Big DINK Energy | Over 40 Pickleball & Life

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We're diving into:

🏓 Why is making friends as an adult so damn complicated?

😬 Six compliments that might actually be insults.

📢 Is professional pickleball getting a little too sensitive?

Plus, Coach Terri Matthias from Pickleball Fans Only joins us...

She built a pickleball business, caught the attention of OnlyFans' legal team, and ended up with a cease-and-desist. And that's just part of her story.

Listen now before Guy starts celebrating another point like he's playing in the Super Bowl.

Half insight. Half nons...

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We're diving into:

🏆 Things we're secretly better at than most people. According to ourselves, anyway.

😬 Things you NEVER want to hear someone say right before they start doing their job.

🏓 Six new pickleball paddles in one month. At what point do we have enough?

Plus, Cathy Bawden from The Pickleball Passport joins us...

After 33 years in law enforcement, she's bringing a whole different perspective to pickleball, from mental toughness to the friendships and drama that come with this sport.

And she's got some thou...

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We're diving into:

🏃 Things everybody claims to love that we're convinced half of them are lying about.

🛁 Paddle Princess has taken bath time to a level none of us were prepared for.

🚢 Pickleball is entering its private island era. Apparently we're fancy now.

Plus, sports psychologist Dr. Haley Perlis joins us...

She's worked with Olympic athletes, NASA, and the U.S. Air Force. Now she's talking about the mental game of pickleball, and why everything you think you know about pressure might be wrong.

List...

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We're diving into:

👀 The things people do in public that turn us into spectators against our will.

😬 Petty shit we're absolutely NOT fine with...even though we pretend we are.

🌎 Whether putting USA on a pickleball team will finally make us watch pro pickleball.

Plus, Alex Aitken joins us from Scotland...

He went from self-described couch potato who'd never played a sport to completely hooked on pickleball, getting fitter after 50 and helping introduce other beginners to the game.

Listen now before somebody starts ki...

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We're diving into:

👏 Social rules we're officially done pretending make sense.

🪂 Things everybody should experience exactly ONCE...and then never do that shit again.

💸 What happens when the pickleball facility gold rush meets actual business.

Plus, Connor Basnight joins us...

He went from zero athletic background to a 5.0 pickleball pro, and somehow the guy who started from scratch might have the best perspective on why we play in the first place.

Listen now before somebody makes us clap when the plane lands.

Half...

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We're diving into:

🏆 When your pickleball rating starts becoming your entire personality.

📟 Things we survived 20 years ago that would absolutely send us over the edge now.

🧓 The shit you suddenly realize you're just too old to tolerate anymore.

Plus, Coach Nick Scalise joins us...

Nick came with hot takes about ratings, tournament egos, open play and pickleball clubs that may have seriously underestimated what actually keeps people coming back.

And apparently wellness darties are a thing. We've been doing them every Tuesday. Who knew...

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We’re diving into:

📚 When did simply living your life start requiring a $497 framework?
🏓 What if your pickleball game isn't actually the thing holding you back?
🧠 And why are Gen X GATE kids suddenly comparing notes about mall dreams?

Plus, Dr. Lane Odom, aka Pickleball Chiro, joins us to talk bodies, injuries, recovery, and the stuff pickleball players probably should be doing before something starts hurting.

Half insight. Half nonsense. 100% entertainment.

Listen now before we show up in your mall dreams.

Get your...

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We’re diving into:
🏓 Why pickleball might just be the playground for adults
😂 The absolutely unhinged games we somehow survived as kids
🤡 The MLP clown controversy because apparently that’s a sentence we have to say

Plus, Jake Plummer joins us for Part 2 to talk functional mushrooms, longevity, what he puts in his own body, and why pickleball has become one of the ways he still gets out there and plays. And yes, somehow we end up discussing what a psilocybin pickleball tournament would look like. Because...

