Dinks On Tap: The Happy Hour Pickleball Podcast

Have you ever made it to the front of the paddle line at pickleball open play, only to have your partner dis you because she didn't want to play with "a beginner"? Yeah, that happened to today's guest, Academy Award winner Mary Steenburgen, one of the celebrities who play pickleball when no one's filming. After sharing drinks with Mary and her husband, Ted Danson, we knew we had to have her on the pod to talk all things pickleball community, how to keep growing at any age, and the weird "gift" she was given after what was supposed to be a routine surgery (that's the Mary Steenburgen music story). She's spilling the tea on who got her into the game, how she won her first sports ribbon at 40 by a complete fluke, and how she and Jake Johnson became friends through improv on the set of The Dink movie. We also get into what beginner pickleball is like when strangers expect a movie star to be good, and her take on pickleball for seniors, court shoes included. We talk about: How Mary scored most of her team's 6 points alongside the partner who called her "a beginner," back before The Dink Movie came out The crash course in pickleball open play etiquette she needed first, starting with how the paddle line works Who got Mary to pick up a paddle, and the support that kept her enthusiasm going The word Mary makes her 5 grandchildren add to the sentence "I can't do this" The night of pickleball with the crew of The Dink that Mary will never forget Why pickleball people are the best, and how the sport spans generations The "gift" Mary got after a bit of anesthesia, which she didn't see as a gift and which turned into a whole other career Why aging by accomplishment, over aging by diminishment, is Mary's case for pickleball for older adults We also serve up Mary's take on why pickleball friends are some of the best friends you'll make. And if you've ever Googled "is pickleball good for seniors," her love letter to the game at the end is your answer. Pour something cold and press play.Cheers,Casie and LaurenDinks on Tap Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us: Instagram: @dinksontap Facebook: @DinksonTapWebsite: dinksontap.com Connect with Mary: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mary_steenburgen Drew Brees Celebrity Pickleball Tournament: https://delmar.wine/event/drew-brees-celebrity-pickleball-tournament/ (Promo Code: DINKSONTAP20 — 20% off Pickleball spectator tickets only) Del Mar Food & Wine Festival: https://delmar.wine/ (Promo Code: DINKSONTAP15 — 15% off all Grand Tasting ticket tiers.)

It’s one thing to pick up a paddle sport on a whim. It’s another thing entirely to realize (somewhere between a rec game and an invite-only underground games scene) that this “casual hobby” has started organizing your calendar, your social life, and, subtly, your sense of self. This week, Casie and Lauren sit down with Clare Frank, former Chief of Fire Protection for the state of California, longtime leader in wildfire response, and now author of Just One More Game. What begins as a conversation about a pickleball obsession quickly turns into something more revealing: what happens when a life built on urgency, mission, and high stakes suddenly slows down… and a game steps in to fill the space. Clare didn’t set out to join the pickleball community. She showed up in flip-flops to watch. What followed was a familiar but rarely examined progression: rec game, better players, underground games, pickleball camp, tournament play, all orbiting a single, slightly uncomfortable question: why does this pickleball game get such a hold on people? The answer, it turns out, has very little to do with the game itself. We talk about: The exact moment Clare realized her pickleball obsession had crossed a line—and why that thought felt more revealing than concerning The subtle escalation from casual rec game to underground games (and what those hidden hierarchies say about status and belonging) Why adults replace “play” with productivity, and how pickleball disrupts that pattern The psychology of partnership, and why finding the right doubles partner feels suspiciously close to dating How a career in high-stakes firefighting reshapes perspective on competition, pressure, and what actually matters in tournament play The role of a pickleball mentor, and why improvement isn’t always about skill as much as identity What tournament play reveals about people that rec game culture politely hides Somewhere in this conversation is a realization most players recognize but rarely articulate: the game is just the entry point. What keeps people coming back is harder to name, and much harder to walk away from. Pour a spicy marg and press play. This one’s for anyone who’s ever wondered why this game gets such a hold on people. Cheers, Casie and Lauren Dinks on Tap You can purchase Just One More Game by Clare Frank here. Other ways to connect with Clare Frank: Website Instagram Tiktok Youtube Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us: Instagram: @dinksontap Facebook: @DinksonTap Website: dinksontap.com For those wanting to fortify their mental game on the court, check out Lauren’s Mental Caddie offerings on her website or book a Chemistry Call.

