Author: ethomasparham

A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR AMERICA

On By ethomasparhamIn E. SPORTS COMMENTARY, L. RACELeave a comment

A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR AMERICA

The NCAA holds its annual convention in January. 

Good luck!   No one has a clue.

My hope is that the powers that be use this opportunity wisely.  One possibility I hope  will be considered.

And I have gathered support  that is  collected and compiled within the link below.  

There is no simple answer.  But big changes are a surety.  Hopefully  wise pivotal moment legislation.

First—the Short Version—

2024 will be a watershed moment for sports in America.  Ideally  the NCAA will set in motion changes that enhance the traditional joys and benefits of sports, but also a vocational pathway to reward talent and effort.

THE SECOND MOUNTAIN

The data below is a  pot-pour-ri  of related thoughts”

*  “ Well, he hands you a nickel, and he hands you a dime

And he asks you with a grin, if you’re havin’ a good time”

(MAGGIE’S FARM—Bob Dylan ) 

I grew up in small towns in North Carolina,  Yet in a state with a large black population I never had a close black friend.  Even through college.  In eastern NC.   Eastern NC had a lot of crops ( mostly tobacco, cotton. )  While those jobs are greatly diminished the workers are largely still there. And their children.   In no small part these were the first black students, most were athletes,  that I knew,  (* see appendix.)

So many are great people.  Adversity made strong people and tough athletes.   Still I wonder how many were missed. 

My reason for this article stems from my hope that the new NCAA rules will help even more have opportunities.   How ?  Now is crucial window of opportunity for higher education through athletics  to broaden current avenues and new ones.  How? This is what makes the January 2024 NCAA convention crucial for these youngsters.

HOW?  Not many of these kids are passionate about classical Greek literature.   But they know sports.  Is that wrong ?   

There are tons of vocations in sports already in place.  If we elevate the status  of sports done right,  can we grow a job market that many sports minded can pursue with logical success in the future.  

What’s wrong with a SPORTS major in Higher Education,  Many exist already and just need some publicity and dignity attached.  

 Next month I hope a lot of thought goes into helping this large and worthy population.   Find them, make rules to help them.  Make sports a vocation of real worth. 

*  TIME FOR A RAISE

  • Even after slavery was abolished the roadblocks were manifold.  Granted all poor people were limited but African-Americans were singled out. —-(From a George Will book) — At one time education was literally and legally impossible.  THERE IS NO TELLING HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS  married into wealth.  Illegal for Black men or women.  

BRAINSTORMING

  • Grants vs loan

One issue  is student debt.  Administrators, Athletics Directors, all coaches, should clarify whether the athlete’s  “package “ of money is defined (grant or loan ?). A lot of deception occurs  here.  And a lot of crippling,  unpayable  lifetime  debt.  A clear, stout rule in 2024 —-NCAA!

 *  Reading to education to scholarships, to degrees to jobs to family wealth ? 

How then. to professional sports salaries?

** Or when does childhood play evolve, or morph , into work,   to a profession.  Even a dangerous one?

*When does supply and demand  enter?

  • Is it worth less if it is fun ? Or that so  many aspire?
  • Can you limit market value?
  • Is higher education wise to entertain the public ?
  •   Insurance for the gifted ?
  • “…elite institutions have entered into an athletic arms race that has pulled them from their core educational missions.”
  • As Rahm Emanuel, the former White House chief of staff under President Barack Obama, once famously said, “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.”
  • Education and the Market mix ?
  • We are weeks away from TV college basketball.  Last year ( 2023) none of the players were supposedly paid;   The schools,  the networks,  coaches, trainers, vendors, refs all were paid.   What if Cinema didn’t pay the actors. Or Broadway?  Mr. Eastwood, “…all employees are paid minimum wage on this film.” 
  • No one has all the answers.  The country is mulling the sports world over.  Most think their opinion should rule,  But it is time to change some major rules,  

*SQUARE PEG INTO A ROUND HOLE?  

  • Look at the stands during Michigan football games,  or Kentucky men’s basketball crowd.  Then the field or court.  
  • WHO IS IN THE SKYBOX VS WHO IS ON THE FIELD ?

SUPPLY AND DEMAND  ?

When a former Duke basketball player ( Dick Divcenzo ) suggested college players should be paid,  he was deemed a radical. 

The old guard concluded “.. .Hell, he gets a scholarship”,  while administrators quietly deemed it unaffordable.  

2023-24.  THINGS HAVE CHANGED

LIKENESS, PORTALS, NCAA  PROBLEMS

Pay or Punt ?  PAY WHO? PAY HOW?  WHO PAYS? SEZ WHO?

*SQUARE PEG INTO A ROUND HOLE?  

SCENE:  A COURTROOM. JUDGE :  You get the legal maximum—twenty years.

CONVICTED :  But Judge, if you give me 20 years I’ll die 

in jail !

JUDGE:  Well—-do the best you can.

*****         A random library choice led me to THE SECOND MOUNTAIN  by David Brooks. The two main ideas seemed first,  a “mountain”  of self interest. .  The second  mountain’s orientation—selflessly help others !  Hmmm!

Published in 2019, the book hit an incidentally current chord with me.  

Many have said if you love your job you never have to work.  And I did  love coaching.  Retirement and physical limitations  led to “hobby writing”,  

Surprisingly blogs and books flowed.   I knew tennis—help the high school coaches and teams!  Save some college tennis scholarships for Americans ?  I’m all in.  Serious ideas?  Hell yes!

Save the Middle  East?  World peace is above my pay grade,  

But the same old problem nagged at me.

Most adults wonder what if they had chosen another profession.  I think at 8 or 9 I was coaching (sort of) and  always enjoyed the choice of this high calling.   

And what a time period to be in the athletic world, even at the small college level.  Title IX, steroids, weight training, academic standards, TV,  alignment.  By far the most volatile—Integration. Early 60’s teaching  in eastern North Carolina——lots of worry about drugs and Vietnam.  While worthy opponents,  I advised to watch drinking and driving as of major concern.  And Racism.