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We're coming in hot with:

🔹 We finally watched the pickleball movie and have thoughts.
 🔹 One of us learned the hard way what never to volunteer for.
 🔹 Back to school shopping might hurt more than you expect this year.

Plus, Jake Plummer, a former NFL quarterback, reflects on ten years in the league and the toll professional sports take on the body and mind. He opens up about trading anti-inflammatories for hemp and functional mushrooms through his brand Umbo — proof that life after football looks nothing like people expect.

🎧 Listen...

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We're coming in hot with:

🔹 One of us confidently guessed Captain Crunch and was very wrong.
 🔹 One of us accidentally signed her sister up for a tournament.
 🔹 There's apparently an official day just for pickleball now.

Plus, Soren from The Pickleball Agent joins us to explain how a guy in a pickle-hat sport coat and a headless text-message app are stitching together the fragmented pickleball scene across California's Central Coast. Text the agent your availability and rating, and he'll match you into a game — no app download required.

🎧 Listen...

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We're coming in hot with:

🔹 One of us married someone purely for their anxiety cleaning.
 🔹 Apparently asking your dog why it's staring is totally normal.
 🔹 One man is sailing the Arctic completely alone right now.

Plus, Wally Green joins us to share how he went from a violent childhood in the Brooklyn projects to a pro table tennis career that took him solo into North Korea for a real-life game of ping pong diplomacy. Once pickleball's loudest hater, he's now all in, and even landed a role in the movie M...

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We're coming in hot with:

🔹 Our default setting right now is apparently not ready for humans.
 🔹 One of us just got humbled by a bicycle CAPTCHA.
 🔹 Remember worrying about your top eight? That drama might return.

Plus, Daniela Simon from Serve for Strength joins us with her daughters to share how two years of misdiagnosed injuries and multiple surgeries turned into a nonprofit built to make sure no family goes through that alone. What started as one family's fight is now funding surgeries and building community for young athletes ev...

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We're coming in hot with:

🔹 Apparently trash-talking tennis says more about your own game.
 🔹 One of us keeps checking the fridge like it'll refill itself.
 🔹 The truth behind blaming beer for your bad shots might surprise you.

Plus, Joel Mower from Dink Ninjas Pickleball joins us to share how a sleepless night during his wife's cancer diagnosis turned into a paddle brand built on community and purpose. His wife is now healthy, and Dink Ninjas donates to cancer research with every sale.

🎧 Listen now before you start a brand...

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PickleCon 2026: We Were There for All of It

We're coming in hot with:

🔹 We lost our voices and it wasn't from cheering pickleball.
 🔹 One of us dinks glow pickleball, the other says destroy it.
 🔹 700 positive pins are floating around — Dink & Dash's fingerprint is everywhere.

Plus, hear how Stephanie, Paddle Princess, and Carrie rate the entire weekend — vendor booths, a celebrity pro showdown, glow pickleball, and more — live from their PickleCon hotel room.

🎧 Listen now before you book your ticket for 2027.

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We're coming in hot with:

🔹 Apparently a thumbs up is now a complete conversation.
 🔹 This is exactly why we side-eye every conference booth now.
 🔹 One wrong text landed in the group chat with the dog groomer.

Plus, Cody Sivan, founder of Brick Wall Pickleball and a PickleCon keynote speaker, joins us to unpack how he's building a meritocratic alternative to pro pickleball's biggest tours. He went from sleeping in his car chasing a baseball dream to paying out six figures in year one with zero financial backing.

🎧 Listen...

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We're coming in hot with:

🔹 A junk drawer confession involving 300 box cutters and zero regrets.
 🔹 Instant red flags range from fingernail clipping to empath opening lines.
 🔹 A waterbed once required a full safety briefing for actual houseguests.

Plus, Josh Sprague from Orange Mud joins us to talk about turning a ruined water bottle on a training run into a hydration brand built for ultra-endurance athletes.

🎧 Listen now before you check your own junk drawer for expired ketchup packets.

