Amy Oku ’25, Co-Captain of Girls Tennis, has been dedicated to the sport since she first picked up a racket at age seven. Inspired by her older sister to begin the sport, Oku has now found her own pace as Co-Captain, leading by example both on and off the court. Nicknamed “Slaymy Amy” for her unwavering optimism and dedication to the team, Oku strives to foster a culture centered around courage, unity, and hard work.
Reflecting on her leadership style, Oku emphasized her focus on both the mental and physical sides of the sport, which she believes is crucial to her teammates’ success.
“Tennis can be a nerve-wracking sport, so I’m always there for any one of my teammates who needs a pep talk before or during a match. As a captain, I’m basically just here to make sure everyone is doing alright physically and emotionally, and I look for ways in which I can help out because tennis is a sport that requires both athleticism and a strong mentality,” said Oku.
For Oku, coming to Andover introduced a new team element to the sport that she had not experienced before. While the competitive nature and mental toughness in tennis is what drew her in, it is the team culture that has kept her going.
“My favorite aspect of the sport has honestly always been the individual aspect — how I get to just compete on the court as an individual player. But, coming into Andover, I really enjoy being around a team and having people supporting me and cheering me on as I play. It’s brought a really new supportive and fun aspect to the sport that I didn’t experience prior to Andover,” said Oku.
According to Claire Cheng ’25, Oku brings a supportive and attentive presence to the team, always there to offer a hug or some advice. Cheng described how Oku’s commitment to the sport itself, together with her dedication to the team, helps push the team to success.
“Amy is really good at checking in on all the girls and being really supportive. She’s always been cheering others on, whether it be her doubles teammate or [if] she’s on the sidelines watching someone else play. She’s always making sure we are going to Sykes [Wellness Center], the trainer, our coach, you name it, whenever we need it. She makes everyone feel wanted and loved and that’s why we call her ‘Slaymy Amy Oku,’” said Cheng.
Cheng continued, “In terms of her commitment to the sport, she leads by example in always showing up. Even during the winter term, I think she hit basically every single Monday and Wednesday… It’s really admirable because tennis can be really draining. A lot of the girls on the team have had love-hate relationships with tennis, but Amy alleviates that kind of tension between us and our sport with her commitment.”
Evelyn Kung ’26 appreciates Oku’s easygoing and kind nature, describing her as both a welcoming friend and fantastic player. Beyond her friendliness, Kung also admires Oku’s compassion and integrity in the sport.
“Amy is definitely very friendly with everyone on the team. She really takes the time to get to know everyone. In my freshman year, I was a bit intimidated by everyone on the team except for Amy. She’s just a very compassionate and caring person inherently…One of the best moments for Amy was a really close match we had, and her opponent was very blatantly [not playing with integrity]. Most other players would typically get angry, get mad, but Amy never loses her composure on the court. She always does the right thing even when her opponent doesn’t,” Kung.
Last season, Girls Tennis was defeated in the semifinals of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Finals. This season, Oku hopes to win the title and focus on the team’s doubles performance.
Oku said, “My goals this season are to strengthen our doubles pairings and win NEPSACs. In terms of college, I hope to play recreationally and continue having fun with the sport.”
Editor’s Note: Amy Oku was a Commentary Editor, Claire Cheng was a Copy Editor, and Valencia Zhang was the Chief Financial Officer for The Phillipian, Vol. CXLVII.
