Yee Ching “Candy” Wai shared her story of moving from Hong Kong to the United States and joining the Liberty tennis team, according to an April 14 announcement. Wai described how her journey through different countries shaped her outlook on family, faith, and competition.
Wai began playing tennis at age six in Hong Kong after being introduced to the sport by her brother. “My brother started playing tennis first,” she said. “My dad had a friend who taught beginners. He wanted us to try out different sports. My brother and I were pretty good; we chose tennis as our path.” Tennis soon became more than just a hobby for Wai—it opened doors for new opportunities.
Political unrest in Hong Kong influenced Wai’s decision to leave home at sixteen. “It was a politically tough time in Hong Kong at that time, lots of people were moving away,” she said. After spending time in England where she developed her skills further, Wai moved alone to Texas for college tennis at Tyler Junior College (TJC). There, she met a local couple who treated her like family: “They brought me into the family, I was a stranger to them and they just treated me like family… They showed me how you don’t have to be related by blood to be family.” This support system helped anchor her during times of transition.
At TJC, head coach Dash Connell played an important role in Wai’s development both on and off the court. “He was such a happy person, very positive, and he gave me lots of confidence,” she said about Connell’s influence before both moved on—Connell as coach at Liberty University and Wai later joining him there as an athlete.
Transitioning from junior college (JUCO) level play to Division I presented challenges for Wai but also motivated growth: “I was expecting to have to adapt a lot and improve a lot… The motivation and ambition seen on each player was very different compared to JUCO.” At Liberty University, faith became part of daily life with teammates praying after practices—a tradition that has influenced how she views competition: “That helps with our mental side as well… That puts less stress on us.” Now entering another season with Liberty’s women’s tennis team, Wai hopes “to hopefully be a role model” for younger players while pursuing collective goals.
Reflecting on all that has changed since leaving home years ago—and looking ahead—Wai concluded: “Everything happens because God has a plan for us.”
