From the Mercyhurst Website

Jerome Simon embarks on his eighth year at the reins of the Laker tennis programs. He took over in the Fall of 2011 from veteran coach Ray Yost.

Simon's immediate goal was to take the men's program back to respectability. The first years were a challenge, winning just one match that first year. Within four year,s the team not only qualified for the NCAA regional tournament, but was successful in making it to the National Championship site of the Top 16 teams in the country. The 2016-17 season saw the Lakers secure their first ever PSAC Men's Championship. The Mercyhurst men followed that up with a repeat PSAC title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 16.

The women's program was already established as one of the premier programs in both the PSAC and the Atlantic Region. New heights were achieved for the program both as a team and individuals. On the team level in the both 2016-17 and 2017-18 season, the Mercyhurst women were PSAC Tournament runners-up. The Lakers won the NCAA Atlantic Regional to qualify for the National Tournament in Altamonte Springs, Fla., and a spot in the Final 16. Mercyhurst also made three consecutive trips to the ITA Oracle Cup as Saioa Gomez de Segura placed third and fifth in consecutive years.

The proudest accomplishments of Coach Simon are the academic success of each of the teams. Each year, both teams have been All-Academic selections on a National level, recognized by the ITA. This, in addition to consistently winning the top GPA performers in the PSAC, both as individuals and team. In 2017-18, the Lakers had the highest GPA among all PSAC teams in all sports, finishing with a 3.96.

A 1974 graduate of Edinboro University, Simon was captain of a team that also captured PSAC title as well as multiple team and individual District 18 NAIA titles. In 1998, he was honored by Edinboro University with his induction into the university's Athletic Hall of Fame. He is also a member of Edinboro's All-Time Men's Tennis team.

After his run of building and running tennis clubs throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana. Simon returned to his hometown of Erie and immediately established a girl's tennis program at Fairview High school. During his 33 year at the school, he was most proud of his "no -cut" policy, which was recognized by the USTA long before they had such a program. He lists that as his proudest accomplishments over all the titles and undefeated seasons he enjoyed as coach. He accomplished this while he and his brothers ran a successful family business started by their father years ago.

Simon has been a member of the USPTA since 1974 as an Elite Professional.

Coach Simon and his wife, a retired teacher, reside in Fairview and have two sons, Nicholas, a Mercyhurst graduate and Christopher of Larchmont, NY.

Questions for Jerome Simon

TCB: Jerome, when did you get into tennis as a boy and who introduced you to the sport?
JS: I was about 14 years old and switching baseball leagues and my Dad said he would buy me a tennis racquet if I didn't continue with "parent ball". He entered me in a tournament and I lost and the rest was history, as I was determined not to lose again.

TCB: How important was your USPTA membership over the years?
JS: Very important as I felt it should be like the PGA golf professionals, a cut above other teaching pros.

TCB: Where is College Tennis at this time in our lives?
JS: As you know there have been a lot of changes at the DII level, some for the better some not so much, I believe each division should be treated differently as each is in it for different reasons. Hard to believe I am still involved in tennis 50 plus years later and am able to influence so many lives and hopefully prepare them for what lies ahead.

TCB: Are you happy with its current status?
JS: I believe we are very fortunate that the NCAA allows the ITA to basically run college tennis, they are tennis people and care for tennis. We may not always agree on all aspects but their focus is tennis. I certainly wouldn't want an administrator who doesn't even know how to keep score to make decisions for tennis.

TCB: What is your view of U.S. tennis as a whole?
JS: I'm not real happy where we are at on the professional level. I had the fortune to work the US Open a few years ago and it is an amazing tournament but we need to do more for tennis the other 49 weeks of the year.

JS: What should be done to grow it and bring back the enthusiasm of the eighties?
JS: That's the multi-million dollar question, but certainly more funds to the grass roots level need to be committed similar to what soccer has done.

TCB: Have you ever played pickleball?
JS: Sure have, love the sport.

TCB: Why are so many current and ex-college tennis players going into pickleball right now?
JS: As we all know that in order to have fun at tennis we need to have a competitive match, otherwise it is not fun for anyone. There is no way to handicap tennis, like golf, no matter how hard we try. I always say if you take the tennis players, let's use the UTR scale which is one to sixteen. I believe if you did the same for pickleball the vast majority of the players fit into a much smaller spectrum say 7-12, which makes it so much easier to find a competitive match. Plus if a 7 played a 12 you could still get a better workout/match compared to a 7-12 tennis match up.

TCB: What is your racquet of choice?
JS: Good question, just depends who has the best promotion and such at the time.

TCB: Thank you, Jerome Simon.