From CONCLAVE
Cardinal Lawrence : “…What I fear most is certainty. With certainty there is no doubt. Without doubt there is no mystery. Without mystery there is no need for faith. “
Author: ethomasparham
There are decades when nothing happens, and there are weeks when decades happen.
In an op-ed for The New York Times, opinion columnist Thomas Friedman likened artificial intelligence advances to opening Pandora’s box. “We as a society are on the cusp of having to decide on some very big trade-offs as we introduce generative A.I.,” he writes. “And government regulation alone will not save us.”
One of these Pandora’s boxes is labeled “artificial intelligence,” and it is exemplified by the likes of ChatGPT, Bard and AlphaFold, which testify to humanity’s ability for the first time to manufacture something in a godlike way that approaches general intelligence, far exceeding the brainpower with which we evolved naturally.
The other Pandora’s box is labeled “climate change,” and with it we humans are for the first time driving ourselves in a godlike way from one climate epoch into another. Up to now, that power was largely confined to natural forces involving Earth’s orbit around the sun.
“WHOA, NELLY!”
REDSHIRT (Definition of an athlete staying out of college competition for a year to develop one’s skills and extend one’s period of playing eligibility: He redshirted last season.
Most humans max out physically at about age 27 or 28, College freshmen start college at 17 or 18.
Aspiring professional tennis players have long been advised to not go to college.
A new scenario has emereged !
The first and main problem listed is described this way:
“… if you don’t start out with a trust fund, you’re stuck, especially for a sport like tennis that requires years of youth investment. This is a major, fatal disadvantage for American tennis. In Europe, South America and lately in Asia, kids from all social classes have a shot at a tennis career. If they show sufficient talent and motivation, there are numerous community organizations, government programs and general social assistance systems to help build up their careers, in part because these other societies strongly support investment in their youth. “
My inclination is to cite #1 as the core flaw to be dealt with.
Best current estimate for annual pro tour ? $100.000. PLUS A COACH! Big dogs now have a TEAM.
This hopefully covers travel , room. meals , coaching. facilities use, equipment. Stringing cost Borg $60K in 1980. Bottom line annual expenses – 200k plus. Average annual prize money ? About 25k.
Very few make the top 200, who about break even, The conditions are often horrible, lonely and dissapointing. One fine college player after trying the pro circuit said ” I got tired of eating mayonaisse sandwiches. You need about 3/4 years to develop physically”.
The galloping aullure of American College Tennis is attracting more and more, better and better potential pro players, who are betting on a different developmental arena.
College tennis is becoming the minor leagues of International tennis. 2024 was ample proof that that day is already here. And why not? Annual expenses? That is up to you. Great facilities and coaching, schedules featuring high quality match play. Fine practice partners (a team full ), not to mention a free college education. That most often is worth more than tennis.
And don’t forget- Pro tennis expenses come after years of very similar amounts of annual costs to be in the hunt.
The KICKER–The portal and likeness monies will make very lucrative possibilities for the best borderline international players. True too of the very top Americans. But only a few. Already the first year rumor mill is adrift with wildly questionable numbers and propositions being floated.
THE BAD NEWS IS A LOT OF FINE AMERICAN ASPIRANTS WILL BE IGNORED, And the same is probably true of many “global ” sports. Basketball, golf, soccer, volleyball, track and field are right behind. Tennis just got there first. See NEXT PLEASE ( https://wordpress.com/post/littlegreenbookoftennis.com/6105 ).
Currently college coaches go after the best players . Pretty simple. Earlier the players came from the student body. Then they recruited areas, then statewide, regionally, nationally, and internationaly. Now we are attracting elite players world wide. Is Mars next?
We have created a pathway only possible for the very best and richest, What about the majority of our kids?
THE CURRENT RUBICON
The NCAA holds it’s Convention in January. Changes are inevitable. Now is the time for wise choices that affect our children and our populace. Education, reason, health-physical and mental, sportsmanship , teamwork, on and on.
Do tennis players pay their own travel expenses?
The enormous and uncertain costs. PLAYERS ARE RESPONSIBLE for paying for their own transportation to and from tournaments, as well as the support staff who travel with them, including coaches and physios.Jan 17, 2023
“…as they start their journey toward the higher echelons of the tennis world. If we’re honest, prize money at this level is modest, with tournament funds typically totaling somewhere between %15,000 and $25,000. This is to say that the winner takes home anything from $2000 to $4000.
ATP Challenger Tour saw players competing for prize money ranging from $36,680 to $156,240 per tournament, with approximately $21 000 going to winners on average. ( 2021 )
to qualify for Grand Slams, a player usually needs to be ranked amongst the 104 best players in the world, which is not an effortless accomplishment.
