ROCKINGHAM – Bradford Pittman, a freshman singles player on the Richmond Senior High School Raiders tennis team, has been named the Official Richmond County Male Athlete of the Week presented by McNair Auto Sales.
Pittman is the second freshman athlete to be featured this week, alongside fellow ninth grader Paige Ransom (softball). As a freshman on head coach Patrick Hope’s first team, Pittman has impressed all season long, and has proven to be one of the Raiders’ most consistent winners. There were several matches this season where Pittman won the lone match points for Richmond, and as he gets ready for the Sandhills Athletic Conference tournament to start, his season-long performance has earned him this week’s recognition.
Athletic Profile
Name: Bradford Pittman
Age: 15
Year: Freshman
Spring Sport: Tennis
Position: No.5/6 Singles
Years on Varsity: 1 Year
Height & Weight: 5’-6”, 135 pounds
Experience: 3 Years
RSHS Academics: As a member of the graduating class of 2021, Pittman is taking a pretty serious course load during his final semester at Ninth Grade Academy. Enrolled in either all AP or Honors courses, Pittman excels in the classroom, and boasts a 4.30 cumulative GPA. which puts him 45th in his graduating class.
“This semester I’m taking AP World History, Math II, English I Honors and Weight Training, which is my favorite,” Pittman said. “Weight Training is a lot of fun, and it really helps build up my endurance. It’s been really useful for me when I play soccer and tennis.”
Pittman also regularly makes A Honor Roll, and expects to take “multiple AP courses” and “Math III” during his sophomore year at Richmond.
RSHS Sports: Pittman is a two-sport athlete at Richmond, as he played soccer in the fall for the junior varsity team and head coach Chris Larsen. Playing at the midfielder position, Pittman said it was a “really cool experience” to play for Richmond after watching his older brother John Pittman play for the Raiders.
“It was a lot of fun to get out there and play at the high school level,” Pittman said of his soccer season. “Next year, I hope to continue to develop over time through practice and getting better with my footwork.
“I like playing tennis, too, because it’s a one-player sport,” he continued. “It’s a sport that forces you to perform your best all the time, and each play is yours to make. Tennis is a mental game that makes you close-minded so you don’t mess up, and I think I’ve really developed myself this year.”
RSHS Extracurricular Activities: Earlier this school year, Pittman was inducted into Richmond’s chapter of the National Beta Club, a student leadership organization. Having been a member of Rockingham Middle School’s Junior Beta Club from sixth to eighth grade, Pittman knew what to expect at the high school level.
“Being in Beta (Club) has allowed me to realize how important I am to helping my school,” Pittman expressed. “I’ve helped serve food at fundraisers and have volunteered at the concession stands during football games.
“And being in Beta also lets me focus on my schoolwork and keep good grades in order to stay (inducted),” he added.
Hobbies: Pittman is part of the craze that swept the video gaming world the last couple of months, and noted that he enjoys playing Fortnite, along with Call of Duty, on his X-Box One.
“A lot of my buddies and I like to play it,” Pittman explained oif Fortnite. “It’s kind of like the Hunger Games where there are 100 people on an island and you have to be the last one standing. It’s a game that requires lots of strategy and tactics.”
Another hobby that Pittman enjoys when not hitting tennis balls or flicking the video game sticks, is to go running, which according to Pittman, he does “to keep in shape” for soccer and tennis seasons.
Interesting Fact: During January 2017, about halfway through his eighth grade year, Pittman stumbled across a new hobby thanks to his dad, Ira Pittman. For his interesting fact, Pittman bragged that, with a little help from his dad, he ultimately taught himself how to play the guitar.
“My dad just showed me the basics,” Pittman recalled of last winter’s adventure. “And from there I just kind of picked up the rest by watching videos on the internet. I like to play rock and roll songs, and can play ‘Stairway to Heaven’ (Led Zeppelin) and ‘Thunderstruck’ (AC/DC).”
