The Future Of Pickleball Might Belong To The Amateurs, And This Episode Explains Why

Why Pickleball Might Be Rearranging Your Whole Life Before You Notice

What if the most “irresponsible” thing you ever did… (joining a sport with a wiffle ball and a weird name) was actually the smartest move you’ve made for your physical health, your sanity, and your social life? In this episode, Casie & Lauren are doing what they do best: pickleball + truth + tequila. We’re talking Mardi Gras (yes, balls, yes, beads, yes, strangers screaming at you like they’ve known you forever)… and why pickleball could basically be the same experience but with less glitter and more knee braces. We also tackle one of life’s greatest mysteries: why the rally ends and your brain immediately goes “nope” on the score. Lauren dives into the neuroscience of play and explains why “pickleball brain” is your brain prioritizing survival over bookkeeping. And then Casie gets real about the emotional plot twist no one warns you about: how a career change can crack open an identity crisis, and how the court can become the thing that pulls you into a new chapter you didn’t see coming, complete with an identity shift, better habits, and the kind of community that makes you feel tethered again. Because yes, this pickleball lifestyle might start as “cardio with friends” but it ends up being a full-blown life transformation. In this episode, we’re pouring out: * Why long rallies hijack your brain into performance memory mode (and why your internal bookkeeper fully quits). * The real reason everyone asks “what’s the score?” and why transactive memory turns doubles into a group project. * A simple habit to boost mental clarity in-game so you stop getting accidentally robbed of points. * How chasing floats, chasing lobs, and chasing “one more game” can spark a huge glow-up in physical health, sleep quality, and stress reduction. * Why pickleball brings back childlike joy… and why that joy hits deeper than you think. * The spicy truth about friendship shifts: your energy isn’t free, your circle evolves, and meaningful connections start replacing convenience hangs. * How “finding your people” turns into an actual social community that can carry you through the messy middle of reinvention. So grab your shot of Point Blank Reposado, squeeze a lime, and join us as we connect Mardi Gras madness to midlife magic, from the boardroom to the baseline, from burnout to belonging… and from “what’s the score?” to “who even cares, that rally was ART.” Let’s get you back to the kitchen. Just try to remember the score this time. Cheers, Casie & Lauren Dinks on Tap This episode is a re-release from our archives, and the conversation still feels just as relevant today. Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us: Instagram: @dinksontap [https://www.instagram.com/dinksontap] Facebook: @DinksonTap [https://www.facebook.com/DinksonTap]Website: dinksontap.com [https://dinksontap.com/] Learn more about the Mental Caddie or LPV Coaching, check out Lauren’s website [https://www.lpvcoaching.com/sports]or book a Chemistry Call [https://www.lpvcoaching.com/connect].

What Two Empty Nesters with Gold Medals and Matching Outfits Can Teach Us About Starting Over with Cecy Feld and Holly Kerr

You know that friend who texts you at 1am just because she figured out you’re both still awake? Now imagine she’s also your doubles partner, your hype woman, your matching-outfit co-conspirator, and the person who gets genuinely jealous when you drill with someone else. That’s what’s waiting for you in this episode. This week, we’re sitting down with Cecy Feld and Holly Kerr of Feld/Kerr Pickleball, two former tennis players, current empty nesters, and 50-plus pickleball influencers who decided that winning age-bracket pickleball tournaments was a great start and also not even close to enough. What began as a charity tournament on a whim turned into matching Lucky in Love outfits, a big ass calendar, a gold medal at Worlds, and a very real road to senior pro. But underneath the outfits and the gold medals is something more interesting: two women who got everything they planned for and then decided to plan something bigger. Pickleball just happened to be the vehicle. We get into: * How a tennis friendship turned into a full-blown doubles partnership, including the moment they both knew it was official * The real difference between PPA tournaments and APP events at the senior pro open level, and why that gap is humbling in the best possible way * What their weekly pickleball training, drilling, and tournament planning actually looks like * Why pickleball fashion isn’t just about looking cute, and what matching outfits actually signal to opponents before a single ball is struck * Partner jealousy, blind date mixed doubles, and what happens when your regular partner drills with someone else and doesn’t text you back for two hours * How playing against your partner can teach you things you’d never see from the same side of the net * Why the pickleball community at tournaments like the Masters in Palm Springs and the US Open in Naples feels less like competition and more like a reunion you didn’t know you needed * What competitive pickleball looks like when 80-year-olds are out there playing singles and their friends are cheering from the sidelines, and why that image changes how you think about the next few decades * How women athletes over 50 are rewriting what ambition looks like, one tournament weekend at a time This one’s got gold medals, wellness wake-up calls, a very dramatic drilling betrayal, and a love letter to pickleball that might actually make you tear up a little. Fair warning. Pour something cold and press play. Cheers, Casie and Lauren Dinks on Tap Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us: Instagram: @dinksontap [https://www.instagram.com/dinksontap] Facebook: @DinksonTap [https://www.facebook.com/DinksonTap] Website: dinksontap.com [https://dinksontap.com/] For those wanting to fortify their mental game on the court, check out Lauren’s Mental Caddie offerings on her website [https://www.lpvcoaching.com/sports]or book a Chemistry Call [https://www.lpvcoaching.com/connect].  Connect with Cecy and Holly: * Instagram: @feld.kerr.pickleball [https://www.instagram.com/feld.kerr.pickleball]  * Tiktok: @feldkerrpickeball [https://www.tiktok.com/@feldkerrpickleball?_r=1&_t=ZS-97bt7sD0QxJ]

