ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Koji Pedersen

Koji Pedersen

Q: What is your greatest athletic accomplishment?
A: When I was 9 years old, I was in the USTA tournaments and I was ranked No. 1 in the state of Texas.

Q: Who is your favorite athlete?
A: I’d have to say Kei Nishikori. He’s from Japan like me, and he just emerged in the top 20 this year.

Q: Who is your greatest inspiration?
A: My mom. She’s always been there for me from the start. She’s been to every tournament I’ve been to. She’s helped me through the hard times in tennis.

Q: What kind of career do you want to pursue?
A: I want to go into biomedical engineering. I always wanted to be some type of engineer. I narrowed it down to chemical or biomedical, and the medical field really interests me.

About Koji Pedersen
School: Westside High School
Sport: Tennis
Grade: Sophomore
Notable: Ranked No. 1 in state as a 9-year-old