Our Team
Abrie Du Plooy - Director of Tennis
Abrie du Plooy is a dedicated tennis professional with over 28 years of experience as both a competitor and coach. His journey began as a standout Division I player at the University of Tennessee and continued on the ATP Tour, where he achieved world ranking success. As a certified teaching professional through USPTR and USTPA, he brings advanced, performance-oriented instruction to junior players.
At the helm of Inspiration Tennis Academy, Abrie leads a year-round program that emphasizes comprehensive athlete development. His coaching philosophy balances elite-level technique and strategy with mental resilience, sportsmanship, and a winning mindset, nurturing both the individual player and the team-oriented culture of the academy.
Jason Lee - Director of Player Development
Jason is a native of Southern California and a former AVP pro beach volleyball player. Jason has owned and operated beach volleyball clubs, indoor volleyball clubs and tennis academies. He currently serves as the Director of Spiritual Life and active member of the board at Inspiration Academy school. Jason has four students at Inspiration Academy, including two sons who are part of the full time tennis academy.
Percy Melzi - Coach
Percy is an accomplished tennis professional and academy director with extensive international experience in player development, coaching, and program management. Originally from Peru and currently based in Florida, Percy has built a career spanning over 20 years, working with elite junior players, ATP/WTA professionals, and national teams across South America, Europe, and the United States.
Known for his technical acumen and holistic training methodology, Percy has held leadership roles in several high-performance academies and federations, including work with top-tier development programs in Spain and competitive training environments in the U.S. His expertise covers all aspects of athlete development—ranging from foundational technique to tactical and mental training. Percy’s passion lies in guiding athletes to reach their full potential while fostering discipline, resilience, and a love for the game.
Gabriel Muniz - Coach
Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, Coach Gabe moved to Orlando, Florida at a young age, where his passion for tennis took root. As a junior player, he achieved a top-30 ranking in Florida and a national ranking of 295 in the U.S. Coach Gabe earned a full athletic scholarship to Lees-McRae College, where he competed at the No. 1 position in both singles and doubles. He earned national recognition in doubles and played a key role in leading his team to the regional tournament for the first time in over a decade. His coaching career began at Beech Mountain Country Club in North Carolina and continued as an assistant coach at Lees-McRae, where he was instrumental in recruiting international talent. He has also coached at High 5 Tennis Academy in Brandon, FL, and Hunters Green Tennis Academy in Tampa, FL, developing junior players across all levels. Coach Gabe brings competitive experience, a strong international background, and a passion for player development to every court he steps on.
Mauricio Hadad - Coach
Mauricio is a former professional tennis player from Colombia and the only Colombian in history to win an ATP Tour singles title, claiming victory at the Bermuda Open in 1995. He reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of World No. 78 in September 1995 and made third-round appearances at both the Australian Open and U.S. Open.
Hadad was a key figure in Colombian tennis, representing his country in 20 Davis Cup ties between 1989 and 2001 and holding the national record with 35 match wins. He later served as captain of the Colombia Davis Cup Team from 2013 to 2016, playing a pivotal role in mentoring a new generation of Colombian talent, including Alejandro Falla, Santiago Giraldo, and Juan Sebastián Cabal. Beyond his national contributions, Hadad achieved international recognition as a coach. He guided Maria Sharapova to her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2004 and has also coached British players Heather Watson and Laura Robson.
Kalin Davidov - Coach
Kalin started playing tennis as a second sport when he was 5 years old. At 16 he was the youngest professional volleyball player in Bulgaria. He studied at the Sports Universities of Sofia and Cologne(Germany). He has a bachelor’s degree in physical education and tennis coaching and participated in a Master’s degree program in high sports performance in tennis. Kalin's son, Teo Davidov, is currently a blue chip Freshman, an 11.72 UTR and is ranked Top 10 in the USA for his age group.
Brian Commerford - Strength & Conditioning
Brian is our on site strength and conditioning coach with a passion for developing young athletes and a proven track record. Brian follows a holistic approach that utilizes evidence based and innovative sports science while integrating cutting edge technology. Brian has led Inspiration to receive numerous awards including the NHSSCA Program of Excellence for the 2022-2025 period.
Roland Portner - CFO
Roland Portner joined Inspiration Academy as Chief Financial Officer in April 2024, bringing over 40 years of global experience in finance, accounting, and executive leadership. His appointment is both a professional honor and a personal calling to serve the Academy’s Christ-centered mission.
Before joining Inspiration, Roland held senior leadership roles at Bunge Limited, a $60 billion global agribusiness, including Chief Audit Executive and Managing Director positions across Europe and Asia. He also served as a partner at Ernst & Young in Geneva and led internal audit for the international agribusiness firm Andre Group.
Known for building high-performing teams and leading large-scale financial transformations, Roland combines deep business acumen with a heart for service. He is a devoted Christian, an active prayer partner in two churches, and a committed steward of the Academy’s mission.
Kera Mattes - Finance
Kera is an alumna of Liberty University, where she was a member of the university’s inaugural women’s tennis team. Her passion for both education and athletics continues to shape her career. Kera currently serves as an online instructor for Liberty University, bringing a strong academic and professional background in finance to our team.
With extensive experience in the financial sector, Kera has held roles including Chief Financial Officer for a commercial lending firm. She now serves as Controller for Inspiration Tennis Academy, where she oversees all financial operations and supports the academy’s mission of developing high-performance student-athletes.
Kera's blend of leadership, financial expertise, and commitment to education and sport makes her a valuable part of the Inspiration team.
