Hello and welcome! I’m Marianne.

If I had to pick a motto or mantra, it would most likely be “Go Big, or Go Home.” I love to stay busy. Ok, I will rephrase that… I HAVE to stay busy. I enjoy learning and sharing information. I am a firm believer in paying it forward and reaching out to help the next person.  I have found it true that the more you give, the more you will receive, and with all of that… I tend to go in all directions and have yet to learn the meaning of moderation.

In my former life, I was a professional tennis player who played competitive tennis from the ages of 7 to 29. In my current life, I am a mother of three boys and two step-daughters (a.k.a. short order cook, uber driver, ATM, tutor, and laundry machine).

For work, I have done everything from non-profit leadership, organization, & management, public speaking, high-performance coaching, sport-specific training, and college counseling/recruiting for athletes. In my work as a high-performance tennis coach and mentor, I primarily worked with teenage girls because they can’t torture me as they do their mothers. There is only so much “payback” one can survive.

In my kitchen, I am an amateur baker (I believe that cookie dough cures many things), green juice and smoothie lover (all about balancing the cookie dough habit), and a busy mom who is always looking for healthy yet time-efficient meals that my children will actually eat.

In my spare time, I am a frustrated golfer (self-torture), hiker & peloton bike lover (former runner), an avid reader & continuing education addict (lifelong learner), philanthropist (nothing feels better than doing something for others), and traveler (“Oh, the places you’ll go”).

What you can find on my blog and #Get a Grip newsletter…

You will mainly find articles on my first love affair (tennis) and how to navigate the crazy world of junior tennis. I had many challenging family times during my junior and professional career, and my goal is to make the journey easier for other families. You won’t find me pretending to know everything. My tennis background gave me the ability to ask for and accept coaching, guidance, and support from people in various professions. I hope to pass on some expertise from many specialists who are top-notch in their respective fields.  You are not alone in this journey. I believe that parenting, in general, and certainly parenting an athlete, takes a village.

On the side, I will share some of my favorite recipes (cookies, juices, smoothies, and quick easy meals), favorite workouts, and injury prevention (life is rough when you can’t move). Also, this will include mishaps from golf, the kitchen, and parenting (loads of material there). Hopefully, whatever I may share with you is something that will brighten your day.

Attempting to follow my train of thought? Let me help you navigate…

• My Homepage has my blog posts.
• My Blog page has all the past blog posts divided into their appropriate categories for easy navigation.
• My Work page gives you details on my tennis career, speaking, coaching, and college counseling services.
• My #Get a Grip Newsletter has one blog post, “Bookshelf” book review, “Meaningful Meals” conversation starter and recipe, and “Make a Difference” spotlight on someone in our community Making a Difference in our world.

Click here to learn more about Marianne’s tennis career.

Keeping in Touch

Please contact me via Linkedin. Due to high volumes of spam, I have removed the email link.

You are also welcome to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest. I would love to connect with you, and feel free to say hi!