Remembering Ralph Wylam — 10 Years On
5 September 2015 — 5 September 2025
A lifelong love of tennis
Ten years ago today, on 5th September 2015, we lost a fantastic man — my father, Ralph Wylam. He was a lifelong tennis enthusiast, accomplished sportsman, and a wonderful father, son, grandfather, husband and friend, loved by all who knew him.
As an expat in various countries around the world, he acted as an administrator, coach, team captain, player and organiser, spending countless hours ensuring tennis players had the chance to compete. Dad was an entrepreneur and the author of a book on organising social tennis tournaments, and he attempted something never tried before: the first ever worldwide directory of tennis coaches. He set up this directory using the domain SocialTennis.com.
From SocialTennis to SPC
In June 2015 he gave me and the rest of the family the devastating news that he had been given six months to live. At this time — since I was already coaching tennis — he wanted to hand down the business to me. Just three months later, he passed away on 5th September 2015. As you can imagine, this was an incredibly difficult period, and we had an amazing support network helping us through it, including my mum Lin, my sister Sophie, and my wife Michelle and sons Joshua and Nathan.
A conversation in the pub with my dad’s great friend Robert in early 2016 helped me make a decision and take on the ownership of SocialTennis. I started working on SocialTennis full time in March 2016 and since then we have twice rebranded — into SportsProsConnect and then SportsProsConnect Tennis & Padel. We have placed almost 600 different coaches into jobs around the world, made more than 750 placements in the industry, created an online conference for the tennis industry, and now we are about to embark on a brand-new platform in the world of football with SPC-Football (spcfootball.com). None of this would have been possible without the entrepreneurial spirit my father showed me over the years.
A legacy that keeps opening doors
A lot has happened in the years since Dad passed away, but his memories certainly live on. The book he wrote on organising social tennis tournaments is still used in clubs around the world, and I often bump into people who still talk about the book and running tournaments with his manual. We continue to celebrate his life with an annual tennis tournament in August/September each year, and just a few weeks ago we marked the 10th anniversary in style with a fantastic tournament. It’s amazing to see it still going — and even better to see my son Joshua playing in the event too.
Dad — Ralph Wylam’s memory will live on and on, and I hope he is looking down proudly at how the concept of his business has grown and thrived over the years.
If you knew Ralph or SocialTennis, please share a memory in the comments — your stories keep his legacy alive.
In honour of Ralph Wylam — a small give-back
To mark today in honour of Ralph Wylam, we’re offering 10% off all memberships with code WYLAM10 [valid until 7 September 2025, 23:59 BST]. Dad believed in opening doors for players and coaches everywhere; this gesture is our way of continuing that spirit of opportunity.
Join or renew your membership at https://sportsprosconnect.com/#register_now
How to get the discount?
At the top of the registration page, above ‘account information’ there is the option to add a discount code. Simply add in WYLAM10, then tap Apply – your price will reduce by 10%.
📩 If you have any questions, you can contact me directly:
- WhatsApp: +353 86 792 2188
- Email: info@sportsprosconnect.com
