Lindsey Newman's Simple Doubles Secret

Drills, confidence, and community stories shaping the game.

Author

Empower Pickleball
September 18, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes

I’ve been around pickleball long enough to know the pro scene can feel like a blur. New names pop up every week, titles change hands fast, and it’s tough to keep track of who’s winning what.

But if you’ve followed the sport at all, you know Lindsey and Riley Newman. Their chemistry is effortless, their rallies are edge-of-your-seat good, and their style is refreshingly simple. And Lindsey? She captured a USA Pickleball Nationals title in 2021 while nearly seven months pregnant. It’s a reminder of what women’s bodies are capable of — competing, creating, and carrying more than most people could imagine.

And if you’re just finding us, Empower Pickleball’s Thursday newsletter is written for women, by women—with stories, strategies, and community moments that put us at the center of the game. We also drop a second newsletter on Tuesday’s that’s for everyone.

TIPS & TRICKS

Sharpen Your Shots: 3 Drills, 15 Minutes

Consistency wins more games than power, and you don’t need endless court time to build it. Senior Pro Gina Cilento shares her favorite quick-hit drills that make you steadier, sharper, and more confident in just 15 minutes:

  • The Kitchen Dink Challenge — Cross-court dinks with scoring pressure to force precision.

  • Third-Shot Drop Reps — A bucket of balls + repetition = more trust in your most important shot.

  • Volley-to-Volley Quick Hands — Fast exchanges at the net to lock in control under speed.

Drilling beats mindless play. Be deliberate with every ball and watch your consistency climb.


💡 Why It Matters: Simple, structured practice pays off — and these drills fit into even the busiest schedule.

WELLNESS

Playing String Against Men

The moment you see a guy loading up on the other side of the court, it’s easy to shrink back, play smaller, and assume power will win the day. But confidence isn’t about swinging harder — it’s about flipping the script.

Men’s pace is often predictable. With softer hands, smart resets, and sharp placement, you can turn their “rockets” into opportunities. Getting to the kitchen line early, calling your shots, and mixing up dinks with surprise speed-ups shifts control back to you. The result? You dictate the pace, not the other way around.


💡 Why It Matters: These strategies can help you step into mixed play with confidence and claim your space on every court.

COMMUNITY

Raising the Next Generation of Pickleball Players

What started as one mom’s response to her son’s simple question — “Are there any other kids here?” — has grown into a national movement. Courtney Loughridge turned that moment into National Junior Pickleball (NJP), now hosting regional tournaments that feel more like festivals than cutthroat competitions. Think DUPR-based brackets, team days, and community dinners where kids and parents leave with more friends than they arrived with.

At the core is a kids-first philosophy: teaching sportsmanship, building confidence, and creating a safe space where refs set the tone for fair play. NJP’s new Tour Rankings even ease the pressure to “chase points,” focusing instead on talent, growth, and balance with school and family life. Parents say it's a community that shows how youth sports should be — fun, supportive, and built to last.


💡 Why It Matters: NJP is proving pickelball can develop not just athletes, but leaders and lifelong friends.

COMMUNITY

Lindsey Newman’s Keep-It-Simple Playbook

For Lindsey Newman, playing doubles is about trust, patience, and keeping the ball alive. She and her brother, Riley have turned that mindset into one of pickleball’s most instinctive partnerships, highlighted by a USA Pickleball Nationals title in 2021 (while Lindsey was six and half months pregnant?!). The approach is quite simple: one more ball back, no hero shots, and quick resets when things go south.

Lindsey is shares practical advice for rec players who tend to overcomplicate the game. And off the court, she’s juggling pro tournaments with mom life (sometimes with toys in her bag) while hoping her daughters see a competitor who never stops fighting.


💡 Why It Matters: Her keep-it-simple philosophy can steady your doubles game and your mindset when matches get messy.

  • Playing for More Than Points 🎀 The APP Women’s Open returns Oct 3–5 in Columbus with The James, VS&Co, and AARP leading partnerships — raising funds for women’s cancer research and uplifting community voices.

  • Pickleball Plates in Tennessee 🚗 Drivers can now sport a specialty pickleball license plate, with proceeds funding youth programs, PE teacher training, and pickleball in schools across the state.

  • Singapore’s Growing Pains 🇸🇬 Court demand has exploded, with players comparing bookings to snagging Taylor Swift tickets — but noise complaints and restrictions are slowing the boom.

A Pickleball Shoe Built for Pickleball

Running shoes? Tennis shoes? Forget it. The Winners Edge P-38 Lightning was designed only for pickleball—tested with pros, vetted by a podiatrist, and already making its way onto podiums.

Players who’ve switched say the grip feels unreal, the stability has saved them from ankle rolls, and the cushioning keeps knees and joints happier. At $150, it’s a premium shoe, but one made to keep your confident and comfortable every time you step on the court.

Use code EMPOWER at checkout for 15% off.

This Week on Keeping It Real with Gina & Neil

Pickleball is fun, social, and healthy—but what happens when it starts running your entire life? In this episode, Gina and Neil get real about the sport’s addictive pull, how it can strain friendships, relationships, and responsibilities, and why finding balance matters. They share their own take on keeping joy both on and off the court—and want to hear yours, too.

📺 Watch it on YouTube
🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Layering Season, but Make It Court-Ready

It’s starting to get colder where I live, but I don’t need anything too heavy yet. That’s why I’m eyeing the Centerline Layering Hoodie. It’s soft, lightweight, and actually has long enough sleeves (a win if you’re tall). The thumbholes keep things in place, the curved hem gives extra coverage, and it’s made with fabric that somehow keeps you cool when you’re moving and warm when you’re not. Plus, there are new colors out, and I kind of want them all.