Staff

Rome Tennis Center: 706.236.4490


COLT GASTON
General Manager

Colt is from Rome, Georgia.  He played tennis at Rome High School before playing collegiately at Louisiana State University where he was an All-American and SEC-Indoor Doubles Champion for the Tigers.  After graduating from LSU, Colt went on to play professionally where we ranked among the top 500 ATP.   Colt has been working with juniors for over 15 years and has an expertise in player development.  He has worked with 2 top 100 players ATP/WTA and helped over 30 kids obtain college scholarships.  Colt is joining us from the University of Missouri where he was the Head Women’s Tennis Coach for the past 4 years and also helped the Tigers obtain their highest ranking in program history.  Colt also helped oversee the Mizzou Tennis Complex that has over 400 members.


JIM RICHARDS
Head Tennis and Pickleball Professional

Jim Richards grew up in Oxford, England and was a top county junior before playing college tennis for the University College of Wales. Since coming to America Jim has directed tennis programs at Resorts, Regional Tennis Centers, and Country Clubs in Florida, Texas, and Georgia. In Florida Jim founded a tennis academy that produced several #1 state players along with national and ranked ITF juniors. He has also done short-term project work for professional players. Jim is a USPTA certified P1 Elite Professional, a GPTA Board Member, USPTA & GPTA speaker and has been awarded GPTA Pro of the year. He is also an article contributor for Florida Tennis, Net News, USPTA Standard, USPTA ADDvantage Magazine, and a contributing Editor for Serve It Up magazine.


CALEB MCCURRY
Lead Coach of Junior Development

Caleb McCurry has worked at the tennis center for multiple years as a part-time instructor. Despite only working at RTC in a seasonal capacity, he has become a huge part of our team and we are thrilled to have him join as a full-time instructor with a specific focus on our junior program and camps.
 
 
 
 
 
 

RYLAN PICKENS
Collegiate Tennis Instructor

 
 
 
 
 
 

 


ETHAN ELLISON
Collegiate Tennis Instructor

Ethan Ellison graduated from Model High School in 2024. He will be a freshman at Berry College and will play for the Berry College men’s team in the fall of 2024. Ethan helps teach our middle school and high school prep classes along with our middle school and high school tennis camps.

 
 
 

 

 


STEPHEN DRAKE
Pickleball Teaching Professional

Stephen began playing pickleball in 2020 and had an instant connection with the sport. Since then, he has dedicated much of his free time to learning the techniques and tactics of pickleball in order to be competitive with a wide slate of ages and skill levels. Stephen also serves as USA Pickleball Atlantic South East Region’s ambassador.

 

 


 
CLUBHOUSE STAFF

JOVITA DAVE

Front Desk Lead

Jovita Dave is the Front Desk Lead at Rome Tennis Center where she oversees day-to-day front operations and ensures a smooth, welcoming experience for members and guests. She supports a wide range of services, including reservations, camps, memberships, and events, while helping maintain a clean and organized clubhouse environment. With a background in direct sales leadership, she has led high-performing teams and developed strong skills in customer service, team management, and communication. A former college athlete, she served as team captain for the throwers and earned multiple All-Conference honors. She currently holds top 3 all-time in program history at her university and is recognized for her dedication both on and off the field.
Jovita holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services and a Master’s in Health Administration and Management, combining her passion for people and performance in every role she takes on.
Outside of work, she enjoys mentoring young athletes and entrepreneurs, staying active, and spending time outdoors with family and friends.

 

 

EDDIE BETHUNE
Maintenance Director

 

 

 

 

 

KYLE WILLIAMS

Front Desk Attendant

 

 

 

 

 

 

EMILY ALVARDO

Front Desk Attendant

 

 

 

 

 

DEBRA AULT-BUTENKO
Front Desk Attendant