Missouri Valley / Oklahoma

From Moscow to Edmond, Marina Robinson finds her calling in coaching

Blair Schluter | September 23, 2026

For Marina Robinson, tennis has always been about more than what happens between the lines.

From picking up a racquet at age 7 in Moscow to building a life and career in Oklahoma, Robinson said tennis has opened doors, created lifelong relationships and given her the opportunity to positively influence generations of players.

During Coach Appreciation Month in October, USTA Oklahoma celebrates coaches like Robinson, whose impact extends far beyond teaching strokes, strategy and footwork. For Robinson — who is a teaching pro at Edmond Center Court and a USTA Coaching member — coaching is about helping players discover who they are, both on and off the court.

Robinson’s path to coaching wasn’t necessarily the one she initially expected. After earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting, she quickly discovered that an office career wasn’t where she belonged.

“I belonged on the tennis court,” Robinson said.

She found that coaching offered the flexibility she valued, an opportunity to set her own schedule and build a career where her effort directly contributed to her success. What began as a career decision ultimately became a calling.

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Tennis Opens Doors

Long before Robinson became a coach, tennis had already begun changing the course of her life.

“I was born in the USSR,” Robinson said. “When I started playing tennis, we knew very little about opportunities outside the country until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1993.”

In 1998, at age 18, Robinson became part of the first wave of Russian female tennis players to come to the United States.

“At the time, I didn’t fully realize where tennis would take me,” she said. “But I knew I needed to get to the States.”

That decision became a defining moment in Robinson’s life. Tennis gave her the opportunity to come to the United States and play college tennis. It led to an education and to meeting her husband during college. Eventually, it helped her build a life with her family in the Edmond community.

Marina Robinson (far left) has worked with several high-performance players, several of whom played tennis in college.

Marina Robinson (far right) began playing tennis as a 7-year-old in Moscow before moving to the U.S. in 1998 at the age of 18.

Marina Robinson joined the team at Edmond Center Court, a USTA Premier Facility, in 2021.

Marina Robinson (far left) has worked with several high-performance players, several of whom played tennis in college.
Marina Robinson (far right) began playing tennis as a 7-year-old in Moscow before moving to the U.S. in 1998 at the age of 18.
Marina Robinson joined the team at Edmond Center Court, a USTA Premier Facility, in 2021.

The sport that began as a childhood passion became a pathway to an entirely new life.

Over the years, Robinson has worked with numerous high-performance female players, several of whom went on to play college tennis. But when she reflects on the most rewarding part of coaching those athletes, her answer goes beyond their accomplishments on the court.

“The most rewarding part is watching them grow, not just as tennis players on the court, but as individuals off the court,” she said. “Seeing them mature into adults and find themselves is incredible.”

That perspective is at the heart of Robinson’s coaching philosophy. Success isn’t measured solely by rankings, tournament results or college opportunities. It can also be found in the person a player becomes along the way.

For Robinson, one of the clearest signs that a coach has made a difference comes in the simplest moments.

“You realize you are truly making a difference when you run into your players outside of the tennis facility and see how genuinely happy they are to see you,” she said.

Robinson’s development as a professional coach has been marked by recognition as well. She was named Missouri Valley Assistant Professional of the Year in 2008 and Oklahoma Pro of the Year in 2014. As a young coach, those honors provided encouragement to continue learning and growing.

“Those awards motivated me to keep growing, improving my skills as a tennis professional and continuing to make a positive impact on the game,” Robinson said.

A Lasting Influence

Robinson’s commitment to growth was instilled in her long before she became a coach.

At age 12, she worked with a coach who emphasized proper footwork while maintaining a positive and encouraging approach. Training in Russia could be demanding, but that coach taught Robinson an important lesson: work hard, enjoy the game and keep learning. That lesson has remained with her throughout her life.

Looking back, it is easy to see how the lessons Robinson learned as a young player shaped the coach she would become. And the journey from that 7-year-old girl with a racquet in Moscow to a longtime tennis professional in Oklahoma has been remarkable.

“She would be amazed,” Robinson said of what her younger self would think of the life tennis ultimately provided.

Today, Robinson has the opportunity to provide that same sense of possibility for the players she coaches. While each player’s journey is different, the lessons learned through tennis can reach well beyond the court.

That is why, during Coach Appreciation Month, Robinson has a simple message for coaches throughout Oklahoma.

“Remember that your job is about much more than just tennis instruction,” she said. “It is about the personal connections you build and the lasting impact you have on your players’ lives.”

For Robinson, that lasting impact is the true measure of coaching. The forehands and backhands may eventually fade from memory. Tournament results can become distant. But the relationships built, confidence developed and lessons learned can remain with a player for a lifetime.

And sometimes, the best evidence of a coach’s impact is simply seeing former players years later, and watching their faces light up when they see you.

Learn more about USTA Coaching here.

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