Jon’s Story

Hi there, my name is Jon Crim, and I’m the founder of TennisCompanion.

My journey with tennis started at the early age of five years old when I picked up my first tennis racquet. I’d like to say it was my own doing, but I have my parents to thank for that and the myriad of other sports they allowed me to explore.

From soccer to baseball, basketball, golf, hockey, swimming, gymnastics, lacrosse, sailing, snowboarding, skimboarding, skating, and surfing, I’m incredibly thankful for their generous support in keeping me active at a young age and allowing me to forge my own athletic path.

As luck would have it, tennis is one of the few sports that stuck, and it has played a significant role in shaping my life.

My First Passion

Over the years, I grew to love tennis. The individual nature of the sport, which keeps you fully engaged and requires you to take responsibility for your own success and failure, held my interest.

I enjoyed practicing as much as competing, and that feeling of a cleanly struck winner or an ace up the T – nothing better.

My First Job

At sixteen, tennis gave me my first job (aside from babysitting) at the Guilford Racquet & Swim Club, thanks to my coach Billy Previdi.

I vacuumed tennis ball lint and cobwebs from behind the dark green curtains of their six indoor courts and helped with other odd jobs around the club as needed. Sure, it wasn’t glamourous, but I thought it was pretty cool to get paid to do anything on a tennis court.

I have Billy to thank for helping cultivate my love for tennis and providing me with a rock-solid foundation that would serve me for years to come. Not only is he a highly talented coach, but his passion for tennis is infectious.

High School

During high school in Madison, CT, tennis gave me an identity. I was proud to play varsity starting my freshman year and to lead the team as captain during my junior and senior years.

We also had the best coach around, Gary Meunier. He knew the sport incredibly well and could handily beat any of us on the team, complete with intimidating grunts and bandana.

In high school, I grew out of vacuuming the courts and had the privilege of instructing young kids at the Guildford Racquet & Swim Club throughout the year, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

College

I played Division III tennis at Salve Regina University in Newport, RI. Beyond identity, playing tennis at Salve gave me a fun and supportive team, which was a highlight of college for me.

Brian Shanley, the Director of Tennis at Pt. Judith Country Club in Narraganset, RI, was our coach, and his track record spoke for itself. In 14 seasons as coach, he amassed a winning record of 175-76 with 10 conference championships, and I was lucky enough to contribute to four of them, including my senior year as team captain.

One of my favorite memories was an annual grass-court tournament Brian set up for our team at Point Judith and the Tennis Hall of Fame.

Starting TennisCompanion

Shortly after graduating from college, I moved to San Diego, CA, and I took a break from tennis to spend time enjoying one of my other passions, surfing.

However, my love for tennis never faded. In 2013, I started TennisCompanion as an experiment to give back to the sport that had enriched my life over the years.

The concept was simple. Produce high-quality educational resources to help players from around the world learn more about the sport.

I thoroughly enjoy helping break down complex topics from gear to technique and just about everything in-between, and the positive feedback I’ve received from our community over the years is humbling.

As a teacher and instructor, I’m far from perfect. However, I strive for excellence, and I’m dedicated to personal growth that, in turn, I can apply to make TennisCompanion the best it can be. It feels like the journey has only just begun.