Padel Magazine - Yann Guilcher is the new figure of padel French with his new club padel at the Bordeaux Soccer Park. He grants us an exclusive interview to present his club, its possibilities and its ambitions.

Padel Magazine - How did you find out about the padel ?

Yann Guilchier - First of all in Sofia Antipolis, where we played near Soccerpark Antibes and I had seen some in Spain and but putting them in indoor allows a not insignificant extra comfort.

What is your strategy around the pade in your football club?

We wanted a different sport from our competitors and also to reach a different clientele. Guests come from the world of squash, tennis, beach tennis and pala but not only. We also wanted more girls in our center and it was successful.

Le padel has been working for a few weeks now… Can you already take stock of it?

The club padel has been running for 4 weeks and honestly didn't think we were going to get that many people initially. Each field is taken 4 hours per day. But above all, all the people who played, we are told it was great so the bet is won

What have you put in place to boost the padel ?

First we have a teacher, Jean François Fabre, who promotes the padel in our club and teaches. We have already had a beginner tournament and a second tournament, this time for experts, on June 14 which is fast approaching. On June 21, a group of 20 squashers were brought to the padel. Conclusion: they have become crazy about the sport and are now competing with each other.

Many football players rub shoulders with the padel by the way, what is their attitude? Are they coming to play?

At first, many thought it was tennis ball, so they were given snowshoes and now they come back. Women football players come to slap the ball while their husbands play, it's not bad.

In view of your experience, how do you see the development of padel in France ?

We are far behind Spain but we are growing slowly and soccerpark helps the French development of the Padel, I think this will take quickly.

We know that you have surrounded yourself with players of padel who have experience, can you introduce them to us?

JEFF, our teacher arrived with a lot of players from Padel, from the Lacanau club. We also have a group of tennis players who hung on to the Padel. We have a lot of connections at the Primerose tennis club like Loïc Ducourau or Du Bouscat. Plus all football players who love tennis or squash. This is a great base of adept customers.

Franck Binisti - Padel Magazine
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.