Present at FIP Silver of CaenDani Gamarra is one of those profiles that modern padel is producing more and more: versatile, mobile and deeply connected to the game. Coach, international trainer et commentator on the circuit Premier PadelThe Spaniard was accompanying one of his players, Xisco Gil, the 45th-ranked player in the world, to Normandy. Maxime ForcinA player from Caen, competing in front of his home crowd. An encounter with a coach who observes padel from all angles, without ever losing sight of the main point: understanding the game in order to better teach it.

Two professions, one interpretation of padel

For Dani Gamara, there aren't two parallel careers, but a single, coherent approach. The microphone and the bench are simply two different perspectives on the same sport. What he analyzes in his commentary, he then experiences in training. And what he works on with his players directly informs his understanding of the games.

"In the end, it all starts from the same place: understanding what's really happening on the track."

His speech is not that of a former player who has changed careers, but of a formerWhat interests him is not just the result, but the why: why a pair changes pace, why a player disappears from a match, why certain decisions are repeated under pressure.

This analytical ability becomes central to his daily work.

"The most important thing is not to know a lot of things, but to be able to explain them clearly."

For him, modern padel requires coaches capable of to put words to the gameso that players can take ownership of the solutions rather than simply accepting them.

Dani Gamarra talks with Forcin and Gil

A sport that has become global

The evolution of padel is no longer solely reflected in tournament results. It is primarily visible in its geography, through its structure. JR SportsDeveloped with Jorge Rodríguez, Dani Gamarra regularly works outside of Spain with coaches and players in the structuring phase.

South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Europe: these trips gave him a concrete vision of the expansion of sport.

"Padel is no longer a local sport. Today, it's a global sport."

In this context, he identifies a factor that has become crucial: the ability to communicate. Language, and especially English, is no longer a detail but a working tool.

"If you can't communicate with people who don't speak Spanish, you're closing a lot of doors for yourself."

An observation he also made on Premier Padel, a circuit where players, coaches and teams from very different cultures come together. For him, this internationalization forces those involved in padel to broaden their way of thinking about the profession.

In Caen, a special setting around Maxime Forcin

At the FIP Silver in Caen, Dani Gamarra accompanied Maxime ForcinA specific context, where the emotional dimension can weigh as heavily as the sporting dimension.

The Spanish coach observes in the Frenchman a real rigor of work, particularly on the physical level, which he considers an essential basis for progress over the long term.

"He's over 30, but has the physique of a 19 or 20-year-old. He's a phenomenon. I think he can do great things here in France."

While he still mentions areas for improvement in certain game concepts, Dani Gamarra primarily emphasizes the logic of building a strategy. For him, becoming more competitive doesn't come from a rapid accumulation of changes, but from a gradual understanding of the game.

This type of tournament, played in front of your own audience, also represents an important step in mental learning: learning to manage expectations, external scrutiny, and the pressure related to the environment.

Caen says goodbye to its darling, Max Forcin

Ambitions guided by transmission

When he talks about what comes next, Dani Gamarra doesn't mention personal titles or media recognition. His goals are a logical continuation of his career path.

In the short term, he would like to be able to commenting on a world championship final, a symbolic experience for someone who has been living padel from the inside for many years.

"It would be something very special, but it's not an obsession."

More profoundly, another idea has long accompanied him: that of to manage a national teamTo lead a collective project, to represent a country, to build a team over time.

"Being able to be the national coach, to lead a team, is something I always have in mind."

He knows it's a demanding objective, in an environment rich in competent profiles, but one that perfectly matches what has guided his career since the beginning: to train, transmit and structure, rather than simply passing through.

Full interview:

Maceo ZERHAT

Maceo Zerhat discovered padel in 2020 at Domaine De Clairis in Burgundy. He contributed to the club's expansion by bringing his energy and curiosity. Padel Magazinehe transmits his antoushiasme and his " Padel"mania" by skillfully bouncing on all the latest news about your favorite sport!

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