PDHSports Padel Ambassadors!

Padel guru Reggie bounced off the tennis court and onto the Padel court in 2022, qualifying as a L2 coach to share his knowledge and love of the sport with a truly diverse range of learners and improvers. Reggie loves to work with good people - enthusiastic clients and community groups, Padel newbies and experts, coaches and organisations who are spreading the word about Padel. His affinity with the pdhsports.com team is rooted in the same principle - "they're great people who know the game and offer fantastic service."  1. How did you get into Padel coaching? I started playing Padel after the pandemic. Some of the people I was playing with asked me for advice, based on my knowledge as a tennis player and L1 coach. People would come back and thank me and say I'd changed their game! I decided to do my L2 Padel coaching qualifications and eventually quit my day job to coach full time. It's been a great decision! 2. What do you love most about Padel? It's so sociable - I have quickly built a great network of player friends. Most Padel centres are pay and play: there's an app called Playtomic where you can find a court and some people to play with. This digital access really works for a lot of people these days. It's easy to search and find people to practice and improve with. 3. Why do you think Padel is becoming so popular in the UK? I think because at grassroots level it's reasonably easy and fast to get started in Padel. In tennis it takes a lot longer to hit the ball accurately. Also, in Padel you don't need to cover as much of the court and you have to interact with your doubles partner, which is a different kind of challenge. It's just a lot of fun. 4. Have you ever played Padel with a celebrity? Yes! The comedian Jason Manford! He has been going to local clubs while he's touring, trying to get kids into Padel, to make sure it's an inclusive sport for everyone. I was asked to come and help with Jason's event at the Powerleague court in Birmingham. He brought 15 kids in - I coached the kids and played against him. It was a great experience! 5. Tell us about your current racket and why it works for you I play with the HEAD Gravity Pro. It's a round shaped racket designed for control more than power. It has a large, sweet spot and a rough finish that gives spin to the ball. I find it very well-balanced and really enjoy playing with it. Pdhsports.com lends me rackets to try - I've also enjoyed using the latest HEAD Coello Pro, though it's more suited to a high-power game.

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