Pickleballer in the 808: Annette Kam

Pickleballer in the 808 Annette Kam, far right, with O’ahu Team members Sandy and Colette

Honolulu—The great thing about publishing a pickleball newsletter and blog is that PB friends introduce me to amazing people that I would never have crossed paths with, but for pickleball.

Annette Kam is a friend of a friend, and when we were first introduced, we had so many things to talk about. She’s a former tennis player turned pickleball convert and a retired nurse who stays very busy in retirement. In retirement, she published a book and is now a sought after speaker at at events here at home and around the world. Oh! And you might also recognize her as one of our O’ahu Team Members (for our trek to the Maui-O’ahu Pickleball Social Mixer).

Without further ado, allow me to introduce you to Annette Kam!

Annette, in 40 degree weather in Indiana last April. She and her daughter teamed up and her husband and 2nd oldest grandson teamed up and all competed in a tournament.

Currently residing in: Waipahu

Where did you grow up and what high school did you go to?

I lived in Palolo Valley but moved to Waimanalo when I was 12. I attended Kaimuki High School on a District Exception as my father had his lunchwagon and kitchen in Palolo Valley.

How did you discover pickleball and when did you start playing?

I was always an avid tennis player for over 40 years and had never heard of pickleball. But my husband Peter who's a work-a-holic running his own business, started playing and for the first time started talking about retiring to play pickleball.

That was shocking to me and I had to find out what was so great about this new sport that grabbed his attention so much that he was looking at retiring!

I was lucky to be playing tennis with a friend who let me his paddle and introduced me to some gals at Waipahu Gym on Tuesday nights. This was in late 2019 just as Covid was upon us.

So there was a long hiatus before coming back when it was allowed.

What do you do outside of pickleball?

Well, I've been crazy, but especially crazy the last 3 years.

I'm a public speaker and author of "WAIT - Don't Die Yet!".

This came out of a mess that led me to my latest and most fulfilling mission. After experiencing two years of unforeseen heart wrenching challenges that could have been avoided when my father-in-law and subsequently my mother-in-law passed away, I felt God's calling to educate others to help them avoid the pain I had experienced.

I've always believed there are no coincidences in life and with every mess, there is a message that can help others.

So, I stepped down as president of a nonprofit organization I had founded in 2003 in helping fibromyalgia sufferers and pivoted my whole focus to assisting others in preparing for the passing of a loved one for a smoother transition and to allow time for grieving.

I wrote my book and by God's grace, my mission has been embraced and has been featured on TV, radio, podcasts, and in numerous publications and has reached 39 states and 12 countries.

I do give my ebook away for free and it can be downloaded at my website: annettekam.com

I'm also a total foodie, love trying new places to eat but also love cooking and trying new recipes. And I'm fulfilling my bucketlist and learning piano, something I had pretty much given up on...until I found the greatest online piano teacher with all these free lessons and I was hooked. I finally decided to "go for it"—paid a one time life time fee and it's worth every penny.

I also volunteer with the City & County Elderly Affairs RSVP (Retired Seniors and Volunteer Program).

Annette, at a book signing

What do you love most about pickleball?

The social aspect! I love people and meeting new people and pickleball allows us time to get to know each other on a more personal side because we talk story a lot in between games.

It's also a family game and we got my daughter and her family started when they visited us in 2019, and now the whole family plays in Indiana where they live.

In fact, the last time we visited them, we got picked up at the airport at 6:15am, and we went straight to the pickleball courts (reserved indoor courts) after traveling from Hawai’i for 13 hours!

Ah, the spirit of pickleball!

What paddle are you currently playing with?

I love my Onix Graphite Z5.

What is the next goal you’re working toward (in pickleball or otherwise)?

Being a tennis player who loves to come up to the net, I have to learn to slow down and learn more fine points of pickleball strategy and the dinking game.

How often do you play?

I play 3-4 times a week at Mililani Neighborhood Park.

Annette with her “favorite toy”, her electronic keyboard

Anything else on your mind that you’d like to share? 

Yes! Few things!

1) I think this is something that all our pickleball groups around the island should consider and take action. Last summer, one of our players collapsed on the pickleball court with a heart attack and we had to perform CPR. We did save him and he is back to playing pickleball.

However, there was so much turmoil at that time because although we know everybody by their first names, that’s it. No one knew his last name. It was a challenge finding his family, etc.

The good that came out of this is something every group should do. I started a project and got everyone's first and last name, their emergency contact name and relationship and their emergency contact's phone number and distributed the list to few key people who come all the time. We had over 35 people on this list.

Also, this incident woke many players up! We had over 20 of us that day and only two of us knew CPR! This encouraged a few others to realize it's importance and they took a CPR course. I hope more will also follow.

2) We have so many pickleball groups around the island with more people learning every day who need a place to assimilate into. We all have to remember where we came from, that at one time, we were all beginners and someone was nice enough to welcome us.

We all need to do the same. I've met a few who ended up at our courts and were so relieved because they didn't feel welcomed elsewhere, felt like the players were cliquish (if that's a word) and didn't even speak to them. I think we need to make everyone feel welcome, just a reminder. I love walking up to new people and introducing myself and introducing them to others.

3) One last thing I'd like to mention is related to my speaking about getting affairs in order before passing. All my speaking engagements have come by referral and so if any of our readers here belong to any group that might be interested in having me present (I've spoken to as little as five in a group to over a 100), please let me know. Many belong to churches, kupuna clubs, financial institutions, senior living facilities. I'd appreciate it!

Thank you Annette, for sharing your story, and for the ideas you shared here about safety and aloha at the courts!

One of Annette’s creations…a lava cake made in her airfryer