From a young age, Audyssie J. ’27 has looked up to her older sister. At just five years old, she picked up a tennis racket to follow in her sister’s footsteps and quickly fell in love with the sport. Her dedication to tennis even led to a period of homeschooling, allowing her to focus on honing her skills and pursuing her passion.
As a freshman new to Campbell Hall last year, Audyssie achieved the remarkable feat of earning the 2023 Gold Coast First Team All-League Singles title. This year, she qualified for the individuals tournament and advanced to the finals during the qualifier. However, she suffered an injury which forced her to forfeit the match. While heartbroken, she didn’t want to risk further injury and jeopardize the crucial playoffs. This decision paid off when the Girls’ Varsity Tennis team won the 2024 CIF-Southern Section Division 2 Championship for the first time since 2018!
Audyssie dedicates countless hours to her craft, practicing nearly every day with her team or a coach. Competitive tennis can be physically and mentally demanding, but she credits her success to resilience and determination. “You have to have a strong mindset of never giving up,” Audyssie advised. “Tennis is a mental sport, and you always have to give one hundred percent and try not to give up any shots.” While she ran Varsity Track as a freshman, Audyssie now focuses exclusively on tennis, competing year-round with her club.
Beyond tennis, Audyssie is a multi-talented student balancing a packed schedule. As a professional model and actor, her weekends are often filled with castings and shoots. Her impressive acting resume includes a starring role on ABC’s Alex, Inc. alongside Zach Braff, voice work on Disney Junior’s Mira, Royal Detective, and Dreamwork’s Tiny Diamond Goes Back to School. She continues to work in commercials and plans to return to acting in a greater capacity in the future.
Balancing academics, athletics, and professional pursuits isn’t always easy, but Audyssie has developed strategies to stay focused. She often takes a few quiet moments to plan her tasks and leans on her mom for help organizing her time. Though not as often as she’d like, Audyssie still manages to carve out time to spend with family and friends. She loves English classes and all forms of writing and has an interest in science, particularly Biology.
Next year, Audyssie and her teammate Sofia W. ’26, Campbell Hall’s top-ranked singles players, will lead the team as co-captains. Looking ahead, Audyssie aspires to play tennis at a Division 1 college. To reach this goal, she plans to compete in tournaments and train intensively during the off-season to increase her UTR ranking.
“In order to excel in tennis, you have to really want to play because it takes so much dedication to really excel in the sport,” she said. “You have to be committed.” With her unwavering focus and passion, Audyssie is well on her way to achieving her dreams.
List of 1 items.
Isaiah J. ’25
Varsity Boys’ Basketball
Attending University of Colorado Boulder
Isaiah J. ’25, a point guard on the Varsity Boys’ Basketball team, has been passionate about the game since he was old enough to walk. Inspired by his parents, both former college basketball players, Isaiah has grown into not only a talented basketball player but also a well-rounded athlete and a role model in our community.
Isaiah’s athletic versatility has shined through his time at Campbell Hall. He ran Varsity Track his freshman and sophomore years and played on the JV Tennis team as a junior. Now in his senior year, Isaiah has fully dedicated himself to basketball, including club.
In his sophomore year, Isaiah helped his team win The Classic at Damien, a national premier high school basketball tournament, where he was awarded MVP. “It was a great turning point in the season and gave us confidence moving forward for the rest of the games,” said Isaiah, reflecting on the achievement. During his junior year, the team secured second place in the league and advanced to the third round of the CIF-Southern Section (CIF-SS) Division 2AA Championship. As the 2024-25 season kicked off, Isaiah achieved the milestone of scoring 1,000 points in his high school basketball career.
Isaiah’s demanding schedule hasn’t come without its challenges. “My biggest obstacle was off the court,” Isaiah shared. “Last year, our team traveled a lot out of state, so managing the curriculum could be overwhelming at times. But I got a lot of support from my teachers who were really understanding and helpful.” Despite the challenges, the experience was invaluable. “I learned how to manage my time and prioritize.” Competing against top players across the country also gave him a clear sense of the national level of play and prepared him for college athletics.
