Barbara has been a certified USPTA instructor for 22 years. In 1989, as the assistant pro at Aurora Country Club in New Orleans, she couached a Men's 2.5 USTA Team to a National Championship.

Whether you are a beginning, learning the fundamentals or an intermediate to advanced player wanteing to sharpen your skills, Barbara strives to make your lesson fun and educational. She teaches both private and group lessons.

Barbara is going into her 11th year as St. Scholastica's tennis coach, complete with 1 runner-up title and 7 state titles. The Times Picayune names her All Metro Coach of the Year in 1999 and again in 2002. Barbara has also been awarded the Southern USPTA High School Coach of the Year in 2006.

Barbara serves as the women's league coordinator. She serves more that 1700 players in the USTA League in the Mandeville/Covington area. At the present time, she is serving as a board member on both the State League Council and the Community Tennis Association. Recently, Barbara was awarded the Southern Adult League Coordinator of the Year.

Barbara has been teaching at Pelican Athletic Club for the past 13 years.

John Bunel
Head Professional

John was born in Matairie, LA; he has held state rankings in both Texas and Louisiana. John earned a professional teaching rating from the United States Professional Tennis Registry in 1983.

In 1978, he was awarded a tennis scholarship to the University of New Orleans, and in that same year he toured England as a member of John Newecomb's International Touring Team.

As a four-year letterman at Archbishop Rummel High School, John teamed with Stan Chelchowski to win the Louisiana High School Athletic Association 4-A State Doubles Championship.

John has 31 years teaching experience.

A certified USPTA-1 since 1998, Mark has experience in teaching as well as playing. He worked several summer camps while still in school, including the LSU Summer Camp and at Bayou Bluff Tennis Club in Gulfport, MS.

After college, he worked as a full time teaching pro at the Hilton River Center and finally at the Beach Club in Metairie, where he and his partner were ranked #1 in doubles in the State of Louisiana.

Mark was also a top ranked junior player from Gulfport, MS; where he played for St. John's High School. He won the state boy's singles in 1993 and mixed doubles in 1990.

The Mississippi Tennis Association awarded him the Moore's Sportsmanship Award at the end of his junior days. On a four-year tennis scholarship at UNO, Mark has been named "Most Improved" Player by UNO Tennis Team; received the Sportsmanship Award for the Sun Belt Conference.

Mark has been at Pelican Athletic Club, as Head Professional since 2005.

 Tracey Daspit
Head Professional & Junior Program Director