Touch Padel – a perfect coaching partner
Ready to sharpen your skills and take on a new challenge? Touch Padel is a fast-paced twist on padel played on a smaller court, designed for intense rallies, strategic shots and competitive fun. It has been invested by Manchester Padel Club – and The Bandeja finds out more.
Touch Padel is as much about agility and footwork as it is about skill. With a compact court and quick-paced rallies, you’re constantly moving and reacting. The smaller space means every shot counts, demanding precision and quick decision-making. It’s a perfect way to master padel’s key moves such as chiquitas, volleys and lobs, while gaining confidence in timing and positioning.
Touch Padel courts are typically 30-40% the size of a full doubles. Use of the glass and angles off the glass are similar to regular padel so a great practice zone. Doors are closed to the court so no out of court play.
Manchester Padel Club developed the game to complement its world-class coaching (head coach Leo Padovani is a former world top 10 padel player) and provide more facilities for players to develop their skills. Its aim is to establish Touch Padel as a separate sport on court booking app Playtomic, believing that the smaller court is an ideal training ground for all ages and abilities, from helping beginners adapt to a padel court to assisting advanced players to develop technique and speed of movement.
The courts are also great for families to play, training sessions, warming up/down and playing competitive singles/doubles. The club has seen an influx of new players wanting to try it out.
Leo said: “We developed Touch Padel after observing players during training sessions. It became clear there was strong demand for a mini version of the game that emphasises skill development in a competitive environment. This format is unique as it mainly focuses on singles, allowing each player to take full responsibility for their performance. Also, one player learning the glass on a full size court is not always feasible.
“It is a great way to understand the basic concepts in padel – using the glass, developing your touch and improving your footwork. All shots must be very controlled with short preparation, helping improve your level in the moments of the game when you have to play more calmly,” added Leo.
“It has been really well received, we get a lot of feedback about how much fun it is and how much of a workout players get on the smaller court,” said Leo. “Our junior players have also been making the most of it, building their skills and confidence, and we use it as part of our after school programme for intro sessions.”
“It is a great way to understand the basic concepts in padel – using the glass, developing your touch and improving footwork. All shots must be very controlled with short preparation.
- Leo Padovani
Footwork & Fitness: the court may be smaller but you hit more balls in a shorter space of time. Playing almost exclusively off the glass means your feet need to move fast and constantly.
Playing under pressure: it’s a small area and mistakes get punished so it is critical to play with a cool head and keep your opponent thinking, moving and hitting one more ball – just as you do in padel.
Tactics & decision-making: knowing when to come to the net to volley (ie when your opponent is defending and under pressure), knowing when to play an angled shot, when to lob, when to change the direction of the ball and use the glass effectively.
Technique: chiquitas, lobs and volleys! Find a way to play soft but attacking shots consistently at different angles while your opponent is attacking the net or defending at the back – all great practice for regular padel.
Mastering the glass: unlike padel, where the ball bounces into the glass on some points but not all, it is likely to happen on nearly every shot in Touch Padel. This means that play off the glass (timing and movement in particular) improves rapidly.
Rules
- Pickleball has the kitchen, Touch Padel has the attack zone. This is a strip across the front of the court a different colour to the rest of the surface.
- You can ONLY volley if you are within the attack zone.
- You CANNOT volley anywhere else on the court, this is so that the lob can be used to counter attack – just like padel!
Kids’ coaching
The training courts have been a huge hit with junior coaching players. It’s easier for them to rally and cover the court as well as think strategically about their game play. MPC focuses on building pathways for children of all abilities; playing on a smaller court feels less intimidating for them and quickly gets them working on fundamental skills such as hand-eye coordination, agility and balance.
About MPC
Manchester Padel Club, in Heald Green, opened in July 2023. It has five courts (soon to be seven, including four covered) and has seen more than £1 million of investment. Its team is committed to increasing participation in padel across the North West, fostering a welcoming environment for players of all ages and skill levels. In its first year the club welcomed more than 3,900 players and delivered more than 2,000 hours of coaching.
Head coach Leo Padovani has developed a comprehensive padel development programme and its academy is supporting Cheshire County’s padel development by providing coaching and court time to county age groups, as well as coaching local coaches from clubs including The Padel Club and Pure Padel. Its Manchester Padel League, launched in September, is the region’s largest, with more than 100 teams and a waiting list. 🎾
