Kamahaʻo Arita: From the Baseball Diamond to the Pickleball Court

Pickleball Spotlight: Kamahaʻo Arita

How a former collegiate baseball player found new purpose, passion, and community through pickleball.

For Kamahaʻo Arita, pickleball isn’t just a hobby—it’s a life-changing journey that all began when his mom invited him to a pickleball lesson about four years ago.

He was hooked after one lesson. And somewhere between the kitchen line and the post-game laughs, he also found something deeper: new friendships, a community, and a renewed sense of direction.

At the ESPN Tournament this past April, my booth happened to be right next to his. Kama was running the Pickles at Forté booth, and he watched over my table when I dashed off to film livestreams. He even helped pull the winner of our grand-prize giveaway, jumping on camera like it was no big deal. That weekend experience told me everything about the kind of person he is.

Today, he plays 3–5 times a week, all while pursuing a career in physical therapy. Eventually, he’d like to blend health and pickleball as a coach, facility director, or even a pro player.

When he’s not on the court, you’ll find Kamahaʻo traveling, hiking, or playing volleyball.

Without further ado, please meet Kamahaʻo Arita!

Kamaha‘o with his mom, Renee Komomua

Currently residing in: Pearl City.

Where did you grow up, and what high school did you go to?

I grew up in Mililani and went to Kamehameha Schools

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

I discovered pickleball when my mom asked me to take a lesson about 4 years ago. 

What do you love most about pickleball?

I love smacking the ball as hard as I can because it feels good. Pickleball also allowed me to meet new friends, play a new competitive sport, and gave me a new dream to pursue.

I played baseball all my life up to the collegiate level, pursuing my dream of going to the MLB, however, my love for the game slowly declined due to injuries and missing out on things outside of baseball. Now that baseball is over, I was able to pursue many other hobby interests of mine freely, pickleball being the main one.

I love that it’s not only opening new doors for my hobbies, but for my career as well. I went to college with the goal of being a physical therapist, but now I want to pursue facilitating pickleball learning and enjoyment as well, either as a coach, a facility director, a professional player or all three. I’m loving how my personal interests and career are finally converging and I can’t wait to see where it leads me. 

How often do you play?

I play 3-5 times per week.

What paddle are you using, and what do you like about it?

I am currently using the Honolulu Pickleball Company J6 NF. I like that I have a lot of power, spin, and reach with this paddle, while still feeling very light. Also, I like that it’s made/designed in Hawaii.

What is the next goal you’re working toward (in pickleball or otherwise)?

My current goal is to reach the 5.0 level of pickleball and play professionally. My career goal is still to become a physical therapist, but also learn what it takes to run a facility, like Pickles at Forte, and be a pickleball coach. 

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

Outside of pickleball, I like to travel, go on hikes, and play volleyball.