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We're coming in hot with:
🔹 Why almost everyone watches, but almost nobody creates.
🔹 The unexpected competition hiding in every pickleball community.
🔹 A Halloween mask becomes an unlikely tournament advantage.

Plus, Maurice Hacksaw from All Court Media joins us to share how one nervous livestream became a trusted media brand serving recreational and veteran pickleball players. Consistency—not viral moments—made the difference.

🎧 Listen now before your DUPR rating gets exposed.
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We’re coming in hot with:
🔹 Retro fast food scandals still leave everyone divided.
🔹 A Pick 6 dating question gets surprisingly uncomfortable.
🔹 The New Dink movie sparks plenty of speculation.

Plus, Evan Stanko from G.O.A.T. Pickleball joins us to share how a family- and veteran-owned pickleball shop is helping players find the right gear, improve their game, and build a stronger pickleball community in Las Vegas.

🎧 Listen now before that Pick 6 question comes up on your next date.
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We’re coming in hot with:
🔹 Dirty sodas somehow became a serious life upgrade.
🔹 Someone just bet $225 million on pickleball.
🔹 “That’s not my hand” should never be whispered.

Plus, Orlicia Antoinette aka ThatPickleballGal from The Accidental Pickleballer joins us to talk about creating a more welcoming pickleball culture. From open play etiquette to finding connection through community, she shares how small moments on the court can shape the future of the sport.

🎧 Listen now before somebody sends you to the wrong court.

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We’re coming in hot with:
🔹 A less-manly debate got surprisingly heated.
🔹 Business deals happened between tournament beers.
🔹 Dad jokes reached an all-time low.

Plus, Shawna Grosskleg from FearlessPickleballHer joins us for our second-ever listener interview. An advanced beginner learning out loud and proudly unreasonably obsessed with pickleball, Shawna shares how she's helping amplify women in pickleball while building community from Toronto and beyond.

🎧 Listen now before another dad joke sneaks into the conversation.
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We’re coming in hot with:
🔹 A kitchen violation finally got called.
🔹 Spectator pressure changed everything.
🔹 Anus-stamped brownies ruined potlucks forever.

Plus, Brittany Hord from The Pickleball Queen joins us for our first-ever listener interview. She shares how pickleball helped build confidence, community, and a new sense of identity while adapting to vision challenges and creating a thriving local pickleball scene.

🎧 Listen now before the potluck dessert table opens.
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We’re coming in hot with:

🔹 Bruce Springsteen raised way more questions than answers.
🔹 One official trash-talk timeout somehow sounds completely reasonable.
🔹 A heron stole the spotlight with a pickleball rescue.

Plus, John "Apple John" from Noisy Pickleball joins us to talk about transforming tournaments into full-scale experiences with music, giveaways, community engagement, and unforgettable energy. From replacing worn-out neighborhood nets to building event-driven pickleball culture, the mission is making rec players feel like pros.

🎧 Listen now before someone hands out shock collars at a tournament.

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We’re coming in hot with:
 🔹 A towel warmer somehow became peak luxury.
 🔹 Cozy routines lost everyone after step five.
 🔹 A $300 million pickleball fraud somehow fooled investors.

Plus, Melissa Gisoni from the Dance Moms reality TV world and Dear Dance Mom Podcast joins us to talk turning pickleball into a full-blown lifestyle. From ball machine solo sessions to tournament prep and pickleball closets, the obsession got serious fast.

🎧 Listen now before the cozy aesthetic crowd starts filming another candle routine.
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We’re coming in hot with:
 🔹 Things we shouldn’t Google over 40.
 🔹 Buc-ee’s stops completely destroyed the game plan.
 🔹 Dingles?

Plus, Mounir Gad from Pickleball Forever Substack joins us to talk mindset, growth, and why pickleball creates meaningful human connection. From basketball habits to “creating collisions,” this episode explores what happens when competition meets community.

