Strategic Excellence in Padel: Design and Validation of Key Tactical Principles

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to design and validate a guide to strategic principles in padel (SPP), offering practical recommendations for both players and coaches. Once the first version of the guide was developed by six relevant researchers in padel, 11 padel experts (all with a federation title as coaches and with experience as a coach and player) conducted a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the guide. Aiken’s V coefficient and confidence intervals were used to calculate content validity, and Cronbach’s α coefficient to analyze reliability. The adequacy and wording of the 15 principles initially designed were evaluated. One principle was eliminated for obtaining values < 0.91 in Aiken’s V coefficient regarding adequacy. The wording of the remaining principles was modified according to the qualitative assessments of the experts. The reliability of the instrument was acceptable, (α = 0.90). This guide provides a foundational list of strategic principles for padel, offering practical recommendations for players and coaches. It could also serve as a useful resource for federations to incorporate into coach education programs, supporting the development of tactical knowledge in padel.