Dellich relishes teaching role
NAPA, Calif. — Playing tennis is one thing. Working tennis is another.
Katie Dellich has excelled at both.
The 2000 Butler graduate and former No. 1 singles player on the girls tennis team went on to shine in the sport at Robert Morris University.
Now she’s in her fourth year as head tennis professional at the Silverado Resort & Spa in California.
“I never thought tennis would lead me where it has,” Dellich said. “I’m really, really happy here. I’m excited to keep growing the program and expanding it, just get a little better each year.”
Approximately 2,000 people play tennis on the Silverado courts each year. Dellich has taught people in their 80s and her youngest class is age 3-5.
“I love the teaching side of tennis,” she said. “The students I have are very interesting, passionate people.”
Dellich has played a role in the Silverado Resort being named one of the top 50 tennis destinations in the world by Tennis Resorts Online, a leading source on tennis travel information.
The rankings are based on reviews from people frequenting tennis resorts. They were asked to rate their tennis experience in a number of categories, including overall tennis experience, quality of the teaching staff, youth programs and player matching.
Dellich said Silverado does tennis camps, evening social events, evening and daytime clinics and a college invitational.
“We have resort campers and club memberships. We do six adult camps a year,” she said. “We’re involved in the game in a variety of ways. “Our peak season is about an eight-week period when I’m on the court eight to 10 hours a day with one day off per week. The rest of the year, I’m out here teaching six or seven hours a day.”
The Silverado Resort is managed by Peter Burwash International, a worldwide tennis management company that employed Dellich in 2006. She has worked in the Caribbean, Europe, Maui, Dubai and now Southern California for PBI.
“Katie is a natural teacher,” Burwash said in a statement. “Her enthusiasm, great smile and personal care have brought many people to the wonderful game of tennis.”
Dellich has worked at some of the top resorts in the world — No. 3 JW Marriot Desert Springs in Palm Springs, No. 9 Four Seasons Resorts, Nevis, and No. 15 Bio Hotel Stanglwrit in Austria among them.
“I’ve had the privilege of working with some incredible pros,” Dellich said. “The travel opportunities have been amazing,”
Dellich will also be working with the World Cup of PBI, an international tennis event slated in October.
She is one of three teaching pros on staff at Silverado, along with an assistant who is there during the summer. Dellich’s program has been featured on The Tennis Channel.
And she’s proud of that Top 50 world ranking.
“It’s nice to be recognized for all the hard work you put into a program,” Dellich said. “A lot of people come here just to play tennis.
“But there’s also golf here, a spa, we’re in the middle of wine country ... There’s plenty to do.”
