Tennis lessons at Hillcrest

Individual/Group Lessons with Hillcrest Teach Professionals

We have a highly experienced and knowledgeable certified coaching staff that will help you grow your game step-by-step and gain more enjoyment from this great game!  Give us a call today (610-779-7900) for an individual lesson, group lesson, or for available clinics.

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Individual and Group Lessons with William Hill

Member Guest
Lesson Rate (28 minutes) $43 $48
Lesson Rate (55 minutes) $84 $89
*Guest fee of an additional $5/hour lesson.
 
Discounted Lesson Pack: 6 hours $469 $494
*Guest fee of an additional $25/guest.

Individual and Group Lessons with Paul McDonough, Ira Watts, Joel Castillo or Nolan Perugini

Member Guest
Lesson Rate (28 minutes) $39 $44
Lesson Rate (55 minutes) $76 $81
*Guest fee of an additional $5/hour lesson.
Discounted Lesson Books: 6 hours $419 $444
*Guest fee of an additional $25/guest.

Individual and Group Lessons with Emily Wagner

Member Guest
Lesson Rate (28 minutes) $39 $44
Lesson Rate (55 minutes) $76 $81
*Guest fee of an additional $5/hour lesson.
 
Discounted Lesson Pack: 6 hours $419 $444
*Guest fee of an additional $25/guest.

MEET OUR PRO STAFF

William Hill, USPTR, ITPA

Will graduated from Davis & Elkins College with degrees in criminology, physical education, psychology and management. As a player, Will received a full athletic scholarship and helped lead the Davis & Elkins team to their first Conference Championship playing at positions one through four. He received the MVP award and Most Dedicated Player award, and was an All-Conference player.

As a coach, Will has a USPTR master’s in high-performance coaching. He has 14 years of experience as a coach of high-performance tennis training, as well as 10 years personal training and fitness coordinator for a quality NCAA intercollegiate athletic program in the Great Midwest Atlantic Conference through Davis & Elkins College.

He has shown a successful track record for improving players, managing athletic programs, and developing talent at the high school, junior, and collegiate levels. He has placed young players in Division I and II programs such as Temple, University of Arkansas, and Fairmont State.

Will has had one core philosophy that drives both him and his students towards reaching their potential. “There may be others with more skill than you, there may be those who started sooner, but there should never be anyone who works harder than you. I’m the only person that will work harder on your game than you.”

Paul McDonough, USPTA, USPTR

Paul has been teaching at Hillcrest for over 33 years. He has the distinction of being both USPTA and USPTR certified and is a graduate of Tyler Junior College’s nationally recognized tennis instruction program.

He has enjoyed playing USTA Team Tennis for over 25 years, qualifying for Sectionals 19 times and Nationals five timesachieving 3rd place in 2006 and 1st in 2014. Paul has also previously served as president of the Berks County Tennis Association. In addition, he has been the head coach at Albright College and Antietam High School.

Paul loves instructing all levels of play. He runs many of our drill sessions, offers instruction for our junior programs, gives private lessons and coaches some of the Hillcrest USTA teams. In 2011, Paul was voted USTA Teaching Professional of the Year for both the Eastern PA District and the entire Middle States.

Ira Watts, USPTR

After retiring from a 25-year career as a Pennsylvania State Trooper, Ira Watts became a USPTR certified tennis professional. He has earned numerous certifications from the United States Tennis Association (USTA), including in Quick Start and Community Tennis Development. Coach Watts is certified to coach all ages and abilities.

Coach Watts headed the tennis program at the Brookside Country Club for over 10 years, while simultaneously serving as the head coach for the Pottstown High School girls’ varsity tennis team. He was also the head coach for the boys’ varsity tennis team at The Hill School for many years. In 2017, Coach Watts became an assistant coach for the girls’ varsity tennis team at The Hill School while continuing to coach The Hill School boys’ varsity team. Coaching at The Hill School has allowed him to train and coach high-performance tennis players from Spain, Russia, Japan, Germany, Turkey, and the USA.

Coach Watts spearheaded the Tennis Farm summer camp program at The Hill School for many years. As a member of the Greater Pottstown Tennis & Learning Association (GPTL), he contributed to the after school program at Pottstown Middle School and ran clinics for various age groups. He enjoys working with kids and teaching them to love the game of tennis.

Coach Watts often states, “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” Coach Watts believes you need a specific purpose and focus behind each and every swing you make in practice, and you need to have fun while doing it! By enjoying the process while having specific targets and clear goals, technical elements and improvement will happen much faster.

Joel Castillo, USPTR

Joel is a Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) certified tennis professional. As an athlete, he has been involved in the game of tennis for over 12 years. He began playing at the age of 10, continuing throughout his high school career where he was ranked No. 1 at Reading High School and competed at the district and state level. He has a background in weight training and has competed in multiple physique competitions.

As a coach, Joel has been coaching youth tennis players for the past eight years and has worked with various ages and skill levels. Along with his coaching background in tennis, he also has experience in personal training, helping others achieve their fitness goals.

“I believe in helping to improve skills in tennis, with an emphasis on overall fitness health in general. I am confident that I can work with various athletes to improve their skills as rapidly as possible while making sure an enjoyable time is had by all.”

Joel is honored to be joining the Hillcrest Racquet Club’s team of professional coaches and is looking forward to working with all ages and skill levels.

Emily Wagner, USPTR

Emily started her tennis career at the age of 5 and continued playing in high school and at Albright College. At Cocalico High School, she and her partner won the Lancaster-Lebanon League Doubles Championship. After a short hiatus in early adulthood, she returned to the courts at Hillcrest and has been an avid student of the game ever since. She is now excited to share her knowledge and love of the game as a coach.

Off the court, Emily is a professional in the fitness industry as the owner of and instructor at EmJ Pilates. She teaches clients, including several tennis players, how to move better with a combination of strength and flexibility.

Emily said, “In my Pilates studio, my goal is for each person to leave feeling better than when they walked through the door. I have the same goal for students who work with me on the tennis court … leave each session with more knowledge, more confidence, and more excitement for the sport.”

She believes that the best teachers are lifelong students, so you will see her taking lessons and giving lessons. She also believes that whoever first invented the idea of the “runner’s high” never swung a tennis racquet. There is no better feeling!

Nolan Perugini, USPTR

Nolan Perugini grew up in Berks County and played tennis most of his life. He competed as a junior player and continued throughout high school and college. Nolan played for Exeter Township Senior High School and placed third in the state doubles tournament. He also played varsity singles and doubles for the nationally ranked NCAA  Division III University of Mary Washington. Nolan finished his collegiate tennis career playing number one singles and doubles at Kutztown University in 2019.

Nolan is a Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) certified coach with experience teaching players of all ages and skill levels. He coaches with an emphasis on student input and making sure they enjoy their time on the court. Player-defined goals and enjoying the learning process are an important part of his philosophy. When teaching, his primary goal is to make sure each student is engaged and happy.

Nolan is an avid doubles player and favors creativity while competing. When playing, he mixes serving and volleying with aggressive ground strokes. His analytical mindset allows him to understand the mechanics and strategy of the game while searching for unique solutions. He continues to train and compete while sharing what he has learned along the way.