SAC Student-Athlete Insider: Women’s Tennis

With women's tennis season on the horizon, several SAC student-athletes discussed their offseasons and what to expect from the upcoming year with theSAC.com.

What most excites you about the upcoming season?

Steffi Cook, Catawba: "I am most excited about having a final collegiate season to compete against strong tennis players in the South Atlantic Conference. The league has continued to recruit better and better players each year I have been at Catawba. I am pumped to have one more round of highly competitive matches before I graduate and enter the real world."

Taylor Patterson, Tusculum: "I look forward to conference matches in general the most. It is those matches that bring us together the most as a team, because we all want the win so badly."

What was the most challenging aspect of your offseason preparations, and how will that benefit you once the season gets underway?

Steffi Cook, Catawba: "The most challenging aspect of my offseason preparation was disciplining myself to do sprint intervals several times a week. I have serious sports-induced asthma, so it is critical for me to be in the best cardiovascular condition possible to have stamina in long matches."

Taylor Patterson, Tusculum: "The most challenging part of off season preparations was getting good practice time in. We were only allotted a certain amount of team practice time in the fall, therefore we needed to go out on our own to practice. This fall the team was really good about telling each other when we were free to get some practice time in at the courts."

What are the keys for your team to achieve its goals this season?

Steffi Cook, Catawba: "Our team will be able to achieve the goals we set for ourselves this season if we all believe that we can reach them. We need to establish confidence in our abilities and know that we can do well against any team in the SAC if we play like we do in practice and aren't scared to go for our shots."

Taylor Patterson, Tusculum: "For the women's tennis team it is all about focus and hard work. We have to show each other that we are all willing to put the work in to get better as a team. If we do that then we have a good shot at winning the conference championship."

In what ways do you try to serve as a leader on your team and on your campus?

Steffi Cook, Catawba: "I try to set a good example for my team by displaying a strong work ethic in all I do. Whether it be on the tennis court competing or doing drills at practice, running and lifting at the gym, or paying attention and participating in the classroom, I give my all in whichever setting in hopes that my teammates will follow suit. I try to serve as leader on my campus by taking on various roles in different organizations so I can have other experiences outside of my studies and tennis. "

Taylor Patterson, Tusculum: "For my team, I really try to show that I make good decisions on and off the court. On campus I am involved in a youth group, relay for life, and the Pioneer Student Athlete Advisory Council. It is really rewarding to occupy my time with things other than just school and sports; it makes me a better person because of it."

What comes to mind when you think of the level of competition and the overall experience of being a student-athlete in the South Atlantic Conference?

Steffi Cook, Catawba: The level of competition in the South Atlantic Conference has increased each year I have been playing tennis for Catawba. I am proud to be part of a league that is becoming more competitive and has teams that are nationally ranked in NCAA Division II. Being a student-athlete in the SAC has been a wonderful opportunity and one I would not have traded for anything. Not only am I getting to compete at a high level in tennis, but I am also receiving a great education from a strong academic institution. My experience has been an equal balance of academics and athletics, which I feel is vital for every student-athlete."

Taylor Patterson, Tusculum: "Being a student athlete can be challenging at times, but rewarding none the less. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to be a college athlete and to receive a scholarship for my school. All of my professors have been really awesome about my being a student-athlete, so I have no complaints about my work load."