Pickleball players will build an entire life around playing. Watching the pros? That’s where things get interesting. In this episode, Casie and Lauren sit down with broadcaster, commentator, and certified pickleball numbers guy, Will Daughton, to ask a deceptively simple question: if rec players are so obsessed with pickleball…why aren’t more of them watching the pickleball pros? What follows is a conversation about PickleballTV, Major League Pickleball, momentum swings, partnership dynamics, and the parts of pickleball strategy most rec players miss in plain sight. Not because the rec world needs a lesson, but because watching high-level pickleball reveals a different layer of the game entirely. They we about: We talk about: Why so many pickleball players love playing more than watching The subtle patterns pickleball pros notice immediately Why momentum in pro pickleball is more real than people think The tactical choices great players abandon the second they stop working What strong partnerships reveal on and off the scoreboard Why the human stories around Major League Pickleball may be the thing that makes more people care What PickleballTV and the broadcast side of the sport are doing to make the game more watchable This one is part pickleball strategy, part sports psychology, part broadcast-booth confessional. So whether you’re a loyal PickleballTV viewer or someone who still claims you’d “rather just go play,” this episode offers a strong argument for paying closer attention. Grab your drink, hit play, and meet the man making the pro game a lot more interesting to watch. Cheers, Casie and Lauren Dinks on Tap Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us: Instagram: @dinksontap Facebook: @DinksonTap Website: dinksontap.com For those wanting to fortify their mental game on the court, check out Lauren’s Mental Caddie offerings on her website or book a Chemistry Call. If you love being comfy as much as we do, go to cozyearth.com, use code DINKS for up to 20% off, and get ready to live your coziest life!

Ever wonder what it takes to raise a kid in competitive pickleball without turning every car ride home into a post-match press conference? A junior pickleball match only lasts so long, but parenting the player behind it is the part that follows you home. This episode gets into the family side of the game, where the travel is real, the pressure is sneaky, and keeping the joy alive can matter just as much as the result. This week, we head into the wonderfully unhinged world of junior pickleball. where the snacks are packed, the hotel check-ins are tactical, and the group text about partners somehow carries more tension than the actual match. This week, we talk with the parents behind some seriously talented young players and pull back the curtain on what sports parenting looks like when your kid is chasing the tournament circuit, eyeing the pro circuit, and learning how to compete in a sport that can hand you a highlight reel and a minor emotional spiral in the same afternoon. Glenda Calvo is a longtime volleyball coach with strong takes on the mental game, mental training, and why positive talk is not fluff, it’s fuel. Jared Messenger is a dad deep in the logistics of junior pro tournaments, managing travel, school, and the strange reality of watching a 14-year-old hold his own against grown men in competitive pickleball. And Angela Todd, the mother of Parris Todd, a recognizable face in professional pickleball, brings a hard-earned perspective on athlete development, communication, and the kind of boundary setting that keeps ambition from swallowing the whole family. We talk about: • How mental training tools like affirmations and visualization can shape confidence before a match. • Why boundary setting matters when a sport starts taking over the family calendar, budget, and nervous system. • What life on the pro circuit and tournament circuit actually looks like for families raising serious players. • How parental support can help young athletes recover from losses without turning the car ride home into a lecture series. • Why athlete development in youth athletics is as much about communication and trust as it is about reps and results. • And the sneaky truth about competitive pickleball, which is that the real drama is not always on the court. This one is funny, unexpectedly tender, and full of the kind of insight that makes you rethink what support really looks like in sport. Jared also recommends the National Junior Pickleball League as a great alternative for families looking beyond the PPA or MLP path. With divisions for beginner, intermediate, advanced, and elite players, it offers more guaranteed play through pool play followed by bracket play, making it a strong option for kids who want a competitive experience without the quick two-loss-and-you’re-done format. So grab your marg and come hang with us for a conversation about the parents behind the players, the pressure behind the paddles, and the heart behind the hustle. Cheers, Casie & Lauren Dinks on Tap Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us: Instagram: @dinksontap Facebook: @DinksonTap Website: dinksontap.com For those wanting to fortify their mental game on the court, check out Lauren’s Mental Caddie offerings on her website or book a Chemistry Call. If you love being comfy as much as we do, go to cozyearth.com, use code DINKS for up to 20% off, and get ready to live your coziest life!