Isaiah’s rigorous training routine shows his dedication and commitment. During the season, he wakes up at 5 a.m. to practice shooting with his dad before school. After his daily two-hour practice in the afternoon, he often adds weight training to his regimen. During club season, his workout schedule intensifies. “You have to put in the work to succeed,” said Isaiah. “It takes a lot of determination, preparation, and patience to advance in the sport.”
Outside of basketball, Isaiah enjoys playing video games, mini-golfing and going to the movies with his family, and spending time with his friends. Academically, he loves science, particularly psychology and environmental science.
As Isaiah prepares to graduate, he reflected on his time at Campbell Hall. “The best thing about Campbell Hall is how welcoming and inclusive everyone is here. I’ll miss this environment,” he said. Looking ahead, he hopes to help his team win the league, CIF-SS, and the state championships, before heading to the University of Colorado Boulder, a Division 1 school to which he recently committed.
Isaiah has gained more than just basketball skills during his time as a player. “The good thing about sports is that it teaches you life lessons,” he explained. “You get to learn about yourself and how you handle different situations.”
His advice to young student-athletes also extends beyond the game itself: “Keep putting in the work, and eventually, the results will show. Keep believing and having confidence in yourself, even when you are feeling low—it will go a long way.”
List of 1 items.
Maya H. ’28
Varsity Girls' Volleyball
Maya H. ’28 began playing volleyball at age eight, encouraged by her athletic mom and her dad, a former collegiate football player. Together, they fostered her love of sports and continue to be her biggest supporters.
Maya played a variety of sports when she was younger and was first inspired to play volleyball when her dad took her to a UCLA Bruins vs. USC Trojans women’s volleyball game. She was instantly hooked. Watching the players spike balls, block shots, and serve up aces, she envisioned doing the same. Once she started playing, she decided to devote herself to volleyball exclusively.
Maya’s incredible dedication has yielded impressive results. In 8th grade, her club team earned third in the nation in Division 1, and she was recognized as Outstanding Player of the Week at IMG Academy’s prestigious training camp in Florida. Now a freshman, she is one of the youngest players on the CH Varsity Girls’ Volleyball team that won the 2024 CIF-Southern Section Girls Volleyball Division 4 Championship, and she was honored with the 2024 Gold Coast First Team All-League. Reflecting on her journey, she shared, “I used to compare myself to other players a lot. When I was able to beat some of the best players at Nationals, I gained a lot of confidence. It taught me not to underestimate myself and made me more aware of what I could do in the future.”
Part of Maya’s success comes from her mindset. She is an outside hitter and, at 5’8”, often plays against girls who are six or seven inches taller. “Honestly, that’s one of my biggest challenges,” she shared. “But I have to believe that I’m stronger than my opponent and that I’ve worked harder to get here.” She stays focused on moving forward: “If you make a mistake, you have to keep going.”
During the season, Maya dedicates 14-15 hours a week to training, balancing practices, strength sessions, and schoolwork. Despite her packed schedule, academics come first, and she dives into homework immediately after practice, leaving limited time for socializing. Her close bonds with her volleyball teammates, both at Campbell Hall and in club, provide a solid support system and translate into helping her with other aspects of her life. “I feel super close to my teammates,” she said. “I’ve learned how to work well with a wide range of people, which is also helpful when I have group projects at school.”
In addition to volleyball, Maya likes watching other sports and cheering on her dad’s favorite football teams. She’s also musically inclined, playing piano and singing, and she enjoys creative writing and World History.
Maya has big plans for the future while honoring the legacy of her Viking team. “I want to build on what this team has accomplished and hopefully help move us up to Division 1 before I graduate.” She consistently reaches her goals and has great advice for younger student-athletes hoping to do the same. “Work as hard as you can and stay consistent. I follow the same routine every day—the same workout plan, lifting schedule, and stretching to prevent injuries. And most importantly, make sure you’re having fun. I stay locked in, but I’m always loving it.”
List of 1 items.
Watson E. ’27
Varsity Cross Country and Track
As a Campbell Hall elementary school student, Watson E. ’27 competed in several sports, including flag football, soccer, baseball, and basketball. While he enjoyed the variety of challenges each sport offered, he often felt that he still had energy to burn after games and craved additional rigor.