 *Reality 1965 : Jackie Robinson, et. al. vs sports history is now.  What kind of kids are these ?  Hey— these are good people.  They need help.  I voted for altruism.   Mostly simple advice  and experience rendering of a new world  ( the talk on the radiator,  finding a dentist,  your kids and reading).  “Your job is to advance your family one generation.  Your children should EXPECT to go to college!”

******** Allow me one last personal experience.  I was given an award at athletic banquet at Barton College.  While I certainly appreciated this recognition, the moment that touched me was at the end.  After the banquet several people came by our tablet to speak.  I try to always be courteous to everyone.  After a few minutes I noticed a Black woman waiting patiently to the side.  I did not recognize her immediately.  After the others went their way we addressed each other.  I listened to her opening comment : “ Coach Parham , you probably don’t remember me.” 

 I quickly headed her off.  “ I can’t call your name but I can tell you that  you made an “A” in the tennis class you took from me.”

She looked puzzled—then spoke.  “Well yes you did  and I didn’t deserve it.  But  I am glad I can thank you and  tell you about that time.”  Other than athletes there were few “average” Black women attending the college.  She was struggling  with being in this strange environment, which became more difficult in a class of white kids, many of whom had some tennis background.  “My feelings of isolation had increased and I truly had about decided to quit college. The same day you called me aside after class.   You gave me some extra minutes of personal instruction on my tennis serve—about which I hadn’t a clue.  You told me to practice some at the lesser used and more private courts near the gym.   And you gave a bucket of tennis balls and a racket.  You also seemed to sense my unhappiness and gave me some encouragement as well as some kind words.   I came here tonite to tell you that I went back from that class and decided no to quit.”

She went on to tell me she had graduated and gone on to a full career and although tears were in our eyes , what was going through my head was how grateful I was that i’d had enough sense, early in career to be kind  to this young woman.

Momentarily I told her not to feel she didn’t deserve an “A”in this strange class.  “Do you know why you deserved that grade?

My syllabus stated the high priority I placed on attendance and effort  I arrived at work at 8am  each morning.   After our conversation I watched you at the courts near the gym, early in the morning, practicing your serve .

Your serve got pretty good.”  ( From A LEVEL OF THINKING by Tom Parham ).

*********WHY TEACH AND/OR COACH   (  An earlier Blog )

You never know who you’re influencing when you coach.   The same was true for teaching in college.   Formal classroom or just talking to kids.

A basketball player named Damian Carter appeared in my doorway one day at Elon.   He said he rode up and down I-85 often and had planned to stop by many times.

He was in his forties, had been a pretty solid player at Atlantic Christian, having transferred from UNC-Wilmington.   At Wilmington he hadn’t played as much as he wanted.   The same was true at ACC later on, and he found his chances of pro ball weren’t going to materialize.   He was about to quit college though his grades were good.

I don’t remember the specific conversation with Damien, but it was one of fifty I’d had with basketball players.

It went like this:

  1. Are you the first from your family to go to college?   Often the answer was yes.
  2. You’re not going to make $100,000 playing pro ball, you understand?
  3. You can get your degree and get a very good job.   People are looking for athletic people with degrees.
  4. Your job is to elevate your family and its expectations one generation.   Put your money in compound interest, and expect your children to go to college.

I agreed with Damian that that was the gist of what I advised the “first kids.”   Damian smiled and added, “Coach, my two daughters have college degrees, and I’ve got a million bucks in the bank!”   Compound interest.

*Much has been written about the “Black athlete.” There is no question in my mind about the talent level of these athletes.

Coming from the South and being a minister’s son there was little question, early on about God. Certainly, in my mind, he was male, white, and looked a whole lot like Santa Claus. Surely too, he was lovable, kind, and simply good “supreme being.”

After watching sports in America the last forty years my guess about God’s nature is more Machiavelian.   After watching America make a religion out of sports, while at the same time mistreating the black population so badly, I picture God’s role differently. My guess iswe’ve put so much emphasis on sport he’s peeved. Think not? Watch where parents are at 11:00 am on Sunday’s if their child is in a soccer match. Hmm? Did God say “I’ll give these fanatics a dilemma!” He then put this glorious athletic talent in many of the Black population, and now he’s “up there” giggling at what America is doing with sports.

Please don’t get me wrong. The Black athletes have paid their dues in practice, injury, and sweat just like anyone. Probably more so.

Still -” “…they got the “A” bands .”

Integration caused a lot of headaches in the alignment of conferences, etc. Who plays and who you play, is important, and alignment turned things upside down.

I do believe Proposition 48 (the academic guidelines for collegiate eligibility) yielded a lot of good. I wonder about the S.A.T. and fairness, but it is a “hard” number.  Read DAYS OF GRACE by Arthur Ashe. 

My guess is the best barometer for academic success is the athlete’s class rank. With exceptions, most of those who could achieve class rank had enough ability to succeed.

******Malcom Gladwell says reading lovingly to every child is indispensable. Without this parental effort failure is imminent.

********Pat Conroy from MY READING LIFE: “…if anyone knows a more important profession than teaching i wish they would let me know what it is before I die.”  

**********A fellow coach once suggested, “…the NCAA should be limited to 10 rules, and if they add one they have to eliminate one.

************PORTALS AND POTHOLES (2022 )

*******Even the pros have a salary cap.

Was it Southern California that recruited twenty plus PORTAL footballers? Does that equate to that many legit freshmen who didn’t get that scholarship/ opportunity? How many times did this happen in all football programs combined? All sports? How many closed doors to the high school class of 2024?

For years football coaches have often recruited unhappy players from other teams. Or those who can legally transfer and play at a different school. The new NCAA “Portals Rule ” has jet streamed this strategy. One of the sad side effects of “Portals ” is that high school seniors are overlooked for older and seasoned upperclass college kids.

My guess is that this avenue will be adopted by  American college tennis. And it will undoubtedly involve international players who can now easily move to “greener pastures.” American high school aspirants will be moved down the prospects list, or be dismissed even quicker.

******** “…it’s time for cool. cool change.”

********** MAYBE NOT!

Money will dictate a ”Power 5” style membership.    Division III may still play without athletic grants.  Will the groupings in the middle be determined by the level  of financial limits each school chooses?

