Nick Parham: A key player of the TC Roberson baseball team moves to Division I
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The TC Roberson Baseball program has been a powerhouse of the Western Mountain Athletic All-Conference for more than a decade. The Rams are a dynasty in the Asheville area, having four players selected for the MLB draft since 2000. In 2017, TC Roberson won their fourth state championship for the baseball program.
Nick Parham is the shortstop and a major component to the varsity team. Nick told me about the impact the TC Roberson program has had on his life.. “The program drives me every day to be my best – even on days that I do not feel it. It has taught me how to be disciplined, hard working, put my best work in everything I do, and how to be a leader.”
In August of 2021, Nick announced his commitment to East Carolina University. In preparation for next year, Nick says “I have been practicing 6 days a week and working out 4 of those as well on top of extra hitting. I am most excited to play in the atmosphere that ECU creates down there. The fans are great and the team plays with a ton of energy.”
Nick is not only a defensive wall in the field, he is also bad news for the opposing pitchers. Parham’s fastball tops at 89 mph with a spin rate of 2155 average according to Prep Baseball Report (PBR 2021). A great example of how the Rams work as a team and feed off one another’s energy; they were down by 4 in the 6th inning and Nick was up to bat and hit a two run homerun to cut the deficit to 2. Ben Hemphill, a senior, came up after and hit yet another homerun. The Rams are now down by one. Next up was Tyler Kytta, a junior, who hit a home run. Yes, another, so the game is now tied. TC eventually won the game. “Just watching people step up in these moments is what I remember,” Nick said.
At the start of his last varsity season, TC Roberson came out on top against Enka. Nick was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a home run. But which opponents are the most challenging for the Rams to face? He said “Some of the best teams in the country play at the most prestigious high school tournament at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.. Our first opponent will be Santa Margarita Catholic, ranked 19t in the country. I believe if we play with our best abilities and play the game the way we know, TC Roberson has a great chance to win the tournament”.
Nick’s and his teammates’ positive attitudes seem to be a huge aspect to their success on and off the field. He shares some advice that has stuck with him, “Play for something other than yourself. You will have much more success playing for your teammates.”
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