by Ainsley Northrop
People Editor

Whether she is playing one of her many sports, whittling a wooden dinosaur, or completing her mountainous stack of homework, Los Gatos High School sophomore Cami Lui approaches life with a dedicated mindset.

Lui has been a volleyball player since the sixth grade. She explained that it was never a well-thought-out plan to try out for the Fisher Middle School team, but rather a spur of the moment decision. Even though she did not make the cut, Lui continued to play volleyball and used the time COVID provided to improve her technique. She elaborated, “I did a bunch of camps, and I tried really hard.” In freshman year, her hard work paid off: she made the team, which she recalled as a remarkable memory. This year, Lui forged a new path by signing up for the LGHS tennis team instead; however, she continues playing volleyball at her club, Tropical Touch. 

While she loved the LGHS volleyball experience, Lui also thoroughly enjoyed her first year on the LGHS tennis team. She explained her background in the sport, saying “[tennis] was a thing I did casually because my dad and I used to play when I was younger. We’d go to Blossom Hill Park and play there for fun.” These fun memories in conjunction with having friends on the team furthered her enthusiasm for the sport. She detailed that even though the 2022-23 season has already come to a close, teammates still play together. 

Despite being a seasoned volleyball and tennis player, Lui’s current focus is badminton, which she officially picked up last year. She detailed her thoughts on the sport: “It’s not super intense [like other sports] when you are running all day in the hot sun…when I first joined badminton, it was for fun, and I still do play for fun…but it is definitely something you have to be serious about.” Lui takes her sports seriously and loves the communities she has become a part of through them. “I’m truly good friends with some of [my teammates], and I still talk to them even [after the seasons end].”

Outside of sports, Lui puts her creativity to work in classes such as Manufacturing Technology. Some of the projects she is most proud of include a hand-whittled dinosaur and a lamp. She was particularly passionate about how she not only designed the base of the lamp, but she also wired it, creating a functional product. Lui spends countless tutorials in this class, catching up on work and perfecting her projects. In addition to manufacturing, Lui loves chemistry, particularly the bunsen burner labs, as well as spending time with her german shepard, Shelby.

Whether she is on the tennis court, in the gym playing badminton, perfecting her volleyball skills, or manufacturing amazing products, Lui jumps in wholeheartedly. Lui consistently showcases her commitment to all of her activities and is bound for success in the years to come.