HAZARDOUS DUTY PAY?

PRESCIENT ?

1976 James Michener wrote SPORTS IN AMERICA. He made the statement then “…I might allow my child to play football, but I wouldn’t encourage him to play.”********

How many over matched youngsters get hurt in these games? One player said “…our coach would give OUR lives for the school!”**************

The consolidation of schools eliminated many of the smaller players.  African American footballers were added to the talent pool, along with weight programs, better diets, and better coaching, and in many instances steroids.  Tremendous contact ensued.

And while college and professional football are in the crosshairs of violence, perhaps high school footballers are even more vulnerable. And here is why: the weak and small and slow are eliminated at the college level.  But in many high schools small youngsters, who are very limited players, may face tremendous opponents that wouldn’t be admitted to college. These guys hitting the “canon fodder” can create catastrophe.

JR HIGH FOOTBALL DISPARITY— 125 lbs pre-puberty vs 250 pounder.

********** NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL 2023 ( 26 )

ON MARCH 23, 2023 BY ETHOMASPARHAMIN E. SPORTS COMMENTARYLEAVE A COMMENTEDIT

“Senor, Senor–can you tell me where we’re heading, Lincoln County or Armaggdeon ?”  B. Dylan

—- “People get all caught up in the coaching and all that stuff. It’s Dudes ! You’ve got to have players, and these Dudes put in the work !” Kansas State Coach, Jerome Tang.

—Soon ? Concealed carry in the game?

—Coach Boeheim–on St. John’s hiring of Rick Pitino : “He has coached forty years. That is not a lot of trouble for that long.”

*  I took my wife , a Canadien,  to her  first college basketball game.  After the game she asked “ …is there a  gym somewhere full of  Black people watching white kids play.

***************

********CAN IT  WORK ?   (1960’S POSITION— (  ‘…you can’t legislate morality “” )

********* Oh yeah——-Ask these Women about 

TITLE IX

2019 on Athletics in the USA  

World Cup soccer competition began in 1930. The United States men have never won it. Soccer is more widely played world-wide than any sport.
Title IX was implemented in 1970. The World Cup for women began in 1991. Our women have won twice. No other country has a “Title IX”.   Sports and sociology go hand in hand.

************ON PROXIMITY

Vans, buses, and planes with loads of college kids are dangerous enough.  Add severe weather often experienced due north, to inexperienced, or young, or ambitious coaches and players, and a recipe for tragedy looms.

   ***********Ask Campbell University’s  coaches, who just “came in from the cold!”   They were in a league with teams in 11 different states!   How is that a reasonable conference?   Maybe it’s just me, but I loved the “southerness” of the Southern Conference.   No need to fly anywhere. Believe me, with no TV revenue, and travel out the wazoo, these programs and people take big blows.

***********Radical idea?–Carolina, State, Duke, Wake Forest, Appalachian, and East Carolina all play each other? ps-UNC Charlotte will be ready soon. Western Carolina Univ. No flying required, football or women’s volleyball.  Anybody.

******* Football has got to change the frequency of concussions.  Or lawyers will break anyone who charges to see the game.

********  Women’s and girl’s soccer must create rules and training  that drastically reduce anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injuries.

*********When annual college/university costs exceed $70,000 per year, what sense does a “liberal arts” degree make? 

******** Every time an Incorrigible is recruited, selected, hired, etc., a good kid will be eliminated, or cut, or not given a chance. Same for coaches, administrators, owners, all the way up and down

  ********** ON DRUGS :  If the top (pro sports) demands usage,  the news will flow to the bottom (even children’s sports).   Hopefully parents will guard their kids,  but some have turned a blind eye or even encouraged the madness.   Sanity is the only hope…

*********** “The mystery masked man was smart

He got himself a Tonto

‘Cause Tonto did the dirty work for free

But Tonto he was smarter

And one day said kemo sabe

Well, kiss my ass, I bought a boat

I’m going out to sea”

( IF I HAD A BOAT )  by Lyle Lovett )

ACKNOWLEDGING  ( Some new friends,  students , players, coaches, that taught me.  Thanks. 

I don’t remember any real relationship with Black persons until I began teaching and coaching in the fall of 1964.   That year Henry Logan became the first Black basketball player in our North State Conference.  As an assistant varsity basketball coach I helped recruit Clifton Earl Black and James Jones from nearby Pinetops, N.C. the next year.   Below I have listed some who followed.  Mostly students , I thought I was teaching THEM.  First athletes were all American males.  Then- young women, internationals of both genders, coaches and colleagues.

Atlantic Christian College changed the school name to Barton College  (1959-63 as a student, 1964-1985 as faculty ). 

NEW BULLDOGS AND FRIENDS:  Cliff Black, James Jones, Richard Battle, George Bell, Rafael and Tyra Boyd, Kathy Wall, Shelia Keel, Annie Mae Wooten, Damien Carter, Sarah Leonard , Lorraine Riley, Speedy Ganor, Tony Barriteau, Elfateh Eltom,  Sharhabil Humeida. Lorenzo Jones, Stan Lewter, William Bogues, Bobbie Edwards, James Leggett.

Elon ( !985-2004 )  John Bradsher, Tony Settles, Gino Mc Rea,  Frank and Mae Haith, Richard Evans , Dwayne Clark, Derrick Moore, Chris Smith, Harry Burroughs, William Massenburg,  Ann Lashley, Leo Barker, Grady Williams,  Mike Howell, Larry McClain, Steve Ferguson, Arketa Banks.   And my assistant coach Bryce Holmes. Helping administer Football was new to me,  The football players at Elon really helped me.  

GIT ‘ER DONE

On By ethomasparhamIn HUMOR/ ODDS AND ENDSLeave a comment

We have lived in this island home for 15 years. Lot of varibles. Hurricane Florence had the most physical impact. The massive flooding caused damage that overloaded the local work force. Getting any prompt respone was compounded by a history of surly locals who preferred fishing. Some drinking thrown in.

We have only septic tanks. This week I asked a friend who the best “honeydipper” was? Snuffy was the answer. You are kidding?

