Junior Jane Lee was selected as the girls’ October Athlete of the Month for her role on the girls’ tennis team. Lee was a Varsity singles starter last year on a team that went undefeated throughout the regular season, made the CIF-SS Finals, and won the SoCal Regionals. Individually, she was recruited to the All-Orange County girls tennis team as a freshman, and later as a sophomore got ranked 75th in the nation and 20th in California among her class.

Coach John Kessler commended Lee for her time on the tennis team.

“On the court, Jane is tenacious and…is a great role model for our younger players because she works hard for every point and every game,” Kessler said.

Senior Mya Wang also praised Lee’s prowess on the court.

“I am most impressed by Jane’s ability to keep her opponent on their toes with every single one of her shots,” Wang said. “She is, without a doubt, one of the most talented tennis players I’ve ever witnessed.”

Lee started playing tennis at the age of five, as she was inspired by her older brother’s tennis play.

“My older brother started playing when he was five, and I would always have to go watch him practice with my dad or play matches,” Lee said.

Lee believes that Assistant Coach Kevin Garrett, her private instructor, has had the most significant influence on her game.

“I started working with [Coach Garrett] about 4-5 years ago, and he has helped me improve every aspect of my game and also motivates me to work harder every lesson,” Lee said.

She also expresses appreciation for Coach Kessler and his passion, enthusiasm, and care.

“[Coach Kessler] is always pushing us in matches, and there is no other high school coach I know that cares that much about their team,” Lee said. “In matches when I’m down in the set, I always try hard to come back because I want to meet his high expectations.”

Besides her talents as an individual player, Lee’s teammates concur how she is also a great teammate both on and off the court. 

“She is funny, supportive, and does her part to help the team win,” senior Emily Markus said.

Markus went on, furthering how Lee’s hard work and countless hours dedicated to improving has shaped her into the player she is today.

“As a player, she’s skilled and talented. She works hard and trains a lot, which contributes to how well she plays,” Markus said.

In the future, Lee strives to balance playing tennis with her education in college.

“My main goal is playing either D1 or D3 tennis in an also very academic college,” Lee said.