Episode 79 Eric Lazar Refused to stop LIVING! Surfing and Pickleball

[00:00:00] Thank you for joining in. I'm Mike. I'm Christana. We're the Pickleballers Next Door. Campbell Chiropractic, your path to wellness. Your path to wellness starts here. Our services include chiropractic care, laser therapy and custom orthotics. We also provide personalized nutrition

[00:00:21] plans, rehabilitation and sports physicals. Visit us at castlerockchiro.com or call 303-663-8365. Hi Mike. How are you? Hi Christana. I'm doing good. How about you? Good, good. Hey, we're going to have

[00:00:44] Eric Lazar. He's from Kauai, Hawaii. Oh my gosh. Yeah, and we had him on for a short period when we did the championship, the adaptive championship at Peak Pickleball. And so here we are with Eric Lazar. How are you doing? Aloha. Living the dreams. Aloha. What a beautiful place you live. Now, I came out there and I was in that storm. You know, there was actual sheep or not sheep,

[00:01:14] goats flying by me and trees being uprooted. The worst storm they've had in there in, you know, hurricane in Iniki. Oh yeah. It was like, it was just really bad. It was crazy. So I guess it's raining today there, huh? Well, no, it's sunny now this morning. It was raining this morning. Yeah. And so how often do you play pickleball? I try to get out like three times a week.

[00:01:41] That's awesome. So beautiful there. I mean, oh God, I didn't, if you haven't been, you need to go because this, it is so peaceful. Um, I can only imagine the pickleball playing. I mean, when I was there, I couldn't play there was, it was so rainy and it was just so bad. Um, but I'm, I'm coming out in November. So I'd love to see you in November and get to play with you. Please, please reach out. I'll definitely see you then. So Eric, um, so you kind of are on a different journey because you are in a

[00:02:10] wheelchair, right? And, um, uh, with pickleball and it's actually starting to be really, um, where a lot of people there like USA pickleball and peak pickleball did the first championship, right? Oh, that was amazing. I hope it continues on. That was, that was better than the U S open. And so how long have you been in a wheelchair? 23 years, 23 years.

[00:02:40] And, um, do you want to kind of tell us your story and how you kind of, um, came about with pickleball? Um, I started playing three years ago. Um, I was playing ukulele at the Calaheo Neighborhood Center and in the gym there, they were playing pickleball and they always kept on saying, you need to be playing pickleball. You need to be playing pickleball. And for years they said,

[00:03:05] no, no, I'm busy. I love playing ukulele. And then, uh, uh, I'm still playing today. And, uh, so finally COVID happened and then a lot of the neighborhood centers shut down so we couldn't play ukulele. And then I finally, uh, started, uh, Kauai Christian Fellowship Church on the bypass road here by Poipu and the rest is history. I'm a pickleballer now. You're a pickle. You are a good pickleballer.

[00:03:34] Yeah. Thank you. How do you do at the tournament? I got, uh, silver and the novice hybrid. I won my first, uh, doubles match with my partner, Steven, and won my first match playing singles. Wow. That's awesome. That's awesome. Well, what do you, so what do you like playing most? Do you like playing doubles, singles? Well,

[00:04:00] I've, I've, on Kauai I only play hybrid. So I guess I like that the most, but I love the reason why I went and, um, the U S open is because of my partner, Steven. I love, uh, playing with people in wheelchairs. So I want to play more with people in wheelchairs. It's awesome. I mean, and then, you know, that's a quite a trip. That's not an easy trip to get all the way out here, you know, to come out. I had to do some fundraising, raise some money and get help. And

[00:04:31] there's a wheel, there's a way. That's all I know. There is. And look what it did. You got those, now you got those medals hanging there, right? You're looking at those every day. So, and I know it's only growing. I mean, there's going to be more of this. I mean, especially with USA Pickleball, I mean, they're really getting big part of this. I'm glad they did. I'm glad they did that first tournament at Pete Pickleball. Yeah. I think the next big one is nationals. I think that's the next big one. I'll be there. Well, we're hoping to be there. I mean, if Chris Anna will get, uh, set up.