I figured he had to be the man, but when would he come, 2025? Not only the worst job I could imagine, but quick. At our first beach house I literally dug up a septic tank. And while sand is supposedly easy digging– I know there is no such thing.

Snuffy’s receptionist wasn’t enouraging. “My lord that man is busy!”

So I called his cell telling him to come anytime. Only one inevitable question.

I was startled when he called saying he was in the area, should he come now?

I blurted out the question-“So , do you check for need before it’s GO?”

“IF I COME, I PUMP”

When can you book us.?

Now.

Come and pump.

It was a friday late afternoon. hot. he was 75 years old and drenched with sweat.

I hadn’t seen any working on a Friday since we’d headed east.

I knew Margaret would be nice to this man. Pretty soon they were buddies. She asked how many tanks had he done that day? “This is my eigth!”

When he finished he cleaned up the area meticulously. We tallked and found out his real name and part of this good man’s interesting past.

As he started to leave I couldn’t resist one last question—

Sir, you have a really tough job. Tough for anybody, any age. How do you do it?

YOU’VE GOT TO BE COMMITTED TO YOUR WORK.

The Coach in “The Cloud”

On By ethomasparhamIn B2. INTRODUCTION, C. COLLEGE TENNIS and INSTRUCTIONLeave a comment
Tom Parham <ethomasparham@gmail.com>11:09 AM (2 minutes ago)
to me

ON JULY 27, 2012 BY ETHOMASPARHAMIN B2. INTRODUCTION

But I’m trying…I’m trying real hard to be a shepherd. –Jules to Ringo, “Pulp Fiction”

My two sons work in technology. They have made me aware of the “cloud”. Summing up my understanding, the cloud is a modern, idealistic, even utopian way to gain free access to information. Sort of the internet on steroids. Or, for those of us on the other side of the “digital divide,” a giant free library in space.

There is an article on my blog entitled “Mentors”. It describes how one with a thirst for knowledge in any arena might best learn.

. Hope someone out there has the “thirst.”

“Sometimes people don’t want what you have got. Sometimes you can’t give it away”–Bob Dylan from “Floater”***Author’s note:   The comments above are from a blog written in 2012. Since then I  have made anything I  have written free. Any charges now are to cover expenses.

THE CIRCLE STINGER PLUS

On By ethomasparhamIn C. COLLEGE TENNIS and INSTRUCTIONLeave a comment

The blog on “The Circle stinger” received more hits than any tennis advice I have written.  I certainly didn’t design the strategy itself (see Mr. Nadal )!

As stated in the article, it’s real effect has been to change the first choice of getting to the net  from serving and volleying, or attacking the short ball down the line. 

It also provided the tactic to make the “swinging volley” a better first choice. 

The complete play that has evolved so effectively follows:

  1. Identify the ball to come in on.  Nadal’s lefty stinger crosscourt to the “weaker” backhand pass is so far the best approach.
  2. Any weak, short or floating return is now a common place for talented, new pros to attack with a full bore swinging volley. Directed away from the opponent.

***3.  I caution teachers and coaches to remember there are levels of ability throughout the whole process.  Beginners of average ability, most high school players, average club and recreational level players should first perfect the standard volley fundamentals, adding the swinger when level and talent make it an advanced, effective tool.

Even at the highest level of pro doubles,  classic volleys are most often best.

RED BIRD

On By ethomasparhamIn HUMOR/ ODDS AND ENDSLeave a comment

Al Rehm, Sr. was a Northern baseball player, who while playing for the Tobs, married a local woman and became a cop. Al liked to drink a lot. He could be a handful.
Once, having driven to the ECU game, Country and I watched Al, Sr. unfold
out of a Red Bird. Obviously cranked, we asked Al if he’d taken a cab from Wilson
by himself.
Straightening himself, he assured us: “Hell yes, and I’ve already seen three
people here that told me they weren’t coming.”
Earlier I mentioned that Al’s only son, Al, Jr. was a neighborhood kid. We
were always watching Al because he was hilarious from the beginning.
His father umpired high school baseball in games that his only son, Al,
played in.
Once a ninth inning pitch whistled down the middle while batter Al, Jr.
watched with a two-strike count.
“Ball one” came the call from umpire/dad, followed by the corollary: “But if
another one like that one comes along, you better take a cut at it.”
The catcher took of his mask and looked backwards at the umpire.

PASSION (2.1 )

On By ethomasparhamIn A2. THE LITTLE GREEN BOOK OF TENNIS, C. COLLEGE TENNIS and INSTRUCTION, HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS / SHOT DOCTORSLeave a comment

Recently I was described as “ passionate” about tennis.   A real compliment.   Immediately I thought of John Ormsby who wrote a  quite thorough history of Six Man Football in North Carolina.  I asked John where the drive to do this project came from?  He replied,  “…I wanted to know more about one subject  than anyone alive!”

Life without passion and drive is unappealing  to me.   Certainly our children deserve no less.   

One of my Sons made me aware of technology’s “cloud”.   “Dad, anyone can easily make special knowledge available to  all  now.”

Being a coach often makes you almost surrogate  fathers.  Certainly you care about your players.   My passion is care for American junior tennis players and their access to a fair share of our college and university tennis scholarships.   I believe there is a direct link between awarding  so many of our scholarships to internationals that we have run our own kids out of tennis, and other American sports as well.

Is this patriotic or xenophobic?   Is it illegal to reserve state tax money for our state’s youngsters.   Where is the fair “fine line” we can expect?

Passion number two:   The model for successful American juniors has been the  FAMILY not the ACADEMY model.  No ones cares like the parents.   Proper parental guidance,  local teaching pros,  community tennis “angels’,  junior tournaments, high school team play, and on to college tennis.  Examine our golden era of  pros  (Evert, Connors, McEnroes, Sampras, etc).

Academies are often filled by throw away kids,  limited rich kids, and a selected few who get all the attention.   More importantly it is questionable academically and personally. 

The work to follow is also a summary of my efforts to  provide a guide for high school tennis teams, coaches and players (THE LITTLE GREEN BOOK of TENNIS). Is a unique aid for many who know little about team tennis.  Through   cooperation with THE NORTH CAROLINA TENNIS FOUNDATION  the print book was given  free to all seven hundred and eleven high school boys and girls coaches in North Carolina.  Now, we have designed a program to further make available this valuable aid to our teams, every one of North Carolina’s four thousand boys and girls players, and  the coaches, yearly. 

