This drill for beginner children is performed without a racket and consists of throwing and catching a ball after it rebounds off the glass.
It helps develop the fundamental skills of coordination and positioning in padel.
A variation is then introduced to make the exercise slightly more challenging.
Level 1: ball throwing and catching side-on with two hands
Setup:
One player stands close to the back glass, with his back facing it and without a racket.
Another player stands in front of him, just beyond the service line, holding a ball in his hands (also without a racket). These two players work together as a pair.
If there are four players, set up the same arrangement a second time alongside the first pair, with the players working in pairs.
How the drill works:
The coach first demonstrates the exercise with one of the children before asking the players to perform it together.
To demonstrate the exercise, the coach throws the ball downward so that it bounces on the ground before hitting the glass. The player must wait for the bounce on the floor, then the rebound off the glass, and then catch the ball while positioned side-on.
The players then perform the exercise together, with one player throwing the ball and the other catching it. The ball must always bounce on the ground first, then off the glass, before being caught by the receiving player.
They alternate between the forehand side and the backhand side, with the receiving player always catching the ball in a side-on position.
The players then switch roles so that everyone practices both positions.
This exercise helps children develop body coordination to move and catch a moving ball. It teaches them to keep their eyes on the ball and track it after it comes off the glass.
The drill also prepares players to adopt a side-on stance when playing defensive shots.
Each player can perform approximately ten throws and ten catches. Keep score by awarding one point for each successful catch.
Video credits: Easy Key Padel Kids Exercises! – Otro Nivel Padel – YouTube
Level 2: ball throwing and catching after a rebound off the fence
The players now perform the same exercise, this time positioning themselves in front of the fence.
The receiving player stands with his back to the fence, while his partner stands a few meters in front of him to throw the ball.
The ball is still thrown from above, with a bounce on the ground before rebounding off the fence. The receiving player attempts to catch the ball after it rebounds off the fence, again while positioned side-on.
Because rebounds off the fence are often unpredictable, the player must show quicker reactions in order to move rapidly and catch the ball.
The same principle applies as in the first exercise: each player can perform approximately ten throws and ten catches. Keep score each time, and congratulate or encourage the children enthusiastically.
From this point, many variations are possible, so feel free to be creative:
- move the players farther apart from one another,
- one player throws the ball with a racket while the other catches it by hand, and vice versa…