From the Olympic Games to the dream of studying in the USA: Prep School participant Alona’s story

In this series, we share the stories of people involved in the Marta Kostyuk Foundation’s programmes. This time, we introduce Alona from Kryvyi Rih, a participant in Prep School, a Foundation programme that helps young tennis players prepare to apply to schools abroad and combine education with sport.

In the summer of 2024, Alona happened to switch on a broadcast of the Olympic Games. One of the first tennis matches she watched was Marta Kostyuk against Maria Sakkari. Alona had never played tennis herself, but the match sparked her interest so much that she began looking for somewhere to train in her hometown.

Today, tennis is on her mind most of the time. Alona dreams of attending an American school where she can combine her studies with regular training. She has already been selected for Ukraine Global Scholars (UGS) and is now working on her applications with the support of mentors.

Away from the court, Alona enjoys long walks, exploring new places, drawing, playing the guitar and learning foreign languages. She is also interested in psychology. Through these interests, she has come to understand something that would later become important in tennis too: progress takes time, practice and patience.

Tennis: where it all began at the Olympic Games

After watching the Olympics, Alona began following tennis matches and became increasingly eager to try the sport herself. However, finding somewhere to play in Kryvyi Rih proved difficult. Most of the facilities she found online were around two hours away from her neighbourhood.

She decided to visit nearby youth sports schools herself, asking whether there were any tennis courts in the area. Eventually, she discovered a tennis programme just 40 minutes from home.

Alona was 14 at the time, while most of the children in the group had started training at six. But it never occurred to her that she might be turned away because of her age. She arrived at the sports school during a training session, met the coach and began her journey in tennis.

Looking back, Alona realises how many things could have gone differently. There might not have been a tennis programme nearby, the groups could have been full, or she might not have been accepted because of her age. At the time, though, she was focused on how much she wanted to play, and everything worked out.

What she loves most about tennis is the emotion and the feeling of being completely present on court: “Tennis brings you back to the present moment. You’re here and now. Even when you experience defeats and negative emotions, you learn how to deal with them and control them.”

Alona enjoys how tennis demands a combination of physical fitness, technique and thinking. Having a good forehand is not enough if you do not know when to use it or where to place the ball. What fascinates her most, though, are the moments when movements become natural and she no longer has to consciously think through every detail of a shot.

The tennis community was another discovery. Alona had practised judo since the age of six, but in tennis she was surprised by how passionate even the youngest players could be. She saw children willing to train for hours, determined to improve their game and showing remarkable discipline.

Over time, tennis became so important to Alona that she began considering how she could continue training when making plans for her future education and career.

From drawing to tennis: learning not to compare herself with others

Long before her first tennis lesson, Alona had already gained experiences that taught her to be patient with her own progress.

She had loved drawing since childhood, quickly filling sketchbooks with new work. Yet she was often unhappy with the results, especially when comparing her drawings with those of artists online. Despite this, she kept drawing. Gradually, she began to notice improvements in her work and found herself enjoying the process more and more.

Something similar happened with music. Alona used to play the piano but had to stop taking lessons for various reasons. A few years later, she decided to learn the guitar and enrolled in a music school. At first, she loved the new instrument, but over time she began comparing it with the piano and questioning her choice.

According to Alona, someone helped her rediscover the same love for the guitar that she had felt when she first started learning. Now, whenever she finds herself wondering how things might have turned out differently, she remembers how important music has become to her.

These experiences helped Alona understand that she does not have to achieve great results or have a clearly defined goal straight away. Sometimes, it is enough to keep doing something you enjoy and gradually gain experience along the way.

Finding a way to keep playing

Once Alona started playing tennis, she increasingly began thinking about how to keep the sport in her life. She knew that sooner or later she would leave Kryvyi Rih, and finding somewhere new to train regularly might be difficult.

My dream is to keep playing. I don’t expect myself to achieve great results or accomplish anything extraordinary. I simply want to play and train every day, both on and off the court.

That is why, when considering her future education and career, Alona also thinks about the time and financial resources she will need for tennis. Her biggest goal today is to attend an American boarding school where she can combine her studies with sport.

She first considered this possibility in 2025, when she learnt about the Marta Kostyuk Foundation’s partnership with Ukraine Global Scholars. At the time, Alona did not fully understand how the admissions process for American schools worked, but she was eager to give it a try.

She now has a better understanding of the challenges ahead. Not all American boarding schools offer the opportunity to play tennis throughout the year, and she will have to compete for a place on the team. She also has concerns about adapting to a new environment.

Even so, the opportunity to continue her education while training remains her biggest motivation.

Prep School and a second attempt at applying

In 2025, Alona applied to Ukraine Global Scholars for the first time but was not selected. She decided to work on her weaknesses and was determined to try again.

When the Marta Kostyuk Foundation opened applications for Prep School, Alona immediately decided to join. She had mainly expected the programme to help her prepare for entrance tests, but she gained much more from it.

Each week, participants met new lecturers and explored different aspects of applying to and studying abroad. Among the sessions Alona remembers were a conversation with Anastasiia Lopata, a tennis player who represents an American university team, an opportunity to ask questions about UGS, and a public speaking workshop.

She particularly appreciated the teachers who managed to combine learning, humour and a welcoming atmosphere, making the sessions both enjoyable and useful.

The session that stayed with Alona the most was led by public speaking expert Oleksandr Zaioma. Participants spoke about themselves, their goals and how they wanted to present themselves. Oleksandr demonstrated how the same facts could be expressed differently to make a story more compelling.

Alona was struck by how much the way a story is told can change how people perceive it. When participants admired Oleksandr’s ability to tell their stories, he reminded them that they had provided all those facts themselves.

This session taught me to see potential. Now I can look at all the facts, and although I don’t always immediately know how best to use them, I understand that every detail in life can lead to countless ideas and opportunities.

For Alona, this became one of the most important lessons of the programme: her own experiences already contain plenty of interesting stories. She just needs to learn how to tell them better.

From a dream to a clear goal

After taking part in Prep School, Alona successfully passed the selection process for Ukraine Global Scholars. She is now working on her applications to American schools with support from the programme’s mentors.

There is still plenty of work ahead, but her main ambition has not changed. Alona wants to find a school where she can continue playing tennis while pursuing her education.

So it’s both a dream and a goal at the same time. What once seemed out of reach has now become a conscious goal: studying in America.

For Alona, it all began with a tennis match she happened to watch. Now, the sport she discovered at 14 has become an important part of her plans for the future.