St. James is proud to have a team of passionate and certified tennis coaches, each bringing some valuable teaching experience to the court. They’re here to help you improve your skills, build confidence, and enjoy the game. Our head coaches “Jackson, Vlad, and Tarek” are also available for private lessons. You’ll find their contact information below, so feel free to reach out directly to book a session. Get to know the coaches who are dedicated to supporting your growth on court.

Jackson Hemphill Head Pro - Director of Tennis

Jackson Hemphill grew up playing at St.James Club, attending camps as a junior and playing in some of the tournaments the club had to offer. After completing his instructor certificate in 2015, Jackson began to instruct at St. James. He quickly grew to become a very enthusiastic, passionate and organized tennis instructor. In total, Jackson has taught for 5 years at St. James, while also teaching at Carleton Tennis Centre, and he continues to teach in the winter at the Rideau Sports Centre. Jackson’s friendly face combined with his energy and helpfulness make him a natural fit to be leading the club team this year. Jackson is a Club Pro 1 certified by Tennis Canada. Please send him an email <hemphill.jackson@gmail.com > with any questions regarding group, private, and junior lessons or any other inquiries you might have. 

Vlad Pirusca Adult Program Director

Though I’m not yet connected to St. James, I’m excited to join the community. I started playing in Romania and continued in Ottawa, playing on nearly every court—except St. James! I’m eager to finally hit the courts here and share my love for the game.

Tennis Teaching Experience:
I began coaching at Britannia Yacht Club and now mainly coach at Carleton, with nearly 5 years of experience. I’ve taught all ages in group, private, and camp settings. I’m currently working toward my Tennis Canada Instructor certification. My style blends fun with a competitive spirit—players grow most when they enjoy the challenge.

Competition Highlights:

• Ottawa City Singles & Doubles Champion

• Bloomex Cup Singles & Doubles Champion

• Cityview Open Singles Champion

• Top 8 at Tennis Canada Fischer Nationals (Indoor & Outdoor)

Contact:
For lessons, hitting sessions, or tennis talk, reach out at pirusca.vlad@gmail.com or text (343) 997-6288. Looking forward to connecting!

Tarek Samhan Tennis Professional

Tarek has been playing tennis since he was 7. He signed up for his first U10 tournament two years later and has never looked back. Since then, he has competed in local, national, and international tournaments where he has honed his tennis skills. Last year, he made it to the semi-finals of the Barrhaven and City View tennis tournaments, even winning two whole games (almost 3) from the reigning city champion. Tarek has been coaching since 2020 at Rideau Sports Center and St James. He is a certified instructor by Tennis Canada. He loves teaching the sport and watching people grow as players. His most rewarding experience is watching new players fall in love with a sport that is so near and dear to him. During business hours, Tarek works at the Bank of Canada where he brings up tennis far too often when clearly, nobody cares about his tennis skills.

Please reach out to him at <tsamhan@gmail.com> for any tennis inquiries.