[00:05:01] Yeah. If Mike isn't mean to me, like he always is, you know, I'll see. Maybe I'll be there. It's done out of love. It's done out of love. It is done out of love. But anyway, so, uh, how the Pickleball, do you play at the court? Is it the courts outside there where they, they put the nets out? It's, um, I forgot. I don't know. So there's, there's, well, I play in a few different places. Um, at the quiet Christian fellowship,

[00:05:25] there's two courts already there with the, with the nets up. Okay. And then I play sometimes at the Kaloa park, which is nets are already up. And then I'll go play on the West side. Um, either Kekaha or YMA right now, the Kekaha courts are being resurfaced. Oh, nice. So we're playing at the YMA high school where the tennis courts and we put up, uh, you know, the temporary nets.

[00:05:53] Nice. That's where, yeah, that's where I went and they, it was just, the weather was bad. Um, so I didn't get to play any pickleball. I was so sad because I wanted to just that, that, that, the weather you have there and it's just so quick. It's incredible. It is a piece. The piece. Yeah. How do you. I'm sorry to interrupt, but we always play in the wind over here. So it's really like, it makes your better play. I think. Really does. Yeah. You have to adapt to that. You're where you hit the ball and where you place the ball. Yeah.

[00:06:21] Yeah. Well, you know, we just talked to a gentleman that does rollout courts. Um, so he needs to, I think he just put some courts. Where was that in? That was in Hawaii. I think it was the big Island. He, they did, uh, they did like 24 courts. So, I mean, it's Hawaii is, I mean, pickleball is growing. Yeah. It's not getting smaller. It's getting bigger. No, no. Yes, definitely. So are you seeing all ages or, um, playing? Yes, absolutely. So little young ones, whippersnappers.

[00:06:50] Yep. Um, on the West side, we have a little teenage boy that comes and joins us and there's a teenage girl that plays. Um, so yeah, I'm seeing more kids playing. Then the tournaments, there's some kids playing. Um, I've actually played against 10, 11 year old boys. So isn't that crazy though, how fast they are and how fast they're learning.

[00:07:15] They're, they're amazing. Kids today. Yeah. And so how did you learn? Did you have a coach? No, no. I just, um, I, um, I, um, I'm an athlete. I played every sport, but actually the first sport that I ever played when I was four years old was tennis. And then I was a soccer player, basketball player, football player, baseball player. Then I became a skateboarder and a surfer. And then all the team sports went out of the way. I wanted to be a pro

[00:07:45] surfer growing up. That's why I'm, I know about Hawaii since I was six years old and been coming here since I was 15. And, uh, Hawaii, um, uh, Hawaii is my, uh, my dream. Hawaii is my heart. Hawaii is everything to me. Oh, it's beautiful. I mean, it's just, yeah. And, and the ocean there and oh my gosh. Yeah. I'm a water person.

[00:08:10] Yeah. It's beautiful. I, I, when I, I love snorkeling there, I was in Maui and I, and the snorkeling was just poor. I love Maui too. It's just another piece. It's small, but it's sure peaceful. Uh, the banyan tree, that was the neatest thing I've ever seen. Beautiful. Yeah. Yeah. That thing that never seen a tree that grows down up over and it's, it's the wildest thing you've ever seen in your life. And the turtles now over there, you guys have goats where you, where you are. And then at the other Island, it's all, it's

[00:08:39] so many chickens. It's chickens. We got chickens running in the stores over here. Yeah. Yeah. I'm, I, I must've, when I was there, there was this goats everywhere. I didn't know like what the, in the middle of the streets and the highway everywhere. Yeah. I don't remember that. I was in Hawaii probably 20, 23 years ago and, um, I, I don't remember the chickens. Yeah. It was beautiful. That was it. And that one thing about, um, Hawaii,

[00:09:09] there are no snakes, correct? No, not that I know of. No, everything's been brought there. Which I love that. Yeah. I mean, but they, what they do there is pretty neat. I mean, from, uh, they grow, I mean, they grow like the farm, the, the coffee. We did a lot of the coffee tours and stuff there. Like, it's just neat how it grows on the hills and stuff. Kona coffee is like a forest. Every, every boy is like a forest. Everything you just got planted and it'll grow. I'm sure. But it grows out of the lava. That's the craziest part, you know?

