Women's Swimming Recruiting / California / Irvine, CA / Portola High School (Irvine) / Kainani Wong

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Kainani Wong '21 Recruiting Profile

Portola High School (Irvine)Irvine, CAWomen's Swimming

College Coach? Log in to get contact info

ClubSOCAL Aquatics

Height5'8"

Weight135lbs

Age20

Primary Position100 Back

Secondary Position100 Fly

Dominant HandRight

100 Back LCM1:11.94

100 Fly LCM1:09.73

50 Free LCM29.03

100 Back SCY59.89

100 Fly SCY1:00.62

50 Back SCY27.91

50 Free SCY25.76

Video

Kai Wong - 100 YD...

Kai Wong - April ...

100 fly - 1:01.03...

Personal Statement

My name is Kai Wong and I am a student-athlete enrolled at Portola High School (Irvine, CA), as well as a club swimmer for SOCAL Aquatics Association. Until recently, I have faced challenges that I had to take on mentally and physically. In 2017, my family moved school districts, which meant leaving my childhood friends and being exposed to a new school and more a challenging academic curriculum. Moving school districts put me outside of my comfort zone, which at the time, was something I was not used to and did not like at first. However, there was something I did learn from the whole experience. I learned to never give into situations because I was uncomfortable. There will always be new work environments, new people, and difficult situations I will face in my future. I turned my negative energy into positive energy to reach new heights in the classroom and in the pool. Portola High School welcomed its first class of freshmen in 2016. In May 2018, I was a freshman and a member of the 2nd graduating class, as well as a part of the Women's Swimming and Diving Team. I became one of the first athletes to represent the Portola Bulldogs in CIF. In addition, as a freshman, I was lucky enough to be honored with the Rookie of the Year Award for Portola High School's Women's Swimming and Diving Team plus the Bulldog PRIDE Award, an award given to a student who demonstrates all PRIDE values (perseverance, respect, integrity, drive, and empathy).

I initially became involved in swimming when my parents encouraged me to take swim lessons at a very young age. I did not focus on the sport entirely until I was 8 years old, and I did not take it seriously until 11 years old. I have carried my passion of swimming because I love to have fun with my teammates and display the best team spirit at swim meets. In college, I want to continue to further pursue my passion for swimming. I will bring my incredible work ethic and team spirit to every swim practice and swim meet. I hope to attend a college that has a phenomenal school spirit and pride which reflects in their athletic and academic fields.

Social Media Handle:

Instagram: _kaiwong_

Athletics

High School Information

Years w/ Varsity
4 years
2021 Varsity Team
Individual Awards
2021 Varsity Captain
2020 Varsity Team
Individual Awards
2020 Varsity Captain
2019 Varsity Team
Individual Awards
Portola Athlete of the Month - April 2019; 2019 Portola ESPY Award - Best Individual Performance - Female; Spring Sports Bulldog Top Dog Award; 2019 Varsity Girls Coach's Award
2018 Varsity Team
Individual Awards
CIF SS Div 1 Consideration time, 100 back: 1:01:92, Freelance Invitational 1st in 100 back and 100 fly; set 100 fly meet record at 1:02:20, 2018 Varsity Girls Rookie of the Year
Team Awards
Conference Champs, 1st Place Overall (Team & Women's) in Freelance League

Club Information

Seasons of Club Experience
4 seasons
2021 SOCAL Aquatics (Gold)
2020 SOCAL Aquatics (Gold)
2019 CA SCS WAG at GWSC in Huntington Beach - 2 time finalist (100 back, 50 free) and alternate for the 100 fly final, member of 200/400 IM relay (butterfly leg) that achieved 2nd. 50 fly split was 27.22. Member of 200 free relay that took 1st. Member of 800 free relay that took 3rd.
2019 SoCal Aquatics (Gold (formerly Senior 2))
2018 CA SBSC/SCS WAG at Ventura - 2 time finalist (100 back, 200 back), member of 200/400 IM relay (butterfly leg) that achieved 1st. 400 IM relay time was the fastest of the three locations. 50 fly split was 27:40....SCS/Lakewood Senior Invite 2018 CA - 2 time finalist in the 200 IM and 100 free. Notably 100 free was PR at 58:08.
2018 SoCal Aquatics Association (Senior 2)
2017 CA GSC/SCS Winter Age Group Champs 12/5/17: 2 time finalist (200 Back, 100 Back), Butterfly leg in 400 IM Relay Team A - 1:01.60 (3rd place), Butterfly leg in 200 IM Relay Team A - 27:50 (2nd place), lead off for 400 Free Relay Team B - 59:53 (5th place).....Lakewood Senior Invite 12/15/17: 4 time finalist (200 fly, 400 IM, 100 Back, 200 Breast), lead off for 200 IM Relay Team B - 29:43 (5th place), anchor for 800 free relay Team B - 2:06.76 (6th place).....2018 La Mirada June Invite 6/14/18: 3 time finalist (200 m Back, 100m Fly, 100m Back), lead off back for 400m Medley Relay Team B - 1:13:29 (8th place), lead off 50m free for 200m free Relay Team B - 30:84 (12th place), butterfly leg for 200 IM Relay team A - 31:36 (3rd place)

