LIHU‘E — Iris Ijima, recently retired from Friendship House, is one of the pickleball students who graduated from the introductory pickleball class that meets at Kalena Park adjacent to the Lihu‘e fire station.
“We’re taking a break for a week,” said Melanie Okamoto of the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation. “The next class will start on March 31 at Kalena Park and run for five weeks.”
Cheryl Brady, who was part of a graduating class-friendly doubles tournament, said the pickleball experience is wellness with its active movements and low impact.
Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports and is something Parks and Recreation is familiar with from its involvement back in 2015, when then-USA Pickleball Ambassador John Hodges brought it to the attention of the county following a solitary outing in the rain at the tennis court adjacent to the Anne Knudsen Park in Koloa.
Hodges was quickly engaged in matches from visitors who packed their pickleball raquets and seek places to play when they visit, relying heavily on social media to find games, tournaments, or a court.
“It’s just like playing table tennis,” Hodges said during that early encounter. “The only difference is that you’re playing on the table. And, it’s a lot easier to pack a pickleball paddle than golf clubs.”
The USA Pickleball website describes pickleball as a “fun sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong.
Following the introduction of pickleball to people that retired from their jobs, the sport took hold from Princeville to Kekaha and attracted scores of people of all ages.
Several tournaments
coordinated by Okamoto and Hodges attracted a large number of participants from off-island, including equipment vendors who discovered a nice market from residents who were looking to advance their equipment.
“We have full courts in Kapa‘a, Kalawai, Hanapepe, and even out in Kekaha,” Okamoto said. “But Kalena Park still has room.”
Okamoto and Chad Koga, the site manager for the Kilauea Neighborhood Center, host the five-week user-friendly introduction to pickleball at Kalena Park from around 8:30 a.m. on Thursdays.
“This is for anyone who wants to know more about pickleball and need some place they can try it out,” Okamoto said. “It’s non-intimidating. The goal is to give a first-time player confidence so they’re comfortable when they’re ready to step onto the court for play.”
Pickleball, according to the USA Pickleball website, was born in 1965 on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, Washington. Three dads — Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum — whose kids were bored with the summertime activities created the game that has grown into a popular sport throughout the country, and more recently, Europe and Asia.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
