PICKLEBALL 808 Turns One: BIG Anniversary Celebration (Updated August 6)
Massive haul of giveaway prizes! And more to come….
Honolulu—Pickleball 808 turns one on 8/8/2024!
What started out as a crazy idea to publish a Hawai’i pickleball newsletter “whenever I can” has turned into a mostly-consistent, weekly newsletter, and I’m so grateful for your emails, your kind words, and for reading every week.
And—a special shout out to PB808’s early supporters (lookin’ at you—OPA Advanced Beginner Classmates), our featured “Pickleballers in the 808”, our newsletter columnists and contributors, and our incredible Ambasssador Team. PB808 would not be what it is without you!
Yay!
Moving along, mahalo to our Anniversary Celebration partners for their generous donations and for celebrating with us. This page will be updated as our actual anniversary approaches…we have many more partners to share with you!
Here they are (updated on August 6th):
On Point Sports: Four tennis guys (who also love to play PB) opened up this brick and mortar shop in Waipio (O’ahu) five years ago. The shop has a very large selection of paddles, gear and accessories and they run a very generous paddle demo program. For $5, you can demo a paddle for three days, and the $5 fee is credited back when you purchase a paddle within 30 days. When I visited, there was a steady stream of customers, all eager to get advice and talk shop. On Point reminds me of a modern mom and pops shop, where “everyone knows your name”. You want to hang around and chat, because these guys know their stuff, and it’s just a fun place to be. On Point has generously donated three paddles (Joola, Head, and Diadem), along with a shirt, hat, and 5 packages of edge tape. Conveniently located on the way to CORP and Costco at the Crossroads at Waipio. Check out their website for more info, and follow them on IG and FB.
K2 Pickleball: Aside from coaching the Moanalua High School’s championship tennis team and overseeing and maintaining the tennis/PB courts, Kyle Kaneshiro runs the prolific K2 Pickleball program, which includes lessons, clinics, and tournaments. The monthly-run tournaments offer an opportunity for local pickleballers to compete without the hefty price tag of traveling to the mainland. Kyle has a trained coach’s eye; he can spot you doing something “off” from three tennis court lengths away (speaking from experience here), and his clinics offer video analysis of whatever it is you’re working on that session. Kyle has generously donated a 6.0 “Ruby” paddle and one complimentary tournament fee to our giveaway. Visit K2’s website to learn more about Kyle and his PB programs.
Diamond Magic: Pickleballer Alex Berganio has donated 12 bottles of Diamond Magic for the giveaway! Diamond Magic is sold at City Mill, Wal-Mart, world-wide, and on Amazon, where it has a 4.5 star rating. It’s the result of over 7 years of experimentation with over 1,700 abrasive combinations in order to discover the one that creates Diamond Magic. What started off as a water spot and stain remover, Diamond Magic is now a multi-purpose cleaning product. Learn more about the product here.
O’ahu Pickleball Association: We all know Donna Ching and the gang over at OPA, and they’ve donated a goodie bag with OPA swag for our giveaway. We’re all the better for the ongoing efforts of OPA to enhance the experience of pickleballers all over O’ahu. Learn more about OPA’s mission, their community involvement, and tournaments, leagues and lessons.
Body Fit Training (BFT) Honolulu: A fitness concept melding personal training and strength and conditioning, BFT Honolulu will open their first studio in Ward Village in September. At BFT, you get personal training toward your own personalized goals without the hefty price tag. Devin Moynihan, a BFT trainer, will host a free, in-person class for O’ahu pickleballers on Friday, 8/9 at Magic Island at 5:30 p.m. The dynamic class will focus on serving up drills to enhance your agility, power and endurance while building strength throughout the ranges of motion required to play PB at your full potential. “Taking you from the baseline to the ace line”! In addition, BFT is offering 15% off for life as a founding member and there are deeper discounts for larger groups enrolling together. Learn more here.
Carol Tanji and Sharon Miyashiro: Avid pickleballers, world travelers and photographers, Carol and Sharon create gift-worthy, beautifully wrapped photo all-purpose cards. These unique cards will “wow” your recipient with the gorgeous pictures of scenery, flora and fauna, and of course, a note handwritten by you. We can’t wait to gift these special cards to some lucky winners!
Da Aloha Ball: Sean Sueno launched Da Aloha Ball earlier this year, after noticing a void in the marketplace. An email reader decribed his shirts as “super soft and comfy”, and when playing for hours on end, comfort is key. A distinctive feature of his brand is the vertical “ALOHA” design running down the back of his shirts. Sean also sells branded pickleballs, which were designed and manufactured to be stronger and don’t warp or break as easily as many of the brands out there. And for our giveaway, he brought an entire bag bursting with 9 shirts and 3 sleeves of balls. He’s on IG and on the web.
Sweet Enemy Clothing: Sweet Enemy is run out of a brick and mortar store on the corner of King Street and McCully in Honolulu. Started in 2013, the concept was inspired by owner Drew Hondo’s Grandmother, Rose. After his Grandmother passed, he wanted to honor her, and the brand’s slogan “never forget the reason” grounds him to the why. Sweet Enemy collaborates with University of Hawai’i sports, and their clothing line is sold online, in his shop, and the UH bookstore. Check out his IG account for the latest on his UH collabs and sportswear line. Drew has donated a hoodie, several shirts and hats for our PB community, plus enjoy 20% off in the month of August with promo code: PB808.