The final product works much like an education model:  1.  A good book for the teacher (coach)  2.  Inexpensive E-Books for the  students (the players)  and 3.   The “library” or resource center.  This was designed by the NCTA  staff.   We can use these tools to communicate, instruct, guide, and make information easily accessible.   

TEAMS, COACHES, AND KIDS

On By ethomasparhamIn Wilson, RaceLeave a comment

(“…don’t you quit!”—–Jim Toney, Tennis Angel )

America loves teams. And teamwork. My Father played team tennis for Wake Forest college in 1928. I played on any team that would give me a uniform. Both sons played high school and college team tennis. My grandson played #1 for Boulder High School as a freshman.

I am passionate about teams, and North Carolina. Later I will examine where this comes from. And how organizations, and “worker bees” and “tennis angels” can make things better.

There are great organizations alrready functioning. The North Carolina High School Athletics Association (NCHSAA ) sponsors the North Carolina High School Tennis Coaches (NCHSTCA). Later we will provide access to national groups.

A part of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), NCTA houses any number of tennis programs. From youngsters to seniors, to referees, to wheelchair competition. All worthy of support. One relatively new group has been the growth of league play. One could conclude the leagues growth was a savior, nationally and in our state as well. Coupled with Title IX and some altered attitudes , Women provided leadership , volunteering with impressive results.

While high scool tennis is only one of our causes, it is the one I feel most inclined to help. In 2015 we provided 700 boys and girls THE LITTLE GREEN BOOK OF TENNIS . Then we made it freely available to over 4,000 varsity boys and girls.

Due to turnover of all those players, plus more than half of the coaches, we offered the book again , with updated instruction in 2022. Here is your free link to edition three: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IstkubA3qBwoJITAtqa2j1l5TW8hc2Myx_6_ZIwGqOs/edit#heading=h.s32ld9zdi0v0

One way to help!

VISION, PLANNING,AND GOALS for growing NC high school tennis teams, coaches, and players.

  1. To put together a non-profit group of our talented tennis people who embrace high school tennis in our state. Perhaps, like the league play leaders, they will function in perpetituity any number of ways to help the cause. The game changes. There is rapid turnover. The league players and coaches have the experience now to help coach, assist, advise referee, etc.
  2. As mentioned , there are already organizations in place and eager to help. We can make all this aid more accessible. Video selection, books, clinics. Some of the coaches are simply appointed, with NO tennis background. My experience is many are good people who do care about the kids. They need help ( see earlier articles) :

WAYS TO HELP—

HOW?

Much is already being done. The NCTA , The USTA, The NCHSAA, The North Carolina High School’s Coaches Association are trying hard to help. Where help is needed comes from several sources:

**** Pay for these jobs is meager compared to what is asked and expected.
****The pay will not attract top notch tennis coaches in most instances. Most of the very good ones are volunteers, or close.
*** The typical “assigned” staffer is often a football coach, one who knows nothing about tennis. Or some similar scenario.
****More and more are “adjunct”, or part time coaches, who don’t have even the academic background that teacher/coaches have.

WHAT CAN HELP?
One way to start is a “THINK TANK” or committee to examine what is possible. We have a tremendous group of fine players throughout the state. We have in place an organization of teaching professionals in NC. Many times the best source is a “tennis angel” who silently plays with youngsters. No one gives more than parents. The club pro benefits from high school families.

There is another largely untapped source in our state. The NC TENNIS HALL OF FAME members. There seems to me to be a group of old pros and young turks in our select group who could also help the coaches in their area. Many of the hall of famers and pros are the same people. Many already give or have given to tennis in many ways. There are so many ways these people could enhance the knowledge, confidence, and performance of particularly the beginning coaches. I can’t list them all. Believe me, you can help.

I would also suggest to these coaches to look for the local angels. My experience is these are great people who only need to be asked. It may be one afternoon a week, It may be a helpful phone call. Showing a drill, filling in for an emergency, play an exhibition, take them to a college match, gift of equipment—old or new, simply attend matches, etc.

I think a good place to start “thinking” would be the coaches, the Pros, the angels ,and the organizations to brain storm the how. The why is obvious. And I think there is ample evidence that this help is available. And I am convinced the link between high school and juniors and parents and these volunteers can thrive.
The first place to start is knowledge plus need. Our hall of famers and our professional tennis teachers are where to start.

Some years back I watched a clinic foe NC high school coaches and concluded “…there is a lot more CARE in that group than knowledge. Granted several of the coaches demonstrated good skill on the court. I have said all along that a high school coach who cares and drives the van properly is all parents can hope for. Now I think it time to help them. They , by virtue of their attendance and willingness to coach our children, have earned our assistance.

COLLEGE, KIDS. QUESTIONS


Consider these:
1. Teaching Pros can be helpful to these high school coaches, players and teams. Very often the pros are much more knowledgeable and specialized in tennis.
High schoolers and younger are a great source for the pro’s business. A nurturing of this relationship is mutually beneficial.
2. High school sports are more and more selective. Basketball and football are sports not all are fitted for.  Youngsters  will look more and more for alternatives. More and more teams means more coaches are needed. In North Carolina more than half of the players are girls . Hasn’t the LEAGUE EXPERIENCE created a large group that now have the ability to help in any number of these programs?
Some stellar athletes might consider tennis because there is now a good coach.
3. Many won’t.
4. Why? Since the early 70’s more and more tennis scholarships have gone to internationals. We are in the third generation of this reality. The skyrocketing of college costs has paralleled the number of internationals.   And the number of grants for Americans have declined in a similar staggering proportion. Families invest tremendous amounts of money into their children’s tennis. It can be rewarded only two ways: 1.The extremely rare route of becoming a professional player and 2. College scholarships. And the scholarships grow more and more important annually.
5. One significant reason people are opting for sports other than tennis is that this third generation of parents and players have seen the scholarships  shipped  overseas.
6. This also manifests itself in the dearth of top pro players in America today. The obvious graph-like decline in quality of players in America coupled with the elimination of Americans selected for college scholarships should be grounds for new ideas.
7. Here is one. Is it not time to seriously study how to restore these opportunities and scholarships to our own?
8. Wouldn’t this benefit the hopeful high school or junior player in terms of motivation.

