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 professional pickleball tournaments, and building a thriving pickleball community in Dallas—all while keeping that signature chill-coach energy.

We talk about:

The wake-up call that made Ben trade spreadsheets for spin serves
Why the pickleball mindset might be more important than your paddle
What those mysterious coaching certifications really mean
How to get through the dreaded YIPS (spoiler: it’s not just about your backhand)
And the true test of any partnership—pickleball doubles or otherwise

This one’s deep. It’s funny. It might even make you rethink your doubles partner.

And it’s a reminder that sometimes, the game is just the beginning of finding purpose.

So grab your marg, hit play, and meet the coach who changed our game—and maybe our lives (no pressure, Ben).

Cheers,

Casie and Lauren
Dinks on Tap

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