Elevating Native Hawaiian Presence in Pro Tennis: WTTC Supports “Kahea” Companion

Women’s tennis is a sport where the majority of professional players are white (72.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (13.2%), Black/African American (8.9%), and a growing demographic of Asian/Pacific Islanders (5.1%). Despite this diversity, there remains a notable absence of Native Hawaiian representation on the professional women’s tennis tour.

In response, Warrior Tennis Training Center (WTTC) is proud to sponsor and support

Kaheaokaleonahenahemaikalani “Kahea” Companion in her pursuit of competing on the

women’s professional tennis circuit. Through this support, WTTC aims not only to elevate an

exceptional athlete, but also to help bring greater visibility to Native Hawaiian representation in the global tennis arena.

Companion, a former standout at NAIA powerhouse Keiser University in West Palm Beach,

Florida, quickly distinguished herself at the collegiate level. As a freshman, she earned

All-American honors while competing at the No. 2 singles position and played a key role in

leading her team to a Final Eight finish at the NAIA Tournament. During her college career, she also achieved a top-10 ranking in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), solidifying her place among the nation’s elite players.

Now competing on the professional tour, Companion is self-funding her journey—traveling,

training, and competing against top-level talent as she works to establish herself on the

international stage. Her path reflects not only athletic excellence, but also determination,

resilience, and a deep commitment to representing her roots.

WTTC’s support of Companion underscores a broader mission: to create opportunities, expand access, and inspire the next generation of athletes from Hawaiʻi and beyond. By investing in her journey, WTTC is helping to pave the way for greater inclusion and representation in a sport where Native Hawaiian voices have historically been absent.

Kahea’s story, in her own words:

Humble Beginnings in Hawaiʻi

Growing up poor in Hawaiʻi meant learning early that paradise isn’t the same for everyone. From the outside, people see beaches, sunsets, and a kind of effortless beauty. But for me, it was crowded homes, stretching every dollar, and watching the adults in my life work nonstop just to keep us afloat. It meant understanding that living in one of the most beautiful places in the world doesn’t make life easy, sometimes it makes it harder.

We didn’t have much, but we had each other. Family wasn’t just important, it was everything. Food was shared, space was shared, and whatever we had, we made it enough. I learned how to be resourceful, how to appreciate small things, and how to find joy without needing much. Hand-me-downs, long days, and figuring things out on your own that was normal.

Built Through Resilience

However growing up that way also built something in me. Resilience. Gratitude. A kind of quiet toughness. I learned how to keep going even when things felt uncertain, how to stay grounded, and how to carry where I come from with pride, not shame. Being from that background doesn’t just shape how I see the world, it shapes how I move through it. It reminds me that nothing is guaranteed, that every opportunity matters, and that no matter where I go, I come from people who made something out of very little.

Collegiate Success

I played college tennis at Keiser University in West Palm Beach Florida. Where as a freshman I was awarded all American. Earning All American honors as a freshman in college tennis meant stepping into a new world and realizing I belonged there. Everything about that first year was an adjustment. The speed of the game, the level of competition, the expectation all hit at once. I went from being one of the best in my circle to being surrounded by players who were just as hungry, just as talented, and just as driven. There were moments of doubt, moments where I had to catch up fast, mentally and physically.

But somewhere in that transition, things started to click. The long practices, the early mornings, the pressure of representing my school all sharpened me. I learned how to compete at a higher level, how to stay composed when matches got tight, and how to trust the work I’d put in even when the stage felt bigger than anything I’d experienced before.

Playing for Something Bigger

Being a native Hawaiian tennis player on the pro circuit means carrying more than just a racket onto the court; it means carrying a culture, a history, and a sense of kuleana with every step I take. It means I don’t just play for rankings or titles. I play for the islands that raised me the winds, the ocean, the people who taught me humility and strength. I come from a place where community matters, where respect isn’t optional, and where you represent something bigger than yourself. Every match becomes an opportunity to show that where I’m from belongs on the global stage. It also means navigating a path that hasn’t been paved for many like me.

Tennis isn’t the most visible sport in Hawaiʻi, and being native Hawaiian in a predominantly global, often Western-dominated circuit can feel isolating at times. But that’s exactly why it matters. I get to prove that we belong here too, that talent, discipline, and heart come from every corner of the world, including our islands.

There’s pride in that identity, but also pressure. I think about younger kids back home who might see me and start to believe something is possible for them. I think about honoring my ancestors by how I carry myself win or lose with dignity, resilience, and aloha.

Why Your Support Matters

At the end of the day, being a native Hawaiian tennis player on the pro circuit means I’m never out there alone. I bring my people, my culture, and my story with me onto every court. And that gives every serve, every rally, and every victory a deeper meaning.