NOMENCLATURE
I asked my dieting friend , Russell. if he’d like a piece cake?
Russell, wistfully viewing the cake : ” POUND CAKE! Whoever named that, got it right.!”
GOLLY PETE TONEY
JIM TONEY
* JULY 4, 1985. AW LED ME DOWN A NARROW PATH WITH DOZENS OF CARS PARKED NEARBY. OPENING. TENNIS COURT, POND, HOUSE AND POOL. EVERY ONE HAD EITHER TENNIS RAQUET OR A BUD DRAFT FROM RH BARRINGERS IN HAND. SOFTLY, BETWEEN INTRODUCTIONS, DR WHITE WHISPERED, WE NEED YOU TO MANAGE THIS TOURNAMENT. I ALMOST WENT BACK TO WILSON.
IT WAS A HAPPENING. AND RAISED A TON OF $ FOR TENNIS SCHOLARSHIPS AT ELON. J.POWELL WAS THE $, LACY HALL WAS THE PARTY, JERRY TOLLEY WAS THE DESIGNER.
OVER MY EARLY YEARS TWO THINGS THAT EMERGED WERE A DEEP FRIENDSHIP WITH JIM TONEY, AND A REALIZATION THAT A MAJOR INCARCERATION WOULD LIKELY ACCOMPANY THE TSHF DOUBLES CLASSIC.
HOW CAN WE REDIRECT THE EFFORTS AND POWER OF THIS GROUP?
THE JIMS, POWELL AND TONEY AGREED LETS FOCUS ON KIDS.
THUS BEGAN THE ALAMANCE JUNIOR TENNIS FOUNDATION. AND A DEEPENING KNOWLEDGE OF JIM TONEY.
HE CALLED ME TOAMY. WE NEED A PLAN. YOU GOTTA HAVE A PLAN. A GOAL.
WE ESTABLISHED THAT OVER DOZENS OF LUNCHES ( A VEGETABLE PLATE AT BAKATIAS), OFFICE MEETINGS, DISCUSSIONS AT MATCHES OR ON THE PHONE.
OUR GOAL WAS HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS BETTERMENT. HE BOUGHT MY SUGGESTION TO FOCUS ON TENNIS FACILITIES. THERE IT WAS: WE WON’T QUIT UNTIL ALL SIX HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE GOOD COURTS.
AS WE DEPARTED I REMEMBER THINKING, “…IF I STAY HERE TEN YEARS I MAY SEE THIS COMPLETED. IT TOOK ABOUT A YEAR.”
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THERE “TONEY SIGHTINGS”. FROM JOE BARBOUR ( THE MAYOR ) , HAROLD OWEN ( RECREATION DIRECTOR ). AND JOHN BOY WALTON ( DIRECTOR OF TENNIS ).
*COACH, HE WAS WAITING IN MY OFFICE WHEN I GOT TO WORK.”
*HEY PARHAM, CAN YOU BACK YOUR BOY TONEY OFF A LITTLE?”
**TOM—I HEARD HE HAS MADE APPOINTMENTS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT, ALL THE PRINCIPALS. ADS, COACHES. COMMUNITY LEADERS AND TENNIS PEOPLE. GRANTS, MATCHING GIFTS.”
I SOON GOT A CALL FROM HAROLD AND JOE. ESSENTIALLY THEY SAID PARHAM YOU GOT THIS GOING. WE MAY BUILD A CITY FACILITY AND WE WANT YOUR HELP. SURE. MORE FUNDRAISING!
ODDLY—NO MORE CALLS. THEN I HEARD SOMEONE SAY IT LOOKED LIKE SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING DOWNTOWN. OK—THE CALLS WILL COME SOON. NOTHING. 3 WKS LATER I’LL RIDE DOWN THERE AND SEE IF THE GROUND IS READY. BURLINGTON TENNIS CENTER. NEARLY DONE.
I LOOKED OVER AND THERE WAS TONEY. HE SMILED.
THAT LASTED A DAY. I WANT TO DO CUMMINGS HIGH SCHOOL NEXT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE KIDS HAVE TENNIS.
SO, WE WANDER AROUND THERE, WALKING OFF THE AREA, WHAT NEEDED MAJOR REPAIR. NEXT, THE WALKERS LED WESTERN ALAMANCE. TO SIX BEAUTIFUL COURTS AND GREAT TEAMS.
“NOTHING LIKE THAT GONNA HAPPEN AT SOUTHERN!” OH YEAH? TELL THAT TO ELANOR JOHNSON AND A MRS BONNIE MARROW WHO WRITES A 50K CHECK FOR THE PATRIOTS TENNIS COURTS.