Top Chef Winner Richard Blais Didn't Need Another Obsession…Pickleball Found Him Anyway

It turns out the distance between a Michelin-starred restaurant and a pickleball court is shorter than anyone expected, especially when the person crossing it is already wired for pressure, creativity, competition, and just a little bit of chaos. This week, Casie and Lauren sit down with Chef Richard Blais, a chef, entrepreneur, author, television personality, and newly declared aspiring pickleball influencer. What starts as a conversation about how he found the game quickly becomes something bigger: why pickleball has a way of sneaking into your schedule, your friendships, your competitive wiring, and, if you are Richard, possibly your next business pitch. Richard brings the same curiosity to the court that made him such a recognizable force in food. He talks about learning the game from his wife, Jazmin, and discovering that pickleball, beyond the cardio, gave him a new social life, a new outlet, and apparently, a new reason to talk to himself in the car about dinking patterns. We talk about: * Why Jazmin is the real origin story behind Richard’s pickleball obsession * What tournament nerves have in common with cooking under pressure, and how that shapes his pickleball mindset * How he talks himself through competitive pickleball moments without losing the fun * Why great chefs and great doubles partners both need practice, trust, and a plan * The line-call philosophy every player should probably adopt * Why pickleball friends can feel surprisingly important when the rest of life is built around work * What Richard thinks clubs are still figuring out when it comes to food, hospitality, and the post-game hang * Why he has strong feelings about players who only drive the ball, and what that says about pickleball strategy * The fine line between helpful feedback and becoming the person no one wants coaching them mid-match * How rec pickleball, court confidence, and pickleball culture all collide once people start taking the game just seriously enough * And the celebrity foursome that somehow turns into a full pickleball fan fiction scene Somewhere in this conversation is the thing pickleball people know but rarely say out loud:  It is not just the game that gets you. It is the group texts, the partner dynamics, the small rituals, the style points, the competitive spirals, the questionable line calls, the post-game food, and the strange joy of finding yourself fully invested in something you once thought was just a casual hobby. Settle in and press play. This one’s for anyone who has ever picked up a paddle and accidentally found a whole new world. Cheers, Casie and LaurenDinks on Tap Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us: Instagram: @dinksontap [https://www.instagram.com/dinksontap] Facebook: @DinksonTap [https://www.facebook.com/DinksonTap] Website: dinksontap.com [https://dinksontap.com/] For those wanting to fortify their mental game on the court, check out Lauren’s Mental Caddie offerings on her website [https://www.lpvcoaching.com/sports]or book a Chemistry Call [https://www.lpvcoaching.com/connect].  Our listeners can buy one prescription pair and get 20% off any additional pairs at WarbyParker.com/ONTAP [http://warbyparker.com/ONTAP] — and using our link helps support the show.