Encouraged by his father, a lifelong runner, Watson decided to try running. In 7th grade, he joined the cross country and track teams, drawn to the sport’s linear progression with defined start and finish lines. He appreciated the endurance needed for events like the 800-meter and one-mile track races and the three-mile cross country meets.
During the season, Watson trains five times a week with his team and adds a solo run on weekends, logging about 40 miles weekly. Although cross country is an individual competition, team scores are combined for rankings, which motivates Watson to always give his best effort. But nothing gives him a greater boost than seeing his parents and coach cheering on the sidelines.
“Being part of two coed teams is a really unique experience,” said Watson. “Even though we don’t compete directly, I like that boys and girls train together and watch each other’s races. During the season, the whole team gets really close because we’re all working toward the same goal. Doing something physically demanding like this brings us together and builds our community past the track.”
Watson is goal-oriented. In track, he aimed to become the fastest Campbell Hall freshman in the one-mile event, achieving this by breaking the record by two seconds at his last meet of the season and qualifying for the CIF Preliminaries. During the 2023-24 school year, the Boys’ Track team placed second in the Gold Coast League. In the following 2024-25 season, Watson set a new personal record in cross country (16:00 minutes for a course just shy of three miles) and helped his team secure another second-place finish in the league, earning himself 2nd Team All-League honors.
“The most important thing in running is consistency,” Watson explained. “If you run every day, you’ll improve. You have to push through tough times, like at the two-mile marker when your brain says you can’t go on. That’s when you have to shift into another gear.” That mindset helps him not only in races but in other aspects of his life.
This year, Watson faced a setback when he was diagnosed with walking pneumonia, preventing him from running at full capacity and forcing him to miss a critical meet. “It was really hard having to miss a meet during the end of the season, which is the most important for moving on to finals.”
Beyond athletics, Watson’s favorite subject is History, and he also enjoys writing and math. He is part of the speech and debate team and is considering a career in law one day. In his free time, he draws, reads, plays pickleball, and hangs out with friends, maintaining a balance between academics, athletics, and social life.
Looking ahead, Watson aspires to run for a Division 1 college and help Campbell Hall bring home a state championship title. His advice to younger students interested in running is: “Go for it! Training is tough, and a lot of people quit in the first few weeks—but stick with it—it’s super rewarding!”
List of 1 items.
Kai B. ‘26
Varsity Boys' Tennis
Kai B. ’26 has been playing tennis since he was four years old. His mom, a former tennis player, inspired him to start. Kai was hooked the minute he stepped out onto the court.
Today, Kai is a skilled, nationally-ranked player who devotes up to three hours a day to training. One of his memorable moments was competing in the USTA Doubles Sectionals in 2019. Despite preferring singles, he played and won both the gender doubles and mixed doubles events. “I loved being out there on the court and doing what I enjoy,” Kai said. “It was a great tournament for me.”
Kai now travels to participate in tournaments across the country, his mom right there by his side. He loves getting to explore new places as he challenges himself to bring his game to the next level.
Kai has also had his share of setbacks, suffering numerous growth fractures from 2020-2022. “It was a big twist in my life,” he said. “It showed me how much more disciplined I needed to be to get back up to speed.” And, just recently, Kai was diagnosed with torn fibers in his ACL. Luckily, it was caught early, and with proper rest and rehabilitation, he will be back on the court within a matter of a few months. Despite any challenges or roadblocks he faces, Kai stays positive and motivated.
When asked what advice he would give younger players, Kai reflected for a few minutes. “Tennis has an 11-month season,” he explained. “So the most important thing is to love the sport because you’ll be playing it every day. You have to really love it in order to succeed.”
Kai wants to see all kids have access to the sport that has brought him so much joy. Through the nonprofit organization Second Serve, he collects and distributes gently used tennis equipment to underserved communities. He also coaches kids during breaks, sharing his skills and knowledge with younger players.