JOHN WALTON AND I SHOOK OUR HEADS IN AMAZEMENT. IT WAS FRIDAY –WE WERE THROUGH.
MONDAY AM —JOHN BOY. Coach—you ain’t gonna believe this. WE NEED MIDDLE SCHOOLS TEAMS. ALL COME TO BTC 4 MATCHES AT A TIME. INSTRUCTION. COACH THERE IS NO MIDDLE SCHOOL PLAY IN THE ENTIRE STATE.
THEY MADE A GREAT PICTURE OF 85 KIDS AT MIDDLE SCHOOL TENNIS DAY.
HOLD THAT THOUGHT AND BACK UP SOME 30 YEARS. ROBERT AND TOM REGISTER HAVE BURST ON THE JUNIOR TENNIS SCENE IN A FLURY OF RACKET THROWS AND SALTY LANGUAGE. AN ACKNOWLEDGED FINE ADULT PLAYER OFFERS TO PLAY WITH THEM. ONE BROTHER SUGGESTS “…HAVE YOU NOTICED HE NEVERS SAYS ANYTHING BUT GOLLY PETE , TONEY, WHEN HE MAKES AN ERROR?
“WISELY THEY AGREE TO ADAPT HIS POLICY. ONLY “GOLLY PETE TONEY” FROM THE REGISTERS. NOT ONLY THAT IT BECAME FAMILY VENACULAR USED IN BOTH ADULT HOMES. SECOND NATURE.
FLASH BACK TO THAT OPENING MIDDLE SCHOOL DAY AS FATHER ROBERT TAKES MIDDLE SCHOOL DAUGHTER TO HER FIRST TENNIS DAY. ROBERT WALKS ALEX UP TO THE COMMISIONER AND PROUDLY INTRODUCES ALEX TO MR. JIM TONEY.
AS THEY WALK AWAY ALEX ASKS HER DAD, “…DADDY, IS THAT GOLLY PETE TONEY?
THEY NAMED THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD THE “GOLLY PETE TONEY “ AWARD”. ALEX REGISTER WON THE FIRST ONE.
PEG WORDS AND ONE-LINERS
For Coaches
On Critics
“Bullfight critics row on row,
Pack the vast arena full.
But there’s only one there who knows,
And he’s the one who fights the bull.”
From Michener’s “Mexico”
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Next to net play, the service return requires the most quickness. Good players “unweight” or bounce slightly to ready themselves.
You have to get wide, get low, and get ready. The first part of quick is ready!
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Diversity: Coaches hitched on to the popular gravy train of “diversity”. Diversity in college tennis became an American with a large scholarship.
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There are four corners on each side of the court. Two are up at the net. Hint: Drop shots.
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Service Returns
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“OFF SEASON” ?
“There is no off season”
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A NEW SHOT?
Watch this shot emerge as the next “ old “emerging shot: THE TOPSPIN LOB.
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I watched one of Coach Leighton’s varsity players use a forehand grip that violated much of Leighton’s fundamental thought. I asked, Are you gonna let him keep playing that way? He simply said, “Watch him hit it!” Boom, boom, boom! Then the Coach said, “if a flaw works don’t change it.”
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“Every match is preparation for another match.”
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If I taught a 2015 talented youngster I might suggest:
You must change your western forehand to this universal grip to volley, hit most forehand approach shots, and short, low forehands.
Use a western grip for all deep forehand shots
Use the backhand to continental grip(s) for every other shot. It is the most versatile and functional grip.
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Your knees are your elevators on low volleys. Right-handers – on your low forehand your right knee almost touches the court. Backhands, left knee.
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Once Borg, when asked by Bud Collins to cite his most valuable tennis asset, replied simply, “legs!”
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Golf Advice Only?
It’s the only thing written on his (Harvey Penick’s) personal brand of golf clubs. “Take dead aim!” ThinkTarget.
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Good Eye?
We adopted this policy: 1) In practice, if you have any doubt let it go and see if you are right. 2) In a match, with any doubt, go ahead and play it. Soon I could see our players use better and better judgment. We would occasionally let one drop in, but our percentage grew dramatically.
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—don’t have your finger in your ear and your mind in neutral
and miss the one-two of doubles.
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THROWING ?
If you think women are anatomically limited in throwing,
watch modern women’s tennis, or better still, collegiate women’s softball.
Zing!
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Charlie Owens perfected a “just high enough” forehand lob down the line to force the net player to hit a lukewarm backhand overhead to his only logical cross-court target. Charlie would be there waiting for it with a “passer.”
