From taking classes through Irvine Virtual Academy (IVA) in the morning to spending afternoons practicing on the tennis court, freshman Jaxon Moore is among the newest additions to Portola High’s varsity boys tennis team. 

Moore’s journey to the varsity lineup began with a pivot from his previous sport. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Moore was a baseball player, but the lockdown made team sports difficult to maintain. Tennis offered a more accessible way to stay competitive — leading him to start practicing regularly with his father and to form a closer connection with his brother, who plays Division I tennis for the U.S. Air Force Academy.

“[My mom said that] if the pandemic never hit, I would have just played baseball,” Moore said. “It’s been more enjoyable because I can really connect with my brother more through tennis. If I’m having a bad day, I’ll text him about it. He says he really wants me to become a better player than him.”

Moore is enrolled in IVA, which integrates the IUSD curriculum with a flexible, remote learning environment. The online curriculum allows him to balance schoolwork with extra time on the tennis court. In matches, Moore is generally very supportive of his teammates and encourages them to grow.

“He brings a lot of energy,” boys head tennis coach Natasha Schottland said. “He’s very loud on court. He’s very team-spirited, very team-oriented and wants to support his teammates. He brings the level of play up [and] definitely inspires a lot of the kids who are a little bit lower in their standing to play better.”

His commitment has already earned the respect of his teammates. Moore’s doubles partner and team captain, junior Anthony Nguyen, said Moore’s work ethic is visible to the entire team during daily practices. In addition, Moore has also developed chemistry with Nguyen, recently sweeping their matches against Beckman High School. 

“Jaxon has really helped me learn how to keep my composure,” Nguyen said. “He’s always encouraging me to do better the next point and helping me forget about the bad ones I made. He balances [IVA and tennis] really well. He’s always there, he’s always showing effort.”

As a freshman, Moore is looking toward a long career with the team. He hopes to eventually move up in the lineup and transition into playing singles. For now, Moore said he is focused on the collective success of the team.

“My favorite part is definitely cheering for the team and really playing for the team, being patriotic for the team,” Moore said. “Having that drive to win, not just for yourself, but also for the team, [is really] enjoyable.”