Johnny Parkes

South Carolina men’s tennis head coach Josh Goffi announced the hiring of Johnny Parkes to his staff as associate head coach on August 9, 2023. A 25-year veteran in player development with additional expertise in strength and conditioning, Parkes has worked with athletes at a variety of levels, including the ATP and ITF.

“I’m absolutely thrilled that Johnny is joining our program,” said Goffi. “He brings a comprehensive and high-level skill set to the team that will make an immediate impact in our student-athletes’ development.”

Parkes comes to Columbia after a year serving as the lead national coach for USTA Player Development where he facilitated coaching and training programs that promoted the development of the best U.S. prospects at the USTA Training Center West and other locations.

Previously, Parkes spent two years as the assistant head of strength and conditioning for IMG Academy and head of its Tennis Academy. The role led him to develop a range of skill levels, including USTA Juniors, ITF players, and top-100 ATP and WTA professional athletes.

Parkes has a lengthy history in the tennis world, serving as the senior manager of player ID and development for the USTA (2016-20), director of tennis at Club Rio Ranch in New Mexico (2014-16), international high performance coach for the Gosling Tennis Academy (2012-14), and the junior player development manager for the USTA Southwest Section (2011-12).

Parkes graduated from the University of East London with a master’s in sport management in 2012 and is published in the Sport Performance and Science Reports for his research into the application of the anaerobic speed reserve to game style in junior tennis players.

A collegiate tennis alum himself, Parkes played for four years at the University of New Mexico while pursuing his bachelor’s in psychology. While with the Lobos, Parkes was named the 2006 ITA Region VII Rookie of the Year, the 2006 Mountain West Freshman of the Year, the 2009 ITA Region VII Player of the Year, the 2009 Mountain West Player of the Year and the university’s “Tow” Diehm Student Athlete Inspirational and Leadership Award in 2009. He was also a four-year member of the All-Mountain West Conference Team and a four-year MWC Scholar-Athlete.

Parkes and his wife Rachael have two children, Isa and Leo, and two dogs, Cooper and Jazzy.