Pickleballer in the 808: ROBERT OKANO

Hawai'i Pickleball NewsO'ahu Pickleball Players

Oct 15

Pickleballer in the 808 Robert Okano

Honolulu—As my kids got older, we noticed that it wasn’t always easy to get a complete crew of umpires to show up at their baseball games. It’s hot, the parents aren’t always nice, and having to defend a controversial and unpopular call is never fun.

It takes a very specific kind of personality to sign up to be a referee—cool, level-headed, detail oriented with the ability to navigate tricky situations and defuse heated ones. They’re the unsung heroes of the pickleball match, but you don’t really notice them until there’s a problem or dispute.

This Pickleballer in the 808 is well known in the pickleball community as a highly respected referee, known for his sense of discernment and his ability to keep things peaceful both on and off the courts—a rare combination of skills!

It wasn’t easy to get him to agree to this feature…he’s very modest and self-effacing, so we were really excited when he agreed.

It’s my pleasure to introduce you to Pickleballer in the 808 Robert Okano!

Robert, front right center (white shirt) with the Hawai’i crew in April 2023 at the USA Pickleball Mountain Diamond Regional

Currently residing in (city): Honolulu

Where did you grow up and what HS did you go to?

Hilo; Hilo High School

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

At my golf club banquet in 2017, my friends Kiyo Ota and Corinne Lau told me about pickleball and I should try it. I went to open play at the Kilauea District Park gym organized by Oahu Pickleball Association (OPA). I met Kevin and Donna Ching and Rudy Lopez, and the rest is history!

What do you love most about pickleball?

The social aspect, especially at the free open play sessions run by OPA. You can meet up with your friends there, or meet a whole bunch of new people.

It's interesting to see the different playing styles and skills people bring from different sports backgrounds.

Dinner and beer with friends after pickleball; Robert in front. Back row (L to R): Mary Dornan, Kevin Ching, Howie Pajinag, and Dave Lum.

What do you do outside of pickleball (hobbies, work, school, etc)?

I have worked in IT my whole career and have my own consulting business, Electronics Assistance Hawaii.

I also enjoy playing golf and ping pong, watching pro tennis (I used to play with friends before discovering pickleball), and playing poker and other card or board games.

I hear that you are a certified referee (L1? L2?) What made you decide to become a referee?

I‘m an L1 trained referee. Note that L1 and L2 are not the same as a Certified Referee, which is the highest level that can only be attained by many hours of training, mentorship and evaluation.

I’ve always been intrigued by the rules of any game I play. I believe in maintaining fairness to allow players to compete based solely on their skills.

There is no place in any game for those who cheat or deliberately violate the rules to gain a competitive advantage.

What is the most memorable call you’ve made in a game?

It was more of a situation than a specific call.

At the first PacRim tournament in 2022, I was called to settle a dispute at a non-officiated match where four senior players were arguing about the score and server.

It was at a critical point (I believe the score was 9-10 in the first game), the weather was very hot that day and the players were tired, and the argument was quite heated when I arrived. I seated the players at their respective ends and went back and forth for about 10 minutes until a compromise was reached.

In the end, the players all hugged each other and were satisfied with the result.

Robert, right side (white shirt) with the Hawai’i crew at the October 2022 PPA Las Vegas tournament with Ben Johns and Dekel Bar

What do you love most about refereeing?

Having a front row seat at a high level match.

The best ones are those in which the players don't make any mistakes like foot faults, and we can all enjoy the competition without interruption.

The ultimate goal is to be invisible and not get in the way of the players or the flow of the game.

What paddle are you playing with?

I alternate between a Gruvn RAW-16S and Engage Pursuit EX 6.0.

These are old paddles considering how much new stuff is coming out now, but still great for control and power respectively.

How often do you play?

2-3 times a week.

I was playing almost every day last year, as I played in several mainland tournaments.

Unfortunately I had to scale it back due to various injuries. Too much of a good thing!

What is the next goal you’re working toward?

Trying to find a balance between staying active/fit and keeping the playing skills sharp, but also remain injury-free.

It can be difficult as pickleball is so addicting! I think a lot of players have been dealing with the same issue, as pickleball-related injuries have skyrocketed by all reports.