You’re standing on the court, paddle in hand, staring at an empty net while the Tournament Director is nowhere to be found and your "10:00 AM start time" has officially become a suggestion. We’ve all been there… trapped in a bracket that feels more like a gridlocked parking lot than an elite player experience. In this episode, joining us in the hot seat is Mike Hoxie, the "Tournament Titan" and founder of Pickleball Is Great (P.I.G.). Mike has spent years modernizing pickleball tournaments from paper and pencil to seamless, text-messaged operations. He’s the expert on keeping the game moving, from coordinating the senior games at the Huntsman to managing high-stakes matches with prize money. We're gonna dive into the organized chaos of the pickleball community with a man who has seen more court time than a Franklin pickleball. We talk about the massive pickleball growth of the last decade and the transition from the retail sports management grind to the "island style" pace of running over 150 pickleball events a year. Here’s what we’re pouring out in this episode: Why elite sports management means ditching the "zero occupancy" money grab to prioritize early finishes and cold drinks over keeping courts 100% jammed all day. How referee certification diffuses 50% of on-court "hooking" and arguments just by letting players know the teacher is watching. How the pickleball community is leading the charge by turning pickleball events into massive fundraising engines for non-profits. Why your pickleball training should include playing against fresh bloods to see if your pickleball strategy actually holds up outside your local bubble. We’ll also discuss why recreational pickleball players often get burned out by bad experiences and why the best pickleball strategy starts with reading the fine print before you hit that tournament registration button. So, grab a Kahlua and cream, put down the rulebook, and find out how to spend more time dinking and less time checking your watch. Let’s get you out of the parking lot and back into the kitchen! Cheers, Casie & Lauren Dinks on Tap Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us: Instagram: @dinksontap Facebook: @DinksonTap Website: dinksontap.com Learn more about the Mental Caddie or LPV Coaching, check out Lauren’s website or book a Chemistry Call. Ways to connect with Mike Hoxie and Pickleball is Great (PIG): Pickleball Is Great - 10 Years! https://pickleballisgreat.com/ www.facebook.com/PICKLEBALLISGR8/ twitter.com/pickleballisgr8 https://www.youtube.com/@PickleballisGR8/ **We are celebrating 10 years in the Tournament Management Business. Coast to Coast and now international with tournaments in Japan, Mexico, and soon Tahiti Upcoming Tournaments 2026 Pickle Money Ball - Mar 19, 2026 - Mar 22, 2026 https://pickleballtournaments.com/tournaments/2026-pickle-money-ball **New tournament with $600,000 in prize money - paid down to the 16th position. DUPR Skill based. Last minute registration ends 3/4/26 USA Pickleball Golden Ticket - Washington 7/9/26 to 7/12/26 (seattle) https://pickleballtournaments.com/tournaments/usa-pickleball-golden-ticket-washington **Our first USA Pickleball Golden ticket tournament! Registration starts in April! Challenger membership of $12 a year required for every player Kimo Dejon's 1st Annual Tahiti Senior Pickleball Tournament Jun 02, 2026 - Jun 03, 2026 https://pickleballtournaments.com/tournaments/kimo-dejons-1st-annual-tahiti-senior-pickleball-tournament-by-pig

EP 34 - Ever wondered why your DUPR score nosedives after a win, and you're wondering if your app is gaslighting you? What is happening in the pickleball matrix? In this episode, we sit down with Tito Machado, the most loved and rage-texted man in pro pickleball. He’s the CEO of DUPR, the rating system that somehow manages to both unite and divide the pickleball community like it’s the pineapple on pizza of the pickleball world. Tito opens up about the chaos, the criticism, and the sheer volume of "fix my rating" DMs that hit his inbox daily. We also confess our own crimes, yes, we may or may not have created a fake verified account to see just how easy it is to game the system (don’t worry, we turned ourselves in to the DUPR police). What follows is a wild mix of real talk, good laughs, and some serious behind-the-scenes transparency into how pickleball ratings actually work. Here’s what you’ll dink away with: Why a win won’t always raise your DUPR score and how your reliability score factors in What the DUPR forecast really tells you (beyond the red arrow of doom) How pickleball data reveals player performance and flags sandbagging Why some avoid pickleball tournaments and how that trend is shifting What’s coming in 2026 for competitive pickleball: sub-ratings, verified accounts, and cleaner match records Tito’s spicy takes on rec pickleball, DUPR jail, and his dream court showdown with Kobe and Ronaldo This episode delivers smart insights and just enough chaos to keep your next paddle tap interesting. Rating junkies, proud 3.0s, and anyone still pretending not to care about their DUPR will want in on this one. Cheers, Casie & Lauren Dinks on Tap P.S. This episode is served with a side of ✨actual magic ✨from our sponsor, Unearth Experience, for people who want their adventures like their pickleball games: unforgettable, a little unhinged, and way above average. Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us: Instagram: @dinksontap Facebook: @DinksonTap Website: dinksontap.com

