Name: Bobby Patterson III
Nickname: Trai
Contact for Media Inquiry
Age: 34
Birthday: August 12 1983
Birthplace: Los Angeles CA
Colleges: West LA, Fresno St, Alabama A&M
High School: Pacific Palisades High School
Favorite Sports Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers, New Orleans Saints
Hobbies: Weight Lifting, DJing, Watching Old and New Football Film, Softball
Passions: Coaching and Clinicing Offensive line
College Sports: USC Football
Other Sports played: 12 years Baseball
How/why you got into football: My first love and initial sport was baseball. Although I played football for the Los Angeles Demos from ages 6 to 12, I did not take football seriously till 11th grade.
Family: Married Frances Patterson 12 years, Daughters Londen Patterson (10) and Lauryn Patterson (4)
TWO TRUTHS & A LIE:
— I hate Ketchup
— I am perfect
— I do not like cats
Experience (playing and/or coaching football): Played AF2 Fairbanks Grizzlies, Played AF2 Alaska Wild. Coached with Harbor City College, Salesian High, Long Beach Wilson, Los Angeles Pacific Warriors
Other Profession/Occupation: 16 plus years as Import Broker; Owner and Operator of “Trench Kills” offensive line skill training
IN HIS OWN WORDS:
I was born to Kimberly Herron August 12th 1983, in Los Angeles Ca. Married to Frances Avila Patterson, Father to Londen and Lauryn Patterson.
I began playing sports at the age of 5. My first love was baseball, and I was fortunate enough to be coached by one of the best coaches to ever touch a whistle. His name was Eugene Jeter, the father of USA Olympic track super star Carmelita Jeter and overseas basketball super star Eugene Jeter III. Coach Jeter mentored and coached me through baseball and basketball.
When I was 6 years old, my mother put me in flag football. My team was coached by the late Uncle Ernest Herron. By far one of my greatest pasttimes, because I was able to share those moments with my uncle whom I loved and miss so dearly.
When I turned 7, my mother felt it was the right time for me to begin playing Pop Warner football. I ended up playing for the LA Demos which worked out well since all my childhood friends from the project were also playing. Now that I think about it, football has a great way of building friendships and memories. A very fond memory that I recall was that there were 15 to 20 of us walking down Jefferson Blvd, all the way to Jeff High School in full pads. This story always stays true to me because halfway through the season the old, molded shark cleats I had grinded down to the soles due to all that walking.
Football was not my favorite sport. In fact, I hated it until 11th grade. Before that, I struggled with school work, sports, and girls (LOL) — and I also believed that I would be playing major league baseball by the time I was 18. So, as I started seeing my teenage body grow into some real definition, and I was becoming successful on the football field, the sport of football became big to me.
I attended Palisades High School, where I lettered in both football and baseball. I received multiple scholarships and ultimately decided to attend Fresno State. Things did not work out on my first college stint, so I attended West Los Angeles College. After one season of Junior College football, I accepted an offer to finish my college football career at Alabama A&M, where I played both football and baseball.
After College, I went on to play AF2 football and some Semipro football for a couple of years, so that I could stay in shape.
When I was 25, I realized that my professional football career was coming to an end and inquired about coaching. My first coaching job was at John Glenn High School, where I served as the running back coach. From there, I went to coach at schools such as Long Beach Wilson, Silesian High School, and LA Harbor City College.
I have only coached one women’s football team in my entire career, and I am very proud to say that I have been with the LA Warriors since 2013. I first signed on to coach the offensive line, and through the years, I was appointed to head coach.
Women’s football has helped me tremendously as a coach and as a person. I have learned to have an open mind and to truly understand that the sport of football is no longer a man’s sport, but an equal sport for all genders.
I continue to coach women’s football, as I am a dad of two young girls. I hope by them seeing me do this, it will grow their love for the sport. But it also allows them to see what confident women really look like. In the end, I hope that my involvement in women’s football expands past what I am currently doing now. I truly thank both the WFA and the LA Warriors for allowing me to be a part of such a great opportunity.