[00:09:39] Like I said, it grows everywhere. It's just a very fertile place. Yeah. And then if I heard you right, you started a community church. Is that right? Yeah. The Kauai Christian Fellowship Church on the bypass road on, uh, in Poi Pu. That's where I started playing. My first, so I started in September three years ago and in December, I was playing with somebody over there and we played our first tournament in

[00:10:05] December and we actually did good. And yeah, I just, uh, been hooked ever since. Oh yeah. It's addictive sport. I don't care. It's, you can't stop. No. I got, uh, I wish I played more, but it's all good. So you, are your plan to stay and live there forever in Hawaii? Uh, I felt I died and went to heaven. I don't have to die and get to be here and live in heaven. You're already there.

[00:10:32] Living a dream. I pinch me as it's really happening. Yeah. It's, I guess if you've never been to Hawaii, any of the, it doesn't matter which one you go to. Yeah. They all have their own unique beautiness. They're all special. They really are. And, uh, the only scary part I got to tell you is when the storms do come, you do get a little like, how do I get out of here? You, cause you're not close to any other land. Well, I grew up in California where there's earthquakes. So nothing scares me.

[00:11:02] Nothing. All right. Well, little goats were flying by and trees were being uprooted. I was a little scared. Because I think I was, uh, sorry to interrupt, but the, when I was turned one years old, the Silmar earthquake happened and I slept right through it. And then I was there for the Northridge earthquake. And, uh, I've been through plenty of earthquakes. So yeah, there's, then there's nothing.

[00:11:26] No, it's, you know, unfortunately we're all born to die and we all have our number and let's just live. Yeah. Don't worry about the bad things. Let's, let's worry about and have fun doing good things. So do you play any other sports? I'm a surfer. Okay. Play ukulele and not anymore. I used to, like I said, I played everything growing up. Sure. But now I just stick to pickleball, play ukulele and surfings.

[00:11:56] Now surfing a little more scary. I mean, I, I'm an, I'm one of those crazy. To me, I'm more comfortable in the water than on land. Yeah. But I, what I've been reading about is I followed sharks all my life. So I just know that you guys have had a fluctuation of like great whites and stuff in Hawaii. They're just crazy. Cause you guys. Well, actually my friend who, who actually filmed me, who's a lifeguard. He was the last person that got bitten on this island in Hanalei.

[00:12:24] And he's making a recover, you know, he's, he's recovering so well and they saved his leg. And he's actually surfing again within six months. The guy's incredible. Wow. I'd be scared. Yeah. Cause they've had to, because the water and climate change, they've had a more white, great whites, um, in Hawaii than they've ever had. I think we've been raping the scene and fishing more than we should take more than what we need.

[00:12:49] Yeah. Yeah. That's probably true too. But, uh, I love the food there too. Um, I'm going to say this wrong. Oh, so the one I get and you'll tell me what it is. So it's rice. It's, it's a hamburger patty. It's got the egg, the local, local moco. There it is. That is so good. Like you tell people that and they're like, are you crazy? It is so good. Oh my, I could eat it every day. I could eat it for dinner. Like it is so good.

[00:13:17] He's going to come back just for that. People do. Don't worry. But it's, it's gravy. You have to experience this. Like it just not sound right. And then the funniest thing that I had, I love eggs Benedict, but my eggs Benedict came with rice and I love rice. So the funny part is like the food is so different. You know, it's just, it's, it's, it's so good though too. So good. But the loco moco, that's the one I, I, I needed. Loco moco. Loco moco. Cause that is my favorite thing there. Mike is loco. I am loco.

[00:13:46] He likes loco moco. So am I. It's all good. It is so good. You know? So then you play at three different, it sounds like three different outside courts. Do you have any indoor courts around you guys yet? I think there's one in Lajue, but I've never been to it. I think there's only like one temporary court. So I don't know if it's. They just opened an indoor court, but it's on the other island, the other island. On Oahu?

[00:14:15] Oahu. Yep. They opened an indoor court there. Yeah. That's what I heard. Yeah. So do you travel to the other, sometimes the other islands? I do for surfing events of all things. That's funny. I go surf on Oahu. The last event I just won in Haleiwa over right after Christmas, the Haleiwa International Open in Haleiwa. I got first place my first time. I've surfed the Hawaii Adaptive Surfing Championships in Queens, Waikiki.

[00:14:45] And every, like, May, June, they had the event. When are the waves? Which is the one that has the biggest waves? Is that Wahoo? With the giant, like, they're big waves. Well, every island has big waves. It's always on the north side, and it's always in the wintertime. Yeah. These are crazy. Like, these are scary waves. Like, this is scary. Oh, yeah. See, I'm a little scared of water like that. Those waves are death-defying. Yeah. What's the height of them? I forget how big they get.