9.  Much has been written about internationals in American college. 

10. One last suggestion to high school coaches and tennis pros:  Coach–talented players are protective of their games and practices.  Work with the players and pros to allow meaningful practices, and still maintain team sacrifices.  Meet and set up a plan; the kid misses high school practice for pro lessons or a match with a high level opponent and yet gives back to  the team by helping less talented teammates.   Both interact in the long run.    PROS- encourage  why team play may teach more than individual success.  I wondered if  a “prima donna “wouldn’t play for his/her  high school , would they sacrifice as needed to be a good college teammate?

From Elie Wiesel:

“First I am a teacher.”

“If I am a witness (and your teacher ), you are a witness too.”

“Memory is the one thing that can save humanity.”

Student’s question : How do I help? Dr. Wiesel–“Start now! What do you see? What do you know?”

FINAL EDITION

The link at the bottom is to third edition of THE LITTLE GREEN BOOK of TENNIS. It is available to all, freely.

Several have asked why?

Upon retirement I asked my wife what’ s next ? ” I want to move to the beach!” Emerald Isle, NC for 17 years so far.

DIE BROKE by Stephen Pollan has four recommendations for retirees. Number 2 says DON’T RETIRE!: Meaning you should

have other meaningful plans.

In the off season at the beach you need that plan. Over time my plan evolved into “hobby writing”.

Motivation for this tennis book came several sources:

(Son, Dan Parham ) ” Dad–you know a lot about coaching tennis. You can put that stuff in the cloud, for everybody.

(Dr. Mildred Hartsock, late English Department Chair at alma mata , Atlantic Christian College .) ” You have some writing ability. You should major in English.”

( Jim Verdieck, late, great Redlands Tennis Coach). On my asking what happens to his tremendous knowledge? “When I die, it dies”. I told him I would try to prevent that.

(Jim Leighton, late, great Wake Forest Univesity Tennis Coach. ). Coach Leighton was the source of most of my knowledge of tennis. I took notes after our many sessions. He read a first draft of those attempts. “Tom, you have captured much of what we have covered. You can make a good book out of this, and if you do it will do more for tennis than all those National Championsships you have won.”

(Harvey Penick—THE LITTLE RED BOOK of GOLF author). “If you read this book you are my pupil. If you play golf you are my friend. “

( Jim Toney, late Economics Professor at Elon University and tennis angel )… A fine player and promoter of tennis, Mr. Toney and I zeroed in on High School tennis court construction. Later in his life he developed Parkinson’s. During our last conversation I told how much I appreciated the work he had done for tennis. He leaned forward, peering at me with those steely eyes, and said ” Don’t you quit.”)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IstkubA3qBwoJITAtqa2j1l5TW8hc2Myx_6_ZIwGqOs/edit?usp=sharing

(click link for the book )

Thinking ablout the last blog (FINAL EDITION ).

“FINAL EDITION ” REFLECTIONS

A Carolina (UNC CHAPEL HILL) football coach, commenting on my book THE LITTLE GREEN BOOK of TENNIS, suggested “…this is not just a tennis coaching aid, but for all coaches. ” High praise. I then realized I had mostly taken the methods of others, and the praise was theirs. What I also feel is these people showed us something even bigger than specialized coaching ; the whole process of teaching anything.

My Son, Dan, introduced the CLOUD’S possibilites.

Technology made my efforts possible. I hadn’t typed in fifty plus years. Never had cut a computer on. Wasn’t aware of self-publishing.

Looking back I am grateful there were so many good people and places to learn from. Looking forward I see many who could do similar sharing. So many have unique talent, backgrounds, and experience that could help others.

Information shared, data, truth.

PARTING SHOTS—1-2-3.   Or North Carolina High School Tennis——The International “Issue”—-Pickleball.

NO BRAINERS 0N 1. INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE TENNIS PLAYERS. 2. HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS. 3. PICKLEBALL

ON INTERNATIONALS . https://littlegreenbookoftennis.com/category/d-internationals/page/4/

ON HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS

ON PICKLEBALL https://wordpress.com/post/littlegreenbookoftennis.com/5134

ON PICKLEBALL https://wordpress.com/post/littlegreenbookoftennis.com/5134

https://wordpress.com/post/littlegreenbookoftennis.com/5134

https://littlegreenbookoftennis.com/category/d-internationals/

https://wordpress.com/post/littlegreenbookoftennis.com/5134

****PWLI–COMMENT ON DROPPING TENNIS SECTION

  1. Our State, Our Team, Our Kids  (link ?)
  2. The International Issue.  *** (link—“writings “)
  3. Pickleball (link–https://drive.google.com/drive/my-drive  EM OLE COACHES  

*** This  is a collection of 100 articles on the growth of international athletes in American College and University athletic programs.   Emphasis on college tennis.

BELOW COME  FROM “google drive”

https://drive.google.com/drive/my-drive   back cover – other books

!!!!!Original I’M FREE FALLING LINKS —

TECHNOLOGY

The obvious possibilities that technology provides applies to these efforts . One initial idea was an effort we called SHOT DOCTORS. ??????? glitch to simple good thing. ***High school volunteers to be ambassdors or liasons –aiding communication between shot-doctors and nc high school coaches and their support systems. Perhaps a gift to these volunteers ( $, gift, Stipend for their team or choice to help worthy. needy team.

THE USTA OR UNITED STATES TENNIS ASSOCIATION (TONS OF INFO–ONE ON TIPS FOR PLAYERS, ONE ON GUIDELINES FOR COACHES )

UNITED STATES TENNIS PROFESIONALS ASSOCIATION (USPTA) ?????

