Pickleballer in the 808: Stephanie Nakazawa
“Pickleballer in the 808” Stephanie Nakazawa
Honolulu—A few weeks ago, I was at OPA’s Member Appreciation Event where I met Stephanie Nakazawa. We started chatting before the event began, and I was lucky enough to quickly snag her contact information in order to feature her!
Stephanie’s accolades are stacking up—in addition to the national events she’s played at, I discovered (as I was scrolling through some past posts about tournament results) that she’d won several K2 Pickleball Tournaments!
Join me in getting to know Pickleballer in the 808 Stephanie Nakazawa!
Stephanie with her husband Josh and her dog Mochi
Currently resides in: Kaka’ako
Where did you grow up and what high school did you go to?
I grew up on the east coast in South Jersey, about 20 minutes outside of Philadelphia. I attended Eastern Regional High School and graduated in 2008. In high school, I played soccer and lacrosse but I’ve been playing soccer almost my entire life, since Kindergarten!
How did you discover pickleball and when did you start playing?
I first discovered pickleball back in Middle School where it was a part of our PE curriculum. In the winter when it was too cold to go outside, pickleball was one of our indoor PE activities. I didn’t start seriously playing pickleball until this past January 2023, here in Hawaii. In a month I’ll be celebrating my 1 year pickleball-versary!
What do you do outside of pickleball?
Outside of pickleball, I work full time as a Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), delivering anesthesia to people who need surgery and hospital based procedures. I enjoy going on hikes with my husband Josh and dog Mochi and trying out new local restaurants!
What do you love most about pickleball?
The thing I love most about pickleball is getting to meet new friends from all different backgrounds who come together to play!
I’ve met so many new people through pickleball and I love the sense of community and friendship it has brought to my life. I also love setting new goals for myself and giving myself something to work toward, whether it’s learning a new type of shot or aiming to compete at the next level.
What paddle are you currently playing with?
I just started using Yobi’s 14mm raw carbon fiber paddle. They’re a newer paddle company that’s local and based out of Hilo. Go Team Yobi!
How often do you play?
I typically play pickleball 4-5 days a week outside of working 3-4 overnight shifts at the hospital.
You’ve competed in tournaments on the mainland—tell us about that.
My very first tournament outside of Hawaii was in July at the PPA Seattle Open!
I had so much fun and got to meet so many new people from all over the US. I loved competing and also getting to watch the Pros play live!
Both of my partners were blind dates from the Seattle area. I was able to take home a bronze medal in Women’s Doubles 3.5 (19-34). I also went to compete at Pickleball Nationals last month in Dallas. It was a fun experience and the best part was seeing so many familiar faces from Hawai’i and being able to see everyone else compete and cheer them on!
What next goal are you working toward, in pickleball or otherwise?
In 2024 I want to continue practicing/drilling and taking lessons to improve my pickleball game. I hope to travel and compete in some APP tournaments on the mainland and see how they compare to PPA.
My overall goal is to become the best pickleball player I can be, whatever level that may be!
Mahalo Stephanie, for allowing us to learn more about you!
