The sibling duo of Siem and Winta Woldeab are currently reaping the benefits of a stellar junior career in Southern California. Siem currently plays Division 1 tennis at the University of Texas, while his younger sister, Winta, plays at Columbia University. The two La Mesa natives earned numerous accolades as juniors, any of which could have been a deciding factor in their recruitment to prestigious universities. In the case of these siblings, they had a unique edge, being renowned in Southern California for the attention that they pay to sportsmanship.

Like many tennis-playing siblings, the two grew up playing the sport with a built-in training partner and found themselves growing together with similar traits. For the Woldeab siblings, their most noticeable trait is their shared appreciation for fair play and a gentlemanly approach to the game.

“It was bred into us by our parents,” said Siem, “We’ve always grown up with a strong moral code in our household, putting forth good values before anything else. I think that’s just translated into the way we play tennis on the court.” Siem and Winta have both been recognized for their attitude, with each having been awarded the prestigious Evelyn Houseman Lifetime Junior Sportsmanship Award. The award is presented annually to one boy and one girl who have exemplified good sportsmanship throughout their junior tennis careers. Siem won the award first in 2019, and Winta won a year later in 2020.

Siem, being the oldest sibling, had his go at many sports growing up, but he found tennis to be the most exciting, and his influence extended to his sister. Both Winta and Siem believed that they started taking tennis seriously pretty quickly into their junior careers. They cited their enjoyment of playing tennis as just as important as their enjoyment of interacting with their peers at tournaments across the country. “We just always loved competing and being out there for tournaments,” explained Siem, “We loved talking it up with people there. When we started playing those national-level events, that’s when you really start to think about college.”

The siblings emphasized that over the course of their journey, they have found that sportsmanship is a necessity in tennis. Being sportsmanlike is not only a display of respect for the game and their opponents but also a way to get the most out of the sport. “When I think about the best connections and best relationships in my life,” explained Siem, “I have most of them through tennis, and if I wasn’t a good sport during tough moments on court, then I wouldn’t have those relationships today. I’m still reaping the benefits of being a good sport!”

His sister echoed his sentiments and bolstered his point, believing that sportsmanship is important on a more fundamental level. “A big lesson that we learned is to do unto others as you would like others to do unto you,” explained Winta. She personally recalled many times that she and her opponents would take the time to give each other feedback on points after matches, as a mutual show of respect and love for tennis. This attitude has brought the siblings a long way, and both believe that the attention that athletes pay to sportsmanship is a big upside for coaches during recruitment.

“I think college coaches definitely look at that,” said Siem. “They’re always looking for kids who are always willing to be considerate or kind and open to constructive criticism. I think all of that comes with being a good sport and lends itself to being coachable.” If the Woldeabs’ own success and prestigious college placements are anything to go by, it’s clear that SoCal juniors would benefit from paying attention to how they treat their peers and play the game.

The Woldeabs’ reputation clearly goes beyond their wins on the court, and Winta summarized their love for the game as synonymous with their knack for sportsmanship: “I think if you’re just focused on tennis and being a good sport on the tennis court, results will show for themselves!”

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