratt. Having never played tennis before, I decided to try it and quickly realized that I needed help. My wife played as a teen and we agreed to take an initial lesson at Club Fit. Our lesson was scheduled with Michael and from our initial greeting, both my wife and I felt connected to Michael. After our first lesson, we agreed that we would sign-on for more lessons with Michael. We have now been taking lessons once a week for the past month. Michael is very friendly and makes every lesson fun. While it is great to have fun, Michael’s drills and coaching have consistently improved our tennis skill. I am also attending a weekly tennis clinic that Michael facilitates and the drills have further improved my game.” – Glenn Harris

Tennis Administrative Assistant

Brandin O’Connell

Brandin is very excited to have joined the Club Fit team. He was born and raised on Long Island and currently resides in Mahopac. He graduated from Adelphi University in 2002 with his Bachelors Degree in Journalism. He then returned to Adelphi in 2013 and earned his Masters Degree in Physical Education. During his tenure at Adelphi, he played on the university tennis team and was two-time college all-American.

Brandin has been teaching tennis and managing a prestigious tennis academy on the North Shore of Long Island for over 10 years. For the past five summers, he has run a private tennis program in Roslyn, New York. He instructs children and adults of all ages and abilities. Brandin prides himself on his dedication to helping his students achieve whatever their tennis goals may be.

Brandin has always enjoyed the game of tennis and the fact that no matter your ability or age, tennis can be a challenging and enjoyable sport. He is looking forward to bringing his passion, skills, and knowledge to Club Fit!

Head Tennis Professional

Michael Chitu

Michael has over 20 years of instructional tennis experience. He is P-1 certified to teach tennis by the USPTA. In 2010, he completed a course specializing in the development of a high performance player. He has been head tennis pro at Club Fit for eight years. Previously he taught tennis at the Dave Strebel Academy and at the Manhattan Square tennis club.

Michael was the Head Tennis Coach for the Harley/Allendale Columbia High School in Rochester, NY for the two years prior to his arrival at Club Fit. Michael is originally from Romania, where he coached tennis for ten years. He earned his degree in physical education and sports in Bucharest, Romania in 1994. His major was in tennis coaching and team handball. While in Romania, he coached young students at all levels who went on to be ranked on the Junior Tour. His strengths are in developing students of all levels and ages, with solid tennis form, skills, and game strategy. He is dedicated to his students and commands a great deal of respect for his commitment to bringing out the best in them.

Tennis Professional

Todd Ruben

Todd Ruben was born and raised in the NYC area, and is a graduate of The University of Hartford’s business school. He is a USPTA and Coach Youth Tennis certified coach who has been teaching tennis since 2012.

His unique ability to work with children and love for teaching tennis was the main reason for his career change after 15 years of running a successful marketing company. Todd’s goal is to ensure that the kids have a great time and want to keep playing tennis long into the future. If you ever hear your children mention “Coach Toad” that’s his nickname!

Tennis Professional

Marty Fried

Marty and his family have lived in Somers for over 30 years. Marty has been involved in every aspect of tennis. He has taught at numerous clubs, coached high school teams, played NCAA collegiate tennis and has been a ranked player in the Eastern section of the USTA. He is a certified USPTA professional.

Tennis Professional

Edward Forker

Ed is joining the Club Fit team as a Tennis Instructor. As a life-long tennis player, he brings over two decades of coaching experience, and a true love for the game. Ed’s excited to be joining the Tennis department, and looks forward to seeing you on the court!

Hudson Schantz