Making new social connections by playing Padel.
Padel is a social sport. Teams are groups of friends, or Family, enjoying their games together. But quite often, players meet at the courts for the first time. Players connect via the app to play the game, become familiar and build friendships as they play more often and with different players.
The Padel Club strives to create an inclusive community of Padel players, with a society-style feel where everyone feels at home.
Social connection helps to promote well-being. Being with people we are close to, sharing experiences and talking about our lives - makes us feel better.
What is underestimated, are the benefits of interacting with those we don’t know.
There is growing research suggesting that engaging with and trusting people we don’t know is important for our wellbeing and the wellbeing of those we encounter as well as the health of society.
Talking to people we don’t know can give us a stronger sense of belonging, improve mood, increase self-esteem and reduce anxiety.
- It has been shown to increase our emotional intelligence
- It challenges our assumptions
- Increases our listening skills
- Pushes us out of our comfort zone
- Boosts self-awareness
- Increases our empathy.
Most people are, despite society’s assumptions, happy to be spoken to by those they do not know but would not feel confident to go and talk to a person themselves, through fear of rejection, the other person thinking that they are the one who is acting unusual!
The fact that people are happy to be spoken to, but too scared to initiate conversation implies that we do in fact want to talk to each other, but it’s our own personal stigmas that we need to get over.
We consistently underestimate how much we would enjoy talking to other, new, people. And also underestimated how much their conversation partners liked them and enjoyed their company.
Being a Padel player, gives people a connection and something to talk to each other about. It is the love of the sport that unifies players, talking with such enthusiasm and healthy competitiveness, engaging in conversations about the play.
Danny Simpson, former Manchester United academy footballer and Leicester City player, plays regularly at our Club. Danny says 'I love Padel. I got into it though my friends and initially as a social thing, but as soon as I played, I got hooked by the game, the competition and the fair it's played in pairs.
It's good for both fitness and mental health, and the social side of meeting new people is what I enjoy at the Club'.
As a part of The Padel Club community, we encourage positive communication between players. We have a whatsapp group that any player can join, arrange matches and invite to events. We are planning future events where players can meet and socialise on and off court.
