KNOXVILLE, Tn- Tyler Parker made his commitment to the Royals official when he signed the papers this past Friday. Parker comes to the Royals from Salem High School up in Salem, Ohio where he played the number one singles position. 

When asked about why he chose Johnson, Tyler's response included carrying on the family legacy. "I chose Johnson because it is one of the best schools to prepare me to go into ministry…My mentors and my dad went to Johnson to go into ministry, and I want to follow in their footsteps."  Tyler's father, Keith, was a student at Johnson from 1999-2001.  

In regard to the tennis aspect, Tyler is excited for the mix of faith and community that will accompany the challenge of college tennis. "The thing I'm most excited about is the team dynamic with people that are in the same boat as me, trying to live their life out and show the world how amazing our God is. Also just being able to play with people that are better than me or equal to my level on a consistent basis."  

The coaching staff is eager to get Tyler in and working with the team. Coach Hale remarked, "Tyler is going to be a great asset to our team.  His attitude and perspective on the court fits right in with the culture we want to build here. He has a really high ceiling and I think that once he is around his teammates and putting in the work every day, his game will really take off."