Certified Tennis Instruction out of Montclair/Oakland
Expert at improving USTA and high school juniors and beginner to advanced adults. Serving Oakland, Piedmont, Berkeley and surrounding areas.
Why Forefront
- Highly individualized instruction in private, semi-private and same level clinics
- Flexible scheduling, convenient location, pedigreed coaching
- See our reviews below - patience, excellence in technical knowledge and professionalism are hallmarks of our offering
Google Reviews
"Coach Ray tailors lessons to each athlete's needs and adjusts quickly based on what's working. He's very good at identifying technique corrections and uses specific drills that actually help fix problem areas. My daughter's improvement has been exponential since working with him. Ray offers great value for the area — I would absolutely recommend him!"
— Stephanie Buddy
"Coach Ray has been a fantastic instructor for our twin daughters. His thoughtful coaching and helpful insights really boosted their confidence and skills on the court. We're thrilled to share that both girls made their high school tennis team this year, thanks in part to his support. Highly recommend!"
— Glennie Kramer-Baker
"Coach Ray is a top notch athlete and teacher. He is a keen observer of technical issues and able to make corrections that work. Highly recommended for all levels!"
— Lori Silver
Why Independent, Private Coaching
Accelerate Your Development
Tennis is hard to get right on your own, and it's easy to burn time and money going nowhere. Don't let the wrong coaching kill your interest. We work with you one-on-one, figure out exactly what's holding your game back, and build a plan around fixing it.
More Individualized than Group Classes
Group classes are great for introducing you to the sport, but can be boring and frustrating. If you enjoy tennis, work with us to speed your learning and get to enjoyment as soon as possible.
Superior to Online YouTube Learning
YouTube is full of tips, but a lot of it is generic or contradicts itself. Tennis is technical, and it's best learned from a good coach watching you and correcting you in real time.
Our Offerings
Programs for Aspiring Juniors and Adults
Find the path that fits where you are right now and where you want to go.
High School Off-Season Development
We help HS players address technical deficiencies in their serve and ground strokes before the next playing season (UTR range 1.0 to 4.0).
Adults Determined to Progress
Private coaching for adults who are serious about building real technique, from your first lessons through advanced, high-performance drilling.
USTA Level 7 to Level 6 Tournament Juniors
Working with USTA juniors in same level practices or individual work from UTR range 3.0 to 5.5.
LiveBall and Intermediate Clinics
We bring the music, energy and fun for a quality clinic experience.
About Coach Ray
Experienced Coach & Tennis Parent
Forefront is a passion business for Coach Ray, who is raising a high performance player and has worked with hundreds of other adults and juniors from beginner to early high performance since 2024. He leverages his deep knowledge (over 25 years) of playing as a junior, at advanced adult NTRP levels, tennis leagues and tournaments and a ton of coaching certifications.
What is a Formation Coach?
A formation coach focuses on helping players develop sound technical foundations. Coach Ray hits a clean rally ball at adult NTRP 4.0/4.5 levels (will train players up to UTR 6.5) and has extensive experience identifying and correcting technical issues and feeding/drilling high performance players. He has developed a clear player development philosophy and blueprint that spans spacing, movement, footwork, and solid tactical and mental instruction.
Full Certifications & Insurance
Reviews
Here are some of our testimonials
Read feedback from local players and families who have received instruction from Forefront Tennis.
Locations
Inner East Bay Sites
We are currently not affiliated with any particular tennis club or facility and teach at public courts we feel are conducive to a quality experience for our learners, building time blocks of 2 to 4 lessons back to back. Here are some of the areas and sites at which we teach.
Montclair Village
Offering private lessons and clinics at a location central to Oakland, Piedmont, Rockridge and Berkeley.
Highlands Country Club
On select days we are available to teach at Highlands Country Club. We are open to teaching in Berkeley and Orinda during weekday mornings for clinics or a time block of several lessons.
Get in Touch
Questions? We'll Get Back to You Fast.
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll follow up within 24 hours. Or skip ahead and book a trial lesson directly.
Prefer to book directly? Schedule a trial lesson →
FAQ
Common Questions and Answers
If you have additional questions please click on Contact above to send us an email.
What ages do you teach?
We begin teaching juniors at age 9. We feel that the window from 9 to 12 is important for developing a sound foundation that will elevate their potential in the sport down the road. We may work with green or orange balls on an exception basis based on coachability and chemistry. Because our instruction weaves in more technique repetitions, we recommend kids 8 and below enroll in group classes that are social, game-oriented and emphasize general athletic development.
What type of players do you work with?
We prioritize scheduling players committed to improvement and taking weekly or bi-weekly lessons as they improve. Given limited hours on court, we are selective in taking players with whom we feel we can make a positive impact on their games and lives.
Do you have after school junior programs?
At times. We have opened some junior clinics or group classes in the past. We are open to organizing practices for groups of 3 or more. We are considering whether to open summer camps in the future.