Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Russ.
Hi Justin, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was involved in sports growing up; participating in American football, basketball, and lacrosse. As we progress through school, we all reach the point when it comes time to decide what sort of profession we want to pursue, and I was always one of those people who wanted to do something active – not sit stiffly in an office wearing dress clothing, so I decided to pursue a degree in Exercise Science.
After completing my internship and graduating, I was approached about a job at IMG Academy, which was a no brainer for me and my young professional career. Because I was the most entry-level coach in the office at that time, I worked with young athletes from all sports for the first 1-2 years of my tenure at IMG.
At one point, two of the coaches in our office left to take other jobs, leaving openings for the lead strength & conditioning roles for tennis and lacrosse. I was extremely excited to work with the sport that I played growing up, but I also took on tennis – to show my worth and value to the Academy. At the end of the semester, they made me choose between the two sports, and I chose tennis. I liked the way my coaching was evolving into a more communicative style, enjoyed working with individual athletes, and the challenges that tennis presented – surfaces, schedules, movements.
I left IMG after 5 years to take a job in business development based in Dubai, which allowed me to see parts of the world that I never dreamt that I’d get to see. From there, I moved back to the USA and spent three years working with the men’s & women’s tennis and squash teams at the University of Virginia.
In the winter of 2022, I was approached by a WTA player about a full-time role beginning in the upcoming preseason, which I left the University to pursue. We parted ways shortly thereafter, and I spent 2023 traveling with an ATP Challenger Tour player who was based in Europe.
Since 2024, I have been based in South Florida running my own training and coaching business, Voia Performance, where I coach athletes both in person and online, as well as travel with professional tennis players.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The journey, and finding success throughout it, is never linear. There are always bumps, adversity, and curve balls along the way, and I’ve definitely faced several.
– Starting off as a young coach, working long hours, taking in a ton of information, and really finding my own coaching voice and philosophy.
– Learning the physiological demands, movement patterns / terminology, and intricacies involved in the sport of tennis, and building a training system that’s continuously evolving around it.
– Leaving the stability and success at UVA behind to pursue a dream of working full-time on the professional tour, only to get fired after 3 months. Having to be resourceful, adapt, find solutions, and carve a new path.
– Being an independent business owner in a competitive market.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I currently run a coaching and consulting business, Voia Performance, in South Florida. We specialize in athletic performance coaching for tennis players and other racquet sport athletes, both in person and online. We also provide strength & conditioning consultancy services to NCAA tennis programs and academies nationwide.
If I had to say what I’m most known for, it’s probably my body of work at IMG Academy, with its reputation as a unique, athlete-centered boarding school with world-class facilities, and the University of Virginia, specifically with the rise of the men’s tennis program post-covid going from unranked to back-to-back NCAA championships.
It’s easy to point out championship trophies as tangible items to be extremely proud of, and I am – winning at any level feels great. I’m most proud of the relationships that i’ve developed with my athletes and the coaches / support staff that I’ve worked alongside of. These relationships, and seeing athletes (who are great people first) have success after all of the hard work that they’ve put in, is extremely gratifying. It’s worth noting that I’m proud of my own evolution as a coach as well; the way that I connect, communicate, and adapt are all traits that I’ve worked on over time, and I’m happy with where they’re at.
What sets me apart are my experiences in different parts of the world, at all levels of sport, and the way that I can connect with every athlete and every personality type.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Before middle school, I enjoyed reading and did well in school. As I got older my passions shifted to sports – playing basketball, football & lacrosse, and was a competitive person as a result. I’ve always been on the stubborn side, and someone who prefers to do things my way. My mom also tells me that I’ve always had a great sense of humor.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.voiaperformance.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachjustinruss/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-russ-71403863/
Image Credits
Dobsky Media
Bold Heart Media
