Mia Esteban hopes to follow in the footsteps of her sister, Paris Olympic-bound fencer Maxine Esteban, and carve a name for herself, albeit in an entirely different sport.
Coming from a family of athletes, it’s only natural for Mia to search for a sport that fits her well and makes her feel comfortable.
While she played volleyball in college and also competed as a fencer like her sister, the younger Esteban found love in one of the fastest-growing sports in the country – pickleball.
A paddle sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis, pickleball started as a leisure activity for Esteban but soon became a sport she wanted to compete in and be known for.
“I took up pickleball recreationally at first because I wanted to play a sport that would encourage my mother to stay fit and work out with me, and I wanted a sport that my boyfriend and I could play together,” shared the 23-year-old Esteban, a cum laude graduate of Management Engineering at Ateneo last year.
Esteban has started to make a name for herself in the pickleball circuit and even secured a sponsorship deal with Joola, a renowned US-based paddle brand for pickleball and table tennis.
“It feels absolutely unreal to have this opportunity to be sponsored by Joola, to train under them and Javaj Academy, and one day compete representing them,” she said.
“I’m not exactly sure why they chose me out of all the capable pickleball athletes out there, but I was told it was because of my ability to learn quickly, my teachability, and the potential they saw in me to become a professional athlete,” she added.
Of course, those abilities run in the blood of the Esteban family, with her older sister Maxine now representing the Ivory Coast and battling all odds to fulfill her cherished dream of playing in the Olympics.
While admittedly feeling the pressure that comes with being the sister of an Olympic-caliber athlete, Mia uses that as inspiration to strive and become the best version of herself someday.
But don’t get Mia wrong. There’s no sibling rivalry between them.
“To be a sister of an Olympian is both daunting and inspiring. She is everything I can only hope to be, especially in the sports arena,” she said of her sister Maxine.
“And while it is daunting to rise up and try to somehow match her, I also know firsthand that dreams happen when you put all of your heart into it,” she added.
With her steely resolve, it’s not surprising if someday Mia Esteban will also represent the country in international tournaments.
