Most Beginners Skip These 7 Skills

Plus a remarkable story of friendship, beginner tips, and this week's biggest headlines.

Author

Empower Pickleball
July 16, 2026

One thing that never ceases to amaze me is what women are capable of.

This past weekend at MLP, Tammy Emmrich competed in a dreambreaker while 4 ½ months pregnant. It immediately reminded me of Lindsey Newman winning mixed doubles gold at the 2021 USA Pickleball National Championships while 6 ½ months pregnant.

Pretty incredible.

It also feels like the perfect way to kick off this week’s newsletter because we’re highlighting a few women who are making an impact on the sport—from helping players improve their game to building stronger pickleball communities.

TIPS & TRICKS

The 7 Skills Every Beginner Should Master First

Every new pickleball player wants to improve quickly, but many skip the fundamentals and jump straight to advanced shots. According to Senior Pro Gina Cilento, building the right foundation is still the fastest way to become a better player.

Start with skills like:

  • Developing a consistent, deep serve

  • Learning when and how to get to the kitchen line

  • Making smarter shot selections instead of forcing winners

These aren’t the only skills you’ll need, but they’re the foundation every strong player builds on.

💡 Why It Matters: The best players master the fundamentals first, making every advanced skill easier to learn later.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Stop Playing Smaller Than You Are

Have you ever noticed how some players seem to get quieter as a game goes on? They stop calling the middle, pass up attackable balls, and apologize after every mistake—even when their partner has already moved on.

Confidence has a way of changing your game. Research shows that athletes with higher confidence make quicker decisions under pressure and recover from mistakes faster because they spend less time questioning themselves.

💡 Why It Matters: Confidence affects more than your mindset. It changes the decisions you make, the shots you’re willing to take, and how quickly you bounce back after a mistake.

👉 Learn how to build confidence that carries through every game.

COMMUNITY

At 79, Terry Sarver Found a Whole New Circle of Friends

After losing her husband, Ron, Terry Sarver kept returning to the TownLake YMCA in Austin, Texas. The people she and Ron had met through pickleball kept showing up. Over time, those court friendships became dinner invitations, game nights, phone calls, and a support system she never expected to find at 79.

Terry’s story reflects one of pickleball’s most powerful qualities: it gives people a place to connect during stages of life when making new friends can feel nearly impossible.

💡 Why It Matters: Pickleball can offer far more than exercise. For Terry, it became a way to rebuild her social life and find people who helped carry her through an incredibly difficult season.

👉 Read how pickleball gave Terry a whole new community.

Hear Better. Play Better.

We spend a lot of time thinking about strength, footwork, and injury prevention—but hearing plays a bigger role in pickleball than most of us realize.

Whether you’re calling the score, communicating with your partner, or catching conversations after the match, hearing helps keep you connected both on and off the court.

That’s why Phonak partnered with USA Pickleball to launch Hear to Win, an initiative that helps players better understand hearing health while introducing hearing solutions designed for the fast-paced, noisy environments that come with the sport.

👉 See how Phonak is helping pickleball players Hear to Win.

  • Electrified Fence Shocks Pickleball Player ⚠️ A California woman is suing the City of Chula Vista after being knocked unconscious by a chain-link fence carrying more than 100 volts at the Olympic Training Center.

  • Caribbean Pickleball Star Reaches World No. 200 🌴 Saint Lucia’s Meggan William is now the only Caribbean athlete ranked in the top 200 of women’s singles pickleball and has her sights set on breaking into the world’s top 100.

  • Sopranos Star Credits Pickleball in 150-Pound Weight Loss 🎬 Joseph Gannascoli, who played Vito Spatafore on The Sopranos, says pickleball is now part of his daily fitness routine as he continues his 150-pound weight-loss journey.

Sydney Steinaker: Reimagining the Pickleball Experience

Does every pickleball event have to look the same?

This week on 99% Pickleball, Sydney Steinaker joins Mari Humberg and Nikki Maldonado to discuss why she thinks the answer is no. From glow-in-the-dark pickleball raves and music festivals to social media and community building, Sydney shares how she's creating experiences that attract an entirely different audience to the sport and why thinking outside the box might be exactly what pickleball needs.

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

For the Players Who Want to Get Serious

Let’s be honest—not everyone needs training equipment like this. But if you’re chasing a higher level in pickleball, competing in tournaments, or just looking to become a better athlete, the Tidal Tank is pretty cool.

It replaces traditional weights with moving water, forcing your body to constantly stabilize as you train. That means you’re building balance, core strength, rotational power, and stability—the kind of athleticism that carries over to the pickleball court.

👉 If leveling up your game is on your goal list, the Tidal Tank is worth checking out.

Interested in having your event listed? Reach out to us and let’s chat!

Have something happening at your courts?

The wins, the drama, or the moments that stick with you—we’d love to hear it.

If people are talking about it, it’s probably worth sharing.