Leva PB: A good business solves a problem, and that’s exactly what Tyler Makabe set out to do with his line of pickleball bags. He recognized, as many of us do, that PB bags don’t seem to have the features we want. So he set out to create one that checked off all the boxes. A civil engineer by trade, he set exacting standards for his bags in the design and manufacturing process, and Leva PB bags were born. Tyler has given us three Leva backpacks to give away!
Kalai Koa Woods: Greg Eaves has been working with koa for over 40 years and learned the art of wood working from his father on the Big Island. Now on O’ahu, he’s a one-man shop, working from a studio at his home. He’s well known for his Hawaiian Islands chain artwork, and well as custom surfboards and canoes, and his art is sold at fine art galleries across the islands. Greg has donated a piece de resistance for our giveaway— a koa pickleball paddle. Check out his products online.
All Good Pickleball: All Good Pickleball was launched in November of 2023, after owner Raymund Maravilla decided to meld his art background with pickleball. The brand is fun and playful with retro vibes, and resonates with rec players to “pro qualies grinders”. Raymund is currently working on his next line of products and has donated 5 caps ($45 each) for the giveaway. Follow All Good on IG and find his products online.
Honolulu Pickleball Company: A Christian-based brand, Honolulu PB Company’s mission is to make the game of pickleball more enjoyable for all by applying high technology processes to build better products. Paddles are engineered and designed in Hawai’i, using computer-aided design processes and rapid prototyping technology. Honolulu PB Company has donated one of their Sword and Shield Paddles! Check out their products online.
Maui Pickleball Company: Founders Celine and Gali founded Maui Pickleball Company on the belief that everyone should get outdoors, have fun, and stop taking everything so seriously. They design retro styled USA Pickleball approved paddles, along with their best-selling “Pickle Juice” water bottle. Maui PB Company will gift a $75 gift certificate to one lucky winner. Check them out on IG and on the web.
Stacy Hiramoto: You may recall Stacy Hiramoto penning a PB etiquette column in the newsletter a few months back. Stacy generously gives of his time, teaching pickleball and taking groups of people on pickleball trips. For our Anniversary celebration, he’s offered two free entries to the Japan Cup Pickleball Championships in Tokyo in December!
Liana Lola: Owner Liana Otake is a self-described “bag and accessory lady”. After graduating from UH Manoa, teaching English in Japan, and doing IT, she revisited her passion for creating and launched Liana Lola in May 2020. Handmade on Maui, the fabric used for each item is cut by hand and sewn exclusively by Liana, so no two pieces are exactly the same. Check out her beautiful tote bags, sling bags, and laptop sleeves here, and enjoy 20% off your order with code: Pickleball808.
Massage by Midori (O’ahu): Midori Katayama is a surf buddy of one of our PB ambassadors, and has massaged their pickleball friends. Originally from Japan, she’s now a US citizen. She’ll offer a special discount for our PB community. Text Midori the phrase “Pickleball808 Anniversary” 808-554-5787 for $15 off a one-hour massage. Normally $80, you get one-hour of massage bliss for only $65!
Susan Kurisu: Susan has generously donated PB apparel and a paddle, as well as (2) Paris Baguette gift cards!
Lanikai Bath and Body: This shop, in the Kailua Shopping Center, has been around for almost 20 years. The brainchild of avid pickleballer Brook Gramann and her BFF Gloria Garvey, they sought out to build a brand that would capture the essence of the vibrant island lifestyle with their natural bath and body products. The store stocks a huge selection of bath, body, skincare and home products, infused with their exclusive island scents, including pikake, gardenia, plumeria, and puakenikeni. Shop for yourself or build the perfect gift set for your PB friends. Check out their website, IG and FB, and they’ve graciously given us a CBD Pickleball Wellness gift set, valued at over $140, for our giveaway!
Kaizen Fitness: Certified Fitness Trainer Jedd Ramos has a degree in Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences with a focus on Health/Exercise Science. He previously served as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach with the UH Manoa Athletic Department, where he worked with Division I athletes. He’s created corporate wellness programs for businesses and schools, but loves working with pickleballers to help prevent injury. In fact, Jedd boasts a 100% success rate in helping his PB clients avoid injury, and has agreed to lead a virtual workshop/class for our community. Look out for the link to join the virtual class on Wednesday, 8/7 at 2:00 p.m. Learn more about Jedd and his approach to holistic fitness at his website.
Pickleball HI: James Douglas is a USA Pickleball Ambassador and the guy who organizes the Open Play at the Diamond Head Courts. This is a very busy court, frequented by both residents and visitors, so hats off to him for keeping “order at the court”! James has his own line of t-shirts, towels, hats and accessories for showing off your HI pride. He also reps a few PB merch lines; check out his web page for discount codes. James has donated a shirt and hat for our giveaway!