Coach References

Club Coach
Steve Pickell
High School Head Coach
Kellie Lawicki

Events

Camp/Event
2019 Winter Age Group Invite
12/14/19 to 12/15/19
2019 CA SCS WAG at GWSC in Huntington Beach - 2 time finalist (100 back, 50 free) and alternate for the 100 fly final, member of 200/400 IM relay (butterfly leg) that achieved 2nd. 50 fly split was 27.22. Member of 200 free relay that took 1st. Member of 800 free relay that took 3rd.
Camp/Event
2019 Kevin Perry Senior Invitational
10/31/19 to 11/03/19
PB in 50 free: 25.78; SB times in 100 back, 100 fly and 200 back.
Camp/Event
2019 Summer JO
7/24/19 to 7/28/19
Events scheduled: 200m back, 50m free, 100m fly, 100m back, 400m IM, 200m fly. Swam butterfly leg in 200 medley relay. Achieved PB in 50m free as lead off for the 200 free relay: 29.03
Camp/Event
2019 Community Service Program - Fiji (Putney Student Travel)
6/25/19 to 7/16/19
Student travel to Fiji to participate in community service by building an awning for a walkway from the teacher residences to the village school. Kai lived in the village of Tongo on the island of Qamea, just off Taveuni Island in Fiji. Kai received 60-70 hours of community service hours that can be applied to the 2019-2020 academic year. Latest blog post showing construction project with a feature photo of Kai with a level: http://csfiji.goputney.com/2019/07/11/all-hands-on-deck/
Camp/Event
Swim Meet of the Champions
6/21/19 to 6/23/19
Event results: 50m back: 33.95 (PB), 200 back: 2:35.87, 100m back: 1:12.66, 100m fly: 1:12.08
Camp/Event
2019 June Age Group Invite
6/13/19 to 6/16/19
Finalist in the 200 Back (finals time 2:35.32), alternate for the 100 fly final (1:10.07 prelim time), finalist in the 100 back (finals time 1:12.54). 400 medley relay 100 fly split was 1:11.16; 200 medley 50 fly relay split was 30.63; 200 free relay split was the fastest split at 29.06, overall team time was 1:59.94, dropping 1.15 seconds.
Camp/Event
2019 CIF-SS Div 1 Prelims
5/02/19 to 5/02/19
First female swimmer in Portola history to qualify for an individual event in CIF SS Div 1 prelims (100 back) plus participate in all three relays. Led off 200 medley relay with 50 back at 27.91 (.05 faster than PY at CIF Div 1); overall team time was 1:53.08, an improvement of .77 seconds, and the team was a heat winner. Swam 2nd leg of 200 free relay at 25.26; overall team time was 1:42.09, an improvement of 2.88 seconds. Swam the 100 back and dropped .73 seconds, new PB is 59.89 - heat winner and placed 25th overall, improving 8 spots from a #33 seed. Swam 2nd leg of 400 free relay at 56.21. Team time was 3:45.58, dropping 3.98 seconds. All times are PB with the backstroke times as official.
Camp/Event
2019 Pacific Coast League Championships
4/23/19 to 4/26/19
Lead off on the 200 Medley Relay team, 50 back time at 28.00. Prelim time for 100 fly at 1:01.00, 9th place consol finals. Finals at 9th place dropping another .4 at 1:00.60. Prelim time for 100 back at 1:01.30, 6th place for the championship final. Finals at 6th place dropping another .69 at 1:00.62, landing at #33 seed for CIF Southern Section Prelims. Lead off for the 400 Free relay, dropping .48 from best relay start for the 100 free. Personal best at 57.10. First ever Portola Girls Swimming Athlete to achieve an individual event seed in Div 1 CIF Southern Section.
Camp/Event
Orange County Championships
4/05/19 to 4/06/19
3rd overall in 100 fly at 1:01.55, first in 100 back at 1:01.26. Four new school records set in 100 fly, 100 back, and 200 Medley relay, 200 free relay (to be broken again later at CIF SS Div 1).
Camp/Event
2018 CIF Southern Section - Div 1 Championships
5/10/18 to 5/10/18
Kai Wong was the lead off swimmer on 200 Medley and 400 Free Varsity Girls relay teams. These teams were the first ever Portola High School teams to qualify for CIF Div 1 with just freshmen and sophomores. Portola High School was established in 2016. 2017-2018 school year, teams could qualify for CIF Div 1 despite 2nd year in Freelance status. Starting in 2018-2019, Portola will be officially in the Pacific Coast League, Div 1, CIF Southern Section.
Camp/Event
2018 Freelance Invitational
4/28/18 to 4/28/18
Meet record for 100 fly at 1:02:20, 1st in 100 Back and 100 Fly, Portola swept all four levels of competition (boys and girls) FS, JV, and Varsity. One of three Portola Girls Varsity swimmers and only freshman to score the maximum number of points: 40.

