Padel Teambuilding at Forest Hill

On Thursday, September 21st, Check Point, a company specializing in cybersecurity, organized an event at Forest Hill Marnes-la-Coquette to “create team cohesion beyond work,” explains Jérôme Lorber, Director of Partners at Check Point and the organizer of this teambuilding event.

Report from Forest Hill Marnes-la-Coquette, a town named after Napoleon III, where the sports complex is frequented daily by nearly 500 people.

Teambuilding events around padel are held at least three times a month, confirms the “Racket Sports” manager. It’s easy to see why: the location is a padel hub in the Île-de-France region with 20 courts, 12 indoor and 8 outdoor.

Every time, a customized offer is provided to best meet the needs and specifics of the organizing company.

But why is padel so appealing?

Because it’s an extremely accessible sport, because it’s fun, because people quickly feel they can do it, because it’s new, because everyone enjoys it, and because it brings people together! says Frédéric Rogez.

“I discovered padel two years ago and when I saw the excitement around it, I thought there was something to do. When I proposed this event to my clients, everyone was on board. And of course, the Forest Hill park is gorgeous!” confirms Jérôme Lorber.

The day starts with a briefing to introduce the event’s agenda to guests, in this case, Check Point reseller partners:

• Grouping players by skill level
• Offering different game formats (introductory or competitive with a tournament)
• Creating teams, today 16 in total

Another advantage: padel is played in teams of two, a perfect setup to “connect colleagues and get to know each other differently.”

We play. We sweat. We watch others play. We discover. We meet. We cheer. And most importantly, we have fun. The atmosphere is joyful, and interactions between partners who didn’t know each other are warm.

As evidenced by the (little) overheard comments while strolling between courts: “You know, I didn’t know padel. I thought it was the thing played on water!” (Laughter). “It’s super fun, you don’t need to be really skilled to play.” “Next time we play, I’ll definitely beat you!” (More laughter).

“Our jobs are all about building close relationships,” says Jérôme Lorber. “We need to interact with our partners and clients. This teambuilding event allows us to create visibility and give our company a positive image, one that embraces sports.

In padel, just like in cybersecurity, teamwork is crucial. When we win, we win together, and when we lose, it’s the same.” The goal of offering a breather, creating excitement outside of work in a fun and sporty context: this was achieved with the padel teambuilding event.

At 7 PM, the employees, freshly showered, gather wearing special event t-shirts. Over a closing gathering with tapas and drinks, the conversation is filled with talk of tournaments, exchanges, lost balls, rebounds, fake rebounds, mini-breaks, passing shots, and glass walls. The atmosphere is lively and full of good vibes. It’s time to present the trophies to the winners of the beginner and advanced tournaments. Cheers and applause fill the air. People cheer and promise to return to play again, not just to discuss cybersecurity (which, as they say, has created new needs for securing home IT environments with remote work), but mostly to improve their padel skills, as the sport is addictive for anyone who tries it.

“People are always smiling,” says the teambuilding organizer, “and that’s exactly what we aim for.” And who knows, maybe we’ve even sparked a future career for international padel players among them!

To be continued…

Caroline Pastorelli