ALSO –THE PTR OR PROFESSIONAL TENNIS REGISTRY

, PAY/GIFT HIGH SCHOOL “AMBASSADORS. SMARR/ TP ADOPT A TEAM, “FACILLATATORS”

***USPTA TIPS (EXAMPLES) REMEMBER USPTA “COACHING RESOURCES! YOU TUBE INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS, KEITH RICHARDSON AND HIGH SCHOOL COACH

https://www.uspta.com/USPTA/USPTA-U/Coaching_Quick_Tips/USPTA_Quick_Tips_Coaching_Resources.aspx

NO BRAINERS 0N 1. INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE TENNIS PLAYERS. 2. HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS. 3. PICKLEBALL

ON INTERNATIONALS . https://littlegreenbookoftennis.com/category/d-internationals/page/4/

ON HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS

ON PICKLEBALL https://wordpress.com/post/littlegreenbookoftennis.com/5134

ON PICKLEBALL https://wordpress.com/post/littlegreenbookoftennis.com/5134

https://wordpress.com/post/littlegreenbookoftennis.com/5134

https://littlegreenbookoftennis.com/category/d-internationals/

https://wordpress.com/post/littlegreenbookoftennis.com/5134

****PWLI–COMMENT ON DROPPING TENNIS SECTION

***www.tomparham.wordpress. com.

This “final wrap – up ” article.

New order 1. LGBT 2. LGBT (3RD EDITION )

3. ” EM OLE COACHES “- X-RATED ? E. T. ?

4. ALOT (A Level of Learning )

5. HELPING —*****FAULTY ON FREE FALLING ORIGINAL can find on FINDER. PLUS HELPING BOOK 2 on internationals here (KM_554e-20161021154500 )

6. THANKSGIVING (TOUGH LOVE AND BEACH LIFE)

7. NEARLY FIFTY (DUCK HUNTING AND PUSSYCAT POKER )

******PICTURE OF BOOKS on back of em ole coaches

ROAD MAPS TO GPS (Cy King –another email from tom parham 3 examples – internationals, using picklebal, high school tennis. either/or print or internet–

“I asked for religion and they gave me an overdose.” Bob Dylan

VISION–SUGESSTIONS–ASSIGNMENTS

KEITH –YOU TUBES, RON—TIP OF WEEK–, JW–BACKBOARDS,—LANE , HELP/ ORGANIZE SPECIFIC AID POSSIBILITIES FROM USPTA, USTA, PTR, NCHSTCA, , TP–DIRECTIONS TO SOLUTIONS IN LITTLE GREEN BOOK of TENNIS, NC HALLOF FAMERS ?

“GOING, GOING, GONE” 1.1

On By ethomasparhamIn A1. BLOGLeave a comment

He said, Son, this ain’t a dream no more it’s the real thing.

Senor, Senor, you know their hearts is as hard as leather
Well, give me a minute, let me get it together
I just gotta pick myself up off the floor
I’m ready when you are, Senor.

(From SENOR By Bob Dylan )

*******************************

My sophomore in college our basketball Coach roomed Dale Fillengame and me together. Dale was 6′ 9″ tall and weighed about 250 lbs. He had been an MP ( Military Policeman ) and was 26 years old.

Anything but dumb, his skill set and interests lay not in the world of Academia. Class attendance and required weekly Chapel neither. Even basketball was way back behind girls and, surprisingly, abstract art. Between his art professsor, me, and the coach, we all saw his talent. And we tried. He’d sleep in ( “Damn, the sheets got me again”! ) And we’d pep talk him again. Most committment came at lights out : “Tommorrow I’m turning over a new leaf . You get me up in the morning!”

There were two variables. First, three days a week I had an earlier class. Awakended at 8 am meant nothing at nine. Secondly, fear! I’d seen him angry.

It is new leaf time for me. It’s not the sheets or the writing. Technology wins. Too many unknown buttons. Too much angst, frustration, begging for help, same errors and “can’t finds .” Good luck, AI.

The writing is fun, so that stays on http://www.tomparham.wordpress.com

AGAIN FROM DYLAN (GOING, GOING, GONE )


I’m closin’ the book
On the pages and the text
And I don’t really care
What happens next
I’m just going
I’m going
I’m gone

THIRD WORLD WAR

On By ethomasparhamIn R. PICKLEBALLLeave a comment

THIRD WORLD WAR (COMMENTS-ON RACE, RETIREMENT, INTERVIEWS, ETC. )

But first–the coming war!

Lot of serious stuff coming down currently.  Seems like we’ve been worried about   WORLD WAR III since the end of  WW II!.  I remember WWII ending.  I was five years old.  We lived right next to the fire station and “Chiefy’”Martin let the siren blow all day, when the ending was announced.

Not to belittle our current conflicts,  a surprise portends.  WW III will not be men vs women,  or east vs west, black vs white, or even Israel vs Arabs.

With Americans leading the way, it may be tennis vs pickleball!

It could start with “sound rage “—A home owner awakened too early ( like lawnmower rage }.  Or an altered net not returned to proper height.

Even more frightening concern deals with gyms.  People know pickleball is better played indoors.    Soon,, somewhere with nuclear resolve, a crotchety bunch of old people will challenge for use of the gym.  Long surrendered to limitless hoopsters, shock abounds when half the gym footage is converted to pickleball and some scrawny old mfers.  Could be a little thing :  Turn that boombox down,  or “go back to New Jersey”.  

Today is  November 1,   2023.  Today our newspaper ( Raleigh’s “News and Observer”) features the growth of pickleball within our area . A 30 court site with various court games featured ( largely pickleball ) in Raleigh.

  An article on Cary, NC’s totally indoors facility is accompanied by a rendering that is impressive.

*My old home town (Wilson, NC) is building a 4 million $ facility with 12 pickleball courts, plus a tournament capable viewing stadium. 

Good news– Two of the facilities include a sizable number of new tennis courts too!

************************************************

* A HISTORY OF PICKLEBALL BLOGS by tp

I started writing this blog in 2008. Topics range from the easter bunny to Bob Dylan. “Hits” or visits to the site are recorded. The last pickleball article had a daily total that was three times more hits than any one single day. There was still the fear that pickleball will damage tennis.

NEWS FLASH: Tennis and pickleball should not fight each other. They have a mutual enemy, video games!

