Herman Padel Uganda By Erik Seyfarth (Head coach, Herman Padel)
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Welcome To The Eye Magazine Directory
Herman Padel Uganda By Erik Seyfarth (Head coach, Herman Padel)
In July 2024 Uganda got its first ever Padel courts as the Herman Padel Center opened its doors in Nsambya, Kampala. As one of the world’s fastest growing sports it was only a question of time before it happened.
Now, a year later, we can safely say that Padel is taking Kampala by storm. At this moment there are 7 courts in the city; 4 at Herman Padel in Nsambya, 2 at Smash Padel in Bukoto and one at Serena Hotel in Kigo. We also know that more courts are under construction in other areas like Lubowa and Bugolobi.
Although it’s easy to learn it’s also hard to master. As your level improves, the matches get more intense and it requires tactical, physical and mental skill to compete at a higher level. Padel follows an international level system so that players can easily find equal opponents for matches. At Herman Padel we arrange monthly tournaments for competitive players and around 40-50 teams participate across 4 categories.
Prices for courts range from 80k – 120k per hour which equals 20k – 30k per person. Private lessons with trained coaches are also available. So, if you haven’t tried already, it’s time to tie your sports shoes and get on the court!
Padel (Spanish: pádel) is a racket and ball sport, which is played in an enclosed field or cage. It is mainly played with four players, where a ball, similar to a tennis ball, has to be played over a net with a racket. It looks like a combination of tennis and squash. The playing field is about 25% smaller than a tennis court.
In padel, the ball must be hit over the net into the opponent’s court(s), without the ball first touching one of the walls. The goal is to prevent the opponent(s) from hitting the ball back. However, the ball remains in play if it first touches the ground and then one of the walls. This ensures longer rallies. This also means that tactics are more important than strength, as the ball can keep returning. The sport is practiced both recreationally and competitively. Padel players are generally members of a padel club, which is then affiliated with a padel federation.
Padel was born in 1969 in the Mexican resort of Acapulco. The creator of padel, Enrique Corcuera, was a wealthy businessman. He didn’t have enough space at home to have a tennis court installed, so he came up with a similar sport. He demarcated an area of 10 by 20 meters with 3 to 4-meter-high walls. A net separated both sides. Since the court was smaller, he thought of not playing with tennis rackets, but with smaller wooden rackets
(Source: Wikipedia)
