Pickleball Doubles Partnerships and Why Team Chemistry Matters with Captain Molly Bonner
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 Moore of Pickleball Trips, the boutique travel company blending adventure travel with pro-level play. From Japan to Costa Rica to courtside ceviche in Spain, Stephen takes us behind the scenes of how his family turned their love of sport and travel into world-class pickleball tours. Yes, there’s travel with purpose, but there’s also stretchy pants, five-star meals, and a whole lot of dinking with locals.
Then, we sit down with Molly Bonner, the team mom, hug dealer, and unofficial snack coordinator of the Dinking Buddies, to talk about what really happens behind the paddles. This isn’t just about dinks and drops. We’re talking team dynamics, emotion in sports, and what it takes to stay connected when you’re trying to win without losing your cool (or your bestie).
In this episode, you’ll hear:
Why picking a pickleball partner can feel weirdly similar to dating (yes, really)
How a shared competitive mindset can totally bond you or quietly blow things up
The underrated magic of trust and why it’s way more clutch than your drop shot
What actually makes team chemistry click (and how to know when it’s off)
The messy middle: conflict, growth, and navigating partnership like a grown-up
And all the stuff no one teaches you in pickleball clinics, but probably should!
So if travel and play is your love language, consider this your official invite. From coaching sessions in Patagonia to building real connection with your doubles partner, this episode has the vibes and the insight. Paddle up, press play, and let’s go.
Cheers,
Casie & Lauren
Dinks on Tap
Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us:
Instagram: @dinksontap
Facebook: @DinksonTap
Website: dinksontap.com
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Red Carpets, Rooftop Pickleball, and why Kaitlin Miller Swapped Broadcast Journalism for Drop Shots and Dinks
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 sweet tea on how she went from chasing breaking news to building courts with Court Kings, hosting celeb tournaments, and giving newbies pickleball tips not to freak out in the kitchen. Whether she’s running drills at Pickleball Kingdom, throwing rooftop matches, or sipping martinis mid-dink, she’s blending paddle sports with Southern charm and redefining what it means to play for the long game.
Kaitlin’s breaking down everything from shady open-play vibes to the little mindset shifts that actually matter from newbie nerves to pro-level coaching pickleball moments.
We get into:
The real role of team building events and how they make corporate court time way less awkward
Why the US Open pickleball scene has nothing on a good country music Nashville courtside playlist
Why having a tennis background can help but won’t save you from getting schooled by an 80-year-old with fast hands and a knee brace
What the future of inclusivity in sports really looks like (and why open play still has some work to do)
How women in sports are leading the charge on the court, in the booth, and behind the business deals
From broadcast booths to pickleball courts, this episode hits every line. Expect big laughs, real talk, and the kind of strategic glow-up that happens when women run the show. Grab your paddle and your drinks, happy hour starts here.
Cheers,
Casie & Lauren
Dinks on Tap
Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us:
Instagram: @dinksontap
Facebook: @DinksonTap
Website: dinksontap.com
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Big Names, Bigger Brains: The Caitlin Clark Effect and Game Psychology with Dr. Joy Macci: What You Need For Your Pickleball Mindset Training
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 goes way beyond logos on paddles, plus the coaching strategies that could make the pickleball community as binge-worthy as your favorite competitive sports.
Then, Dr. Joy Macci takes the mic for a masterclass in mental toughness, mindset training, and game psychology. She’s worked with elite athletes at the top of their game and she’s dropping pickleball tips that go way past the dink. Think paddle positioning secrets, shot selection tweaks, and micro-adjustments that create major performance improvement.
We get into:
Why sports confidence starts long before your first serve
How a positive mindset can flip a bad point into a teaching moment
The surprising pickleball strategy change that can instantly upgrade your pickleball skills
Why skill development is a forever thing, not just for newbies
How athletic performance could soar with better storytelling and sports growth that actually sticks
It’s got spice, it’s got receipts, and it’s packed with takeaways whether you’re medal-chasing, brand-building, or just here for the mental edge.
