Category: C. COLLEGE TENNIS and INSTRUCTION

POWERED BY DELUSION

On By ethomasparhamIn C. COLLEGE TENNIS and INSTRUCTION, E. SPORTS COMMENTARY, HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS / SHOT DOCTORSLeave a comment

 It’s a system built on dreams, but powered by delusion.

 (Copied from NATIONAL MEN’S TENNIS ASSOCIATION  ( President’s letter, July 2025)


A follow-up idea stemming from yesterday’s post about the economic inequities between junior and senior tennis is a related micro-topic. It centers around the illusion of return on investment. The junior tennis ecosystem is largely fueled by a powerful fantasy. Parents (and sometimes even the players themselves) believe that with enough money, sacrifice, and hard work, tennis greatness and a lucrative professional career are within reach. Failing that, at least there is the potential of a college scholarship.

Junior tournaments are populated by families burning vacation days to stand on blistering hot sidelines, pouring resources into private lessons, national travel, custom stringing, fitness trainers, and sometimes even homeschool tutors. It adds up—quickly. And while few say it out loud, the intentions are clear. The hope of a future payoff. Framed that way, junior tennis isn’t an indulgence, but rather an investment.

The emergence of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals has clouded the dynamic for college tennis. In marquee sports like football and basketball, NIL opportunities have turned collegiate athletics into quasi-professional ventures. However, for “minor” sports like tennis, it is starting to show the opposite effect. Athletic departments and third parties are directing resources toward programs that generate visibility and revenue. Meanwhile, tennis slips further into the background. The money is flowing, just not toward tennis. All that to say, players who earn college scholarships for tennis receive far less in financial remuneration than what was poured into their junior development.

If you watch “King Richard” or read Ben Rothenberg’s “Naomi Osaka: Her Journey to Finding Her Power and Her Voice,” you can see the same haunting story of staggering costs and financial strain that comes with chasing tennis greatness. In both stories, the results are extraordinary. However, the outcomes were more likely to be ruinous for all but the most statistically improbable outliers. For every Serena or Naomi, there are thousands of families who went all in, only to come up empty-handed. It’s a system built on dreams, but powered by delusion.

And yet… that delusion is part of what keeps the junior tennis engine running.

AI AND I

On By ethomasparhamIn B2. INTRODUCTION, C. COLLEGE TENNIS and INSTRUCTION, K. PHILOSOPHYLeave a comment

I asked ChatGPT to ” analyze, critique, summarize my total blog (www.tomparham.wordpress.com).” In less than a minute the link below popped up, followed quickly by several add-ons offered. Several personal reactions include:

  1. The book, THE LITTLE GREEN BOOK OF TENNIS, is the book only. The blog by the same same title icludes all seven books and 500 plus blog articles.
  2. The cover of Harvey Penick’s RED BOOK OF GOLF is a mistake although as an admirer, I used his “golf method” for my tennis book.

3. In earlier writings I used the word POINT to describe the hit moment. Coach Jim Leighton advised that a pupil might misunderstand this terminology. Several of these references slipped by intended editing.

https://chatgpt.com/c/687a677d-cc00-800e-ad0b-b91574b6925f

“People get ready, there is a change coming. “

ALTERNATIVES

On By ethomasparhamIn C. COLLEGE TENNIS and INSTRUCTIONLeave a comment

A fellow tennis coach recently made this comment about YouTube tennis instruction: “there is mostly junk out there. ”

Here is a suggestion for intermediate players and backhand overheads.

Classic instruction has tradtional advice much like this–

  1. Avoid the shot if possible. Once you realize the lob is headed over the backhand shoulder, use your feet and legs quickly and turn the backhand into a powerful forehand smash. Or a much better forehand than one of the most difficult tennis shots.
  2. Ah– but sometimes you have no chance time wise and now the only choice is a backhand.
  3. This ia a unique shot. Some can execute this most difficult overhead after developing these unusual skills: A. Point the elbow of the hitting arm almost straight up, having turned to the backhand side. As you make this new shot straighten the elbow ansd Snap the wrist so the ball is hit with the arm sraight.
  4. This advice appeared most often. My long time attempts to follow this advice yeilded limited success.
  5. ******As the two hander evolved youngters tought themselves what worked. Most average players had a tough time with this odd overhead. The way young girls (mostly ) reacted was by developng a new technique. Unable to run around this shot, they let the lob lower itself to just above shoulder height where they could tattoo what was much like a two handed volley.
  6. Its origin belongs to young girls, but all but the real talented should be aware of its possibilities.

“…If you don’t like jelly there is always jam.

If you don’t like turkey there is always ham.

But there ain’t no substitute for love!” (JOE ROBINSON )

US OPEN TENNIS RESERVES QUALIFYING SLOTS FOR AMERICANS

On By ethomasparhamIn C. COLLEGE TENNIS and INSTRUCTION, D. INTERNATIONALSLeave a comment

PROGRESS FOR AMERICAN COLLEGE TENNIS PLAYERS

Short version

In its inaugural year, the four-team doubles and four-player singles playoff was created to increase the number of American collegiate tennis players who earn wild cards into the U.S. Open. Previously, only the NCAA singles and doubles champions received a main draw wild card, while the other NCAA singles finalist received a qualifying wild card. This season, six wild card entries were up for grabs.

Read more at: https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/unc/article309005475.html#storylink=cpy.

While I support more scholarship money for American tennis families and players, this move is indeed encouraging.

My guess is the USTA IS WELL HEELED TO THE POINT THEY DON’T FEAR A LAWSUIT.  This eliminates the long held fear of a discrimination suit.  

