College athlete of the week: Scott Sheldon

Junior | Pacific Lutheran

TENNIS

Hometown: Edmonds

High school: Edmonds-Woodway

What he did: Won each of his last three singles matches in straight sets, including a 6-0, 6-1 victory in the Lutes’ exciting 5-4 win over Willamette

What’s next: Sheldon and the Lutes wrap up their regular season Saturday at Linfield

The two-minute drill

So the Lutes had a bit of a nail-biter against Willamette last week, but you breezed to a 6-0, 6-1 win. Was it as easy as the score indicates?

I felt like I was playing really well and really consistent. Willamette’s a good team, and I’ve played that player (Luke Lagattuta) before and it went three sets the last time. So to be able to play like that was sort of a relief.

And in your last four sets as the Lutes’ No. 5 singles player, you’ve given up only one game. That makes us wonder: are PLU’s top four players named Federer, Roddick, Nadal and Murray?

Well, they’re really strong. Our top four have kind of separated themselves from the rest of the team. Three of those guys have really played well all year, and we just got another one back who was hurt. They’ve kind of been carrying us. Those guys are really strong at the top for us.

You took fifth in the state as a senior at Edmonds-Woodway High School, along with Willie Guo. I read that you actually had a match point in the semifinals but eventually lost. So what happened?

I remember that point, still. I was returning in the ad court and had a serve to my backhand and missed it to the top of the net. So we went on to lose the game. I was actually playing against a guy who plays at PLU now too. His name is Zack AhYat.

Does Zack still tease you about that?

No, he’s never really said anything about it. Zack’s a good guy.

Was tennis your only sport at Edmonds-Woodway?

I also played baseball four years there and did swimming for two years. And played one year of basketball — my freshman year.

How were you at basketball?

At basketball, I wasn’t that great. I got cut my sophomore year. I wasn’t a real strong basketball player, but the day that I got cut I joined the swim team. I did that for a couple years, and that got me in the best shape of my life. It was hard work.

Tennis is a fun sport to play but a tough one to master. How were you able to make it all the way to the college level?

It was just practicing a lot. I didn’t really play until high school, so I had to make a lot of changes to my stroke. The summer between my junior and senior year, I played about five hours a day for most of the summer. So just during that time I hit a lot of balls and gained that consistency. That hard work really improved my game a lot.

So you didn’t grow up like Andre Agassi, with your father firing balls at your ankles?

No, not at all. I started playing through Edmonds Parks and Recreation through the summers. The first time playing, I was about 9, and then I came back the next summer when I was 10, and I couldn’t remember which hand I played with.

Really? Are you ambidextrous or something?

A little bit. I throw right-handed, but I play tennis left-handed. I ended up playing tennis left-handed because I was playing a lot of baseball at that time, and on my backhand stroke I was more coordinated because it was kind of like a baseball swing for me. Actually, this year I’ve started hitting some overheads with my right hand — if I can’t get there with my left hand.

We understand you also helped out the PLU athletic department with game-day operations. Did you enjoy that, and is there a future career for you in it?

I really did enjoy it. It’s real fun to do. For basketball, I ran the shot clock. I kept score in soccer and ran the video camera. I don’t really see myself going into a career in that, but it was real fun to do. Especially running the shot clock, because that’s something I wouldn’t mind doing for free. But I get paid for it, so that’s just kind of like a bonus.

So I assume to get that job, they didn’t look back at your career as an Edmonds-Woodway basketball player?

Heck, no. They figured I knew the game well enough to run the shot clock.

So your 21st birthday is coming up next month. Any big plans?

No, not right now. My birthday is the Sunday before finals start, so I won’t be able to have too much fun that night.

Well, you do go to PLU. They’re not really allowed to have a lot of fun there, are they?

Oh, there are people that do, for sure. Yeah.

Scott M. Johnson, Herald Writer

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