Linden Patterson, Second Serve’s Director of College Outreach, first picked up a tennis racket at only three years old. Now, over a decade and a half later, Linden is helping ignite a passion for tennis in many other young kids through her work at Second Serve. 

Before joining Second Serve, Linden founded Love-ALL Tennis, an organization with a  mission of collecting used tennis rackets and donating them to underserved communities. “After being a part of the tennis community for so long, giving back to the sport that gave me so many opportunities and friendships was extremely fulfilling. When I got to college, I wanted to be a part of a team, rather than working towards my mission on my own,” Linden said. After joining forces with Second Serve, Linden has been able to amplify her impact on the tennis community while also playing Division 1 tennis at Davidson College. 

During her time at Second Serve, Linden has already made several donations, including her recent donation to The Boys and Girls Club of Cabarrus County. Linden first worked with the Boys and Girls Club while serving on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at Davidson.  Once she recognized the club’s need for equipment, Linden got to work gathering rackets. Linden was able to collect around 30 rackets to donate to the club. 

Even as a busy student-athlete, Linden has proven that it is possible to give back while still being able to succeed in the classroom and on the court. Linden is now playing her second year of collegiate tennis which has only grown her love for the sport. “Tennis is an amazing sport with an incredible community supporting one another,” Linden said. Linden hopes to continue to share her passion for tennis with her community by getting more college athletes involved in Second Serve. 

By Morgan Shaffer