Let’s be honest: switching careers is hard. But switching athletic careers after more than two decades? That’s a whole different level.
In this episode, we sit down with Ivan Jakovljevic, who walked away from a 23-year soccer career to go all in on the world of pro pickleball. And it all started because he had a crush!
We dig into his unexpected pickleball journey, what it’s like learning a totally new sport later in life, and how he keeps his athlete mindset sharp even when he’s running on very little sleep and way too many gummy bears.
From emotional discipline on the court to learning how to find joy in the grind, Ivan shares what helped him make a big change in career, found purpose through pickleball coaching, how he stays focused, and why connection in the pickleball community matters just as much as competitive drive.
If you’ve ever considered a bold pivot, wondered what it’s really like to go pro, or just want to hear a story that proves it’s never too late to start over, this one’s for you.
Let’s dink, sip, and get into it.
Cheers, Casie & Lauren
Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with us:
Instagram: @dinksontap
Facebook: @DinksonTap
Website: dinksontap.com
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Brothers Ortiz
The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers–both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang. Gabe doesn’t know all the details of his brother’s nefarious dealings, and he’s made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry’s murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions.