Richard Anthony Stasio, a local boy, became a full time coach at Las Palmas after giving up his day job in hotel management with Marriott. Being a fitness buff, Ricoh, works out 5 days a week at 24 Hour Fitness/Sport here in Sunnyvale and noticed Tamara there one day. Zing, went the strings of his heart — but how to get to know her? Tamara, as an aerobics/pilates instructor and fitness trainer, was participating in a health product sale and Ricoh seized the opportunity to introduce himself in a gentlemanly fashion. The relationship took its natural course and love bloomed. They had planned to get married in 2008 but while visiting Tamara’s mother and sister in Las Vegas, they decided there was no time like the present and exchanged vows.
Ricoh, a college tennis player and a 1985 tennis academy roommate with Andre Agassi (yes, that Andre Agassi), enjoys being able to make his living doing what he loves.
Tamara enjoys it, too, since Ricoh is now her private tennis coach. She is the envy of her friends having private lessons from Coach Ricoh and hugs, too! After seeing how some of her senior-aged aerobic students would always rush from her class to get to Las Palmas, Tamara was interested in finding out what all the fuss was about.
Being naturally athletic, her progress on the court has been rapid. She’s now a member of a USTA team and had planned to play as Ricoh’s partner in the upcoming Doubles Tournament in June before a vacation opportunity arose.
Tamara’s journey to Las Palmas has been a serendipitous one, being born in Taiwan, moving to Houston when she was nine, then coming to the Bay Area six years ago. After commuting from Corte Madera for six months, Tamara moved to South Bay and loves it here. Ricoh is sure happy that she did.
Tamara and Ricoh, being the youngest in their families, have been taught positive family values by their respective Moms, with whom they are very close. This positive foundation and sharing a love for working in the physical fitness field, has given Tamara and Ricoh a good start for building their partnership and commitment to marriage. Their newly-found common ground is distance running as in Bay to Breakers, Wharf to Wharf and Half Marathons. They are working towards a goal of running the New York Marathon and the Florence, Italy marathon.
Personally, I believe Tamara is looking forward to going to Italy so Ricoh can further develop his love of cooking, a pastime in which he has already shown great skill!
We offer congratulations to Tamara and Ricoh and wish them the best of luck in their life’s journey together. |
