For the 10th episode of The Joy of Padel podcast, host Minter Dial sat down with Sandy Farquharson, the founder of The Padel School, to discuss his journey in Padel, the evolution of the sport, and his mission to democratize Padel education. With a rich background in tennis biomechanics and professional play, Farquharson brings a unique perspective to the rapidly growing sport of padel.
Farquharson’s entry into Padel came through an unexpected turn of events in Dubai. Just as he was preparing to leave the city, having wrapped up his tennis coaching career there, a last-minute opportunity to participate in a Padel tournament arose. Despite being a newcomer to the sport, his tennis and squash background helped him win the tournament with his Spanish partner. This victory led to an offer to manage His Highness Sheikh Hamdan‘s rackets facility, marking the beginning of his padel journey.
Understanding the need to develop his expertise, Farquharson spent the next several years making regular trips to Spain to train with influential figures in the sport. He worked with Padel luminaries like Horacio Clemente, often requiring translators due to the language barrier. This dedication to learning from the source has shaped his approach to teaching and understanding the game.
The transition from tennis to Padel wasn’t without its challenges. Farquharson describes the adaptation process as going through multiple “wardrobes within wardrobes,” referencing The Chronicles of Narnia. Each stage of development reveals new layers of complexity: from learning to use the glass walls to mastering different types of lobs and developing strategic point construction. This multi-layered learning process became fundamental to his teaching philosophy at The Paddle School.
Speaking about the biomechanical differences between tennis and Padel, Farquharson emphasizes that power generation and movement patterns differ significantly. While tennis relies heavily on racket head speed and full kinetic chain power generation, Padel requires more controlled, tactical play. This understanding has influenced his approach to coaching transition players and highlights why dedicated Padel coaching is essential rather than simply converting tennis coaches.
The Padel School began as a solution to a gap in English-language Padel education. Frustrated by repeatedly explaining the same concepts to his Dubai students and finding no English reference materials, Farquharson began creating video content. What started with just 11 views per video has grown into a comprehensive educational platform that now generates over 9 million views monthly across social media channels. The platform offers personalized learning paths, video analysis, and coaching feedback, making quality padel education accessible to players worldwide.
This democratization of Padel education stems from Farquharson’s personal experience with the limitations of traditional sports development systems. Drawing from his brother’s challenging journey in professional tennis, where lack of accessible guidance contributed to career-ending injuries, Farquharson committed to creating high-quality, accessible content for Padel players of all levels.
Currently still competing for Team GB, Farquharson brings valuable experience to the national team despite being one of its older members. He emphasizes that Padel’s complexity means that experience and tactical understanding can often compensate for declining physical attributes, particularly when playing on the right side of the court.
Reflecting on recent developments in professional Padel, Farquharson welcomes the merger between Premier Padel and World Padel Tour, seeing it as a positive step for the sport’s development. He believes the combination of Premier Padel’s top-tier events and the World Padel Tour’s organizational expertise could address current gaps in the sport’s competitive structure.
Through The Padel School, Farquharson continues to travel globally, working with clubs to develop their coaches, programs, and communities. His commitment to producing weekly content hasn’t wavered in six years, contributing to the sport’s growth and accessibility. As Padel continues to expand globally, Farquharson’s mission to provide quality education and guidance remains as relevant as ever, helping players navigate the multiple “wardrobes” of their Padel journey.
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