Support Leah Heimuli's Pro Tennis Career

Aloha!

My name is Leah Heimuli, an aspiring professional tennis player from Utah. I recently graduated from Brigham Young University, concluding my collegiate career competing against NCAA division I athletes, and I am now ready to take my tennis journey to the next level!

My Motivation:

Since age 5, when I first picked up a racket, I believed that I could become a top tennis professional. More importantly, I wanted to be the first Tongan/Hawaiian (Polynesian) woman to achieve this. Polynesians are known for their strong impact in American football or rugby, but not known to be tennis players. Growing up, I didn’t have anyone similar to my background I could look to as a role model to demonstrate how to be a successful tennis athlete.

My Story:

Sports served as my parents' primary method of instilling the value of hard work to my four siblings and I. Tennis became my passion, and despite my parents having no tennis experience, my dad, who played collegiate football, became my coach. My dad would spend countless hours on YouTube, not only learning how to set me up for success but also how to be economical and avoid extra costs.

Mastering tennis technique requires daily, repetitive hitting. During winter months, to work on my technique daily, my dad would bounce tennis balls off a board in our family room downstairs and I would hit into a golf net for hours, since finding indoor court time was challenging and expensive. Through this experience, I learned the importance of hard work, adjusting from your mistakes, and came to understand that instead of trying to find a Polynesian tennis player to look up to, I realized that I wanted to be that person.

My Tennis Accolades:

ITA Rookie of the Year (2017)

PacWest Freshman of the Year at BYU-Hawaii (2017)

All-American doubles player (2017)

Perfect 24-0 singles and 19-0 in doubles (2017)

Top 10 in ITA Mountain Region Singles Rankings (2022)

ALL-WCC Singles Honorable Mention (2021-2022)

WCC ALL Academic (2020-2022)

While I fulfilled one dream by earning a bachelor's degree, I believe I haven’t reached my cap for my tennis potential.

Why I need your help:

By contributing to my journey, you'll play a pivotal role in showing that Polynesian girls can accomplish unprecedented feats. I worked after graduation to save money, and I am currently training full-time and living on my savings and limited part-time job funds. I'm seeking financial sponsorships or donations for help with coaching and competition costs.

Thank you for being a part of my story and for believing in my tennis potential. With your support, I am determined to inspire the next generation of tennis enthusiasts, and encourage other Tongan/Hawaiian girls to achieve their dreams.

Mahalo,

Leah Heimuli

Please feel free to contact me if you would like updates! :)