Frank Reyes' playing, coaching journey comes full circle at Riverside Tennis Center

USTA Kansas is home to tennis players, coaches and volunteers from many different cultures and backgrounds. It’s one of the things that makes the tennis community so amazing.

One such individual making a huge impact is Frank Reyes, tennis manager and head tennis professional at Riverside Tennis Center in Wichita. Reyes is also the boys’ and girls’ tennis head coach at Maize South High School.

Reyes first picked up a racquet at 4 years old at the facility he now leads. In addition to playing at free clinics at McAdams Park, Reyes’ hometown was integral in growing his interest in tennis.

“Those early experiences sparked my love for the game and set me on the path to playing and coaching tennis today,” Reyes said.

His connection to Riverside only grew as he got older, and it ended up setting the course for Reyes’ future.

“I really started getting serious about the sport when I attended Wichita Northwest High School,” he said. “While taking lessons at Riverside Tennis Center during high school, I was given the opportunity to start working part-time as a tennis instructor at RTC in 2019. That experience helped me discover my true passion for coaching and working with players.”

De jugador a entrenador

Reyes continued his playing career at Newman University in Wichita, where he competed on the men’s tennis team for two years. He continued coaching part-time at Riverside when an exciting opportunity was presented to him.

“In 2022, I had the opportunity to begin coaching at Maize South High School,” he said. “At that point, I realized that I wanted to pursue tennis as a career and become a full-time teaching professional, combining my work at Riverside with high school coaching.”

Reyes was named tennis manager and head tennis professional at Riverside in 2024 — a truly full-circle moment. The 4-year-old who first walked onto the facility’s courts would no doubt be proud of the player and coach he is now.

In his tenure in this role, Reyes has established several programs for players of all ages and skill levels, inspiring them to keep learning and growing on and off the court.

“My goal with these programs is to create more opportunities for people to discover tennis, build relationships within the tennis community and hopefully develop a lifelong love for the game,” Reyes said.

As the head coach of Maize South High School, Reyes has inspired and connected with the young players on his team and in the community. He’s encouraged them to continue growing their skills by participating in lessons, camps and other supplemental programming.