Pickleballers in the 808: Newlyweds Keola & Victoria on Love, Life & the Game
A pickleball wedding: Keola and Victoria
From 'I Do' to Dinking Together – How Pickleball Strengthens Their Marriage
Hawaii Kai—On any given day, if you’re playing pickleball in the greater Honolulu area, chances are you’ll spot one half of this dynamic duo on the courts. I first met Keola back in 2023 when he dropped by the courts I was playing at—we teamed up for a game, though I’m pretty sure he doesn’t remember! If my memory serves me right, he was rocking a Christmas-themed shirt (possibly the Grinch?), and he was really fun to play with.
Back then, he was solo, but it wasn’t long before I started seeing him with his “better half” (LOL), always sporting matching t-shirts. Fast forward to today, and the two have officially tied the knot, celebrating their big day surrounded by their pickleball ohana.
Without further ado, meet Pickleballers in the 808: Keola and Victoria Soon!
Currently residing in: We live in Hawaii Kai.
Where did you grow up and what high school did you go to? Keola grew up and went to high school in Waipahu; “94 Block.” I grew up in the Aurora, Illinois and Lacrosse, Wisconsin area, and graduated from La Crosse Central.
How did you discover pickleball and when did you start playing? We both have my family to thank for introducing us to pickleball, especially my sister Lily. I played a few times with her family while visiting the mainland, while Keola was oblivious to pickleball and thought it was a game that was only played in the Midwest. We both started to play like addicts in May 2023, asking everyone and anyone if they wanted to play.
Who started playing first? I played first, but very seldomly.
How often, if at all, do you play together? We mainly play together on the weekends, and we actually enjoy partnering up, especially since we can get a kiss in between points.
You recently got married. Congrats! How easy, frustrating, awesome, etc is it to play together? Thank you! We are newlyweds and from our point of view we can correlate our life like pickleball. Let us explain: We handle any situation together as a team. When we mess up, we talk about it and readjust our game plan. We celebrate all the points and achievements, but overall, win or lose we have each other and our supportive community.
It’s now six months since you officially tied the knot. How’s married life? We’ve been growing stronger as a couple. Just like pickleball, we enter the battle field together, we are stubborn when we are defensive, but encouraging when we get the point across (no pun intended), communication is key, but having fun with each other is a must. Whether win or lose, we are together!!!
What do you love most about pickleball? We definitely love the community of family and friends that we have met and will meet in the future. It’s such an amazing feeling hearing people in the background supporting you and even though there is one winner and one loser we all still walk off as friends with memories.
What do you do outside of pickleball (hobbies, work, school, etc)? Think about where to play pickleball, who will be there playing pickleball, and do I have enough water? Pickleball is life...we have mostly forgotten about our other hobbies but are slowly reintroducing them back into our lives which includes for Keola: surfing, bachata/salsa dancing, and working out; for me: CrossFit, Hot Yoga, and hiking. Keola has also inherited three kids through me, so we do enjoy taking the kids to the beach, camping, or traveling around the island hitting up different food joints. We also love God and are active members of our church King’s Chapel Niu Valley. (Side note: Victoria had a part in the “King’s Christmas Show”; their Church production, this past holiday season!)
What paddle are you playing with and why did you choose it? I use the Falcon Bird paddle due to a wrist injury and it gives me an edge as it's somewhat of an anomaly on island. People have said it's hard to read the paddle, which makes it hard to determine where I’ll hit the ball to. Keola uses the J2K Pro for a couple reasons. He loves to support local, loves the look, and definitely admires the scripture: John 3:16 on their paddles.
How often do you play? As you’re reading this, I’m sure Keola is playing somewhere right now! I typically play pickleball on the weekend and Keola can be found at random locations around the island every day. (It's very few and far between to take a rest day for Mr. Pickler Aloha…sorry coach Kyle)
What is the next goal you’re working toward (in pickleball or otherwise)? I’d like to work on drop shots and multiple serves. Keola is looking to improve his soft game and playing 1 hour less every year.
Anything else on your mind? If you are needing a 3rd or 4th player; please call: 808…hahahahahaha.
Is there a question I should have asked you (or that you wanted me to ask but didn’t)? The question perhaps we would like to have been asked is “Where would you be right now if pickleball never existed?” We would probably not have our farmers tan, have more closet space, and a bit more money from all the paddles and equipment we brought, but we would have missed out on the hours of exercise, the magnificent views of the island from the courts, and most definitely the people that we have met here, outer island, mainland and from around the world. So, we are grateful for Lily introducing us to pickleball and it’s endless supply of happiness and everlasting memories!
Keola and Victoria’s wedding with PB friends
