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

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Website: dinksontap.com

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

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