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Anthology

On By ethomasparhamIn A2. THE LITTLE GREEN BOOK OF TENNISLeave a comment
Image of all of Tom Parham's books

For anyone who is interested in my writing, here are links to free versions of all of my books. Just tap the book title to access a free PDF file on Google Drive.

Little Green Book of Tennis (3rd edition)
A new 2023 digital-only version of the Little Green Book edited to only tennis related writing, including some new chapters from the past few years. You can also download the3rd edition— a revised edition. Play is Where Life is is the first book I wrote.


Em Ole Coaches
Lessons learned from my family, friends, and colleagues over my career. This book is a personal collection of insights from some of my favorite people.


A Level of Thinking
A collection of essays on a wide variety of subjects including sports, politics, and American culture.


Helping
A collection of essays on tennis and coaching, many of which are posted here on the blog. The second half of the book chronicles the impact of international players on college tennis.


Thanksgiving
A collection of personal thoughts, stories, and pictures. Many of the essays were also posted here on my blog.


Nearly Fifty
For almost fifty years, my closest friends gathered once a year for a men’s weekend. This book collects some of my favorite stories and pictures from this tradition. If you would like a copy of this book, please email me.

FINALLY

On By ethomasparhamIn C. COLLEGE TENNIS and INSTRUCTION, D. INTERNATIONALS, E. SPORTS COMMENTARYLeave a comment

FINALLY 

The link below recognizes the  issue International  player’s dominance of American college tennis:

https://www.ncaascholarshipguide.com/blog/ncaa-tennis-scholarships-for-international-vs-u-s-recruits

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This week also featured similar observations issued from the John McEnroe Tennis Academy.

( 90% of players are international, i.e. scholarship recipients’)

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EARLIER

A “SCORE ” Agenda Item

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What Coaches Are Doing (Tennis-Specific)

Recruiting shift:

  • Less emphasis on high school recruiting
  • More focus on:
    • Experienced transfers
    • “Plug-and-play” singles players

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2024

Earlier I have described how fast international tennis players thoroughly dominated American college tennis rosters .

” My involvement in this tsunami was as a small college Men’s tennis coach. It was tricky in 1970 and it is in 2024.

The NAIA was the first to eliminate quotas.  The coaches repealed the One International eligible for NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP play rule.   

Coach Jim Verdick of Redlands University warned  “…soon some Texas school, with all Mexican pros, will win every year.” He was wrong.  The next year Mercyhurst College  (Pennsylvania ) won featuring  six of six players from Finland won.   The paste was out of the tube. ” (See NEXT PLEASE -www.tomparham.wordpress.com )

Subsequently I tried to make the American basketball world aware of this scenario being repeated in our other sports that had international players. Men and women. That began 55 years ago.

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Once I questioned my own persistence to a respected professional. His adamant response was “… worth the effort? You’re damn right it is worth it. It’s our children. Child advocacy !”

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THERE ARE ONLY TWO MAJOR WAYS TO RECOUP PARENTAL/FAMILY INVESTMENT: 1. PRO TENNIS (IN NC ONLY ISNER, WILKISON, AND SADRI MADE ANY LIFETIME $) AND 2. COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS. THE RISING COST OF HIGHER EDUCATION MAKES SCHOLARSHIPS MORE VALUABLE AND MORE APT TO AFFECT THE CHOICE OF SCHOOL AND SPORT TO PURSUE.

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Technology makes research easier.  Embedded below is a “jackleg “ effort I made —studying the top college teams in 2025.   Bottom line:  All divisions (NCAA 1, 11, NAIA, JUCOS, men and women averaged about 90% of starters.  And most probably “scholarshipped “ players.  Only NCAA 111 (non- scholarship ) and NCAA 1 women were less than 90%.

!!!!! This has not been properly emphasized–What matters is scholarships.  The starters get the money and they are 90% international.  