Statistics

Event	2020 Varsity Team	2020 SOCAL Aquatics	2019 Varsity Team	2019 SoCal Aquatics	2018 Varsity Team	2018 SoCal Aquatics
50Y Free	26.23	25.76	26.05	25:87	26:40	26.25
200Y Free	2:08.51	2:05.66		2:06.76		2:08:41
50Y Back	29.84		27.91		27:96	27:96
50Y Breast	35.10		34.72
50Y Fly	28.63		28.53		28:64
100Y Fly	1:03.99	1:02.34	1:00.60	1:01.03	1:02:20	1:01.59
400Y Free Relay (Split)	57.49	56.47	56.21		58:55
200Y Med Relay (Split)	27.94 (50 fly)	27.22 (50 fly)	27.91		27:96
50M Free		30.15		29.03		30.71
100Y Free		56.69	57.10	57:62	58:55	58.92
200M Free		2:26.04				2:29.11
100Y Back		1:00.60	59.89	1:01.43	1:01:92	1:01.01
200M Back		2:39.51		2:35.32		2:34:76
200Y Back		2:14.79		2:13.06		2:12.51
100M Fly		1:11.89		1:10.02		1:09:73
200Y Free Relay (Split)		25.34	25.23		26:71
800Y Free Relay (Split)		2:04.50
400Y Med Relay (Split)		1:01.94 (100 fly)
500Y Free			5:46.66	5:38.39	5:49:67	5:53:87
200Y IM			2:22.17	2:21.06		2:20.87
100M Free				1:07.17		1:08.00
50M Back				33.95		34:32
100M Back				1:12.54		1:11:94
100Y Breast				1:15.10
200M Breast				3:11.66
200Y Fly				2:20.02		2:20.49
200M Free Relay (Split)				29.03
400M Free Relay (Split)				1:05.59
200M Med Relay (Split)				30.63 (fly)
400M Med Relay (Split)				1.11.63 (fly)
200M IM				2:42.06
400Y IM				4:57.21		4:55:14
400M Free						5:16:40
200M Fly						2:40.68
400M IM						5:44.41

Academics

Grades

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Test Scores

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College Coach? Log in to get contact info

High School Information

High SchoolPortola High School (Irvine)

StateCalifornia

Phone(949) 936-8200

Academic Accomplishments

Are you in honor classes?

Yes. 9th Grade: Honors World History, Honors Literature Language Arts, Honors Living Earth, Math 2... 10th Grade: Honors American History, Honors American Lit, Honors Chemistry... 11th Grade: Honors Pre-calculus, Dystopian Film and Literature... 12th Grade: Honors Passion Civics

Are you in AP/IB classes?

Yes. 11th grade: AP Environmental AP Physics... 12th Grade: AP Calculus AB AP Physics C AP Lang/Lit

Registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center?

Yes

Awards and Activities

AwardsDrive - November 2017 - Art, Respect - February 2018 - Honors Science, BULLDOG PRIDE AWARD - 2nd Semester 2018 (Math), Scholar Athlete - 2019 Varsity Swim Season, Respect -September 2019 -Honors Pre-Calculus, Drive - November 2019 - ASB, 2019-2020 Portola High School Excellence Award (Top Dog Award) - Service to the School
Activities9th Grade: FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), Ping-Pong Club, 25 hours of service hours (Second Harvest Food Bank and Socal Aquatics)... 10th Grade: 2018-2019 School Year Pegasus House VP (ASB), FCA, 25 hours of service hours (Gold Rush Org for Pediatric Cancer Research, SoCal Aquatics), NEGU (Never Ever Give Up), WE Club... 11th Grade: 2019-2020 School Year Girls Athletic Commissioner (ASB), FCA, NEGU, WE Club, 70 service hours (Putney Student Travel Service Trip to Fiji), Student Rep for Portola for 2020 WASC Accreditation Visit. Podcast with OC Student Sections (affiliated with OC Register) - Portola Student Section is the only Irvine Unified Student Section ranked in the Top 25 in OC due to Kai's efforts as Girls Athletics Commissioner: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5rRUsc5zDJ12bhHLGq18Qn?si=MlMlcrieR-eWIvDTClQ7oA... 12th Grade: 2020-2021 Link Crew, 2020-2021 Spirit and Rally Commissioner, FCA, NEGU, WE Club