🎧 Listen now before another roadside stop ruins the arrival time.
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We're coming in hot with: 

🔹 What every tournament host keeps getting hilariously wrong 

🔹 The most inappropriate time anyone has recommended pickleball 

🔹 A 15-year-old skater quietly humbling the pickleball pros 

Plus, Dr. Amanda Sovik-Johnston from The Connected Competitor joins us to break down the partnership psychology that quietly decides whether you play your best pickleball — or fall apart on the court. 

🎧 Listen now before your next doubles match falls apart. #BigDinkEnergy 

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We're coming in hot with: 

🔹 The mom phrases that secretly run every pickleball court 

🔹 A 122-shot rally that broke pro pickleball 

🔹 A pickleball tip about bangers that deserves a side eye

Plus, Miguel Enciso joins us to talk how painters tape, a Bosu ball, and a garage experiment turned into 28 million views and the unofficial anthem of pickleball.

🎧 Listen now before that anthem lives in your head rent free. 

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We are coming in hot with:

🔹 Viral post ignites debate over calling out bad behavior on the court 

🔹 Grand Theft Auto somehow enters the pickleball sponsorship chat

 🔹 Pickleball just pulled bigger TV numbers than the NBA

Plus Kelsey from Triple Crown Sports joins us to break down how PickleCon is turning pickleball into a full blown festival experience — competition, entertainment, and community all under one roof.

🎧  Listen now. You will never look at rec play the same way again. 

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We’re coming in hot with:
 🔹 A Super Bowl-style pickleball entrance sparked unexpected walkout debates.
 🔹 Peptide jokes got wildly inappropriate in under sixty seconds.
 🔹 Crooked teeth, a weird smile, and confidence hit harder than expected.

Plus, Randy Nguyen from Randy Pickleball joins us to talk how mindset, resets, and self-belief helped transform a new player into a 5.0 coach. He breaks down why emotional control may be the real cheat code in pickleball.

🎧 Listen now before your walkout song picks itself.
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We’re coming in hot with:
 🔹 Winging life at 40 hits harder than expected
 🔹 Pre-game rituals feel more chaos than training
 🔹 10,000 steps is outdated and nobody wants to admit it

Plus, Clare Frank from author and former California fire chief joins us to talk about leaving a 30-year career and diving into a year-long pickleball obsession. What started as curiosity turned into a powerful shift in identity, purpose, and connection.

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We’re coming in hot with:
 🔹 Holiday burnout made traditions feel like a full-time job
 🔹 Paddle drama exposed money problems behind the scenes
 🔹 Gear debates started creeping into rec play

Plus, Alexander Jeffery from The Power of Pickleball Film joins us to talk how pickleball’s grassroots rise turned into a cultural movement and why protecting that identity matters as the sport scales.

🎧 Listen now before you blame your paddle again.
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We’re coming in hot with:

 🔹 New paddle won’t fix bad footwork
 🔹 Trampoline parks turn into ambulance calls
 🔹 Amazon carts grow while workouts get delayed

Plus, Rachel Chonko from Pickleball Innovators joins us to break down how the industry is shifting from hype-driven chaos to intentional, sustainable growth—and why only the smartest operators will last.

🎧 Listen now before another “upgrade” replaces real improvement.
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We’re coming in hot with:
 🔹 Pink balls vs green sparks unexpected court debates
 🔹 Pickleball tech quietly changing how games get called
 🔹 “Just one more game” spirals into late-night regret

Plus, Gordon Gebert from NPL  joins us to talk turning casual rec games into a nationwide competitive ladder. The system gives everyday players a way to track progress and compete with purpose.

🎧 Listen now before line calls go fully automated.
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We’re coming in hot with:
 🔹 Costco scalloped potatoes on sale sparks unexpected adult excitement
 🔹 Chuck Norris pickleball facts escalate from serves to moving court lines
 🔹 New kitchen sponge hype somehow becomes peak middle-age joy

Plus, Steve Bellamy from Typti joins us to break down the launch of a brand-new racket sport designed to live on pickleball courts. From billionaire backers to a vision for saving overbuilt pickleball facilities, the future of racket sports might get a lot more chaotic.