Too,  the timing of relaxed amateur restrictions will make college tennis more attractive as a significantly better route to professional possibilities.  College tennis will gallop toward the hands down “Minor leagues of tennis.”

Probably some will resist change.  Internationals hopefully will recognize  that 

Americans are footing their bill for a much better developmental choice, particularly the financial positives.  

The ultra elite American juniors will now command significant college deals.  

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

“Your perseverance is paying off.”     ( James Haslam )

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

Robert BaylissSun, Jun 22, 10:05 PM (5 days ago)
to me

Tom,

         Great observations. In today’s world of college athletics, any good news is welcome. The folks running college sports for the last 10-15 years should all be brought together and turned over to Islamic terrorists for punishment. I don’t think anyone knows how things will settle, but I certainly am glad that I didn’t have to deal with the likes of NIL, the transfer portal, and everything else that has been filtered into college tennis.

          I played at Richmond, graduating in 1966. In my 4 years of college tennis ( actually 3, as freshmen were ineligible then), I strung every one of my own rackets. I got to use gut my junior year and thought that was a big deal. My sophomore year I rode in the back of Coach’s station wagon with the gear and spare tire, as the other players rode 3 in the front seat and 3 in the back. Complain…. heck no; I was a varsity athlete! We had no strength coach, academic advisor, dietitian, or any of the amenities available to today’s players. I am not jealous and don’t regret a thing. In fact, I believe that I got much more out of my experience than today’s athletes because I had to do it all myself. I was much more prepared for the real world. 

      Sorry for climbing on my soapbox to force my opinion on you, but I imagine it found a receptive audience. Stay well, my friend. We can keep trying to confuse our detractors with logic!

Best regards,

Bobby 

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

Kudos to CoCo

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

Two comments on the French Open:

To CoCo: Well done. You did it right. Most impressive to me was your emotional control.

2. The evolving tactics of the drop shot. Carlos used this several times—He showed preparation for a drop shot but at the last second hit a firm under spin elongated volley down the line. Effective!

Next move? How to defend against this new element? Best guess–To volley his shot crosscourt. You now have to caution against in too far, too quick. A fine line . He has upped the ante !

Watch tomorrow.

OLD TRICKS AND NEW DOGS

On By ethomasparhamIn C. COLLEGE TENNIS and INSTRUCTIONLeave a comment

Charlie Owens convinced many of the virtues of the drop shot. Years ago! (See MAESTRO and MAESTRO REVISITED ). I listened with amusement yesterday as commentators at the French Open extolled these virtues as if the drop shot was new.

What is new is the level of skill that the players have developed, the frequency of use, and how to defend against it. Carlos and the Joker most noticably.

Drop shots, drop shot defense, swinging volleys–“adapt or perish”!

Homework? Someone will soon add a most killer TOPSPIN LOB “.

RESEARCH

On By ethomasparhamIn C. COLLEGE TENNIS and INSTRUCTION, D. INTERNATIONALSLeave a comment

AI rules ! Access to data gives new insight to college tennis. See link:

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#inbox/KtbxLwHLrjstJvBXlcDmJWKrLDTdjcHrbq

I repeat this observation of the recent tournament

“Wake Forest University won the 2025 NCAA Men’s Team Tennis Championship. They beat Texas Christian University 4-2. Both are elite private, protestant schools. In the title match both teams played only the same six team members in singles and doubles. There was one American that played for WFU. One for TCU.

The unitiated might think this 5:1 ratio favoring international starters is unusual or new. Sadly the truth is it is a typical formula among men and women, NCAA Divisions 1 and 11, NAIA , JUCOS. Often total rosters and six starters is just as common.”

Here is some more amateur research:

Sixty two teams qualified.

Ten players was the average squad size. About 600 squad members.

Men are allowed 4 and1/2 scholarships. About 270 grants.

Assuming sholarships are awarded to the players that actually play ( 6 or 7), rosters and box scores reveal that about 80 grants of the 270 go to Americans.

While there were exceptions ( Stanford started 5 Americans ), the “typical ” squad of 10 listed 7 international members. The average ratio of starters was 5:1 international.

Thirty three of the 60 teams had zero or only one American starter.

2025 NCAA MEN’S D1 CHAMPIONSHIPS –MEDIA GUIDE

https://d3ms8mre5rhtvu.cloudfront.net/index.html?hash=QzU1OThENjZBRUQrdDkwYjhhbGs5cw%3D%3D&p=1

BULLDOG DRUMMOND

On By ethomasparhamIn C. COLLEGE TENNIS and INSTRUCTION, D. INTERNATIONALSLeave a comment

I’ll follow you down ’til the sound of my voice will haunt you

(SILVER SPRING ) by Fleetwood Mac.

Most college spring sports are over. Baseball never quits . Anything emerge with all the changes this year?

I played and coached college basketball and college tennis.

Here is an earlier quote that panned out:

It is pretty obvious some fundamental changes occurred in the 2025 FINAL FOUR college basketball tournament : No Cinderella, all four top seeds make it. Best bet is a large state University that can pay em, a seasoned and proven coach, some internationals to augment big, fast dudes. No need to recruit high school aspirants other than the rare Cooper. 18 years old—need not apply. 

This a link to the whole article:

WHAT NOW?

Wake Forest University won the 2025 NCAA Men’s Team Tennis Championship. They beat Texas Christian University 4-2. Both are elite private protestant schools. In the title match both teams played only the same six team members in singles and doubles. There was one American that played for WFU. One for TCU.

The unitiated might this 5:1 ratio favoring international starters might be unusual or new. Sadly the the truth is it is a typical formula among men and women, NCAA Divisions 1 and 11, NAIA , JUCOS. Often total rosters and six starters is just as common.