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At ³Ô¹ÏÍø, athletics look different for every student. Some people dive into , traveling across the Northwest to compete at a high level. Others find their place in club sports, where the focus leans more toward community, fun and improving skills at your own pace. No matter how you participate, sports on campus become a way to make friends, explore new routines and feel grounded in the middle of academic life.

For this blog, player Leah Lovato ’29 and player Kyoka Tonoshi ’27 teamed up to share their experiences being involved in sports at Whitman in a fun interview-style Q&A. They sat down to talk about balancing school with tennis, finding community, the differences between varsity and club sports, and what we’ve learned from being part of Whitman’s tennis community.

Leah: So Kyoka, how did you end up joining club tennis?

Kyoka: A friend of mine was one of the captains of club tennis when I was a first-year and invited me to come to practice in the spring semester. I only had experience from a P.E. class when I was in high school, but everyone at Whitman was so welcoming—even though some people were much better than me. It was low-pressure and fun, which was exactly what I needed. And I made new friends who I might not have otherwise.

What about you? How did varsity recruitment happen for you?

Leah: I uploaded my profile through the NCSA college athletic recruiting platform during my junior year of high school, and that’s how college coaches started reaching out. I emailed the Whitman coaches, visited campus and immediately loved the team. Their energy and support made Whitman feel like home.

What does a typical club practice look like?

Kyoka: Very relaxed. We warm up, do bump drills and play games like “queen of the court.” Some players are beginners and others are really experienced, so everyone fits in. Practice is twice a week. If you’re busy, you just don’t go—there’s no pressure.

I assume varsity tennis is really different from club play. How much do you practice each week?

Leah: During the season, we practice every weekday for about two and a half hours, plus weight-lifting sessions twice a week. When we get out late, I usually grab food from or heat up leftovers afterward. Weekends are off from organized practice, but people still hit or recover on their own.

Kyoka: How do you balance varsity tennis with academics as a first-year?

Leah: It definitely takes planning. Academics come first for me, and our Athletics department supports that. When we travel, we submit absence forms early, meet with professors, and bring schoolwork on the bus or plane. Noise-canceling headphones have saved me more than once.

Do you have a favorite club tennis memory?

Kyoka: Yes! The first time that I returned a fast, strong ball. It felt like a breakthrough moment, and I was really proud of myself.

What’s your favorite moment of the season so far?

Leah: The Intercollegiate Tennis Association Fall Tournament. A teammate and I were playing matches on neighboring courts, and in our draws. We kept hyping each other up between points—it felt like peak college tennis energy.

Tennis Serves Up Connection & Fun

Talking to each other showed us how differently athletics can fit into a Whitman student’s life—and how meaningful both experiences can be. 

Varsity tennis demands discipline, time management and the ability to balance academics while traveling around the Northwest. It offers a tight-knit family, steady motivation and coaches who care deeply about student well-being. Club tennis is flexible, social and welcoming to all levels. It’s a way to decompress, get exercise and build friendships across class years without the intensity of varsity competition.

No matter which path you choose, tennis at Whitman becomes more than a sport. You make new friends and experience new things. Getting involved in a sport or club is a way to feel grounded during your college experience. If you’re curious about finding your place in Whitman’s varsity, club or even intermural sports, check them out online.

Leah Lovato ’29 is a from Albuquerque, New Mexico. She came to Whitman for the competitive tennis, supportive coaches and the academic–athletic balance she couldn’t find anywhere else. One of her favorite moments from her first season was the team’s first road trip: “The energy on the bus, the music, the nerves, everything made it feel real that I was finally a college athlete.”

Kyoka Tonoshi ’27 is a Psychology major from Yokohama, Japan. She says club tennis is a way for her to connect with other students while taking a break from her classes. She also took a class on campus through Whitman’s Sports Studies, Recreation and Athletics program. Her most memorable moment of the class was “when I finally could do a strong serve.”