KNOWN these days as a star top order batter for both Adelaide and South Australia, there is more to Bridget Patterson than even the most avid cricket fan may know.

Alongside opening the batting for her teams, Patterson’s other passion in life is psychology.

For four years now she has been studying it alongside her cricketing commitments, and hopes to specialise in the space of women’s and children’s related psychology, helping to better peoples’ lives and mental health.

“Growing up in a domestic violence household probably sparked my passion,” Patterson said. “Four years ago I came to the realisation that happened as well… because growing up you kind of think that things like that are normal.

“I guess before the last four years I hadn’t really questioned it, so it’s been really interesting actually, and it’s been cool to actually find something I am passionate about and being able to make a change in that space going forward.”

Patterson’s sporting journey started in a very different direction.

Originally a footballer as a junior, she confesses that if the AFLW had been around when she was younger, she may have pursued that path instead of becoming an elite cricketer.

Not one for the academics side of school, Patterson preferred to be outside and be active, and as she progressed from local school representative teams, through the South Australian state pathways, she began to realise there were others just like her, and this is where she suspects her love for cricket began.

“Initially I definitely started out more a bowler than a batter,” Patterson said. “At Under 15s I used to take the new ball before Megan Schutt. I don’t think she would ever admit that or even remember that because a lot has happened for her since then.

“After I finished my bowling spell I was wicket keeping as well. In the middle stages of my career so far I’ve been a wicket keeper batter, and then within the last four years I think I’ve completely phased that out and just focused completely on my batting and not really worrying about the wicket keeping aspect.”

Patterson was part of the South Australian side that made it to last summer’s WNCL final, but ultimately came up short against Tasmania.

Although they did not get the win, Patterson noted how merely making the final would give the young Scorpions group a boost of confidence, knowing now that they can in fact match it with the best in the competition, even without their Aussie stars.

Having played with the Strikers since the very formative days of the WBBL, Patterson has seen a lot of changes in the way the competition operates, and the amount of data know available to coaches as compared to when she started.

Patterson’s favourite moment in her career was the 2016 WNCL title win against NSW. Her Scorpions side went into the match as underdogs, but were able to end the Breakers’ dominance of the competition by taking out the title.

She also noted making both the WNCL and WBBL finals in the same season (which she achieved last summer) as another career highlight, and one of her ultimate cricketing career goals is to take both titles out in the same summer.