HOMER OF THE SEA

On By ethomasparhamIn Wilson, RaceLeave a comment

Homer

Homer Hewitt, late and legendary resident of our community, is remembered fondly and often with amusement.

A retired Philadelphia lawyer, he was “of the sea”.  And perhaps best known locally for his ocean swims, he amazed us all at the tough times and weathers he dipped in to.

He lived into his 90’s- mischievous till the end.  

Wife Gwen recently recalled introducing her newly betrothed fiance to her Family.

“Homer was about 60.  I was to pick him up at the airport but didn’t see him.  As he got closer

It dawned on me that the guy in the Grateful Dead tee shirt was Homer.  Bandana, earrings and all.  My brother’s initial reaction was pure shock, but my Parents saw Homer’s humor immediately.”

FOXHOLES

On By ethomasparhamIn F. MADISON, HUMOR/ ODDS AND ENDS, N. RELIGION, WARLeave a comment

“There are no Atheists in foxholes.”

(From Jack Webster, Grand Poobah of Madison, NC Mafia )

A professed Atheist found himself in fierce combat during the Korean war.

As the Priest walked near him while holding his Crucifex prominently in front,

the “atheist” meekly inquired : Now how does that thing work?

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W.C. Fields when asked why he was reading the Bible on his deathbed:

“I’m looking for loopholes”

RESEARCH

On By ethomasparhamIn M. POLITICS, N. RELIGION, WARLeave a comment

The phrase “he could piss off the Pope” is a common idiomatic expression used to describe someone who is exceptionally abrasive, arrogant, or difficult to deal with. It has been attributed to various individuals in different contexts rather than originating from a single famous source: 

OK–You are not Jesus, but you are Doctor Kildare !

Rule # 1: “First, do no harm.”

“Anyway you slice it, it’s still baloney.”

A “SCORE ” Agenda Item

On By ethomasparhamIn Wilson, RaceLeave a comment

I posed this question to Chat/GPT. They cited difficulty, yet offered some “… very strong estimates.”

How many international college basketball players are on the current rosters of the final 16 men’s teams in the 2026 NCAA Division 1 tournament?

  • There are about 60 internationals on the 16 teams combined.
  • The higher their seeding the more internationals.
  • Illinois has 5-7.
  • There has been a sharp upturn over the recent years. There are currently about one thousand women and one thousand men (internationals ) on our D1 rosters.

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Some personal comments from an old tennis coach/”sports fan”

  • College tennis players are better because the money has made college tennis a better option than the tradtional Challenger route.
  • College tennis has become the “minor leagues” of Pro Tennis.
  • 1970-NAIA tennis rosters changed to almost all foreign, almost overnight.
  • Now all divisions of college tennis rosters, save D111, are the same .
  • Scholarships are the only source of aid for American families.
  • Fear of lawsuits has been a major concern.
  • The age of Tennis and Basketball players is a major factor.

Cruel ? Our children ?

Recruiting gossip is no longer about “blue chip” or ” 5 Star “, 17/18 year American high schoolers. Recruiters have a bag of money to offer to “portals”. They are often 23 years old. Some have transferred 3-4 times. We are letting graduate students play. Some are “eligible” six or seven years after admission.

American Tennis families have suffered from this for years. Poor to rich.

Basketball has been a bedrock for mostly poor kids. Will international older players, often with backgrounds of professional play, join tennis in taking away our children’s opportunites ?

This has to be dealt with soon. And it affects many other sports than tennis and basketball.

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Comment

Unlike tennis, I have long thought college basketball needs a wake-up call from arrogant thinking that only Americans can play.  But ,like my thoughts on tennis, a maximum number on the roster (say 12) and only half are foreign, is my first thought solution.

Not sure Trump is the man to solve college sport’s quandaries.  His executive orders (I’ll bet he did not get one out in the week after the roundtable) are half baked and usually create more problems than they fix.  And attendees who have a vested interest (a fat paycheck) in part of the game have trouble seeing the big picture.

James Haslam