The Future Of Pickleball Might Belong To The Amateurs, And This Episode Explains Why

What happens when a Dallas pickleball duo suddenly finds themselves wearing St. Louis Shock colors? This week, we’re unpacking how we became part of the St. Louis Shock's Minor League Pickleball program while still serving as Dallas Flash ambassadors.  What starts as a “how did we get here?” story quickly turns into something bigger: a look at why pickleball’s next chapter may depend less on superstar pros and more on the amateurs who want a reason to care, a team to cheer for, and a place inside the sport as it grows. We also recap our first Major League Pickleball weekend in Dallas, where we played our first Minor League Pickleball event, from rally scoring and Dream Breakers to the surprising realization that your teammates' points can feel just as important as your own.  We’re joined by St. Louis Shock owner Rich Chaffetz, who shares why investing in pickleball means paying attention to the amateur player, and COO Andrew Haines, who walks us through how the Shock is building a nationwide “family” and a player experience that feels bigger than one tournament bracket. We also talk with pro Anna Bright about switching between Professional Pickleball Association play and team-based MLP, plus 13-year-old phenom Elsie Hendershot, the youngest player in MLP, on confidence, competition, and what it’s like to play at that level before most people have mastered parallel parking. We talk about:  * The real-world differences between PPA, MLP, and MiLP * How MILP gives amateur players a way to belong to something bigger than one tournament bracket * What made the St. Louis Shock’s onboarding, communication, and team culture stand out right away  * Why the Shock care less about having a 5.0 DUPR and more about bringing a “5.0 attitude” to the team * The growing tension between elite competition, young players, and keeping pickleball fun  * Casie’s new pet peeve involving excessive screaming after ordinary points  Between the matches, interviews, and sideline conversations, this episode reveals why connection and belonging remain at the heart of pickleball, even as the sport becomes bigger, faster, and more professional. Whether you're trying to make sense of the acronyms or curious about where pickleball is headed next, this conversation offers a front-row seat to the people and ideas shaping the sport's future. Pour something cold and press play. Cheers, Casie and Lauren Dinks on Tap Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us: Instagram: @dinksontap [https://www.instagram.com/dinksontap] Facebook: @DinksonTap [https://www.facebook.com/DinksonTap] Website: dinksontap.com [https://dinksontap.com/] For those wanting to fortify their mental game on the court, check out Lauren’s Mental Caddie offerings on her website [https://www.lpvcoaching.com/sports]or book a Chemistry Call [https://www.lpvcoaching.com/connect].  Save 20% Off Honeylove by going to honeylove.com/ONTAP #honeylovepod [http://honeylove.com/#honeylovepod] Get 15% off OneSkin with the code DINKS at https://www.oneskin.co/DINKS [https://www.oneskin.co/ONTAP] #oneskinpod Interested in joining MiLP? Check out The Shock MiLP opportunity here: https://shockmilp.com/ [https://shockmilp.com/]

DUPR Reset: The Ratings Rollercoaster, the Reality Check, and Tito Machado’s Take

This spring, DUPR hit pause on your history and asked a simple question: Who are you right now, without all that baggage? Turns out that's a harder question than it sounds. We know because Casie did the Reset, knew it didn't count, watched her number drop, and still had to talk herself off the ledge on the way home. So we brought Tito Machado, CEO of DUPR and the man who's spent years trying to convince the pickleball community that a number is just a number, back to Dinks on Tap for a second time, fresh off a DUPR Reset period that generated more player data than anyone anticipated.  We get into what the Reset actually was, what it wasn't, and why so many people signed up hoping it was a cheat code, plus: * Why "DUPR Reset" was never meant to be a path to a higher pickleball rating, and why everyone heard it that way anyway * The myth that playing up is the fastest way to move your number (the algorithm disagrees) * How DUPR accidentally became a social gatekeeper, and why Tito says that's their fault * Career High, Age Ratings, and DUPR Impact: the new metrics, who loves them, and who's already mad about them * Why DUPR forecast might be the perfect gambling tool (Tito's words, not ours) * The AI + camera integration coming that could finally account for what everyone knows matters most: chemistry * And why, when asked what the Forecast would look like if Tito's team played Casie and Lauren, he bet against himself Pour something cold and press play, this one's for anyone who's ever refreshed their DUPR after a loss and told themselves it doesn't matter.  Cheers, Casie and Lauren Dinks on Tap Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us: Instagram: @dinksontap [https://www.instagram.com/dinksontap] Facebook: @DinksonTap [https://www.facebook.com/DinksonTap] Website: dinksontap.com [https://dinksontap.com/] For those wanting to fortify their mental game on the court, check out Lauren’s Mental Caddie offerings on her website [https://www.lpvcoaching.com/sports]or book a Chemistry Call [https://www.lpvcoaching.com/connect].  Save 20% Off Honeylove by going to honeylove.com/ONTAP #honeylovepod [http://honeylove.com/#honeylovepod] Connect with Tito Machado: DUPR [https://www.dupr.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/titomachado.dupr/]