Dinks On Tap: The Happy Hour Pickleball Podcast

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

Let’s be real, how many times have you missed an easy dink and immediately blamed your paddle, the wind (even indoors), or your partner’s breathing? 

We’ve all been there: the dreaded mental spiral where one bad shot turns into three, and suddenly you’ve forgotten how to hold a paddle. 

In this inaugural episode of 2026, we’re stacking the court differently as Casie takes the host seat to interview her ride-or-die doubles partner (and co-host!), Lauren Vosbein. We aren’t just talking about drops and drives, we’re diving into the "fifth player" on the court: your mindset. 

We share the hilarious and effective story of how Lauren stopped Casie’s mid-match meltdown by forcing her to mentally travel to Turks and Caicos during a timeout, proving that sometimes the best pickleball strategy has nothing to do with footwork. 

Lauren isn’t just your favorite drinking buddy on this pod; she’s the founder of The Mental Caddy, an executive leadership coach for Fortune 100 companies, and an "accidental sports psychologist" who helps everyone from corporate VPs to PPA pros like Ivan Jakovljevic master their minds before they melt down. 

Here’s what we’re pouring out in this episode:

Why mental toughness isn’t just woo-woo magic but an actual neuroscience involving your sage brain and positive intelligence.

The "Going Blank" technique: A 10-second sensory trick using brain training to stop performance anxiety and reset your nervous system.

How to create an on-court alter ego (meet "LaRhonda") to summon mental fortitude and aggression when you’re feeling too polite.

Why you need to stop treating your DUPR score like a mirror and start treating it like a metric.

Simple focus techniques you can do between points to start playing free and trusting your training. 

So pour yourself a fresh one, find your inner "LaRhonda," and get ready to train your brain to stop getting in your own way.

Cheers,

Casie & Lauren
Dinks on Tap

 

Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us:

Instagram: @dinksontap
Facebook: @DinksonTap
Website: dinksontap.com

 

To learn more about the Mental Caddie or LPV Coaching, check out Lauren’s website or book a Chemistry Call.

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

This was one of the most-loved episodes of 2025 and we’re bringing it back for a reason. 

As we head into 2026, there’s no better time to revisit what this conversation unlocked: how real team chemistry and trust can change the way we play and how we connect. Growing as a player, a partner, or a teammate? This episode holds the good stuff that doesn’t just help you win more... it helps you play better with the people you actually want to keep around.

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

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