“We sometimes get frustrated, but we’ve been together for a while so know how to manage each other’s frustrations,” Rachel Inouye once said about her relationships. This sentiment might capture her relationship with NFL kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn, both on and off the field.

On February 16, 2020, the Lanikuhonua Cultural Institute in O’ahu, Hawai’i, witnessed a celebration that was nine years in the making. Ka’imi Fairbairn, the Houston Texans‘ placekicker, and Rachel Inouye, former UCLA volleyball dynamo, tied the knot on their ninth anniversary. Their wedding planner couldn’t help but gush on Facebook, calling it “the party of a lifetime.”

Who is Ka’imi Fairbairn’s wife? Meet Rachel Inouye

Born Rachel Kame Inouye on June 11, 1994, in Honolulu, Hawai’i, Rachel’s story is deeply rooted in the islands. The daughter of Susan and Cid Inouye, she grew up with an older brother, Jake, in a family that valued both athletics and academics

Rachel’s volleyball journey began at Punahou School in Honolulu, where she was a three-year letter winner at Libero and defensive specialist. Under coach Peter Balding’s guidance, she helped lead the Buff n’ Blue to the Interscholastic League Championships in each of her last three seasons. The cherry on top? A State Championship in her senior year, which she considers the biggest athletic thrill of her career.

For Rachel, volleyball wasn’t her only forte. She describes herself as someone who loves math and science, and that also influenced her decision to choose UCLA: In addition to offering opportunities in athletics, it is reputedly strong academically. “I chose to come here because there are good opportunities both athletically and academically (at UCLA), besides which I’ve long admired the coaches and they really do put everything into it,” she explained (UCLA Bruins, 2015)

Get to know more about Ka’imi Fairbairn’s partner Rachel Inouye

But it was on the sand volleyball court where Rachel truly found her groove. Paired with Karly Drolson, another 5’6″ player, they formed an unlikely duo that captured hearts nationwide. “They call them ‘America’s team’ because everybody always falls in love with them, (they’re) winning the hearts and minds of people,” Coach Stein Metzger told the Daily Bruin on April 11, 2014.

Their secret? A unique style of play that turned their supposed weakness into a strength. Instead of going for blocks at the net, they’d hang back, using their polished digging abilities to create long rallies. As senior Madie Smith put it, “Just everything about them is very right. From communication to chemistry to defense to offense to not making errors”

Off the court, Rachel maintained a broad range of interests and tastes that were as multifarious as her playing style. She is a fan of Keali’i Reichel’s singing, actress Keira Knightley, the movie “Pride and Prejudice,” and as she pursues a major in financial actuarial mathematics, she’s proving that she can spike numbers as well as volleyballs.

As Ka’imi Fairbairn continues to split the uprights for the Texans, now with a $15.9 million contract, you can bet Rachel is right there cheering him on, every step of the way. From the beaches of Hawai’i to the NFL stadiums, this power couple demonstrates that with the right partner, any goal—whether on a volleyball court or football field—can be obtained.