EPISODE · May 20, 2026 · 1H 38M
No Sleep. No Rules. Just Winning. w/ Gabe Tardio + Hayden Patriquin
from PicklePod · host The Dink Pickleball
For this week’s PicklePod, we’re joined by two of the most exciting young stars in pickleball: Hayden Patriquin and Gabe Tardio of the St. Louis Shock. We dive into everything from Shock team culture and MLP pressure to why Gabe ignored traditional pickleball advice and built his own game from scratch. Hayden also opens up about his on-court personality, social media backlash, and finding the balance between playing with emotion and staying under control. We also get into: - The “Shock are chokers” debate - Why Hayden might have the highest ceiling in pickleball - What makes Ben Johns so difficult to beat - Signature shots and unique techniques - The future of pickleball strategy - Gambling stories, trash talk, and complete chaos This episode goes all over the place in the best way possible. One minute we’re breaking down elite strategy and the next we’re talking baccarat, sleep habits, and why nobody actually knows the “right” way to play pickleball. Subscribe and let us know: Who has the highest ceiling in pickleball right now? 👇 Blue Cannatine from Troscriptions is designed to support the mental and physical flow state that pickleball players chase: focused, responsive, smooth, and adaptable — without jitters, crashes, or chaos. Try it today at https://troscriptions.com/dink Be the first to try Zane's new course here: https://tzpickleball.com/ Check out Zane's Pro Pickleball Talk channel on Discord: https://discord.gg/wzNVADmZb #Pickleball #PPATour #PickleballPodcast Leave your voicemail for the PicklePod at (512) 200 - 4299 ------------------ Like the ep? Do us a favor: subscribe to our channel and leave a review on Apple or Spotify -Subscribe to our 'all things pickleball' *free e-newsletter* at https://www.thedink.beehiiv.com https://www.instagram.com/thedinkpickleball/ -Follow us on IG -Continue the convo in our private FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedi... -For everything else we do, visit https://linktr.ee/dinkfam -Read more about Zane and subscribe to his newsletter at https://zanenavratilpickleball.com/ -Follow Zane on IG @zanenavratilpickleball #pickleball #pickleballcourts ------------------ 0:00 Intro 2:02 St Louis Shock culture 7:27 Dealing with lofty expectations 13:10 Gabe chooses baccarat over pickleball 17:52 Hayden’s baseball prowess and reaction time 21:50 Doubling down that Hayden is #1 25:26 What does it take to beat Ben & Gabe? 27:38 How Gabe partnered with Ben 32:58 Where Hayden found his swagger 39:59 Gabe stays calm under pressure 42:17 Gabe’s jump from Challenger back to Premier 51:57 The difference from left to right 56:27 Hayden’s flick is totally unique 57:71 Gabe convinces us to choke up 1:01:38 More on Hayden’s flick 1:05:38 Pros vs 5.0s ideas 1:13:04 Guess my DUPR 1:16:12 Skill vs athleticism 1:27:07 Zane’s Gamer Theory 1:29:02 Building your pickleball IQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What this episode covers
For this week’s PicklePod, we’re joined by two of the most exciting young stars in pickleball: Hayden Patriquin and Gabe Tardio of the St. Louis Shock. We dive into everything from Shock team culture and MLP pressure to why Gabe ignored traditional pickleball advice and built his own game from scratch. Hayden also opens up about his on-court personality, social media backlash, and finding the balance between playing with emotion and staying under control. We also get into: - The “Shock are chokers” debate - Why Hayden might have the highest ceiling in pickleball - What makes Ben Johns so difficult to beat - Signature shots and unique techniques - The future of pickleball strategy - Gambling stories, trash talk, and complete chaos This episode goes all over the place in the best way possible. One minute we’re breaking down elite strategy and the next we’re talking baccarat, sleep habits, and why nobody actually knows the “right” way to play pickleball. Subscribe and let us know: Who has the highest ceiling in pickleball right now? 👇 Blue Cannatine from Troscriptions is designed to support the mental and physical flow state that pickleball players chase: focused, responsive, smooth, and adaptable — without jitters, crashes, or chaos. Try it today at https://troscriptions.com/dink Be the first to try Zane's new course here: https://tzpickleball.com/ Check out Zane's Pro Pickleball Talk channel on Discord: https://discord.gg/wzNVADmZb #Pickleball #PPATour #PickleballPodcast Leave your voicemail for the PicklePod at (512) 200 - 4299 ------------------ Like the ep? Do us a favor: subscribe to our channel and leave a review on Apple or Spotify -Subscribe to our 'all things pickleball' *free e-newsletter* at https://www.thedink.beehiiv.com https://www.instagram.com/thedinkpickleball/ -Follow us on IG -Continue the convo in our private FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedi... -For everything else we do, visit https://linktr.ee/dinkfam -Read more about Zane and subscribe to his newsletter at https://zanenavratilpickleball.com/ -Follow Zane on IG @zanenavratilpickleball #pickleball #pickleballcourts ------------------ 0:00 Intro 2:02 St Louis Shock culture 7:27 Dealing with lofty expectations 13:10 Gabe chooses baccarat over pickleball 17:52 Hayden’s baseball prowess and reaction time 21:50 Doubling down that Hayden is #1 25:26 What does it take to beat Ben & Gabe? 27:38 How Gabe partnered with Ben 32:58 Where Hayden found his swagger 39:59 Gabe stays calm under pressure 42:17 Gabe’s jump from Challenger back to Premier 51:57 The difference from left to right 56:27 Hayden’s flick is totally unique 57:71 Gabe convinces us to choke up 1:01:38 More on Hayden’s flick 1:05:38 Pros vs 5.0s ideas 1:13:04 Guess my DUPR 1:16:12 Skill vs athleticism 1:27:07 Zane’s Gamer Theory 1:29:02 Building your pickleball IQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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No Sleep. No Rules. Just Winning. w/ Gabe Tardio + Hayden Patriquin
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