Pickleballers in the 808: ON POINT SPORTS
Pickleballers in the 808: the guys at On Point Sports; Jason, Brenton and Aaron (not pictured: Ryan)
Waipio, Oahu—In booming Waipio, you’ll find newly opened roadways, hundreds of new homes in Koa Ridge, Costco, the Okinawan Center, Central Oahu Regional Park, and a two-story walk-up with one of the few remaining sporting goods stores on Oahu, On Point Sports (OPS).
OPS is your friendly, neighborhood sporting goods store, jam-packed with lots of good stuff for Oahu pickleballers. I counted 50+ different paddles and 60 demo paddles when I visited, and they also have a good selection of safety eyewear, grips, edge tape, bags, shirts, shoes, hats, paddle covers, and stocking stuffers like socks and keychains. In other words, anything and everything you need in your pickleball life.
Since the guys at OPS test out every single paddle, they can give you first-hand advice based on actual play, but as they’ll tell you, nothing beats trying it out first.
They have a generous demo program; go in and demo a paddle for 3 days for only $5, and that $5 is credited to your purchase if you buy a paddle.
Read on to meet the guys who run On Point Sports—Jason Agsalda, Brenton Arakaki, Ryan Murakami, and Aaron Yamato!
(The guys over at On Point met, and Jason answered on behalf of the four of them):
Currently residing in:
Brenton and I live in Mililani, while Ryan resides in Wahiawa and Aaron in Honolulu.
Where did you grow up and where did you go to high school?
We all grew up in different places and met through the game of tennis. I'm originally from Waialua, Brenton is from Waipio but went to Aiea. Ryan went to Leilehua, and Aaron was a townie and attended Kalani High School.
How did you discover pickleball and when did you start playing?
We all discovered pickleball when we opened up On Point Sports in 2020.
At first we were all hesitant because we’re avid tennis players that play in adult leagues.
After seeing the boom and realizing that it wasn't going away, we decided to take the plunge. Awkward and impatient at first, we all learned the nuances of the game and slowly took a liking to it. Although we don't play as much, we still enjoy going out and playing with our converted tennis and new pickleball friends that we made!
A rare photo with all four: Ryan, Brenton, Jason and Aaron at a Christmas party in 2023
How did the idea to open OnPoint come about?
There was an opportunity for us to start a new business and we took the risk! Although scary at first and perhaps unsure if everything was going to work, we had to establish our foundation to be another option in not just racquet sports but sporting goods in general.
What obstacles, if any, did you face while getting OnPoint up and running?
Absolutely, like anything, business is hard so starting one was difficult. For us, majority of our issues were internal but once we got past that initial stage, we started reaping the benefits of running a solid business.
What is your favorite thing about owning OnPoint?
For us it's a chance to be on the retail end of the sports that we love to play. All of us played various sports growing up so this business kind of goes hand in hand. It's also an opportunity to get involved and support youth and adult pickleball tourneys and leagues through sponsorships and prizes.
What is the one thing you’d like OnPoint to be known for?
Honestly, just that we are all down to earth and customer service is always our top priority.
What do you do outside of pickleball (work, school, hobbies, etc)?
We all have full time jobs so this business takes all of us to share the burden of running it. We all play a little bit of everything but mostly enjoy golf, bowling, darts and just spending time with family and friends.
What do you love most about pickleball?
I like that everyone can get really good really quickly!
The competition is always fun and everyone is competitive. I think the rest of the guys would agree and know that like tennis, it's a great social activity that you can meet a lot of people from!
What paddle are you currently playing with?
I've been sticking to my Head Radical Nite or Six Zero Double Black 16, Brenton uses the Gearbox Ultimate, Aaron is a Joola guy and Ryan pretty much plays with anything, because he's the legend!!!
How often do you play?
We all mostly play at least once a week, but with our busy schedules sometimes couple times a month is all we have.
Anything else on your mind?
We would like to thank everyone for your support of On Point!
We will continue to support local tournaments by providing monetary sponsorship or giving away prizes! Come stop by the store and visit us anytime!
NOTE: Text JOIN to (833) 224-2502 to be notified about exclusive discounts and sales, sent only to On Point Sports loyalty members. Join for free today!
Best of Honolulu Award: Best Place to Buy Pickleball Equipment (2023)
