Intensive padel without giving up school

 2025 Padel Magazine

The best option

Sports studies, a secondary school with flexible hours, a private academy, correspondence courses or a traditional secondary school? There is no better option than the one you choose based on your goals. Personally, I wanted to devote myself fully to padel without neglecting my education, while maintaining my circle of friends and my family life. My local secondary school, a 10-minute walk from my club, seemed like the best compromise. But as it didn't offer flexible hours, I had to scale back my ambitions and settle for a maximum of three padel training sessions and two physical training sessions per week.

Two very busy years

Between classes, training, homework and tournaments, those two years were very busy. With more than 40 tournaments in the first year and increasingly long journeys, I had little time to rest. The following year, to remedy this, I reduced the number of tournaments. This decision was all the more reasonable as the first-year programme became more complicated and intense. Sometimes I felt a little tired, but I was never demotivated. I accepted my choice, but I realised that a school schedule with flexible hours would have been more suited to intensive sports training.

A largely positive outcome

Both academically and athletically, I did quite well. I managed to maintain a good level of academic performance, particularly in science subjects. I also ended these two years by obtaining good marks in the French baccalaureate exams. In terms of sports, I was not to be outdone. I hadn't really set myself any goals, at least not in terms of numbers. I just wanted to improve while continuing to enjoy myself. My progress exceeded anything I could have imagined. Ranked 271st in France in September 2023, I reached 20th place in July 2025. My enjoyment remained intact, if not increased tenfold!

Victories and highlights

lBeyond the rankings, these two years have been punctuated by victories that are significant and important to me: victory at the under 18 masters with Thomas Basso; French under 16 champion with Basile Baud; first victory in P1000 with Olivier Guy de Chamisso; first victory in P1500 with Yoan Boronad, followed by two others with Jérémy Garcia and then Thomas Basso. Other sources of satisfaction: two selections for the French junior team, in 2023 for the World Junior Championships and in 2024 for the European Junior Championships, which ended with a second place finish behind Spain; and finally, participation in the French senior team training camp.

What about next year?

Boosted by my results, encouraged by my partners, motivated by my coaches and supported by my family, I decided to try my hand at high-level competition. Once again, the question arose as to the best approach, given that the National Training Centre had been added to the list of possibilities. After careful consideration, I decided to complete my final year of secondary school at the CNED (National Centre for Distance Learning) and to keep on training at the All In Academy, which has served me well so far. Starting in September 2025, my new schedule should allow me to double my training volume and compete more often abroad. I hope that these conditions will allow me to continue to progress and reach new heights.

See you next year to check if my decision has paid off.

J. Robert

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