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Volley Tip
This is an area in which American players and teachers could get better. For example, we are “spot specific” on passing shots, but on volleys many of our kids just sort of “bang it over on the other side.”
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“Balance is the clue to good tennis, and footwork is the clue to good
balance” –Welby Van Horn.
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Two rally suggestions: (1. Hit ground strokes off the first bounce only. Second bounce hits are not legal, plus first bounce makes you hustle to the ball and hit some awkward shots. 2. There is no need to hit balls that are out of bounds. Just knock them down, or let
them go, and start a new inbounds rally.)
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Compare the “hit spot” for a backhand two-hander to a one-handed backhand slice.
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“Doubles is a one-two game”. “Double faults are double trouble in doubles”.
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“YOU ARE COACHING THE WOMEN’S TEAM! “
Before I said anything, one young lady offered, “we are so glad we now have a man coach.” They all shook their heads in agreement. I didn’t agree and told them so. In my first “coaching” of women. I offered, “You wouldn’t mind a good woman coach. What you don’t want is a poor coach,
man or woman.”
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MEN COACHING WOMEN? Men are from Mars; women are from Venus. How do you identify these
differences as far as coaching goes? The best source for a “crash course”
on the subject would be to consult Anson Dorrance’s book on the subject.
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BEGINNING FOOTWORK
- Tennis starts in your eyes and brain and goes to your feet and legs immediately. Here is a beginning footwork drill for newcomers: It is done without a racket or ball. ONLY FOOTWORK. And mimicking several shots you will have to master.
- ALWAYS RETURN TO THE MIDDLE OF THEIR BEST SHOT, USING PROPER FOOTWORK-BEGIN WITH A QUICK WALK-LIKE FOOTWORK TO THE BALL. USUALLY SHUFFLE STEPS BACK TO CENTER.
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A “BIGGIE “
Teaching “killer instinct” is key. Ahead a service break? Get a second.
I think that the most vulnerable points are “ahead points,” 40–15 and
30–0. These are the points that 20 year olds lose concentration on, thus
allowing that “old sinking feeling” to reenter.
When ahead, keep the pressure off yourself by staying ahead.
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THE TOUGH AREA
There are three main “parts” you have to coach: physical, mental, and
emotional. The emotional part is the toughest to deal with. However, there
are really only two villainous emotions: Fear and anger. And they are both
Self-directed.
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COLLEGE CHOICES—ANOTHER ANGLE?
Malcolm Gladwell’s new book, DAVID AND GOLIATH has an interesting viewpoint regarding one’s choice of institutions for pursuing higher education. He suggests being a
” big fish in a little pond” yields better results than the other way around. Being in the top third of your class breeds esteem, whereas being in the lower third (albeit a third with fine students) often discourages those who are always looking up at those who out-perform them.
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Some one said “… a tennis player is as strong or as weak as their weakest link, and the weakest link in tennis is the second serve.”
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Open Faced Shots by Jim Haslam
To follow are some clips from a program developed by Jim Haslam ( See Bio ) . The topic, or theme , deals with open faced shots. There were 55 clips filmed which proved too many to showcase. In fairness to Coach Haslam the 16 selected are just part of the program.
In Jim’s career as a player, he was Australian hardcourt championship quarterfinalist, played #1 at Wake Forest, and was selected for first team ACC multiple times. At GTP Foundation, Jim is our specialist for serves, volleys, slices, and one handed backhand drives. He has 60 years of teaching experience and works with our GTP School students individually on his specialty shots.
NEXT PLEASE
KUDZU CONTINUED–2025
https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/luke-decock/article312571857.html
LUCKY TO WIN THE FIRST GAME OVER SOUTH SUDAN ? Wow–how good is North Sudan? Or all of Sudan?
The Olympics were great. Uplifting. Unbelievable levels of all kinds of events. And people.
Someone referred to the “… browning of the World.” World wide stages like the Olympics and Soccer’s World Cup bring this fact to the open. American collegiate athletic teams, too , are part of the evolution of a “global society “.
My involement 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 Fnland won. The paste was out of the tube.
Pick a school, google men’s tennis . Tag the roster and see for yourself. Just recently I researched the total rosters of Division 11’s top six men’s teams. Of 63 players on the combined rosters, 62 were international.
Kudzu–it spread like kudzu from 1970 t0 1980. All levels, men then women, small to largest.