🎧 Listen now before the next “new sport” shows up at open play...

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We’re coming in hot with:

 🔹 A scramble turns tense over one very serious pickleball rule.
 🔹 Open play vibes collapse the moment someone says “ball thing.”
 🔹 Victorian insults might be the next weapon on pickleball courts.

Plus, Roger Belair from Pickleball in Prision & PICL joins us to talk about bringing pickleball inside maximum-security prisons. The game is creating unlikely friendships, lowering disciplinary issues, and proving that a paddle and plastic ball can change prison culture.

🎧 Listen now before someone labels the ball and ruins open play.
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We’re coming in hot with:
 🔹 Total knee replacement, hospital diapers, zero chill
 🔹 Turning 40 and dropping the people-pleaser act
 🔹 A bronze medal comeback fueled by one smile

Plus, Tony Roig from Better Pickleball joins us to unpack why perspective wins more matches than pretty mechanics. From pressure-proofing your mind to rethinking improvement, this conversation changes how you approach the court.

🎧 Listen now before you blame your partner again.
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We’re coming in hot with:

 🔹 Unhinged store loyalty debates (CVS carpet? Absolutely not.)
 🔹 The things people say immediately after buying a new pickleball paddle
 🔹 Why bringing a grocery bag to the court is a cry for help

Plus, Greg Mather from the Arizona Pickleball Players League joins us to talk about building team-based pickleball from six dudes in 2012 to nearly 6,000 players and a full-blown national movement. Captains. Rosters. State championships. Volunteer armies. This isn’t rec play—this is pickleball with standings and bragging rights.

🎧 Listen now...

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We’re coming in hot with:
 🔹 Private pickleball lessons that exposed our split step lies and middle-court commitment issues
 🔹 A Florida country club kitchen dispute that escalated from trash talk to actual arrests
 🔹  Pick 6 confessions about what pickleball players secretly love 

Plus, Jonathan and Ian from Amigos Pickleball join us to talk building a Dallas-based pickleball brand from 200 to 900 followers in two months, trash talking in four languages, Navy discipline (selectively applied), and why a little toxic energy might be exactly what open play needs.

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 We’re coming in hot with:
 🔹 A grocery receipt ruined Valentine's Day
 🔹 Pickleball quotes we can’t unhear
 🔹 Plus, Danielle from Paddle Battles joins us to talk about building a following with funny reels, Rhode Island pickleball pride, and becoming a literal cartoon in a children’s book

🎧 Listen now before your Valentine hands you a BOGO bouquet and calls it a day.
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 We’re coming in hot with:
 🔹 A deep dive into mixed doubles and why your Corvette shouldn't try to tow a trailer
 🔹 Paddle taps, pocketed wedding rings, and ego-fueled dinks
 🔹 The gender dynamics that only pickleball seems bold enough to expose
 🔹 A foam-ball fever dream called Typti—and yes, we’re obsessed

Plus, Wadon Khan from Pickle N' Chill joins us to talk turning “Netflix and chill” into pickleball and purpose—building community, crushing loneliness, and how 85 miles wasn’t enough.

 🎧 Listen now before someone hits you with a padd...

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 We’re coming in hot with:
 🔹 What actually makes a pickleball venue great (hint: it’s not kombucha)
 🔹 A Pick 6 of things you can’t say to your kids (but definitely say to your dog)
🔹 The new 2026 pickleball rules you didn’t ask for—but need to know

Plus, Aaron Thompson from Guardian Pickleball joins us to talk traumatic brain injuries, dark humor, and how the game turned his PTSD into MVP energy.

🎧 Listen now before your self-appointed “volunteer” makes you download another useless app.
 #BigDinkEnergy