At some point this year, we all looked around and thought, “How did the pickleball community get this big?” and somehow, pickleball became everyone’s personality. Welcome to our year-end rundown of the best and worst things that happened in pickleball this 2025, and we’re saying it all! In this episode, we kick things off by celebrating some big wins, from growing audiences and packed events to the undeniable rise of pickleball tournaments and ever-expanding pickleball clubs. We also dig into the stats that prove what we all feel on the courts: this sport is exploding across adult sports leagues, community sports, and the broader world of sports industry growth. Then things get spicy… we welcome back our favorite pickleball provocateur, Andrew Kole, who brings strong opinions on everything from questionable sports fashion trends to the overwhelming surge in pickleball equipment and ever-evolving paddle technology. His takes spark laughs, tension, and a few “did he really just say that?” moments, which is exactly why we love having him on. We take a step back and look at what really defined pickleball in 2025. It was a year that proved this sport isn’t just growing, it’s evolving, and we’re breaking it all down with honesty, humor, and a little side-eye. Here’s a peek at what 2025 looked like for pickleball: The biggest pickleball trends that shaped the year, both exciting and uncomfortable Why pickleball tournaments and competitive play surged in a big way The real impact of pickleball noise complaints and shrinking public court access Ongoing rating system debates and what they mean for everyday pickleball players Why the pickleball community continues to be the heart of the sport, no matter how big it gets So grab your margarita or martini, pull up a court-side chair, and join us as we toast the highs, side-eye the lows, and wrap up a wild year in pickleball. 🍹🏓 Cheers, Casie & Lauren Dinks on Tap P.S. This episode is served with a side of ✨actual magic ✨from our sponsor, Unearth Experience, for people who want their adventures like their pickleball games: unforgettable, a little unhinged, and way above average. AND Our friends at Dailey Travels are hosting a Royal Caribbean Pickleball Cruise with NBA Legend Rick Barry this April. It’s a 5-night luxury cruise adventure to Cabo San Lucas that combines world-class instruction with five-star amenities! Check it out at www.dailey-travels.com! Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us: Instagram: @dinksontap Facebook: @DinksonTap Website: dinksontap.com

Welcome to the only live podcast episode where the court drama is matched only by the party vibes, and the wardrobe choices might just win their own medal. Here’s some front-row access to the Dinks on Tap one-year celebration, recorded with a live audience of our favorite paddle-loving warriors. This episode is equal parts pickleball pep rally, behind-the-scenes tea, and hilarious fun. We relive our biggest night yet, complete with a fashion show, signature cocktails, and a double guest feature that brought the heat. First up: Courtney Johnson, aka America’s favorite ref, who once stared down John McEnroe without flinching and still had time to correct your kitchen violations. Then: Mark Molthan, Dallas Flash team owner, luxury homebuilder, and the kind of guy who can drop an F-bomb and a sports commentary gem in the same breath. Whether you came for the laughs or the Major League Pickleball intel, we’ve got both plus a few confessions we maybe should’ve left off-mic. Too late. You’ll hear: The real MVP moment from our live podcast (hint: it involved a fashion emergency and a pickleball paddle) Mark’s bold take on team ownership and what happens when Dallas Flash meets their biggest rivals Courtney’s top “you did what in the kitchen?!” rule flubs How our night out became a masterclass in community building and chaotic joy Why athletic fashion is now an official part of our sport (and yes, we want the whole spring line) So, whether you're here for the pickleball drama, the laughs, or just to feel like part of the sports community, hit play and pretend you're sipping a cocktail under the twinkle lights of the Dallas scene. Cheers, Casie & Lauren Dinks on Tap P.S. This episode is served with a side of ✨actual magic ✨from our sponsor, Unearth Experience, for people who want their adventures like their pickleball games: unforgettable, a little unhinged, and way above average. Lucky in Love Pickleball attire - as seen in the fashion show at our event! Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us: Instagram: @dinksontap Facebook: @DinksonTap Website: dinksontap.com