Géraldine Sorel, currently 9th in the FFT ranking, is the new coach of the French team of padel young girls. We interviewed her to take stock of her two caps.

First of all we would like to thank Géraldine for taking the time to answer our questions. Between the lessons she has to give to her college students in telework, the work in her house, and the physical preparation sessions that she inflicts on herself every day, her schedule is rather busy. She nevertheless lent herself to the game, with her characteristic good humor!

Padel Magazine : you are now the coach of the France team of padel young girls. Reassure us, are you going to continue playing !?

Géraldine Sorel: Yes of course I continue to play! I take too much pleasure on the ground and around to stop like that! Too young for a retraining 😜. And then my partner Élodie made me happy to want to replay with me this season so in addition I will try to train to be up to par, for her! And thanks to the confinement I finally train physically 🤣🤣
The icing on the cake, on the last tournament, (P1000 from Denain) I could see young girls playing who were in the France team playing last year… the best to see that they are motivated!

PM: So what are your goals as a player? Do you forget about the French team as a player?

GS: Goals… conquer Spain… on the veteran circuit… no I don't set myself any particular goals, but I remain a competitor so I don't give up on anything! As long as I can hang the kids ... and I have fun on the field, I will be seen on tournaments, and I love to see how fast Élo is progressing!

PM: So, how do you manage the distance with Elodie? Can you train together from time to time?

GS: Élodie trains on her side, me on mine, we only see each other in tournaments, which is a little frustrating because training together is a big asset for a team. She has been playing for a short time, she has good potential, she is super motivated and I support her as best as I can with my little experience ... She knows how to do lots of things, she must learn to do better to serve ! She, she can clearly have goals in EDF!

PM: Becoming a coach was a goal for you? Have you trained in the past?

GS: When the role of youth coach was offered to me, I couldn't refuse! Passing on my passion for this sport, sharing the values ​​of the French team with young girls, thriving in major competitions, it's a big motivation. I did not have the opportunity to train at padel (except my college students to make them discover, ok that doesn't really matter (laughs)), but I'm a teacher, a tennis teacher, and I have “a few” years of padel last me… And then I am accompanied by Eric Quillet who has extensive experience as a trainer, coach and who plays very well at padel ! We should be complementary 😁

PM: What are the goals for young people in padel French? 

GS: EDF Girls showed the 2019 worlds that it should be counted on. The goal is to form a performing group, motivated and above all with the cohesion essential to surpass themselves in this team sport!
With the 1st French Championship and the EDF last year, it boosted the young people and motivated many of them, that's a very good thing! Schools of padel develop or set up in several clubs, teachers energize their young people, tournament circuits appear (in the south in particular), we will have to build on this momentum and give it scope. Even if the current context will make things much more difficult ...

 

Xan is a fan of padel. But also rugby! And his posts are just as punchy. Physical trainer of several padel, he unearths atypical posts or deals with topical subjects. It also gives you some tips to develop your physique for the padel. Clearly, he imposes his offensive style as on the field of padel !

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