Training day is every day for Punahou tennis champ Jim On

Payton Jim On always had that chip on his shoulder. Coach Ikaika Jobe was willing to bring some humility. Together, through the fire, they forged a state tennis champion.

At the beginning, though, Jim On had some catching up to do. He tried tennis at 9. It was a struggle. He had played baseball since he was 4, and played football, basketball and soccer.

“I was pretty bad. I would run and my arms wouldn’t move. I was really slow,” he recalled.

Jim On went to Fit RM Academy and worked with Randy Morris.

“I’ve been going there since I was 9. I told them I want to become a good tennis player. I was really not athletic, and he shaped me into who I am as an athlete today,” said Jim On, the state singles champion last year as a sophomore.

The work on and off the court was transformational. By 11, Jim On entered the Ace 1 squad of elite middle-school players in Punahou’s 500-player tennis development program. By then, he did not lack for confidence. He spotted a new face one day at the courts.

“I was the first one there to hit on the wall. I thought, ‘Who’s this new guy?’ I wanted to play him. ‘Hey, what’s your name? Let’s play.’ He said, ‘Game to 10, try to get a point.’ I was like, I’m going to win,” Jim On said.

The same tenacity he brought to football and baseball, the mentality of his athletic family, never ceased. So Jim On went at the “new guy” — Ikaika Jobe.

“I definitely had a swagger to my step. I think every coach hates me at first because I always want to prove myself. What better way than playing them? I don’t know if that’s a good trait to have. I’m very competitive and I just want to get better,” he said.

So they went at it. Jim On had no idea that Jobe was going to be the new director of the tennis program and his future head coach.

“He was 11 when I first saw him, one of our better middle-school kids as a sixth grader. He kind of separated himself from the pack over the years,” Jobe recalled.

The coach never mentions that initial on-court battle five years ago, but Jim On describes it like it happened yesterday.

“It was annoying. He went up 5-0, said, ‘I’m halfway there. I’m not even trying. That was our first encounter,” he said. “I lost 10-0. After that, I definitely respected him a lot more every day for what he does for everyone.”

Over the years, despite their different playing styles, Jobe’s knowledge and even-keeled teaching style brought the best out of his No. 1 singles player.

“I’m just myself around him. Coach Ikaika’s the best. He definitely helped me all these years,” noting that some of that evolution came through more on-court battles with Jobe, the 2001 state singles champion.

“He can still rip the ball. He shows me the next level. I’m not quite there yet. When I play him, he still destroyed me. I’d probably get one or two games, and he would take the set,” Jim On said. “Ikaika’s a very interesting game style. I hate playing it. A 120 mph serve, a huge forehand and he’ll just be at net ready. The point isn’t in your control at any time. It’s basically if he’s going to be make the shot or not. Strong guy, about 6 feet, and he can hit bombs. His ball is really heavy, bounces really high.”

That has been the wiring in Jim On’s schematic, understanding that he is built for a different kind of game.

“I hear Michael Chang (comparisons) quite a bit. It’s true — I do like to rally. When I see my opponent scream, it gives me some comfort. I unintentionally wear them down. I kind of think, I’m going to win this point, but I’m going to be patient, as well. I wait for my opportunities,” he said. “I don’t have a lot of power because I’m not a big guy.”

Coincidentally, Jim On got to see Chang at the Easter Bowl before spring break ended.

“I actually got to see him on the mainland. His daughter is a good player. I think she’s like 11 and she can rally all day and win. I think she’s playing 14-under,” Jim On said.

Jim On entered the prep ranks with a legacy to uphold. Older brother Austin was the starting quarterback when ‘Iolani won the 2014 Division II title. Barry Jim On, their father, played football and baseball. An uncle, Taylor Tom, played tennis at Washington. Payton, named after the late Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton, considered himself a real long shot from the start.

“My dad loved him as a player and a person,” Jim On said.

He’s heard about Walter Payton’s legendary offseason workouts on the hills of Mississippi. Payton would keep going while friends from the NFL would stop in the heat, regurgitate and call it a day.

“That’s probably me. I have to be creative here. I don’t know how hard the other guys are training on the mainland,” Jim On said. “I destroy myself and, hopefully, I improve. I train until I fail and I keep pushing.”

As of last week, the Punahou boys team added another crown, defeating defending champion University (Calif.) 5-4 in the final of the All-American tournament in Newport Beach. Trailing 4-2, the Buffanblu won the final three matches. No. 6 Seiya Kudo and No. 5 Tanner Ige pulled out wins to rally Punahou to the title.

The Buffanblu hadn’t played at a mainland tournament during the ILH season for roughly two decades, according to Jobe. Jim On went 3-1 at the All-American, losing his match on the final day. Just more fuel for his motivational fire. Jobe is still fascinated by Jim On’s passion for the game.

“His mental toughness, being open to grind and put in the time. He could not miss a ball if he wanted to, but he could pop a winner, as well. His serve and net game have improved,” Jobe said. “He went to the Easter Bowl and beat the sixth seed, Corona Del Mar’s best player, who’s going to USC.”

Jim On has received more interest from college coaches since the mainland journey. Punahou’s tennis dynasty shows no signs of slippage or complacency.

“Payton’s more of a quiet guy. Focused. When he’s with the team, he is more vocal and leads by example. He can be the loudest cheer when he needs to be,” Jobe said.

Jim On has a 3.7 grade-point average and plans to major in a business-related field at college. Mastering the fundamentals on the tennis court works hand-in-hand with his academics. Math, he says, has always been a struggle, but extra effort — and asking for help — make a difference. Training off the court is his superpower.

“Just being a good athlete who plays tennis is more important than being a tennis player. Some weeks, I’ll get eight to 10 hours on court compared to someone who gets 12 to 16 hours,” Jim On said.