With aspirations of playing Division 1 college tennis, Kai is also focused on helping Campbell Hall win championships before he graduates. “It would be great to see a banner on the gym wall,” he laughed. One day he hopes to merge his passion for tennis with a business career. “Tennis will be a big part of my life, for the rest of my life,” said Kai.
Tyler P. ’25 is a standout athlete who excels in three sports: soccer, indoor volleyball, and beach volleyball. Playing these high-intensity sports year-round requires tremendous energy, which she matches with her talent and hard work.
Growing up with parents who were Division 1 athletes, sports were always central to Tyler’s life. As a child, her dad would take her and her brother to the park every day to toss a football, kick a soccer ball, or hit a baseball -- anything to keep them active. At age four, Tyler joined her first soccer team, kickstarting her journey as a budding athlete.
When her family relocated from New York to Los Angeles when Tyler was in 7th grade, her mom, a former volleyball player, introduced her to indoor volleyball. Tyler immediately took to the sport and soon gravitated towards beach volleyball, adding it to her growing list of athletic pursuits. She loves the multifaceted nature of the two-person beach volleyball team, where she engages in every aspect of the sport, including passing, setting, and hitting. And what better place to play beach volleyball than Southern California?
Tyler never felt like she had to choose just one sport to play. She followed her passions and found a way to juggle the demands of schoolwork, practices, games, and time with family and friends. “My parents threw me into everything when I was younger,” said Tyler. “It never occurred to me that I couldn’t do it all or that playing three sports was out of the ordinary.”
Tyler has had many athletic highlights. “Being part of the ring ceremony for winning the indoor volleyball CIF State Championship was incredible,” she said. She has also made it to the CIF-SS Finals for the last two years for indoor volleyball, won league titles for beach volleyball two years in a row, and helped her soccer team reach the CIF-SS Finals this year. She was named Second Team All-League in soccer last year. Tyler and her beach volleyball partner, Sierra S. ’24, made it to the finals and were named All-League MVPs this year. Tyler was also named Campbell Hall’s 2023-24 Outstanding Athlete of the Year in the High School Awards Chapel, adding another accolade to her impressive list.
Despite her successes, Tyler faced a setback when she tore a muscle in her ankle during her first indoor volleyball practice this year, sidelining her for most of the season. “I hated not being able to practice or play,” she said. “But being on the bench, I found a way to support my teammates by making up cheers and rooting for them really loudly. It ended up being such a blast. It helped me realize how much energy my teammates bring on the soccer bench too, and how that support from the sidelines fuels me.”
In season, Tyler has four to six practices a week, works out four times a week, and incorporates some form of movement daily, including folding hot yoga into her regimen. Her weekends are typically filled with games or tournaments. Her parents are incredibly supportive, driving her to early morning practices in Manhattan Beach and Santa Monica and attending all her games. “On days when I can’t make it down to the beach, my dad and I practice with a net we set up in the backyard,” she added. “He works out with me too.”
Tyler remains focused on improvement. “Having a growth mindset is something my parents taught me,” said Tyler. “You have to be open to failure and learning new things. I hate losing or being bad at something, but I take every mistake and learn from it, and that’s made me a much better player. Then you have to move on to the next play and not dwell on it.” Tyler’s fierce competitiveness also keeps her motivated and drives her success.
An excellent student who loves math and science, Tyler plans to pursue something business-related in the future. As a member of the student-athlete leadership committee, she serves as a voice for student-athletes and, as an Admissions Ambassador, enjoys touring prospective families and answering their questions about CH athletics. Her advice to younger students is: “Try everything! Do as much as you can and as much as you want to do, even if you’re scared you won’t be good at it. It helped me find what I love as well as the friendships I’ve made.”
As a rising senior, Tyler will take on new leadership positions in each of her sports in the 2024-25 school year and hopes to help bring home titles for each team. She also aspires to play beach volleyball in college. With her energy and enthusiasm, Tyler’s future is as bright as the Southern California sun she loves to play under.
Campbell Hall is a K-12 independent, Episcopal, gender-inclusive day school. We are a community of inquiry committed to academic excellence and to the nurturing of decent, loving, and responsible human beings.
Campbell Hall admits students of any race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national, and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletics and other school-administered programs.