Rising Tennis Star, Yasunaga, Enrolls at Maui Prep Academy

Maui Preparatory Academy’s incoming freshman Jaylee Yasunaga at a recent tennis practice in Kapalua with coach John Evert of Evert Tennis Academy. Photo by k3MarketingGroup.com.

By Rodney S. Yap

One of Hawaii’s promising young tennis talents, freshman-to-be Jaylee Yasunaga, has enrolled at Maui Preparatory Academy, according to head of school Jonathan Silver.

Considered a rising young star by TennisRecruiting.net, the Kahului eighth-grader is currently ranked #3 in the state at 16-and-under and she is only 14.

In a press release by Maui Preparatory Academy, Silver commented: “I’m thrilled to be beginning my tenure at the same time Jaylee will be joining our community. Jaylee is just the type of student who thrives at Maui Prep. She is a terrific learner both on the tennis court and in the classroom.”

As part of her player development, Yasunaga will train with John Evert of Evert Tennis Academy this summer. She will be coached by Evert, the internationally renowned coach and ETA Director, who is an advocate of developing the “whole athlete.”

“The Maui Prep Scholarship and Evert Academy training over the next four years provided by George Mackin, managing partner of Tennis Media Company, the publisher of Tennis Magazine and Tennis.com, is an excellent opportunity to develop our local Maui junior, Jaylee Yasunaga into a national champion,” said Executive Director of the USTA Hawaii Pacific Section Ron Romano.

Maui Preparatory Academy’s Jaylee Yasunaga poses with: from left, Johnathan Silver, Head of School/Maui Preparatory Academy; George Mackin, managing partner of Tennis Media Company and publisher of Tennis Magazine and Tennis.com; John Evert, internationally renowned coach and Evert Tennis Academy Director; and, Dean Otto, President/Board of Trustees, Maui Preparatory Academy. Photo by k3MarketingGroup.com.

Mackin said The Tennis Media Company is proud to be supporting Yasunaga and the pursuit of her tennis dreams and dedication to achieve her goals.

“Sending her to work with John and Chrissie Evert this summer will help her so much in the development of her game, self-confidence and open up new opportunities,” Mackin said. “And something John and Chrissie are most proud, is that 100% of all the girls who have graduated and completed their tennis training at the Evert Academy, have gone on to receive tennis scholarships from top colleges and universities.”

Yasunaga is currently 57-15 overall, according to TennisRecruiting.net. She is also ranked 78th in the Girls’ Hot 100 rankings by Prince.

In May, she and Shayan Shirkhodai of Kihei won the Kapalua Mixed 9.0 Doubles.

In April, Yasunaga won the Girls 14 Singles title of the Pearl Harbor Easter Jr. Championships, beating Alyssia Fossorier, 6-2, 6-0.

Also in April, Yasunaga partnered with Lauralei Singsank of Wailuku to win the Open Women’s Division of the Royal Lahaina Doubles Championships, where she also partnered and won the Mixed Open Doubles title.