During the summer, he trains at the beach three times a week. Even during the ILH season, he squeezes in one beach workout per week.

“Running the the water, jumping, a half-hour of core work. A bucket of sand, running with it. My fitness coach makes me drag it across the beach and your butt can’t leave the ground,” Jim On said. “It’s pretty difficult.”

Then there’s the trail up Koko Head — while carrying a medicine ball.

“It definitely makes me better. I used to run Koko Head with Chris Paige,” he said of the former Punahou and current Princeton wide receiver.

At home, there’s a rack in the living room, where he does bench and shoulder presses.

“I keep it pretty simple — three sets of 10 or 12, high reps for endurance. If I need spotting, it’s my brother, Austin. I always have to beat him in some way. He was the first state champion in our family,” he said.

Before tennis practice, Jim On does his miles. One of his favorite movies is “Rocky,” and putting in the road work is one of his staples.

“Sometimes I run in the back of the valley — 3 miles. The longer route is 4 miles. It’s pretty tough. I started running it the beginning of sophomore year to get more conditioned. It was pretty brutal in the beginning, but then slowly I got used to it,” Jim On said. “Now, I’m in pretty good shape.”

He recently added swimming to his workout portfolio.

“I’m surprisingly bad at it now. An hour basically drowning in the ocean. I come out tired, but I know I worked hard,” he said.

Jobe has noticed.

“I’m really proud of him, worked many years with him, just part of his team. Proud of how he embraces the team aspect and he’s ready to do anything that’s in the best interest of the team,” said Jobe, now in his eighth year as boys coach. “I would love for my son to have many of his traits. A great kid, hard worker.He had his bags packed two days before the trip.”

The boys team, 14 players in all, will never forget their years together.

“All that experience is bonding. There’s a few guys on my varsity team that I still keep in touch with,” said Jobe, 40. “We went running with the bulls five years ago. A surf trip in Spain, France and running with the bulls.”

Jobe’s intuition about this year’s squad was spot on.

“Passionate and hard-working,” he said of the group. “Team players.”

Jim On’s toughest competition statewide may come from a familiar face in house: teammate Andre Ajed.

“My doubles partner didn’t play last year. He was focusing on getting recruited,” he said.

“Payton is a good individual. He is caring and tries to help other people when they ask for help, helping other kids in tennis by hitting balls with them, helping us with chores, helping friends with activities like recycling tennis balls,” mother Cara said. “Payton has a kind heart and is willing to stick up for the people he cares about.”

PAYTON JIM ON

Punahou tennis • Junior

>> Top 3 movies/shows: 1. “Rush Hour 2.” “Chris Tucker was at his funniest in this one. I’m Chinese, so the jokes are pretty funny.” 2. “Rocky.” “That was my favorite movie growing up.” 3. “Breaking Bad.” “I watched that in two weeks. That wasn’t very healthy.”

>> Top 3 food/snacks/drinks: 1. Shoyu ramen, extra noodles (Goma Tei Ramen, Kahala Mall) 2. Dim sum (Legends Seafood Restaurant) 3. Chicken katsu, loco moco (L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, Manoa)

>> Top 3 homemade foods: 1. Mom’s chicken curry 2. Mom’s mapo tofu 3. Dad’s fried rice. “My mom (Cora) would teach me, but I’m usually never home before 8, 8:15. I’ll learn it eventually. She said it’s easy. My dad (Barry) puts more oyster sauce in his fried rice. He puts kim chi sometimes.”

>> Top 3 music artists (and your favorite song by each): 1. Kendrick Lamar (“Alright”) 2. Common Kings (“24/7”) 3. Drake (“Forever”). “ ‘Forever’ is my pump-up song before every match since I was 10. I’m not really superstitious about anything, but my rhythm when I play will be better. Routine is pretty important.”

>> Favorite class: English, seventh grade. “Currently, it’s American Studies. In seventh grade, we were all so rascal we had to have a dean there every Friday. I didn’t get in trouble. It wasn’t really me. That class had every rascal person in the grade and I was just put in there with them. They’re doing better now. They’re doing great. They all have great social skills.”

>> Favorite teacher: Mrs. (Leslee) Hosoda, eighth grade math. “She was good because I was really bad at math. I still am, but eighth grade I definitely peaked in math because she taught the class really well. Even if I fell behind a little bit, I’d go in for extra help and she’d understand how I was thinking, and help me adjust.”

>> Favorite team: St. Louis Cardinals. “We haven’t been good since 2011, but that’s all right.”

>> Funniest teammate: Alex Doane. “He’s all-around goofy. Anything that comes out of his mouth is not right, not serious. I think he makes the whole team laugh. He’s an interesting guy.”

>> Smartest teammate: Caleb Lee. “All the guy does is study. I respect the discipline. He’s really smart.”

>> GPA: 3.7

>> Time machine. “I would go see Michael Jackson live at least once. Then I’d probably go to my fifth grade year. One time, hang out with all my friends again. Lot of my friends moved, so that would be a nice one to see them all again.”

>> New life skill. “I got my driver’s license. Managing my own training is pretty challenging. That’s kind of new.”

>> Bucket list. “Everyone has to skydive. That’s not a very original one, but I’ll do it. And a trip with my friends would be cool. Anywhere, maybe Asia. Japan. Good food.”

>> Shoutouts. “Fit RM Academy, Coach Randy (Morris). Shoutout to my parents, of course. Big support all the time. My brother (Austin) and sister (Megan). Coach Ikaika (Jobe), Coach Chris (Ma), Coach Prycen (Haas), Coach Ryan (Vande Linde), Coach Thomas (Shubert).”