In Saint-Etienne, the padel is taking more and more with Elan Sport, a multi-sports complex which celebrated its first candle just a month ago.

Michel Rodriguez, the founder and manager of the club, looks back on an adventure that began 20 years ago with the birth of his daughter Elona… Michel, an entrepreneur “unlike any other”.

This club: A dream?

Oh yes ! This club is really the result of a false coincidence. The story begins when my daughter Elona is born, a surprise and at the same time wonderful. You have to find a job. I stop studying and start building. At the same time I obtain a BTS in logistics transport. I cumulate the interim. It was a crazy life.

At the time and still today, I was passionate about football like all Stéphanois. I practiced it. I had to orient myself towards sport. ELAN SPORT was born a year ago. And I don't regret anything.

Where does the original name of ELAN SPORT come from?

The name of the club is a mix of the first names of my 3 children who are called Elona, ​​Andréa, Noé.

The club has existed for 1 year. at the same time as my son. And we also celebrated the first year of the complex on November 11.

The sports club is now launched with 600 loyal members who come regularly. This club is very friendly. We like it there and that's what I wanted to build.

Can we say that the club was built / thought differently?

Absolutely. Elan Sport was designed by a person who does not necessarily have experience in sport. Who is not a person from racket sports either. And I made my experience a force which is therefore found in Elan Sport. Everything is designed for families.

For example, in my complex I have a daycare. it sounds almost obvious right? Yet customers appreciate this service. How can parents go to do their sport if not? It would have helped me a lot at the time.

When you want to go play sports, you have to find a solution for parents. We have it !

A complete sports complex but one that will also grow?

Elan Sport, in addition to its padel indoor, it's a 2500 m² room for bodybuilding / group lessons and I have a lot of girls. The advantage of padel : it is a sport for everyone. And so I believe that there are links between these two sports activities.

We also offer Pickleball. it is played on a badminton court. It is a sport like badminton very cardio but much easier. There are many exchanges and people enjoy it very much.

We have our 2 badminton courts, our padel, crosstraining and crossfit. There are also our 2 pétanque courts, the restaurant and the bar. In short, there is everything in this complex to welcome and enjoy.

By the second half of 2020, we will add a field of padel and 2 badminton courts.

Are the brands already coming to see you in Saint-Etienne?

Today we are working on the part padel with in particular KUIKMA, the new brand of padel at Decathlon.

We will soon do some demos padel with the tecnifibre palas. And then we had to Bullpadel.

The + of the complex

My goal: It is well-being. The fact of not being a professional is actually an asset because I think I offer a more global vision, which is appreciated by the members of the club.

On a field, we make events of padel. But with 1 track, it's complicated for a tournament padel. This is why this second pitch, which should arrive in the second half of 2020, is expected by the players of padel. These athletes are indeed crazy about this sport and enjoy mixing.

We have 600 members. It's easier to get started when there are already people on the site. Communication takes place on its own.

And why not decline this global concept in Annecy. It is in project we will see.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovers the padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since padel is part of his life. You often see him touring France going to cover the major events of padel French.

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