At 14 years old, Sacred Hearts Academy freshman Joelei Ioane has already spent most of her life on the tennis court. What started as a summer activity when she was five years old has grown into a sport that has taken her across different countries, introduced her to new people, and taught her lessons that she carries into her everyday life.
Joelei first started playing tennis during a summer program in American Samoa. Her parents encouraged her to try the sport, but it did not take long for her to become interested in it herself. Over the years, tennis became something she enjoyed and something she wanted to take seriously.
Living on a small island, Joelei enjoys being recognized for a sport she loves. She also enjoys the friendships she has made with teammates and the chance to meet new people at tournaments. Traveling for competitions has allowed her to experience different places while doing something she is passionate about. Her competitive personality also makes winning an exciting part of the sport.
Tennis has become a major part of Joelei’s daily life. Her training can include early morning workouts, multiple tennis sessions and running after school. The schedule can be exhausting, but she tries to focus on what the work will help her accomplish in the future. For her, improvement comes from continuing to push through even when she is tired.
One of the biggest challenges she has learned to handle is the mental side of the sport. Tennis requires her to stay focused and confident, especially when a match is not going her way. Instead of allowing a difficult moment to stop her, she tries to remind herself why she started and how much she has already improved.
That mindset was especially important during one of her most memorable matches this past summer. During an L3 tournament in Hawaii, Joelei faced one of her rivals in the semifinals. She lost the first set 6-4 and was down 5-2 in the second. Rather than giving up, she fought her way back and won the second set 7-5.
The match went into a super tiebreaker, where Joelei finished the comeback with a 10-5 victory. The match lasted four hours, making it one of the longest matches she has played. It was an example of the determination she has developed through years of training.
Before matches, Joelei takes time to pray and talk to God. She goes into each match reminding herself to give her best effort, whether she wins or loses. Her parents have also helped shape this mindset by teaching her that a loss does not have to be a failure. Instead, it can be something she learns from and uses to improve.
Her dedication has already brought her success on the court. Joelei currently has three East Pacific titles, including U14 and U16 titles, and remains undefeated. She also became the Pacific Oceania Champion in the U14 division.
Her experience has gone far beyond Hawaii. She has competed in the Billie Jean Junior Cup Qualifiers in Sri Lanka, the Asian Pacific Championships in Australia, the Asian Pacific Qualifiers in Bahrain and the New Zealand Nationals. Each tournament has given her more experience and allowed her to compete against players from different places.
After coming to Hawaii, Joelei continued building her record. In her first tournament here, she finished second in the U14 L5 girls’ singles division. During the summer, she went on to win U14 L5, U16 L3 and U16 L5 titles.
Tennis has also opened new doors for Joelei, including the opportunity to receive a scholarship and attend Sacred Hearts Academy. She spent much of her summer in Hawaii training and competing, making the transition to a new place while continuing to focus on tennis and school.
Despite all of her accomplishments, Joelei does not see tennis as only a collection of trophies and titles. The sport has helped her become more confident, stay humble, and learn how to push past her limits. It has also strengthened her physically and mentally.
Behind her journey is a family that has supported her from the beginning. Joelei recognizes the sacrifices her family has made so she can continue playing the sport she loves. Their support motivates her to keep training, work hard, in school and continue making them proud.
Her love for tennis also runs in her family. Joelei has a sister who plays tennis at a similar level, and she hopes that one day her sister will also have the opportunity to play for Sacred Hearts Academy.
As Joelei continues her freshman year, she is beginning another chapter of her tennis journey. With her family and friends supporting her from home, along with the Sacred Hearts community around her, she continues to work toward her goals one practice and one match at a time.
For Joelei, the lesson she has learned through tennis is simple: have fun, keep working, and never give up.
