Celsius Tennis Academy

A Sarasota original with deep roots

Celsius Tennis Academy is one of those Florida programs locals know by name. It began as the vision of Sarasota native Cary Cohenour, a former top junior who trained at Bollettieri, starred at the University of Tennessee, and then poured his energy into coaching. He started the program around 2000 and formalized it as Celsius Tennis Academy, Inc. in 2002. Over more than two decades he guided hundreds of players and was recognized as United States Tennis Association Florida Junior Competitive Coach of the Year in 2011. His passing in 2023 at age 56 shook the local tennis community, but his influence still frames the daily rhythm at Celsius. Today the academy continues under the guidance of his family, partners, and a seasoned coaching staff who keep his player first principles intact.

Celsius has always been defined by a practical, workmanlike approach. The tone is direct, the standards are clear, and the coaching is personal. Families who choose the academy tend to be drawn to a sense of accountability and to the feeling that every player is visible. The new facility and the current staff have only sharpened that identity.

Location, climate, and why Sarasota works

Sarasota sits on Florida’s Gulf Coast, where outdoor tennis is a year round reality thanks to abundant sunshine, warm winter temperatures, and quick access to events across the state. For traveling families, the airport and interstate network cut down on transit time to weekend tournaments. For local families, the academy’s central address near downtown and major roadways turns after school training into a predictable routine rather than a logistical puzzle.

The setting matters for player development. Consistent outdoor training helps athletes learn to manage wind, heat, and humidity. Those variables shape shot selection, point construction, recovery between points, and hydration habits. Juniors who grow up in these conditions often show a mature sense of problem solving on match day because they have practiced their patterns in the same environment they compete in.

Facilities and the new build

In April 2025 Celsius broke ground on its new home on a youth focused campus in central Sarasota. Phase one called for four new acrylic hard courts, shaded viewing areas, and a clubhouse that would serve as a simple, functional hub for players and parents. By mid August 2025 the courts were complete and crews were fitting windscreens, benches, and finishing details. The footprint is secure and built for young people, which gives parents peace of mind at drop off and pick up while keeping training time efficient.

While the core base is hard courts, the academy maintains access to clay courts at partner sites around town. That flexibility lets coaches adjust to the competitive calendar. Preparing for a clay event without leaving Sarasota means players can maintain school routines and recovery habits while still building the sliding, height control, and patience that clay demands.

Key facility takeaways:

• Four new acrylic hard courts with shaded viewing and a practical clubhouse in phase one.
• Access to clay courts at partner locations for surface specific blocks.
• A central Sarasota footprint that streamlines school and tournament logistics.

Coaching staff and leadership

Celsius is coach led in the best sense. The team blends former professional players, long time academy coaches, and specialist fitness staff who understand how to build a junior pathway from fundamentals to college readiness and beyond.

• German López Montoya, Director of Player Development. A former ATP Top 100 player with coaching stints that included tour level names, he brings a global view of patterns, point construction, and the training density required to sustain form across long tournament weeks.
• Desmond Osuigwe, Elite Coach. With more than two decades at a major Florida academy, he brings deep experience with elite juniors and a practical feel for daily standards that produce results over time.
• Kathy Rosenberg, Coach. A former University of Florida All American who competed on tour, she adds high level collegiate and professional perspective and a long history coaching in Sarasota.
• Pedro Chacón, Coach. With experience across the United States and Europe, he focuses on competitive habits that travel well from practice to match day.
• Patricio Casas, Fitness Coach. A tennis specific conditioning specialist who aligns strength, speed, and agility work with the athlete’s style and schedule.

The coaching culture traces back to Cary Cohenour. His path from top junior to college standout to mentor still shapes how court time is planned. Sessions combine clarity and compassion. Coaches push for precision in the small things, but the tone remains supportive. Athletes learn to be good teammates, to self regulate during rough patches, and to compete with purpose.

Programs and weekly rhythm

Celsius keeps the menu focused on junior competitors, with clear lanes for different stages of development.