High School Aspirations: While most freshmen don’t have a clear idea of what they’d like to do after high school, Pittman has really high expectations.
“Of course I’d like to keep really good grades throughout my time in high school,” Pittman noted. “I’d also like to keep my overall GPA really competitive with my classmates, and join the National Honor Society (as a junior).”
As it’s never too early to be thinking about the next step after high school, Pittman is hoping to extend a streak of three older siblings attending the same college. And that school in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“I want to follow in my family’s footsteps,” Pittman commented. “My sister Elizabeth and brother John are there now. And my other sister, Kathleen, will be a freshman there in the fall. So there’s a little pressure to get there.”
In terms of what he’d like to study in college, Pittman is leaning toward becoming a doctor, more specifically an anesthesiologist. He notes that “it’s a good career” and it has “good pay” from the research he’s done on job searching.
Mentor: For his mentor, Pittman chose Chris Almond, a tennis coach who has taught him private lessons in hopes of getting better as his time as a Raider tennis player evolves.
“Coach has helped me train either here at the high school or at the tennis courts in Hamlet,” Pittman noted. “We do a lot of offseason training, mostly with him teaching me the areas of the game, how to serve properly and how to hit topspin on the ball.
“Everything I’ve learned with him has absolutely transitioned into playing for the Raiders and it has helped make me better,” Pittman added.
Athlete of the Week Stats: As the regular season is completed, Pittman finished his freshman year on the court with a cool 10-3 overall record, while posting a similar SAC record of 10-2. Pittman opened the season with a 2-6, 4-6 loss to Union Pines’ Jake Moubry, but rallied for five straight wins against tough opponents including Pinecrest High School’s Jessie Meacham (6-2, 6-1), and Jack Britt High School’s Javon White (6-3, 6-2).
Pittman finished the regular season on a four-match winning streak, and was the lone winner for Richmond during its 8-1 loss to Scotland last week at home during senior night. Pittman’s best performance in singles this year came against Purnell Swett High School’s CJ Locklear, which Pittman beat him in straight sets 6-0, 6-0.
In the opening round of the SAC tournament Wednesday at Lumberton High School, Pittman continued his winning ways, as he defeated Scotland High School’s Trey Brunson 6-1, 6-0 to stay alive.
Describe what it’s been like on the Raider tennis as a freshman. What have you been able to do to win many of your matches?
“I’ve just had a lot of fun playing out here this year,” Pittman voiced modestly. “I’ve learned a lot from the seniors, and they’ve helped me develop my game.
“Not only have I learned how to play the sport better, I also am keeping myself consistent and patient when I’m playing,” Pittman added. “I’ve also learned to never underestimate an opponent based on size or looks, and that I should always leave a margin for error.”
What has been your most satisfying moment/win so far this season?
“I recently went into a tie-breaker with Bill Davis from Lumberton (on April 12),” Pittman explained. “It was a great match, and he was an extremely friendly guy who was nice to talk to in between sets. But he won the second set (6-3) and forced it to a third set.
“This was the second tie-breaker that I had go into this season, and it was very nerve-wracking,” Pittman continued. “We went back-and-forth and I went ahead 9-8. I knew that if I didn’t get a another point, Davis would have a chance to win it all. Those were the most stressful points I’ve ever play, but I overcame him and won 6-4, 3-6 and 10-8.”
Coach’s Corner: First-year tennis head coach Pat Hope noted that his team has had some ups and downs throughout the 2018 season. But one thing that has remained a constant has been Pittman’s play as the No. 5/6 singles guy.
“Bradford has a very patient and consistent game,” Hope commented on his player. “He also shows no sense of panic when games get tight. He has played well beyond my expectations in his first year being in the lineup.
“He also balances tennis with a school schedule filled with Honors and AP courses,” Hope concluded. “And he’s maintaining a GPA over 4.0.”
