DINKER

Birth Name: Andrew Haines

Age: 41

F3 Start Date: 04/18/2024

Main AO Posts: Mettle of Honor, Robinshood, Greyhound, and Sasquatch 

What led you to F3, and how did your first post challenge you or inspire you in unexpected ways? and how did you get your F3 nickname?

My 40th birthday Ramen, a childhood friend and next-door neighbor, was wearing a Tough Mudder shirt and I was shocked because I thought Ramen was more interested in Beer curls than any physical activity. He explained to me he was doing an all mens workout group and that they met 5 mins away from my house, and to come check it out. After a few Fart Sacks (obviously due to the Ungodly start time) I finally made a MoH beatdown with him, Disc Jockey, Price Check, and me. I was thinking “ a skinny neighbor and 2 older dudes- I got this”. A 5-count motivator was one of the warmups and I didn’t make it and knew THEN I was in for no picnic. All 4 whooped my butt and I realized that, even though I was working out daily, I had no one to really push me. 

After my first month of posting a handful of times I tore my calf (playing pickleball but made worse with Disc Jockey’s wheelbarrow) and was out from mid-May to Late July. Came back strong in August and Ramen and I did “an around the world tour” which really got me to buy into F3 overall. Been hooked since. 

Oh- and name came from…. Pickleball 😊.

What impact has F3 had on your life, and what lessons or moments stand out as defining your journey? 

To be honest I haven’t spent a lot of time with my male friends the past 20 years while my wife and I were raising our kids. Sure, I have guy friends and we occasionally met up or hung out, but it could be months (or years) in between. The motto for F3 really resonates with me. To plant, grow, and serve small workout groups of men specifically for the invigoration of male community leadership.  I am a leader in my everyday life: I manage a team at work, and I coach my sons in all their sports activities. I’ve always been told I have natural coaching qualities BUT I was only utilizing those for those 2 specific tasks (work and kids sports). Being able to impact other men and seeing their growth and development or just being here to share our stories or listen to another man talk about his struggles has been the fuel my fire was missing. Someone like Hammer time and his story shows what this organization is and what it can do. And even my friend Ramen, who, up until F3, was …. quiet , lol, reserved, but now I see him being the Main Q at Sasquatch and leading beatdowns. I see my dear friend and CoQ Price Check and hearing his story and what he’s had to deal with the past few years. I see a guy like Disc Jockey who doesn’t allow age or pain to restrict what he’s capable of. Many other stories I’ve heard too but just being a dude with other dudes- who push ourselves and other dudes, is the fellowship I needed and really so many other men need.  

What is next for Dinker and where do you see that next 43 feet taking you on your H.I.M journey?

I am working my way through Free to Lead and will be selecting someone from Robinshood to read next. Still planning on Co-Q’ing both Mettle and RH until someone new steps up, but I like it because it holds me accountable. I set a goal of 200 posts this year which is ~4/week. MoH is Tues/Thu and Rh Sat, so I plan on filling in between Greyhound, Sasquatch, and Basecamp Mon/Wed. I’d like to plan a Convergence with Leander/Cedar park AO’s, and I have bene training for and will be giving hell to the Murph. Outside of that I want to keep meeting and EH’ing new men and I want to get to know everyone’s stories. There are a lot of men who need to tell them or be heard and I plan to be an ear available to them. I also want to keep pushing my own AO to keep recruiting, being consistent, picking up Q’s, and living our credo (leave no man behind BUT ALSO leave no man where you found him). 

Is there anything else Dinker wants to mention? 

Yes, in January 2024 my sister in law birthed twins and one of them, a little baby girl named Laurel, was born with a severe heart defect. She battled surgeries and in late 2024 was unexpected to survive. Every CoT I attended I asked for prayers for her and more so, knowing that a miracle would be unlikely, peace for the parents and her family. There was an event held to drum up support for the parents and there were some F3 men who pitched in, and I am super grateful for everyone’s contributions and prayers. Today, March 2025, I happy to report that not only did she survive but she is thriving! This week they were able to take her off her breathing machines for 2 hours and she said her first words. I really appreciate all the prayers that went to her because it saved her life.