IRONS IN THE FIRE

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I am reminded of the idiom “Too many irons in the fire”.  It implies a situation when someone takes on so many tasks that his life becomes unmanageable.  When we started PAK, we had zero irons (aka prospects) for adding courts.  After three years, almost five hundred members, and many hours of work, we are getting close.  The fire that is pickleball is burning even hotter than when we started.  Growth of players continues to be exponential, and while we have seen new courts added, and even more planned, we are still far short of the number and quality of courts needed. 

 

In my October Report, I stated that due to the high cost of land and the high cost of construction we think we can build our dream facility if either:

1. We get the land donated; or,

2. We get the cost of construction donated.

I have been a lover of fairy tales since childhood.  I read every fairy tale book in the library and my world view was shaped by them.  Genies, and fairy godmothers, magical worlds where wishes came true.  We now have a ray of hope for a location!  While negotiations are ongoing, it is too early to share details, but it fits all the checkmarks for location, size, zoning, and price.  We are actively pursuing this possibility while tending to the other “irons” we have put in the fire over the years.  Within six months, the Lihue area may see an additional ten courts become available for public play.  Within two years, the County may complete six permanent dedicated courts in Hanapepe, and six more in Nawiliwili.  If our dream project is on schedule, we will have a world class tournament quality covered facility on Kauai adding twelve covered, lighted dedicated courts by the end of 2027.

 

Once our site is nailed down, a whole new set of irons will have to go into our fire.  Architects, engineers, facility planners, personnel, vendors, builders, suppliers, grant writers, financiers, fund-raisers, volunteers, donors.  Those will be exciting and busy times.  We will need to maintain the loyalty of our membership base, and to expand it even further.  “With many hands, hard work becomes light”.

 

In the meantime, keep playing the coolest game on the planet.  A small contingent of Kauai players made us proud at the recent National Tournament in Mesa, AZ bringing home gold in 4.0 and 4.5 divisions.  The tournament had over 3,000 entrants!  Others did well in the 600+ participants at the Hawaii Convention Center, bringing home medals.  I can vouch for almost every player that they would rather play a tournament on Kauai than in the desert of Mesa!  “if we build it they will come”.  

 

Please heed Membership Chair Lori Uyeda’s call for renewing your membership.  We need you more than ever.  Have a Happy Thanksgiving!  May all your fairy tales come true!

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Until next month,

Nolan