The Cliffs announces expansion of racquet sports team
June 4, 2021
The Cliffs welcomed three new team members to its racquet sports program. Adri Atkinson joins the team as director of racquet sports for The Mountain Region; Ralph Dunbar joins as director of racquet sports for The Lake Region; and James Kirkham joins as racquet sports professional at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove.
Atkinson joins The Cliffs from the Woodstock Inn Resort & Athletic Club in Vermont. She will bring her racquet sports expertise to members of The Cliffs within The Mountain Region communities, which include The Cliffs at Glassy, The Cliffs at Mountain Park, and The Cliffs Valley. Her career in racquet sports spans over 20 years, and she has been playing tennis competitively since age seven.
Dunbar has more than three decades of experience coaching both children and adults of every playing level at country clubs and multi-sports public facilities. In his role as director of racquet sports, he will expand the pickleball program in The Lake Region with high-level instruction and robust programming at The Cliffs at Keowee Falls, The Cliffs at Keowee Springs, and The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards.
Kirkham comes to The Cliffs after a collegiate tennis career where he was a starting player for both Montreat College and Lees-McRae College. His experience as a collegiate tennis player and international coach will help mold individualized programs for racquet sports enthusiasts at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove.
“We are pleased to welcome Adri, Ralph, and James to our team and know their combined experience will be a tremendous asset to our racquet sports program,” said Rob Duckett, president of The Cliffs. “Over the past year, we have seen interest in racquet sports increase significantly and have watched as pickleball has become one of the fastest growing sports in America. These three new team members will help us strengthen and expand our programming while staying relevant for members.”
The Cliffs offers members a racquet sports culture that is inclusive of all levels of players, from beginner to elite. There are currently 22 tennis courts – 16 of which are premier Har-Tru clay courts and 18 of which are lit for nighttime play. There are also 10 pickleball courts, both lit and unlit spread across the seven communities within The Cliffs.
About The Cliffs
The Cliffs is a collection of seven private, luxury residential mountain and lake club communities located in the Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains, between two of the nation’s top award-winning cities for quality of life — Greenville, S.C. and Asheville, N.C. — and Clemson, S.C., home to top-ranked Clemson University. The Cliffs’ suite of amenities for club members includes seven clubhouses, seven nationally-recognized golf courses, six wellness centers, multiple tennis and pickleball complexes, a marina, beach club, lake club, and equestrian center, more than a dozen restaurant and private event venues, and over 2,000 year-round programs and social activities to create timeless experiences. Homes at The Cliffs range in price from $500,000 to $6 million+; homesites, from $125,000. For more information about The Cliffs, visit www.cliffsliving.com/buzz. Contact The Cliffs at 864.249.4364 to learn more about real estate, membership, or to arrange a visit.
