As his time at Glendale Community College comes to an end, tennis standout Scott Patterson will hope to extend his athletic success as he starts the next fall year at USC.

For Patterson, 20, excelling at tennis came naturally.

“I started when I was around 11 or 12, and I kind of got better after that,” Patterson said. “But when I was 13, that’s when I started playing competitively.”

After that, Patterson’s skill developed even more. When he reached La Ca§ada High, Patterson’s knack for the sport enabled him to play on the varsity team for four years and eventually become the school’s No. 1 player.

Patterson attributes his achievements this year to hard work during practice and dedication. His accomplishments for this year include being named the WSC champion and being undefeated in the conference at No. 1 singles. He was named the men’s Athlete of the Year at Glendale while also picking up the ITA Arthur Ashe award for sportsmanship. The GCC tennis team finished the season with a record of 8-4 in the Western State Conference and 10-7 overall.

Patterson, a business major, doesn’t just showcase his talents on the tennis court, but also in the classroom, where he maintains a 3.5 GPA.

“I just try to get good grades in school,” said Patterson.

At USC, he plans to try out for the tennis team, and although he’s unsure about his tennis future, he is certain about the importance of academics.

“Some players think that athletics are more important than school,” Patterson said. “But it’s a tie for me, because if you get hurt or if you have a freak accident, you’re going to need something to fall back on.

That’s why school is so important.”

As for the distant future, Patterson said he is interested in entering the business world as some sort of entrepreneur. He also said he wouldn’t mind passing on his tennis wisdom to others.
“I would like to coach, or maybe play tennis as a hobby,” Patterson said. “Maybe I’ll compete in some tournaments too.”