Is this right? I wondered. Soon it moved to other world wide sports. Everyone in our area is a basketball expert. I wrote of all sports to:
Mr. Rudy Washington, Editor-in-Chief The BCA Journal (BLACK COACHES ASSOCIATION)
P. O. Box 4040
Culver City, CA 90231-4040
Dear M.r Washington:
I’ve coached college tennis for 30-plus years and I have been dismayed by the preponderance of international players who have usurped many tennis scholarships from American youngsters.
There seems to be a trend toward this in basketball. Has the BCA addressed the danger to American student athletes this poses, in particular college basketball. Should there be a limit to this?
If your Journal has addressed this issue, please let me know. It seems basketball is a game that this should concern.
ETP:1h
Sincerely,
Tom Parham
Men’s Tennis Coach
March 9, 1998
The 2024 Olympics caused further wonder. Coach David Odom and I watched some of these games together.
“What many people don’t realize is the South Sudan team is made up of NBA players ” ( Coach Odom ).
My friend and colleague, Coach Ron Smarr, coached the most men’s team tennis wins of any coach. His first job was at then Wingate Junior College. Coach Smarr, using international players, quickly won two National Team Tennis Championships.
I asked both David and Ron if they saw similarities between 1970’s college tennis and international players compared to basketball today :
Money talks, Bullshit walks. Winning translates into money. If the coach loses, the NFL means NOT FOR LONG. This trickles down to all levels.
Who wins ? The best players. WHERE ARE THEY? Tennis and basketball players? All over the world.
Why are they coming here? In the 70’s Bjorn Borg ruled the tennis world. One year in the late 70’s there were 300 Swedes playing American College tennis. Many were borderline pros and older. These guys beat 18 year old Americans. We became a haven. Early on some were questionable students and characters. Soon the word spread and the evolution of talent and scholarship zoomed upwards ( The coaches realized , ” hey- this guy is a great player, an A student, and never whines. Sorry to say, but true–he is better!
At the same time internationals learned the best schools, programs. coaches, and America paid for it. Bye bye tennis for US scholarships.
2000- WHY DON’T WE HAVE ANY GREAT AMERICAN PLAYERS?
Good news ? American college tennis in no small part, has become the “minor leagues for pro tennis”. I think this allowed young players, American and internaional, to “redshirt in college”, and mature into a possible pro player.
Basketball (and really all international sports ) today?
On December 16, 2019 By ethomasparhamIn D. INTERNATIONALS1 CommentEdit
THIS JUST IN FROM “SB NATION”.
“International players ruled the draft
There were 14 international players selected in the first round of the 2016 Draft, from Dragan Bender at No. 4 overall to the surprising Georgios Papagiannis pick by the Sacramento Kings near at the end of the lottery. That’s an NBA record for the first round for international players, although six of those 14 were attending colleges in the United States last season rather than playing overseas.
The NBA brags about being a global game as frequently as it can, but if a record-setting international haul doesn’t prove them right, then what will? Basketball is becoming more globally accessible and more young athletes are attempting to make the move into the NBA, which can only be a good thing.”
Coaches still have to win.
“I heard there is a 7′ 10″ Ethiopian 16 year old?”
“You reckon there are any left over South Sudanese players?”
” I ‘m flying to China to recruit”
“She’s a -2 handicap?”
I can hear it now.
SMARR-ISMS
Below are shortened comments Ron Smarr offered having read this chapter.
- Never serve at your opponent’s strength on big points.
- Drop shots and topspin lobs are old shots that modern players are revisiting.
- Other than football, basketball and perhaps baseball-other college sports may become “club sports”!
- Serves and groundstrokes up the middle can take angle away from your opponent. And you run less.
- High school coaches and players and teams often are aided greatly by college coaches and local pros and players.
- Coaching is not just about winning.
- Many players are returning serve from way back. Enter the drop shot?
- The closer you are to the net the more you keep the racket head out in front.
- Over- night camps make directors much more exposed to liability.
- One Jerk will and can make things bad for the whole program.
- Movement can make 2/3 of the court available to a powerful shot. And avoid weak shots !
BORG’S SPEECH
BORG’S SPEECH
Borg taught a magnificent lesson one day on TV. Having just beaten McEnroe in “the greatest match ever” I watched commentator Bud Collins interview the Wimbledon Champ. Collins asked Borg how he did it? Borg, stoic as ever said simply: “legs.” Nothing more. Collins had several minutes in his hands and rambled on in a commentary I don’t remember.
Then, Borg, having thought some, took the mike from Bud. His comments were:
- I was very nervous inside
- I thought, surely I will lose.
- I told myself, I must put these thoughts out of my mind.
- I will not quit under any circumstances.
End of clinic. Pretty good advice for a lot of areas
The Little Green Book of Tennis 