ATHLETICS
Center Court Spotlight on Coach Marco Pineda A journey of passion, dedication, and empathy comes full circle Pineda admits that his tennis career was never an easy road. “When I was in middle school, I lost more matches than I won, but I wasn’t discouraged. Something inside me made me want to work harder. I did not want to let my parents down. I wanted to keep improving. Taking ownership of my play and investing in myself to get better made a huge difference. I learned to expect a lot of myself.” He found plenty of opportunity and inspirational talent while building his skills in the highly competitive Southern California tennis scene. “When I was in high school, my dad took me to watch college matches, which motivated me to think, ‘I want to play college tennis too.’”
Making personal investments in players helps players invest in themselves. — Marco Pineda Pineda is the first person in his family to attend a university. “I am proud that I not only attended college but that I was given an athletic scholarship to play tennis!” Tennis opened the door for him to attend Gonzaga University and thrive in a highly competitive Division 1 program.
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he next time you see MAC Tennis Pro Marco Pineda on the court, look for that spark in his eye. That spark says a lot about his personal story — one that includes sacrifices and the dedication necessary to improve as a player and as a person. Born and raised in Southern California, the son of immigrant parents, Pineda remembers the first time he and his father walked out on a local tennis court just to have some treasured father and son time. He was five years old. This moment started his remarkable tennis journey, which changed his life forever and provided him opportunities he and his family had only dreamed of. “My dad introduced tennis
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to me, and I gravitated to it in a big way.” Pineda recalls. “I learned that quality time on the court meant something. I did not have professional trainers or coaches, just my dad and I hitting together at the local public tennis center. I was committed to making the most of every time we would play.” As a young teen, he took personal responsibility for his momentum in the sport. “My dad never signed me up for tournaments; that was my responsibility. I only asked my parents for checks to enter tournaments.“ Pineda continues, “I entered almost any and every tennis tournament I could find in the area.”
Thanks to mentors who supported him through many of the adversities a first-generation college student faces, he flourished. “I was surrounded by mentors and an academic advisor who make a huge difference in my life beyond the court.” Pineda took full advantage of his quality education at Gonzaga. By his senior year, he was an ITA Academic All-American as well as a West Coast Conference All-Academic Award winner. “I took pride in balancing the tennis side of life with the academic side.” Pineda soon learned that his passion for the game spilled over into other areas of his life. After graduating, he stayed on as assistant coach and continued his education at Gonzaga, eventually earning his master’s degree. Pineda’s enthusiasm to teach and coach the game became as important as