Bay View Mini-Putt and Zipline: If you haven’t ventured out to the Windward side to play mini-golf in a while, you might be surprised at the complete transformation Bay View Mini-Putt and Zipline has undergone. Back in the day, skateboarders were ripping up the green, using it as a ramp/rink. Five years after taking over the course, owner Kenn Yuen turned it around, installed the Zipline, and the rest is history. Kenn is all about giving back; he's hosted many events for the community gratis, and in fact, is set to host the USS Daniel Inouye Aircraft Carrier families for a complimentary day of fun. Kenn has generously donated three gift certificates for 36 holes of mini-golf for four people! Book your fun event of any size; for more information, visit Bay View Mini-Putt and Zipline’s website.
Nalu Resinworks: Owner Marde Smith first started working with resin in an attempt to repair his surfboard. He happened upon a video of someone creating art with resin, and he decided to try it. Several years later, he perfected his craft and the results are incredible and life-like. Marde’s work conjures up the surf, waves and ocean on surfboards, trinket dishes, wall hangings, and more. We have 8 trinket dishes for 8 lucky winners! Check out his gallery of work on IG and FB.
Aloha Pickleball: Mark Beach, Renee Zaima and their hui of PB friends banded together to fill a void in the islands and build a world-class PB facility in Kihei, Maui. It’s in the works—last status update was that the property had been purchased. The facility will be located in a prime area next to a major hotel and local brewery. For more information, go to their website. Aloha PB has donated several shirts, stickers, luggage tags and paddle covers.
Maui-G Sports: Owned and operated by Ralph Gorgoglione, the mastermind and organizer of the 400-member pickleball league on Maui. Ralph also runs the Maui Tennis and Pickleball Association and operates KOKKU, a non-profit with a vision to make the world a better place with the simple principle of love for one another. After the Maui Wildfires, KOKKU raised over $88,000 and distributed funds to 50 recipients. Maui-G Sports is a full-service provider of tennis, pickleball, and other popular sports equipment and gear. Most items ship out the next day and with flat-rate shipping. Check out their online store. Ralph has generously donated a backpack, two paddles and sports safety glasses!
Yobi Paddle: Founder Bruce Ushijima is a tech guy, as evidenced by the name “Yobi”. Yobi is short for the computer term “yobibyte”, which equals 2 to the 80th power or = 1,208,925,819,614,629,174,706,176. Yobi is based in Hilo and O’ahu, and they produce premium paddles for an affordable price, made with the best quality materials you can get. I’m playing with a Yobi right now, and since I love saving money, I’m happy to have a premium paddle for half the price. Go to Yobi’s website to check out their cool, Hawai’i inspired paddles and follow Yobi on IG. Yobi has donated 10 paddle covers for our giveaway!
Pa’i Pickleball: Founded by three long-time friends, Pa’i was founded to provide the pickleball community with fresh, Hawaiian-themed designs on quality apparel and accessories. Mahalo to Pa’i for sponsoring our O’ahu Team as we traveled to Maui for the Maui x O’ahu Social Mixer Pickleball Event in April 2024. We looked put-together and stylish and it was easy for us to be ID as the “O’ahu players” because of our matching “Ohana” shirts. Visit their store and IG page. Pa’i PB has donated a bunch of shirts, hats and a paddle cover, plus you enjoy 20% off all products in their online store for the month of August, using code: PB8081YR
Natch Pickleball: Zach Manzano is part of a pickleball family (his father and cousin also play) and the graphic design wizard behind the “Natch” brand spotted all around town. In case you were wondering, “natch” is short for natural, and Zach aims to merge style and function in apparel that you’re proud to wear to the Courts and to the after-party. Check out his designs and his IG page.
Hale Mana Aura (O’ahu): I’ve been curious and exploring wellness as of late, and had been hearing a lot about sound baths and sound healing. I went to a Community Sound Bath session with Nicky (twice!), and thought this was something to share with our PB Community. Nicky Ramos has a degree from USC in Art History, and after working in the art, fashion and film world, her life took a 180 degree shift into the world of Energy Medicine. Nicky has donated one Community Sound Bath session for a lucky winner, but we all win with a special offer for our community: $15 Sound Baths all month using this LINK. Her cute studio is located in Kaimuki. Visit Nicky’s website and check out her IG page.
Paradise Kettle Corn: Owner Lance Okamoto and I go way back, and I still remember when he launched this yummy kettle corn biz many, many years ago. This is a family run business (kids and all!) and they produce a bunch of specialty flavors plus my favorite—the Classic Sweet Salty. A great snack for after, or in-between games, or whenever, really. And when my kids were in lots and lots of sports, he’d make goodie bags with our team colors for end-of-season treats. Find the whole family at work at local craft fairs, on the web, or on Insta. Lance has generously donated 20 bags of kettle corn to our giveaway!
Pickleball Association Kaua’i: President Nolan Ahn and crew at the PAK are on a mission to “develop, operate, and maintain quality dedicated pickleball venues with the spirit of aloha” on the Garden Isle. The pickleball scene on Kaua’i has grown quickly and there aren’t enough facilities to accommodate the pickleball demand. Follow the PAK and consider becoming a member to support their mission. The PAK has donated two shirts for the giveaway!
