For two years, Sophie Gilbert gives lessons in paddle au Tennis Country Club La Baule. Less than ten minutes walk from the sea and fine sand, thesports Association matters 315 members to padel. The structure offers four outdoor courts, emerged from the ground in October 2023.

Wednesday 7 may, the weather is still cool but the sun is already present at The Baule. And the outdoor padel courts are already taken by the players. 12h, Sophie Gilbert, the padel coach of the club, has just finished a course.

The padel courts are recent, they were inaugurated in October 2023.

"I love my job and with the incredible setting of the club, I feel like I'm on vacation every day.“, she smiles.

Classified 3/6 in tennis, Sophie Gilbert was 19th French to padel. In 2016, it is formed within the French tennis federation with Patrick Fouquet et Brice Bernard, pioneers of French padel.

The friendly atmosphere of padel

And unlike tennis, theatmosphere is more friendly at padel:

"Some students have become friends that I meet up with for drinks. There's a really good atmosphere."

After living in Paris and past 20 years as a coach at the Tennis Club de Tours, Sophie Gilbert arrives in Loire Atlantique :

"After several years of giving lessons in another padel club in La Baule, I arrived two years ago at the Tennis Country Club La Baule“, she assures.

Padel lessons for young people

Sophie Gilbert proposes a padel school for jeunes :

"We have 24 young people, some of whom are discovering the sport through padel."

And compared to the private structures, annual subscription is available. While adding access to people external at the club:
"Holidaymakers coming to La Baule can take lessons and reserve a court."

During thesummer, internships in Lisbon au Portugal are offered to members:

"We're leaving for four days. The participants are supervised by Portuguese teachers and myself. We have three hours of classes from 3 a.m. to 10 p.m., then we have lunch at the club and in the afternoon we visit the city."

At the Tennis Country Club La Baule, 40% of the 315 members are women.

Stephanie Chapuis is part of it:

"I followed Sophie when she changed clubs. I play padel three times a week. It's a really fun sport, and you meet new people. My husband also plays here. We're now a whole group of friends. I played basketball for fifteen years, but the atmosphere is really different at padel."

40 years of life dedicated to tennis

Sophie Gilbert spent his whole life on a tennis court :

"I started playing tennis at the age of six and have played tennis for 40 years; it's truly my passion. By the age of 14, I knew I wanted to become a tennis teacher, despite my parents' reluctance."

And the fact of moving to the paddle allowed him to give a new impetus to his career:

"It gave me new energy. Padel is much more tactical, less frustrating, and more accessible than tennis. In tennis, on a court, you fight against yourself."

Sophie Gilbert still finds time to watch padel matches despite his busy schedule:

"I love Federico Chingotto (Argentine player and 3rd in the world, editor's note). I also watch the French women: Alix Collombon et Léa Godallier. I also look at the French women: Alix Collombon and Léa Godallier.”

More about https://padel-labaule.fr/ and Tennis Country Club La Baule.

Henri Pasquet

Passionate about soccer and tennis since I was a kid, I've been playing ping-pong for three years at a club in Nantes. More recently, I discovered padel! Basketball, rugby, golf, and motorsports: yet more new sports that I follow regularly. On the cultural side, since I love giving my opinion, I write film and video game reviews on my Instagram page, Silence ça Mix.

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