[00:15:15] Oh, they get over 100 feet waves, you know, on over 100 feet faces. And you surf on those? No. I've surfed. The biggest I surf, being paralyzed, is with, like, 20, 25 foot bases at Halei. That's still a big wave. I don't care. That's just a scary wave. Wow. And so... To me, it's very thrilling and very exciting. And so, would you say you surfed when you were young then? Oh, yes. So, you've been probably surfing since...

[00:15:44] Since I was six years old. Wow. That's exciting. I mean, fun. I'm glad you're able to do it now. Competing since I was 12 years old, surfing contest. And like I said, I wanted to be a pro surfer, so I started coming to the North Shore of Oahu, 85, 87. Yeah, you got to watch. I always wanted to live in Hawaii, and here I came for a two-week vacation 15 years ago to Kauai and said, uh-oh, this is the real deal.

[00:16:13] This place is the real aloha. I've never experienced love, and the people make it more beautiful than it looks. Yeah, people are so nice there. That's what I was impressed with. I was going to say, too, they have a lot of lava that goes out in their waters, so there's dangerous surfing there. Oh, yeah. Yeah, there's only like certain spots I can get to that are accessible. Yeah, I was going to say. I get in Hanalei. I get in the river and go out. My friend tows me with the jet ski.

[00:16:42] Mitch, he's the best. He made me a surfer again. Because there's lava everywhere. It's tough to get to the water. Like, you have to get to the waves. You have to. Where I live on the South Shore is really rocky, and like you said, it's not accessible that much for me. I think the weirdest thing that I went there to go see was seahorses. They raised the baby seahorses there. It was the craziest thing. And these seahorses, they mate.

[00:17:11] Once they're with their mate, that's who they're with. And it was the neatest thing. And who knew male had babies? Exactly. That's how it should be. Well, yeah. Sorry. The men have the babies. But who would know? And you know what? They don't raise these to keep them there in Hawaii. They raise them so people won't take the real ones that are in the ocean. So these are ones actually sold. So it was a neat thing. How big are they? They're about three inches.

[00:17:41] Some bigger, five inches. And just the neatest thing. I mean, they have all these tanks there. And when we were there, there wasn't much to do because of the weather. And so we went to some of these attractions. We've seen the coffee. And we've seen the seahorses and sea turtles. And I went and actually swam with the dolphins. That was pretty neat. Nice. Yeah. Was that you squilling? Dolphins are my favorite creatures. Yeah. They're such a gentle soul. They're just the way they look at you, too.

[00:18:11] They're very intelligent. They want to play. They do want to play. I was about to say, very playful. Yeah. Yeah. Very playful. But so where's your next pickleball adventure from today? Well, I'm actually going to go play. Tomorrow, Thursdays is drilling on the west side of Wyoming. I'm going to go play tomorrow. Tomorrow, my next adventure is the U.S. Nationals to compete.

[00:18:39] The Pickleball Association in Hawaii has their annual tournament here in August. And I'll be, I think I'm going to play one event and then work and help out with the organization putting on the event. That's great. Yeah. Really looking forward to the U.S. Nationals playing with my partner, Steven, and doubles and doing the hybrid and singles again. What's Steven's last name? Paskowitz.

[00:19:10] Okay. That's not the same Steven we were talking to, was it? We were talking to a Steven, but it was just Nationals. In the Phoenix area? Yeah, it could have been. Probably. Yeah, it could have been. Probably. Yeah, he just sounds really familiar because we had somebody on. Was he at Nationals last year? Yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I think we did talk to him. But that would be great. We'll see you there at Nationals. Him and his wife, Ann. Yep. Yeah. Awesome. Yeah, we'd love to see you and do another live podcast with you and follow you. Awesome. I'd love to come out and play with you.

[00:19:40] I'd love you to hook me because you're the connector. I know what I get with you. I'm like in Pickleball. I'm ready to go. I got paddles. You don't even need them. I don't need any paddle. I'm ready to go. Just bring yourself. Come on. I'm coming. I'm coming. November, you'll see me there. I'll bring the turkey. The turkey? Or there's chickens there. You know what? You can't touch the chickens, though. I said, man, somebody needs to open up on like a good chucky fried chicken or something. They said they're... Tough meat at once. That wasn't good to say, was it? No.

