Our Team
King Daddy Sports provides the Houston area a diverse group of teaching professionals that have the ability to motivate, inspire, and push players to achieve greatness both on and off the court!
We are always striving to be better every day as coaches just as we desire players to strive for the same.
Todd Folsom
Founder & Director
- Founded King Daddy Sports in 1997
- Over 30 years teaching experience developing hundreds of Nationally ranked juniors, many of which have went on to compete both collegiately and professionally
- Has the ability and intensity to push players to reach their maximum potential both on and off the court
- Father of TJ and Skyla
John Boytim
Adult Men's Director, High Performance Director
- Co-Founder of King Daddy Sports
- 25+ years teaching experience developing players of all ages
- ATP Tour Level Playing Professional 1988-1992, with a High World singles ranking of #262
- #1 Ranked junior in USA in EVERY AGE DIVISION- 12's, 14's 16's, and 18's
- 11 Time National Junior Champion, 10 time finalist, 19 Gold & Silver Balls
- Father of Sean and Brian
Selim Samman
Camp Director, JTT Director, Academy Director
- 15+ years teaching experience developing thousands of young players
- Directs Summer and holiday camps; Junior Team Tennis (JTT) programming, 10U, and Challenger Programs for King Daddy Sports
- Provides an amazing, fun, learning and developmental environment for all students to learn and grow
- Father of Alex, Foster, & Emily
Todd Smith
MHS Director, High Performance Coach, Academy Coach
- St. Johns Middle School head coach
- 30+ years teaching experience
- Taught at Clemson and Kentucky under Coaches Chuck Kriese & Dennis Emery
- Teaching with King Daddy Sports since 2003
- Father of Addison
Ali Bennaji
High Performance Coach, Academy Coach
- 88-92: Winthrop University #1 singles and doubles NCAA Division 1
- 92-93: assistant coach IMG
- 93-96: associate coach at Houston Country Club
- 2001-2005: coached with KDS at Westside
- 2005-2011: head coach IMG Academies Bradenton, FL
- 2011-May 2017: traveling coach with USTA players
- June 2017 - present: coach at KDS at Chancellors
- Father of son Said and daughter Nora
Brian Mandell
High Performance Coach, Academy Coach
- Program Head of Middle School Tennis and Upper School Tennis Assistant at The Kinkaid School
- Graduate from Memorial High School and the University of Houston with a bachelor's degree in Sports Administration
- Began playing tennis in the King Daddy Junior Academy at age 11
- Reached super championship level in different age divisions
- Started teaching at the age of 16
Jane Strnadel
Academy Coach
Anna Djanova
Academy Coach
Sidney Cooper
Adult Director of Missouri City, High Performance Coach
- Over 30+ years in coaching tennis from Houston, Texas
- Certified teaching professional (USPTA); specializes in stroke development and competition readiness
- Coached 10 years as a national zonal coach for USTA New England section and 4 years of International competition representing the New England section in the providences of Quebec and Montreal Canada
- Personal trained and developed players of which as juniors competed at the USTA National 1, 2, 3 levels
- 21+ players that has competed in NCAA division 1, 2, and 3
- Players have played for these colleges and universities: Bowdoin, Rutgers, Florida A&M, Spelman, Dartmouth, Yale, Vanderbilt, and Seton Hall
- Recipient of the USTA William's award for Outstanding Development Work with juniors in the New England section
- Inducted into the New England Tennis Association (NETA) Hall of Fame in 1994
Eric Hagenimana
High Performance Coach, Academy Coach
- Former Rwanda Number One National Player
- Played Davis Cup position #1 representing Rwanda seven consecutive times from 2001-2007.
- Junior ITF World Ranking, Top 100 2002
- 2004: Won ITF East African Tournament single in Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda
- 2005: Won ITF East African Tournament single and Doubles in Rwanda, Djibouti and Burundi
- Recently moved to Houston from Newks Tennis Ranch in New Braunfels where he was an adult tennis coordinator
- Has the passion to work with all level of tennis players and is a great addition to our staff
Sunday Jegede
High Performance Coach, Academy Coach
- Over 15 years of experience as a tennis professional and coaching tennis
- Former member of Nigerian Davis Cup Team
- Reached ITF Jr world singles ranking of 102 in singles and 83 in doubles
- ATP ranking of 1200 in 2001
Dexter Gutierrez
- Taught at Rice University Summer Tennis Camp
- Tennis coach of Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Tennis Club
- 12 years of tennis experience
Join Our Team
Want to join our team? Contact us today to let us know how you can help!