Dinks On Tap: The Happy Hour Pickleball Podcast

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...

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...

Ever tried organizing a pickleball game with five group chats, two calendars, and someone’s cousin who “might show up if it doesn’t rain”? It’s like herding cats… in court shoes. And just when you finally get a foursome, someone drops out at 7 a.m. Sound familiar?

This week on Dinks on Tap, we’re sitting down with Dan and Steve, the creators of DiNKR, the pickleball app designed to bring order to your game day chaos. Tired of juggl...

Winning gold sounds great… until the court lights shut off mid-point, and someone’s Uncle Larry is heckling from the sidelines. Welcome to pickleball tournaments, where the only thing more unpredictable than the tape lines are the emotions running high.

In this episode of Dinks on Tap, we take you inside our latest wild ride at a local tourney in Austin, complete with lighting meltdowns, DJ shutdowns, and one of us possibly forgett...

Curious how your pickleball rating actually gets calculated?

Check out VAIR, the new pickleball rating system: https://www.vairified.com/?ambassador=7180389

Pickleball rating systems can feel like the Wild West… where matchups make zero sense and “fair play” is more myth than rule. One minute you’re rallying with a retired pro, the next you’re getting smoked by a 13-year-old with braces and a wicked backhand.

In this episode, we ...

You can perfect your third shot drop… but can you survive a 10-day pickleball trip with your doubles partner and still want to split a margarita after? 

This week, we’re talking all things chemistry on and off the court. We’re covering pro-led clinics in Spain, silent side-eyes during rec play, and everything in between as we dig into what really holds a team together (and what quietly breaks it).

First, we catch up with Stephen Mo...

Once upon a time, Kaitlin Miller was covering broadcast journalism red carpets and national headlines. Now she’s helping the Nashville pickleball scene blow up one rooftop pickleball rally and post-game marg at a time. With a paddle in one hand and a mic in the other, she’s turning rec play into a real movement, and she’s just getting started.

In this episode of your favorite pickleball podcast, Dinks On Tap, Kaitlin spills the swe...

What would happen if pickleball got a Caitlin Clark–level shake-up, a blast of PR glitter, and just enough paddle-side gossip to keep the courts buzzing all weekend? That is exactly what we are serving today!

First up, our resident pickleball provocateur, Andrew Kole, spills why the sport still hasn’t found its breakout star and what it could steal from the sports marketing playbook of the WNBA. We’re talking player branding that g...

What do you get when two podcasters train like pros, catch COVID five days before a tournament, and still walk away with medals (and maybe a mild cough)? 

You get an episode that’s equal parts redemption story, hydration plan, and doubles therapy session.

In this week’s episode of Dinks on Tap, we break down our wild ride to the Dallas Classic from getting smoked in Houston to sharpening our pickleball strategy, drilling with stron...

What do you get when pickleball ratings make no sense, sandbagging gets a spotlight, and a restaurant entrepreneur turns out to be a beast on the court? You get an episode that’s part strategy session, part cocktail hour, and a whole lot of real talk.

This week, the pickleball provocateur, Andrew Kole, returns with the kind of hot takes only he can deliver, questioning DUPR math, calling out tournament trickery, and unpacking why y...

What happens when you mix pickleball vs tennis debates, spicy pickleball TV ratings, and a 9-month pregnant woman dinking like a champ? You get an episode that’s equal parts spicy, sweaty, and a little bit unhinged in the best way.

In this episode, we kick things off with our resident spice specialist, Andrew Kole, who casually compares Anna Leigh Waters to Serena Williams and questions if Pickleball TV Ratings are even a thing. (T...

What happens when two confident 4.0 players stroll into a pickleball tournament thinking they’re ready… and Houston says, “Bless your hearts”?

You get this episode of Dinks on Tap.

We packed our paddles, mics, and maybe a little too much confidence for a Houston pickleball tournament, only to get served by next-level talent. Turns out, getting humbled was exactly what we needed to spark real pickleball growth. We left calling our c...

What do you get when you mix a booming pickleball community, a bunch of angry neighbors, and one very opinionated provocateur? An episode that’s equal parts civic chaos and court-side commentary.

This week, we’re diving into the pickleball controversy that’s taking over cities everywhere, starting with our favorite instigator, Andrew Kole. He’s got numbers, bold claims, and a not-so-quiet warning about pickleball franchises that mi...

When a court clash turns spicy and the hot takes are served shaken, not stirred, you know it’s a Dinks on Tap episode.

You’ve seen the clips. You’ve read the threads. But now we’re talking exactly what went down between Anna Leigh Waters and Hayden Patriquin at Major League Pickleball Orlando. Real tension? PR stunt? Secret teen love story? (We wish we were joking.)

Our friend (and professional instigator) Andrew Kole, from Pic...

What do you get when you mix a high-stress finance job, a family health scare, and a few curious visits to the local gym? If you're Ben Paquette, you get a full-on life remix served underhand.

In this episode, we sit down with the man who first taught us how to dink without overthinking: pickleball coach Ben Paquette. What started as a few casual games turned into a complete career pivot. Now he’s teaching pickleball, traveling for...

Let’s be honest: switching careers is hard. But switching athletic careers after more than two decades? That’s a whole different level.

In this episode, we sit down with Ivan Jakovljevic, who walked away from a 23-year soccer career to go all in on the world of pro pickleball. And it all started because he had a crush!

We dig into his unexpected pickleball journey, what it’s like learning a totally new sport later in life, and how ...

Let’s be real for a second: playing pickleball with your romantic partner isn’t always a love story. Sometimes, it’s a full-blown drama. You’re holding hands one minute, and the next, you’re side-eyeing their third shot drop like they betrayed you. We’ve been there. That’s why this episode of Dinks on Tap hit home in the best way.

In this episode, we chat with Teri Citterman and Dr. Stormy Hill, co-authors of In a Pickle: How to ...

Are you stretching the wrong way? You might think a quick quad stretch before a match is enough, but according to soft tissue specialist Albert Ibanez, most players are skipping the real key to pickleball injury prevention… and it's not what you’d expect.

Albert, known as the Muscle Whisperer, has worked on countless athletes, including some of the best pickleball players in Dallas. In this episode, he reveals why so many players...

What if we told you that having fun off the court is just as important as practicing your dinks and drives? Sounds wild, right? But after an epic pickleball team-building trip to Broken Bow, Oklahoma, we’re here to tell you… IT WORKS.

In this episode, we’re diving into why team building is important for every pickleball league (and any competitive sport, really). We’ll share how doing team bonding activities like a Mardi Gras nig...