[00:20:09] They are protected. Like all their animals are protected there. They don't... You can't just eat them. Like I'm thinking I'm having chicken every day. I do. Mike, you're so bad. Well, I mean, they're everywhere. Why not have one? They look tasty. They look nice and big. You got to watch Mike if he comes out there, just so you know. I like to eat. Okay. No problem. I like to barbecue. So if you got a barbecue, I might be able to catch one of those chickens. You're so hungry. They're going to ban you from Hawaii is what they're going to do. Yeah.

[00:20:39] I hope nobody's listening from Hawaii. I will not do it. I'm sorry. I like chickens. They're my friends. Well, Eric, it is so nice to have you. You know, we didn't get much time the last time and we wanted to just kind of talk to you about your experience. And I mean, it's awesome that you can... Yeah, I finally got a sports chair and that helped out tremendously. You know, like I've been playing in my everyday chair for years.

[00:21:05] And as soon as I got the sports chair, it just made me so much more responsive. I could get the things I couldn't get to before. It's made me a better player. Now, is there other people in Hawaii that need the sports chairs? Is there other people that could use those? Well, I'm the only one on Hawaii that plays in a wheelchair. I mean, I've tried to get other people, but no one seems to want to come out. Because we would like to see how we could help. You know, we like to give back. So, I mean, we like to...

[00:21:35] You know what I love about the pickleball community? The community. It is huge. And they come together. It's the craziest sport I've ever seen. It's truly amazing, remarkable. Like you said, community. Everyone's so friendly and nice and so inviting. It really is. I'm surprised nobody here in a wheelchair wants to play with me. But it's all good. I think that's probably because you're so good. You are good.

[00:22:05] No, no. Maybe I might have more mobility than them. You know, maybe they're more like a quadriplegic and can't function as well as me. Maybe that might be the case. Well, I'd love you to take me out. And I'd love to see you surf, too. I'd love to come out and see you and take me out. I'm not a surfer. I was a boogie boarder. But I would love to see you surf. As long as you're in the water playing, that's all that matters. Mike, wasn't that in the bathtub? Yes.

[00:22:33] Didn't Poma tell me that? Don't tell my secrets. Were you making waves in the bathtub? I was making some waves, all right. Splishing and splashing. Splishing and splashing. Sometimes it was even like a hot tub. Did you have your rubber duckies, too? Yeah, my rubber duckies in there. They were surfing. Okay. Well, do you have a special surfboard? Yes, I have a custom board. They're a bit wider because I have balance issues.

[00:23:01] I'm paralyzed from my high chest down. So I have no stomach core muscles. So if I'm on something, I basically can roll right off of it. So my boards are concave deck to where my body lays in. That's awesome. And then I got handles to hold on to. And did you know, you said 23 years ago you were in a wheelchair.

[00:23:28] Did you know that you would surf again? Well, I knew people before my injury. And when I got injured, I'm like, oh, I thought I kissed the world goodbye. But I guess God had other plans. And I knew I could do many things being in a wheelchair. You're amazing. You're very amazing. I actually raced go-karts a few years. And I was a 2007 champion go-kart racer.

[00:23:58] And nothing stopped me. My joke is I'm in the wheelchair for the parking. I like it. I like it. Well, thank you for being on our show. Thank you for being on our show. I love you. Thank you, guys. Thank you. And we'll keep in touch with you. And then we'll see you hopefully at Nationals. See you at the Nationals. And then I'll see you before that because I'll be out there in November. Oh, good. Okay. All right. Well, actually, October 31st. I thought the Nationals were before. Yeah. Oh, they are. They are. You're right. I thought they were laughing. Okay.

[00:24:27] He's just thinking he's in that bathtub again. I'll see you at Halloween. I'll see you at Halloween. We'll take trick or treat. I like it. Have a great day. Thank you, Eric. Stay blessed and precious. Keep up the amazing work. Thank you. Take care. Bye-bye. Bye. Bye-bye. Denver. Feel that energy? Professional Pickleball is here. Your hometown heroes, the Denver Iconics, are serving up nonstop thrilling action.

[00:24:56] We're more than a team. We're a community. Be part of the movement sweeping the Mile High City. Get the latest news, grab your gear, and join the Iconics family. The action starts at DenverIconics.com. That's DenverIconics.com.