Finding His Place on the Court: Kaimi Seminara’s Pickleball Journey
Pickleball Spotlight: Kaimi Seminara
Finding success on the pickleball court while navigating challenges others may not always see.
For Pearl City’s Kaimi Seminara, pickleball started as something to enjoy with family. Since picking up the game in 2022, it has become a regular part of his life, bringing new friendships, opportunities to compete, and plenty of reasons to keep improving.
But finding his place on the court hasn't always been easy. As a deaf player, he sometimes faces challenges that others may not notice, particularly when navigating the everyday communication that many players take for granted.
Recently, his pickleball journey took him to Fresno, California, where he brought home two gold medals from the UPUSA National Deaf Pickleball Tournament!
We caught up with Kaimi to learn about his life away from the courts and what keeps his love for the game growing.
(L) Kaimi’s daughter, Anri, with his father, James, and (R) his dog, Melo
Currently residing in: Pearl City, Hawaii
Where did you grow up, and what high school did you go to?
I grew up in Aiea and went to school at Pearl City High School.
How did you discover pickleball, and when did you start playing?
From my dad and my daughter. I started playing in 2022.
What do you love most about pickleball?
Playing for fun and meeting new people. I also love learning more so I can improve my skills.
What do you do outside of pickleball (hobbies, work, school, etc)?
I have been coaching AYSO girls soccer in Pearl City for 10 years now. I have a full-time job with the federal government, and on the weekends, I sometimes work with my uncle doing small renovations of people’s houses. (I’m the laborer). I also enjoy watching my 15-year-old daughter play soccer and bowl for her high school.
What paddle are you playing with?
CRBN
How often do you play?
3-5 times a week if I’m lucky.
Kaimi, fourth from left, after winning Gold at the UPUSA National Deaf Pickleball Tournament in Fresno, CA
What's something about your game that might surprise people?
Well, for those people who don’t know me, I’m deaf, and I also play around a lot, trying to spin the ball.
What's the biggest challenge you've had to work through as a player?
When people don’t know that I’m deaf, they are not comfortable playing with me so when I asked if I can play, they tend to shy away from me. There are also times when people don’t understand my speech when I talk. Also, going to tournaments, sometimes it’s difficult as I sometimes don’t know when they call my name.
Anything else on your mind?
I really enjoy the sport and want to continue to improve my skills.