• Junior 90 Program. Designed for emerging tournament players ages 7 to 16. Two hour sessions offered two to four days per week. Monthly pricing ranges from 575 to 950 dollars depending on weekly frequency. The schedule fits after school routines and builds a steady cadence of skill acquisition and match habits.
• High Performance 180. For dedicated tournament players ages 10 to 21. Afternoon training runs Monday through Thursday from 2 to 5 p.m. and Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. The five day afternoon block is priced at 1,600 dollars per month. A morning option runs Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon, priced at 1,500 dollars per month, structured for home school athletes or those stacking extra volume. Drop in access is available at 160 dollars per day for a three hour block with advance notice.
• International Academy Program. A comprehensive pathway for high school age athletes that pairs Celsius training and tournament scheduling with academics and boarding through a Sarasota private school partner that offers flexible scheduling for student athletes.

The weekly rhythm is simple and effective. Mornings are built for technical work and targeted patterns through fed and semi live drills. Afternoons convert that work into live ball, situational games, and match play that can be recorded for rating systems when applicable. Tennis specific conditioning is integrated daily so that strength, speed, and agility support the tactical identity of the player rather than living as a separate track.

Training and player development approach

Celsius organizes development across four pillars and adds an educational layer that keeps school on track.

Technical

Coaches break down grips, swing shapes, contact height, and spacing. They use simple cue words so players can self correct during points rather than waiting for a changeover. The goal is not to copy a pro’s motion, but to build a repeatable strike that fits the player’s physical profile. The morning blocks and small group formats create space for genuine technical change and immediate reinforcement in the same day’s point play.

Tactical

Patterns are taught in plain language. Serve into a target, activate a predictable first ball, then choose a direction based on the opponent’s movement. Crosscourt length is used to open space. Down the line is used to finish when the court is ready. Defending with height and middle is a habit, not a last resort. Coaches who have seen these patterns at college and pro levels use film and post point review so juniors learn to manage momentum and adjust mid match.

Physical

The fitness coach aligns workloads with tournament calendars. Footwork ladders and medicine ball work appear, but the emphasis is transfer. Players learn to load and rotate efficiently, to change direction on balance, and to hold posture through long exchanges. Conditioning blocks build a robust base without sacrificing the quality of ball striking. Recovery is practical: hydration, mobility, sleep, and light post match movement are taught and tracked.

Mental and competitive habits

Expectations are clear. Players set mini goals for each practice and log them after. Match play is frequent, and there is a premium on playing with presence rather than outcome chasing. Coaches teach routines between points, breath control, and simple scripts for pressure moments like 30 all or a deciding tiebreak. Tournament planning is a collaborative process so that peaks and rest windows align with school and family life.

Educational integration

For non local families, the international pathway pairs training with academics and boarding so athletes can maintain progress in the classroom while pursuing a heavy practice and competition load. Flexible scheduling helps players manage travel weeks without falling behind.

Alumni pathways and placements

Celsius emphasizes college pathways and has graduates who have moved on to programs across the academic and athletic spectrum. Recent placements include Ivy League schools such as Harvard, Princeton, Brown, and Columbia, as well as major conference programs like Boston College, Georgetown, Wake Forest, North Carolina State, University of Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, University of Illinois, and University of Virginia. The variety tells you the staff understands both the tennis benchmarks and the admissions process. Families can expect candid feedback on where a player stands, what needs to improve, and how to craft a schedule that makes sense for recruiting.

For families exploring the broader Florida tennis corridor, it is useful to compare ecosystems. Larger institutions such as IMG Academy Tennis offer massive scale, while specialist shops like Rick Macci Tennis Academy and national hubs like the USTA National Campus provide distinct flavors of development. Celsius positions itself as a boutique option that blends high level coaching density with day to day personal attention.

Culture and community life

Parents often ask about size. Celsius is intentionally right sized. The academy typically carries about 20 to 25 players in its emerging group and roughly 30 in the High Performance and International cohort. That mix keeps standards high while preserving individualized feedback. There is enough variety for players to see different spins, paces, and patterns each day, yet the groups remain small enough for coaches to intervene quickly when habits drift.

The player group is international, with athletes from more than a dozen countries cycling through seasonal blocks or school year stays. That diversity raises the competitive level and exposes athletes to different playing styles and personalities. The daily culture is straightforward: be on time, bring energy, compete honestly, support your teammates, and leave the courts better than you found them. Families describe the tone as welcoming but serious. It feels like a team more than a camp.