Grab your marg (or martini), park it courtside, and let’s serve up the kind of real talk this game’s been begging for.
Cheers,
Casie & Lauren
Dinks on Tap
Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us:
Instagram: @dinksontap
Facebook: @DinksonTap
Website: dinksontap.com
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The Dallas Classic Diaries: We Got COVID, Still Got a Podium Finish, and Got Schooled by Ben McNair on Pickleball Strategy
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 stronger players, leveling up our game preparation, and crushing teenagers with braces and unreal reflexes. We talk about adjusting our game mode, building mental resilience, and staying locked in through a surprise round of covid recovery (plus a few Trader Joe’s runs and enough hydration tips to last a lifetime).
Then we sit down with Ben McNair, who brings the perfect blend of biomechanics, dry humor, and strategic gameplay. He shares how to master the transition zone, prevent injuries, and read your opponents with stronger court awareness.
We also touch on the evolving world of high-level pickleball, how team dynamics shape performance, and what it’s like facing off against hyper-focused youth players who may or may not be checking TikTok between matches.
Here’s what you’ll get from this episode:
How to shift your mindset and prep like a pro for tournaments
Real talk on staying sharp through setbacks, snacks, and sickness
Practical tips on reading the court and improving pickleball shot selection
Ben’s take on biomechanics and building smarter play habits
Insight into partner communication and staying cool under pressure
If you’re down to laugh, learn, and maybe reconsider playing a tournament five days post-covid, tighten those laces, pack your snacks, and let’s get into it.
Cheers,
Casie & Lauren
Dinks on Tap
Want to see more from Ben McNair? Catch him live at Picklecon 2025—don’t miss your chance to connect with one of the most insightful voices in the game!
Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us:
Instagram: @dinksontap
Facebook: @DinksonTap
Website: dinksontap.com
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DUPR Delusions & Kitchen Confessionals with Restaurant Powerhouse Brenton Phillips of Written By The Seasons
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 your 4.0 rating might only count in your zip code. It’s spicy, it’s chaotic, and it might just change how you play rec.
Then we meet Brenton Phillips of Written by the Seasons, who’s serving up cold-pressed cocktails, thoughtful business partnerships, and the kind of communication strategies that work whether you’re running a restaurant or hitting a drop shot. He talks about how he and his wife keep it cool on the court (most of the time), what pickleball taught him about energy and awareness, and why calling a timeout mid-game can feel a lot like defusing a tense dinner service.
We talk about:
Why ratings systems feel made up (because…they kinda are)
How to manage egos, emotions, and court chaos
The grind behind building a restaurant brand with soul
And what happens when you and your spouse run a business and share a kitchen (in both senses of the word)
Grab a glass, hit play, and let’s get into it.
Cheers,
Casie & Lauren
Dinks on Tap
Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us:
Instagram: @dinksontap
Facebook: @DinksonTap
Website: dinksontap.com
Acerca de Dinks On Tap: The Happy Hour Pickleball Podcast
Ever wondered what the big deal is about Pickleball? Welcome to Dinks on Tap, where the pickleball paddle meets the margarita. We’re Casie and Lauren, your pickleball partners in crime, here to spill the beans on why pickleball is more than just a game. It’s that “more” part we’re so drawn to. That “more” part which we highly suspect is about rediscovering PLAY in our lives and bringing FUN into focus. Let’s be clear, we’re not pros. We’re just a couple of recreational players who notice, marvel, and revel in the nuances that make up the juice to this fruit’s fine squeeze. In each episode we’ll look at the life breathing behind, within, underneath and alongside the game... That momentum shift on the court, (“Why am I so ‘off’ today?”), the Fourth Man Struggle (“Seriously, who else can we get to play?”), the camaraderie that turns strangers into friends (“Do you want to exchange numbers?”) and various other dynamics that go beyond the dink to make up the humor, heart, and hard-won wisdom we find between the lines. So join us! Pour a glass, squeeze a lime, and let’s get under the hood of just how good it feels to rediscover PLAY in our lives.
México