What do you think, are you the same person when you enter the field as in life? Several scenarios exist.
The advantage when you play padel is that you can create a character for yourself when you enter the court. This character can be extravagant, aggressive, unbearable, or on the contrary a good teammate, the good paw.
Padel is no different from other sports. Imagine businessmen, people with high responsibilities who must control their gestures and attitudes in their job. When they enter a playing area, they need to let go, empty themselves, be who they want to be, a bit like during a night of too much drinking.
Those who don't change
In reality, this scenario occurs during a simple match, but it is quite rare when a disputed, difficult moment arises, which reveals a different side of a player. A calm player may suddenly start shouting when they win a point, or they may take the tactical initiative from their partner. Similarly, an extravagant player can keep quiet and show that he knows how to stay focused during a difficult passage.
Finally, it is the most disputed, the most complex, the most tense matches that reveal an unknown facet of our personality.
Those who change completely
But what happens to a player to be so different on the track? In general, this is noticeable in rather calm people who become real talkers on the court. These people need to show their presence by using the word, by touching as many balls as possible and by commenting on each point played. If they don't, they'll be upset and frustrated, but they won't show it once they're off the pitch because they'll be back to how they were before the game.
It is rare to see extravagant people in everyday life withdraw into themselves once in the field, but in these moments, they can see their abilities increased tenfold.
Those who develop superpowers
They are the same in the field as they are in life, but their powers are increased. A person who tends to struggle in life will not let go of a point on the track. A contradictory or protesting individual will become aggressive in his attacks, even in his attitudes, which will eventually have to be channeled.
It is important to pay attention to these attitudes and personality changes on a padel court. First of all, it is essential to know who you are in order to understand your playing style. This will help you choose the ideal partner, the one who will meet all the criteria to form a balanced team.
On the other side of the field, it will also be necessary to observe and analyze to get out of a compromising situation. A very concentrated player can be unsettled if you ask him to think about a point played or if you disturb him with a sentence that affects him. Similarly, an aggressive player who seeks to dominate you with every shot can be slowed down by decreasing the pace of the game. even a loss of mental control.
This is where padel coaches come in. Their job is to form teams based on level, physical and technical abilities, but also on the style of personalities on the court. For those who do not have outside help, it will be necessary to get to know yourself, your partner and in the short term, understand who your opponents are and how they are, in order to find their weak points. Let's go!
Julien Bondia is a padel teacher in Tenerife (Spain). Columnist and advisor, he helps you play better through his tutorials and articles on padel tactics/techniques.