Padel Ontario
What is Padel?
Padel is a traditional racquet sport - paddles, balls and a net - but what distinguishes the game is the way all the components come together to make a perfect sport.
The padel is relatively short and larger than a squash or racquetball racquet. That means it is close to the player’s hand and results in a quicker transition from “first-timer” to “keeping the ball moving and having a great time.” The padel is thick and made of a hard foam material that allows a solid hit but does not result in the ball zooming around the court.
The ball is basically a somewhat deflated tennis ball - same color, same size, but less bounce. It will move as fast as you want, but it is easy to control.
The court is completely enclosed, so no chasing after balls, and the ball can be played off the walls - after hitting the ground first. This promotes calculated and crafty shots and eliminates an advantage for “blasters” who might gain an upper hand by firing shots past opponents.
The floor or ground of the court is artificial turf filled with sand, giving a soft surface that will not harm joints or have a player feeling like they were running on concrete for an hour. The nature of the floor is such that it is like playing tennis on a clay court instead of a hard court.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, padel is an excellent way to develop and maintain good hand-eye coordination and lower-body agility, BOTH of which are critical for an injury-free and enjoyable life.
The Padel Court
The court adds to the joys of the game. Fully-enclosed, the four players are surrounded by glass and wire mesh, resulting in the feeling that the players and spectators are part of one environment. The court measures 10m by 20m, with a net at the center point of the long dimension. The rules of the game allow for every type of shot, but the ball cannot hit a wall directly after leaving the hitter’s paddle. This means strategy wins the game, not brute power. For younger and newer players the size of the court leaves plenty of space to hit the ball without risk of being penalized. The floor of the court is synthetic turf filled in with sand. This creates a cushioned surface that is great for players’ joints and also dampens the bounce of the ball so again, power is not the key.