Our Story
TATE PICKLEBALL
Founder
Our club was founded and named by Usufono Fepuleai as a reflection of his deep love for the game and as a tribute to his late wife, Sose Utu Fepuleai. Her legacy continues to live on through the spirit and heart of this community.
A former tennis athlete in his prime, Usufono now channels his passion into pickleballnot just as a sport, but as a powerful tool to connect, uplift, and reach the wider community. Through this vision, the club stands as more than just a place to playnit is a place of purpose, relationship, and legacy.
Club President
Randall Alauni serves as our Club President and Director of Youth With A Mission Samoa. He carries a strong vision to use pickleball beyond the court—as a tool to reach communities, impact nations, and raise up the next generation.
Through the game, he is passionate about building discipline, shaping character, and empowering young people to live with purpose.
Randall is from American Samoa and is married to Mariana Alauni of Falealupo, Savai’i. Together, they are committed to serving people and strengthening communities.
from vision to life Pickleball is a tool
How it all started
The story of TATE Pickleball Club began with Usufono Fepuleai and his late wife, Sose, both passionate tennis enthusiasts who enjoyed the sport as a form of recreation and connection. Usufono, a highly skilled player, had been playing tennis since his early teens in Samoa before spending 26 years serving in Taiwan.
In 2018, Usufono and Sose were introduced to pickleball through Mark Moors, founder of the Pickleball Association of Samoa. They, in turn, introduced the sport to our staff. From that moment, Usufono carried a vision—to train and equip people at Falelauniu Uta, believing that pickleball would one day become a fast-growing sport with the power to impact local communities and nations.
By 2019, a few staff members began to embrace the game. During the global COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022), pickleball became more than just a sport—it was something we played anywhere we could, from our dining hall to open spaces across the campus, simply to stay connected and enjoy the game together.
In 2023 and 2024, our involvement deepened as we began participating in tournaments and grew in our love for the sport. We also had the privilege of supporting the Pickleball Association of Samoa alongside President Mark Moors.
In 2024, after the passing of Sose, two pickleball courts were built in her honor continuing the vision that she and Usufono carried. From this, the TATE Pickleball Club was officially launched, founded by Usufono Fepuleai.
Today, the club features two courts and a café space, welcoming players and guests from all walks of life. What began as a simple introduction to the sport has now grown into a movement hosting tournaments, building community, and making a lasting local impact in Samoa through pickleball.
Gallery
Some Recent Work
