Padel, the sport taking over Cheshire.

It’s incredible to think that just a few weeks ago, The Padel Club was setting up its first two concept courts and that few in the area even knew what it was. Fast forward to today and things are very different. With players regularly attending (many daily), word spreading to people all across the North West of a dedicated padel club and both courts booked throughout the day; Padel has become the tonic that we (members of the public) desperately did not know we needed, and what a relief that we have it.

It’s unsurprising that when you search for Padel on the internet there are lots of stories of how it has taken off in countries all over the world. An obvious reason then must be the nature of the game. Whilst other racket sports require hours of dedicated practice and training in order to have competitive games, Padel is incredibly quick to pick up. Forget having to use different grips, you basically need just one. It’s called, The Chopper or The Hammer Grip. You hold the racket like you’re holding a hammer ready to hit a nail. Then there is the ball. It’s a little smaller than a tennis ball with less pressure. Then of course, there are walls, which give you more ways to play, and more angles to think about. These elements combine to make Padel incredibly quick to pick up. In a few minutes, you are rallying. In a few more minutes, you’re regretting the fact that you didn’t use the back wall to give you more time. In what feels like a sport with so much to remember, it’s not hard at all.

The points system is just like tennis - and even non-tennis viewers know that scoring system. The walls are only in play when the ball has hit the ground first, what this is, is a game that is accessible to everyone. At The Padel Club, that has been reflected with The Padel Cubs - a club session that is just for children, whilst looking at the adults that play, there are members into their 70s and 80s - of all genders - enjoying the game.

Whilst you may be a beginner and facing someone who has played plenty of times before, you will find yourself increasingly competitive within a rally. Here’s a well-known fact to all Padel-heads© - in a 60 minute booking, the average time the ball is in play is 45 minutes (a beginner can expect between 25 - 35 minutes). In tennis, it is 16 minutes. That’s three times the amount of active ball playing time. Rally’s can be as long as twenty to thirty shots, you use walls - if you have to - and you communicate with your partner to make sure you are always covering the court.

Put all of this together of “what makes a great sport” and you start to see something special. In Padel, it has to be just how social the game is. Find yourself at a court, or at The Padel Club Wilmslow in particular and you instantly start to make new friends. There is very little more required than simply turning up and playing some rally’s. Within minutes you’ve gotten to know new people, are playing a competitive game and you’re learning new things on the court and even relaxing in a sporting environment. This may not seem like a big deal but it’s what makes Padel so special. It doesn’t discriminate on age, how long you’ve been playing or the gear you are using. If you can hold a racket and return a ball - you can play with pretty much anyone. Amateur to professional, it doesn’t matter and what makes it better is that you find yourself wanting to be involved more and more in the rally’s.

Few sports have the ability to bring people together so quickly. Trust the hype, the celebrity names, the social media videos and just experience it for yourself one day. Take a moment to get on a court and hit a few balls back and forth. The sensation is intangible but the closest way to describe it probably starts with, “remember the fun you used to have playing games in the summer with your mates as a kid.” That sense of fun comes rushing back.

Padel is a sport that is fun, active and gets the brain and body working nicely in unison, but what it really does is bring people together. You just need to experience it once to know that it is something that is a little bit different, something that you can enjoy without any pretence. As was overhead on the court at The Padel Club one day, “where has this game been all of these years?” Luckily, there is an answer to that question and it has a new home at The Padel Club Wilmslow.