Costs, access, and scholarships

Celsius is transparent about pricing for its core blocks. Junior 90 runs 575 to 950 dollars per month depending on how many days per week the athlete attends. High Performance 180 is 1,600 dollars per month for the afternoon block and 1,500 dollars per month for the morning block. Drop in access is 160 dollars per day for a three hour session with advance notice. Private lessons, tournament entries, travel coaching, and athletic training outside the standard blocks are billed separately.

For non local families, the International Academy pathway includes boarding and academics through a Sarasota partner school. The arrangement is more intimate than sprawling campus models and often more economical for families who want quality coaching without paying for amenities they will not use. Limited financial assistance may be available through community partnerships or the academy’s charitable initiatives, and families are encouraged to ask about current options during the admissions process.

What makes Celsius different

• Coach density and experience. Multiple coaches with tour and elite academy backgrounds are on court daily. That depth matters when a player plateaus and needs a different voice or a new progression.
• A right sized training population. Enough hitters for variety without losing individualized feedback. Many families cite this balance as the reason they choose Celsius over crowded alternatives.
• A practical location with new courts. The central Sarasota base and fresh hard courts reduce time lost to commuting or court searches. Access to local clay adds surface variety without logistical headaches.
• A clear college pathway. The academy publishes placements and builds schedules that line up with recruiting calendars, while teaching the off court habits that coaches value.
• Daily standards that travel. Routines for warm up, pattern rehearsal, match play, and recovery become habits that hold up under pressure at tournaments.

A day in the life

A typical afternoon in High Performance begins with dynamic mobility, short sprints, and footwork patterns that prime the body to move. Players rotate through serve targets, then through pattern drills that connect first strike intentions with baseline shape. Coaches stop a rally to ask a question or to redirect a decision, then restart so the cue transfers under live pace. Fitness blocks are short and sharp, often finishing with medicine ball throws, resisted movement, and core control.

Match play comes last. Score matters and so does process. Players are responsible for keeping a simple stat or a post point note. After the session, coaches debrief in a few minutes, reinforce one or two action items, and set the tone for the next day. That consistency is what builds confidence when a player reaches a deciding set on the weekend.

Parent experience and communication

Families appreciate planning and clarity. Calendars are published in advance with tournament suggestions tailored to age and level. Coaches communicate promptly and provide honest updates on progress. When a player is ready for a new racquet spec, string setup, or fitness benchmark, staff align the change with the training block rather than dropping it in the week of a big event. For boarding families, academic check ins and weekly summaries help parents feel connected even when they cannot be courtside.

Future outlook and vision

The academy’s immediate priority is to settle fully into its new home and finish clubhouse details. The charitable foundation named for Cary Cohenour ties the program to the site and signals a long term commitment to Sarasota. With the court base in place and the current staff on hand, Celsius is positioned to grow capacity steadily while protecting the personal coaching relationships that define the brand. Expect continued investment in technology, expanded clay court access during peak clay season, and deeper collaborations with local schools and community partners.

How Celsius compares

The Florida market is rich with options, and each model serves a different family profile. Large scale academies can be a fit for athletes who thrive in big groups and want extensive on site amenities. Boutique programs like Celsius offer a tighter circle around the player, faster feedback loops, and coaches who know the athlete well enough to make precise calls on scheduling and training dosage. For juniors who benefit from personal attention and for parents who value clear communication, that can be the difference between slow improvement and a breakthrough season.

Is it for you

Choose Celsius if you want your son or daughter in a focused training group that blends individual attention with the daily competitive volume Florida is known for. The program fits families who value experienced coaches on court every session, a central location with new hard courts and nearby clay, and a realistic pathway to college tennis. International players or non local families who need school and housing support will find an established partner school to round out the week. If you are seeking a massive campus with dozens of courts and a rotating cast of coaches, Celsius is not trying to be that. If you want a tight community that lives by clear standards and prepares juniors to compete and grow, it is worth a serious look.

Bottom line

Celsius Tennis Academy delivers a boutique, coach led environment backed by new facilities, a proven player development framework, and a clear track record of college placements. It is a Sarasota original that has modernized without losing its personal touch. For committed juniors who want to train with intention and for families who value transparency, it stands as one of the most compelling choices in Florida.