in the news: sg padel X CLUB KINGSWOOD
Club Kingswood opens new padel courts in Basildon
By Chris Phillips, Chief Sports Reporter - Echo.
Aerial shot of the new Padel Courts at Club Kingswood, Basildon
THE UK’s fastest growing sport is quickly becoming a smash-hit success in Basildon.
Padel is rapidly increasing in popularity across the country.
And it is now also being enjoyed by the members of Club Kingswood.
Two new courts, costing £250,000 in total, have been installed at the Clayhill Lane based venue and the club’s general manager Alex Owen is pleased to see them both booked out on a regular basis.
“We’re a 3, 200 member club and we wanted to have a racket sport which appeals to the majority rather than just a few,” said Owen.
“Most people can play padel.
“They can pick up a bat and have a go once they know the basic rules.
“We had a tennis court in there before but tennis is a lot more technical.
“You have to be a reasonably good player to get a decent game but padel is a nice social game.
“It’s doubles as well so people tend to make friendships from it and can improve as they go on too.”
Kingswood have already set up padel leagues, classes and social sessions.
And it is proving to be a hugely popular addition to the club.
Opening day of the Padel courts back in April at Club Kingswood
“We did a survey before installing the courts as to what people would want and roughly 75 per cent of the membership said padel,” said Owen.
“A lot of investment went into it so we have outdoor table-tennis out there too now and nice seated area which is really good. “We’re doing a lot with it and we do intro sessions where people can learn how to play.
“We have quite a few social sessions as well which are divided into two different standards. “You can play lots of people of the same level and it’s been great”
Club Kingswood still also boasts its own squash and racketball courts plus a top notch gym and Owen remains rightfully proud of the facilities on offer.
“We’re not profit led and we try to invest a large proportion of what we make just like we have with padel,” said Owen.
“We’re still one of the biggest independent clubs in the country and there aren’t many left.
“It’s been in the same family since 1967 so it’s well established and well known too.”
The courts were installed by SG Padel, who are the official distributor for MejorSet, in the UK.
And projects manager Jake Chaplin has thoroughly enjoyed seeing their plans come to fruition at Club Kingswood
“We started to work with local clubs and clubs all across the UK to get MejorSet courts into these kind of facilities,” said Chaplin.
“SG Padel project managed the design and planning phase all the way through to the court installation here for two courts.
“It was a full groundworks project and it’s been great.” More than 200 members have already joined the club’s WhatsApp group to help organise padel matches.
And Chaplin is certain the sport will soon be as popular as tennis.
“It's very sociable and it’s primarily a doubles game too,” said Chaplin.
“It’s very accessible and any age and ability can have a decent game.
“It’s fun, it’s shorter than playing tennis and it gives you a different experience.
“There’s less downtime between points and it’s still in an early growth phase in the UK.
“In the next five to 10 years I think it’s definitely going to rival tennis in terms of popularity. “
Good Game: Chief sports reporter of the Echo Chris Phillips shakes hands with fellow players after a terrific and enjoyable game of Padel
HOW I FOUND TAKING TO THE PADEL COURT
I am certainly no stranger to playing racket sports but I am when it comes to playing padel in all honesty.
Prior to heading to Club Kingswood to try out the new courts I think I had probably played it three or four times.
With that in mind, I was quite apprehensive about how I might find it and if I might struggle but I need not have worried.
It might have taken me a bit of time to understand some of the rules but the rallies themselves are quite straightforward and the sport itself relatively simple - unless you are playing at a high level of course.
But I can 100 per cent understand why padel is currently the fastest growing sport in the country.
I love tennis and will always continue to play that but it is often tricky to have an enjoyable match unless you're taking on someone of a very similar standard. Play someone weaker and you might not get much from it while play someone better and you are probably just going to be running round picking tennis balls up for an hour.
But that is not a problem in padel. To avoid any confusion, the sport is a cross between tennis and squash and under arm serving also makes it far more simple to play.
The enclosed court means more playing time and less ball collecting and I absolutely loved it.
The sport is played in doubles which again helps to increase the enjoyment and laughter levels and it is quite easy to pick up too.
It can be played by all ages and abilities and is incredibly addictive.
I am already looking at when the courts are next free for me to play and who I could possibly play against too.
With the sun shining, people enjoying a drink nearby and music playing it almost felt like being away on holiday.
But it was a real work-out too.
I think my competitive nature meant I kept running to extend the rallies despite my increasing fatigue levels.
In conclusion, I think this is most fun I have ever had trying out a new sport and cannot emphasise enough how you should give it a go too!