Master Coach Educator; Professional Padel Coach; Head of Coach Education - The Padel School; Head of Coach Development - We Do Tennis; Content Developer; Mentor; Quality Assurance
Should Padel Coaches in the UK play competitions? There are many people getting qualified in the UK as Padel Coaches or Instructors through various providers. In my experience of delivering Padel coaching qualifications, I would say under 10% of attendees are competing at an appropriate level (outside of their clubs social events or fixed 4s). As we grow Padel in the UK, my opinion is that those interested in becoming a Padel Coach must play appropriate regional / national competitions to improve their own Padel and therefore knowledge of the game. Coaches can learn something from every event they play. There is no such thing as perfect Padel and a lot of times winning ugly is required! Only by playing competitions can Coaches really get under the skin of the game and be able to provide the best insight to their players. Do you agree? #padel #padelcoach #padeladdict #padelUK #padelgrowth #padeltennis #padelteacher #padeltutor
Hello Nick Williams. I agree with you. Every opportunity to increase knowledge must be exploited and even more in countries where Padel is absolutely new. I think the topic is even more complex. In the UK, as in all other emerging markets, there is a desperate need of Coaches to meet the growing demand. Many see a profitable business opportunity. What's the problem? That you can't become a Coach in 3 days but ... the padel market grow fast and you have to "accept" a first phase in which there are Coaches who have "met" Padel only a few months before. Every day the players will increase their Padel culture and become more demanding and the Coaches will have to upgrade their "know-how" or their market will be significantly reduced. We've seen it all before :)
Chris Price
4mo
100% agree Nick... We do need more 40+,50+ competitions in the UK also... Great game btw - why is everyone taller than me...? Must be all those Tennis players.... 😂
Neil Adebowale
4mo
I definitely think more is needed to improve the quality of coaching. As someone searching for quality coaching we are paying for our coaches travel and additional time to come and visit us in order to access the better quality coaching. That being said, competing at a higher level is one solution but shouldn’t be compulsory. There are great coaches in all sports who’s participation as a player has been very limited. For some accessing and working alongside better quality coaches and mentors would have more of an impact.
Brett Karpman
4mo
Coaching is making people better…catering to the individual client/group. A proper certification should require a minimum playing/experience level. What we learned years ago in tennis the number 1 reason coaches do not compete is scheduling; Balancing teaching schedule, family time and rest.
Hi Nick all the qualified coaches I know all play competitions. There are some fantastic coaches who don’t play and visa versa. The other attributes associated with a good coach need to be considered as well as technical ability or playing record! The ability to connect and have a strong bond with your players . Understanding and having the knowledge and craft to identify development areas and then communicate them. These are not all attributes which necessarily go along with being a competitive player. Short answer is it helps ! My plan is to play till I drop ha ha !
100% Is necessary I think to learn from other players and situations
Kevin Graff
4mo
As both a coach and a competitive player I find I learn so much in match play and this carries into my coaching sessions. People often come to me with their main frustration being not winning matches, I am able to hone in on technique and provide strategic guidance on how to control the net/win points etc it gives them all the tools to understand, learn and improve. It is fantastic that a number of people are training to become padel coaches and develop the sport, I think what I find increasingly concerning is the number of coaches with no formal qualifications.
🌈 Petra R.
4mo
Absolutely. I've learnt a lot more playing against GB players than on any course. You pay the price when you make the wrong tactical decision or choose the wrong shot for sure as they make it so obvious.
Improve profitability, Performance and creates Cost Transparancy.
4moI totally dissagree. Being a good player dont make you a good coach, we see that in football. Many great managers that havent played at high level, and several world class players being terriable managers. I have a huge passion for padel. Have never done much racket sport before, but come from high level competition on other sports. I ahve competed for so many years and done appreciate that much to play any more, but spend alot of time on coaching, analysing and nerde with padel. I have studied body movement and much other arround padel, as padel is not just hitting the ball. Understanding your body, which is the most importatn weaponis super importatn as well. Understand how padel effect your body, how to avoid injuries is super important as well. HAving played padel at high level, would not had given my that understanding. My nerdy attitude did. The best CFO in a large company is not the best to do accounting, but can still tell his employees how to. The best ranked player has a coach, so you dont have to be better then your student. I have had high level padel coaches with less energy and bad teaching skills and I have had "normal" coaches, really greate to explain the importance and full of energi and greate personality.