MaryJo was born and raised in Cape Coral, FL, and began playing tennis at the age of 11. She played varsity tennis for Ida S. Baker High School for four years before attending Florida Gulf Coast University, where she played on the Club Tennis Team. MaryJo earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from FGCU in 2023, and is starting the Master’s of Athletic Coaching program at Florida State University this fall, from which she plans to graduate in the summer of 2026.

She was inspired and greatly influenced by her coach, Lisa Zuk. MaryJo earned her PTR Tennis Coach certification in 2020 and was hired as the Assistant Tennis Pro at the Cape Coral Yacht Club, where she coached adult and children’s group and private lessons until Hurricane Ian destroyed the tennis courts. She continued working for the City of Cape Coral and ran her own programs until The Courts opened in August of 2024. She has also been a volunteer coach for the girls’ varsity tennis team at Ida S. Baker High School and remains very involved with the team.

In addition to coaching, MaryJo is a fifth grade teacher with the Lee County School District. Since she is at school during the day, MaryJo works primarily with our Junior Program in the evenings and on Saturday mornings. She also does private lessons and some adult group lessons. MaryJo’s coaching style focuses on combining technique with strategy, and she gauges the success of her students based on their improvement and growth.