Como Tennis Club was founded with a vision to transform tennis in Saint Paul. For too long, “city school tennis” has carried an unfair stigma, and we’re here to change that. Our mission is to reimagine Como as the home for a premier program that sets the standard for excellence in the state—all while preserving the grassroots, community-driven spirit that makes our program unique.
Koua Yang
Co-Founder
I am a USPTA and PTR-certified teaching professional with over two decades of experience as a youth tennis coach and advocate. For 15 years, I served as the head coach for both the boys’ and girls’ tennis teams at Harding High School before stepping into my current role as the athletic director at Como Park Senior High. I have also been deeply involved with Saint Paul tennis programming for more than 20 years.
In 2010, I was honored as the Minnesota Boys Tennis Coach of the Year, and in 2016, I was a finalist for Minnesota Teacher of the Year. These experiences have shaped my belief that young players need greater access to affordable, competitive match play opportunities to develop both their skills and their love for the game.
Brandon Kuether
Co-Founder
With over a decade of experience in the tennis industry, Brandon has established himself as a distinguished leader and passionate advocate for the sport. His contributions include active involvement with USTA Northern, where he has served on various committees, as well as a role on the USPTA Northern Board of Directors. Brandon’s dedication also shines through his work with Harding High School’s tennis program and his competitive spirit as a former captain of the Hamline University Men’s Tennis Team.
Brandon’s excellence in coaching and sportsmanship has been widely recognized. He has received multiple MIAC Sportsmanship Awards, the SPPS City Conference Coach of the Year award, and the SPUT Rookie Coach of the Year award. Additionally, his family has been honored as the USTA Northern Family of the Year. Brandon holds a bachelor’s degree in Education and Sociology and is an Elite Professional certified by the USPTA, underscoring his commitment to both the educational and athletic aspects of tennis.
Matt Olson
Co-Founder
Raised in St. Paul, Matt’s tennis coaching career spans more than two decades. After serving as an instructor for St. Paul Urban Tennis for five summers, Matt became a full-time, USPTA certified tennis professional at Life Time Fitness Oakdale Village. While at Life Time Fitness, he was the 12U Program Director and worked with multiple state tournament champions. In 2009, Matt co-founded the Alexandria Tennis Program in west central Minnesota. Within three years, the program grew to include 150 players from 8 different towns and featured over 20 individual state tournament participants. Most recently, Matt developed tennis programming at Partnership Academy in Richfield, providing over 100 scholars with their initial tennis experience.
As a player, Matt was a member of the Como Park tennis team for five seasons, where he was a 3-time team MVP and team captain. He played collegiate tennis at Luther College in Iowa, participating on two IIAC championship teams while earning ITA All-Academic honors.
Off the court, Matt has worked in elementary education for the past sixteen years. He has a master’s degree in teaching through the College of St. Scholastica and bachelor’s degrees in sociology, history, and political science from Luther College. Matt is passionate about youth development and views athletics as a vehicle for young people to learn important life skills. He believes in the capacity of each learner to reach their full potential and strives to support youth in the pursuit of their goals, hopes, and dreams.
Como Tennis Club 