J.D. Shade joined the Elon University men’s tennis coaching staff in October 2019 and is entering his third season as an assistant coach in 2021-22 under head coach Michael Leonard. He brings over 10 years of experience teaching, coaching, and directing various tennis clubs and resorts throughout the world.
Last season, Shade helped lead the maroon and gold to a 15-6 record, including an 11-1 record at Jimmy Powell Tennis Center and a 5-2 victory against William & Mary. Five of the six losses came against ranked opponents, Wake Forest (#12), VCU (#38), Liberty (#39), William & Mary and East Tennessee State (#61). The Phoenix was also ranked 68th in the final Oracle ITA Division I Men's Tennis Rankings. For their performance suring the regular season, Akram El Sallally and Kyle Frankel were named first-team selections, while Ponce was tabbed second team. Frankel and Ponce as well as El Sallaly and Tsai earned all-conference second team nods. Earlier in the season, Frankel was named the CAA Scholar-Athlete of the year in addition to being ranked No. 125 in the country in the Oracle ITA Singles Rankings back in March. Elon wrapped up its season when it fell to William & Mary in the CAA Championship Semifinals.
In 2020, Shade helped guide the Phoenix to a 6-7 record with all six victories occurring at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center. During the season, Kyle Frankel was named the CAA Men's Tennis Player of the Week on March 11 after going 2-0 at No. 1 singles against Charleston and Richmond. The Phoenix also finished its campaign on a three-match win streak, including victories over Charleston, Richmond, and Navy.
Shade comes to Elon from Dartmouth College, where he spent the 2018-19 season as a Volunteer Assistant Coach with the Big Green women's tennis team. During his time in Hanover, New Hampshire, he helped with the planning and running of team practices as a hitting partner, recruit potential players, oversaw strength and conditioning workouts, broke down video, and assisted the Head Coach and Assistant Coach in practice as well as during singles and doubles matches. Shade also volunteered at the David's House Program and the Buddy Up Tennis Program and assisted the Head Coach and Assistant Coach in practice as well as during singles and doubles matches with on-court coaching.
Prior to Dartmouth, Shade worked at the Aberdeen Marina Club from 2014-2018 as tennis professional teaching private lessons and group classes for various levels. Upon promotion as the Director of Social Tennis Events in 2016, he served as a liaison between AMC management and the Director of Tennis from 2016-2018. He taught private and group lessons for various levels of experience, was responsible for fiscal management, planned and organized all of the club's junior tennis events, and designed marketing and social media plans. Other responsibilities at the Director of Social Tennis Events included planning all of the club’s junior and adult tennis events and producing creative marketing and strategic planning for the social tennis events. From 2016-18, he served as the Junior Prince Cup Team Captain for all the AMC Junior Teams that competed across Hong Kong.
Shade was the Head Tennis Professional at the Waldorf Astoria Naples (2012-14), serving as a hitting partner for various ITF ranked tennis players, Division I college tennis players, and nationally ranked USTA junior tennis players after taught tennis to various junior and adult ranked players as the Head Tennis Professional at the Fairlane Club from 2011-2012.
Shade's international experience included a stint in Dubai. He served as a Tennis Professional at the Madinat Jumeirah facility, a training base for various ATP/WTA ranked Top 20 players, where he coached various ITF ranked junior tennis players.
At the high school level, Shade was the Women’s Varsity Tennis Assistant Coach at Riverview Gabriel Richard HS during the 2010 spring season and 2011 spring season. He was the Head Boy’s Varsity Tennis Coach at Royal Oak HS during the fall 2009 season.
Outside of tennis, Shade held positions as a mortgage banker and business consultant for Ikea.
As a player, Shade was a USTA junior ranked tennis player who started competing in tournaments at seven years old. He has competed in various tournaments across the country and men's open prize money tournaments. He has also played in doubles exhibition matches in Naples, Fla. as well as in a Pro-Am in Dubai. He also earned direct entry into the 2006 Qualifying Draw of the Art Van Pro Tennis Challenge. Shade was also a former MHSAA Class A singles state finalist and former Division I First Team All-State Doubles honoree in high school.
Shade earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Washington two full terms early, is a USPTA Certified Elite Tennis Professional, and has his USTA Quick Start 10 & Under Tennis Coaching Certificate. He is also a certified sports nutritionist, a certified personal trainer, and mentored elementary, high school and college students. Shade has traveled throughout 40 countries and six continents and enjoys reading, surfing, cooking, and hiking. He also considers his parents to be his two greatest role models in his life.
