Pickleballer in the 808: JR Degala
JR and his partner Priscilla, after winning Bronze in the (55+) 3.5 Division at the K2 Tens Winter tournament.
Honolulu—If you’ve been playing pickleball for any amount of time, you know that your pickleball community has some of the most fascinating people around.
Enter JR Degala.
He plays a lot of pickleball but also does cool stuff like train show dogs, travel, and emcee and perform!
Without further ado, allow me to introduce you to JR Degala as he shares his wide-ranging background and what keeps him busy in retirement!
Gregory and Tara earning their CGC titles last December
Currently residing in: Aina Haina, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Where did you grow up and what high school did you go to?
Grew up in Kalihi, Honolulu and attended University Laboratory (High) School.
How did you discover pickleball and when did you start playing?
Started playing March 2022 during the pandemic. Played tennis/ping pong during high school and racquetball from 1980 through 2014. These racquet sports really made the transition to pickleball easy! I also played volleyball forever until I had to stop in 2011 due to knee injuries.
What do you do outside of pickleball?
Retired August 2022. Worked as an IT Professional (Programmer, systems analyst, developer, database manager, project manager, consultant, business analyst, and more).
Dog related hobbies: Agility, Conformation, Fast CAT, and other dog companion sports. I’m currently a breeder and I show dogs in conformation.
(Note: If you don’t know what “conformation” is, here is the definition from the American Kennel Club: “The official term for dog shows is conformation — as in, the act of conforming or producing conformity. While a dog show may look like a beauty pageant, it’s not. Dogs are not being compared to each other; they’re being measured by how closely they conform to the standard of their particular breed.)
My kennel name is "Paradise Shelties and MAS". My partner Guy Okada and I raise Shetland Sheepdogs and Miniature American Shepherds.
My Shelties have earned several awards. Most of our dogs are Grand Champions or Champions and have earned numerous awards.
JR and his #1 dog "Bolt", the top male Sheltie in Hawaii and the only Grand Champion Gold in Hawaii.
What do you love most about pickleball?
I love pickleball because it's fun and not boring as some other sports. You also meet great people from the community as well as team up with great players.
What paddle are you currently playing with?
I currently have the 6.0 16mm Double Black Diamond Rainbow Edition paddle,
What is the next goal you’re working toward (in pickleball or otherwise)?
My next goal is to move to the next level of play. Play as many tournaments as I can and OPEN play before my body gives up :) Also, to do more traveling other than dog shows, and dog national conventions.
How often do you play?
4-5 times a week. League Play at Moanalua High K2Tens, open at Waialae-Iki Pickleball Club, mixed Play at Hawaii Kai Pickleball Crew, open at Diamond Head or Petrie, indoor at Koko Head and wherever else there's open play.
JR and “Bolt” on their agility circuit
Anything else on your mind that you’d like to share?
Most recently, I played indoor pickleball at the ARC (Anchorage Recreation Center).
Yes, Alaska.
10 degrees and lots of snow!
The level of play was awesome in Anchorage! A local shopping mall promoter contracted me and comedian/council member Augie T to emcee/perform in Anchorage for "Aloha Day", a Polynesian winter celebration.
I've organized this festival for the past 15 years, bringing entertainment from Hawaii to Anchorage.
Thank you JR for sharing your story!
JR’s recent champion (Momo). She earned points for her new Champion title.
