HighFIVE: AdvantageYOU

AdvantageYOU is bringing their high quality tennis programming to the City of Aurora

When Peter Richman and Kristi Janos had the idea of AdvantageYOU in late 2022, their goal was to grow tennis by providing high-quality instruction to players of all ages and abilities in their own communities. And today, they are doing just that with programs in numerous neighborhoods across metro Denver as well as being the official tennis provider for Colorado’s third biggest city, Aurora.

The rapid success of AdvantageYOU is driven by the combination of experiences that Richman and Janos each bring. 

Richman’s tennis resume is long, both as a player and as a coach. A six-time Canadian junior national champion who played in three junior grand slams, Richman played No. 1 singles at LSU and spent some time on the pro tour. Since moving to Colorado in 2006 to become the head pro at Green Gables Country Club, he has become a fixture in the tennis community, working in various roles at Colorado Athletic Club Inverness, and guiding many players to college careers and one to a top 5 national ranking.  

“After I stopped playing competitive tennis, I found a passion in coaching and in developing tennis players,” says Richman. 

Janos, a Michigan native who moved to Colorado more than 25 years ago, is a trained chef, with a degree from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America. She and her husband started Cooks Fresh Market, a gourmet market, bakery, and catering business with locations in Greenwood Village and downtown Denver. In 2005, the Downtown Denver Partnership recognized Cooks Fresh Market with the Small Business of the Year Award. They sold the business in 2019, and Janos decided to spend more time on her other passion – tennis. 

“About a dozen years ago, my husband was trying to get me to learn to play. I didn’t play sports growing up, so I was reluctant, but I instantly fell in love with the challenge of learning and competing.” 

Janos began teaching as well as coaching at Kent Denver School and the International School of Denver.

Richman and Janos have known each other for years, as Richman, along with Jeff Salzenstein, trained and guided Janos through much of her tennis experience. They first started discussing the idea of AdvantageYOU when Janos was teaching at courts in local communities. The response was great and Richman says, “We believed that we could grow tennis in these, and other, neighborhoods.” 

The company has a staff of 15, including many highly trained instructors. Richman and Janos say, “We believe that getting top notch coaching in the comfort of your own community without having to commit to a club membership is extremely important. We are an inclusive company that does not cater to one type of level of player. No matter your skill level, we have a place for you.”

This philosophy is one reason why AdvantageYOU was named the official tennis provider for the City of Aurora. Richman and Janos say, “We have performance programs which cater to national and sectional level junior players, and we are also building a 12U competitive program. On the recreation side, we are starting high school/middle school training programs in July as well as red/orange/green ball beginner/intermediate programs. For adults, we offer drills for 2.5-4.5 players as well as learn to play, cardio tennis and intermediate tennis to the non-competitive players who wants to improve on their skills.”

Kristy Harris, USTA Colorado Director of Community Services, looks forward to seeing what AdvantageYOU will do in Aurora. She says, “We have been working with the City of Aurora for a few years as they assessed how to best deliver a pathway of quality tennis opportunities to residents of all ages, skills and backgrounds. It is exciting that AdvantageYOU was selected to manage the program with the incredible experience, enthusiasm and knowledge that Peter and Kristi bring, along with the selective staff they are assembling. We anticipate tennis in Aurora will explode in the years to come with this team behind it.”

AdvantageYOU is committed to continuing their success in more locations throughout Colorado and strive for all clients to have a fun and positive experience with tennis. They say, “Even though we are growing, we make sure that each site feels intimate and personal. We get to know our clients and build a personal relationship with each student which allows us all to be part of a special tennis community.”

To learn more about AdvantageYOU, follow them at:

https://www.advantageyou.org
https://www.instagram.com/advantageyoutennis
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091531758175

MidFirst Bank is one of the largest privately owned banks and this combination of size and private ownership provides our customers with a special brand of banking. We are a strong supporter of the communities we serve, investing time and money in important educational, charitable and civic organizations. Our volunteerism is powered by our employees from all of the communities in which we live and share with our customers. MidFirst Bank is a proud partner of USTA Colorado.