*FLASHBACK TEN YEARS : “USTA–Buy Pickleball !”

Good News 2—The pressure from Pickleball enthusiam will build more tennis courts the next 10 years than tennis only facilities! NOTE : School facilities were built for 6 singles matches. Boy’s !. There were no girls teams. Admnistrators, school boards, athletic directors—build a minimum battery of eight courts. Line them for pickleball too. Teach pickleball the first half of the semester, tennis the second. 

HINT,HINT–The two games are not mutually exclusive.

Bad news for USTA tennis leagues. The audience on TV ,reflected almost totally “Senior” fandom. A considerable % of your base. 

*My guess is the demand for pickleball has created more court construction than any recent variable.

  • Fun is the HOOK.
    ***Don’t some Pilot programs merit a try? This is bigger than tennis or pickleball. Obesity, health, video games, mental health, and again–fun.
    Rather than fight the “tsunami” and be overrun, why not ride the wave? USTA AND PICKLEBALL leaders should join forces.
    The Outcome? In the long run what are the possibilities? 1. Both games will benefit 2. Each will have their own people.
    3. Both games will benefit the players. 4. Some people who would not have played either will have some fun. 

*  Bad news for USTA tennis leagues. The audience on TV ,reflected almost totally “Senior” fandom. A considerable % of your base. 

Good news 3 –Pickleball , handled properly, can add a new base to the USTA. For years minority kids have been a target for growth. Pickleball is so easy to learn and inexpensive, the opportunity is a DUH? Tennis courts lined for dual use (about 100$ ) At public schools, municipal recreation courts, empty condo developments and other unused courts.

Once kids have fun and realize a tennis court”ain’t a bad place” –wouldn’t tennis garner some recruits?

And let’s face it, if new people never play tennis , won’t new pickleballers be better off. Than Video addicts, other pitfalls? ADULTS TOO?

*Bad news for USTA tennis leagues. The audience on TV ,reflected almost totally “Senior” fandom. A considerable % of your base. 

Good news 3 –Pickleball , handled properly, can add a new base to the USTA. For years minority kids have been a target for growth. Pickleball is so easy to learn and inexpensive, the opportunity is a DUH? Tennis courts lined for dual use (about 100$ ) At public schools, municipal recreation courts, empty condo developments and other unused courts.

Once kids have fun and realize a tennis court”ain’t a bad place” –wouldn’t tennis garner some recruits?

And let’s face it, if new people never play tennis , won’t new pickleballers be better off. Than Video addicts, other pitfalls? ADULTS TOO?

*SOME THOUGHTS:
***Wouldn’t it be wise to use pickleball as a lead-up, or carryover game that will ultimately benefit tennis?
***Line school tennis courts for pickleball. Tennis purists will howl about the lines, but we are not talking about Wimbledon.  Almost all GYMS have multiple game lines. No one notices. Ps–while tennis nets are a tiny bit higher, who cares.
***Pickleball has a funny yet its players swear by the CARDIO benefits.
***PICKLEBALL IS FUN—IMMEDIATELY. Most youngsters aren’t sold on “Tennis is a lifetime game.” Or, it’s good for your health. Fun is the HOOK.
***Don’t some Pilot programs merit a try? This is bigger than tennis or pickleball. Obesity, health, video games, mental health, and again–fun.
Rather than fight the “tsunami” and be overrun, why not ride the wave? USTA AND PICKLEBALL leaders should join forces.
The Outcome? In the long run what are the possibilities? 1. Both games will benefit 2. Each will have their own people.
3. Both games will benefit the players. 4. Some people who would not have played either will have some fun.

* 

SEE PICKLEBALL 1 (BLOG 149)
Just returned from the North Carolina Tennis Foundation’s TENNIS WEEKEND in Pinehurst.
I was shunned twice for mentioning pickleball. Tennis people are somewhat skeptical about pickleball.
When soccer exploded upon the American scene in the 70’s the football people reacted much the same way:”Soccer is taking away some of our best kids!” Russell Rawlings said soccer was football without linemen!
I had never seen or been to THE VILLAGES in mid-Florida. On a recent trip to Bradenton we stopped in to view the
“mecca of pickleball”. I think a new approach by the tennis people may be worth studying. Having observed attempts to teach tennis in public school physical education classes, maybe a switch to pickleball might be wiser. It is so much easier to learn (save the scoring system*). And, while the pickleball people will argue that their
game can stand on its own merits, perhaps there would be a “carryover” from mastery of pickleball to the more complex and expensive tennis process. And attract some audiences that shun tennis no matter how hard we try?
The easiest part of this is adaptation of existing facilities. Courts are the same size as a badminton court (44″ x  20″), needing only boundary lines on existing high school, recreation, or whatever tennis court. While these lines (and the different sound of the ball), bother the purists, these quickly become unnoticed.
A prediction, or a suggestion: This is already happening. Real estate often features two tennis courts that are for condominium villages. Most of these were built by an owner who, to compete, added two courts. Lonely and often in the front of the housing, most dwell out front, unused and unmaintained.
Why not line these courts for pickleball. Put out some rackets and balls in a container and watch what happens.
One last thought: Many tennis courts have been “left to seed”. A two court abandoned asphalt pad can be laid out to house 6 pickleball courts.

  • Unfortunately pickleball also adapted a scoring system much like badminton. And, while this idea can be applied to colleges, I would go ahead and grant
    a degree to any college student who can master the scoring.

*I heard a rumor that the USTA tried to buy the rights to pickleball.  No deal.

  1. Try again.  Why?
  2. Pickleball has sold itself already.
  3. The USTA has never sold a leadup game that can match pickleball’s potential.
  4. Pickleball can add 8 million USTA memberships over the next few years.
  5. How many kids like the Williams sisters didn’t have a father who made that effort? Minority kids, as well as poor kids can gain access to this game.  And it will erase the feeling that “…that game is too rich for me (or mine).”
  6. The issue bigger than pickleball, the USTA, or tennis, is the health of our youngsters. Public education should include embrace pickleball by lining school tennis courts for pickleball, and including it in the physical education curriculum.
  7. My guess is the links between pickleball and tennis and not only many new players, but some very talented players,will emerge.