About
Certified coach
Christiaan Pieterse – Creator, Padel Skill Cards
From Marbella to Malaysia
Christiaan discovered Padel in 2013 on Marbella’s sun-soaked courts, instantly captivated by the sport’s addictive blend of strategy and athleticism. Over twelve years, his journey has spanned continents. Three intensive years in Germany, eighteen months perfecting his game in the Canary Islands, followed by three transformative years in Portugal training five hours weekly under coach Virgilio Duarte’s expert guidance. His competitive record includes victories in Portuguese veterans tournaments (winning one, consistently reaching quarterfinals) and recent Asian success: a semifinal finish at an APPT tournament in Bali and local tournament wins in Kuala Lumpur. Despite these achievements, Christiaan remains refreshingly humble, always emphasising that he’s still learning and constantly seeking improvement.
The training revelation that sparked an idea
During those intensive Portuguese training sessions with coach Virgilio, the seed for Padel Skill Cards was planted. With over 100 group coaching sessions annually, Christiaan found himself overwhelmed by the wealth of tactical knowledge and technical insights shared during training. “Training sessions are quite active, and with over 100 group sessions per year it’s impossible to remember all the things you learn in a session,” he reflects. The frustration of forgetting crucial coaching wisdom between sessions led to his eureka moment. What if there was a simple way to take those coaching insights home? Not on a phone screen that would distract during play, but as a tangible reference that players could focus on, practising one skill at a time for a day, a week, or until it became second nature.
From personal solution to global mission
What began as a personal memory solution evolved into something far more significant when Christiaan moved to Asia, wherePadel remains in its infancy. Witnessing the sport’s growth potential in new markets, he recognised the profound need to develop junior players and grow the game from grassroots level. This recognition shifted his focus from solving personal learning challenges to addressing a broader mission: making quality Padel instruction accessible to everyone, regardless of location or access to experienced coaches. Padel Skill Cards emerged from this intersection of personal experience and social purpose. They are a way to make accessible the coaching wisdom he’d been privileged to receive, packaged in a format that respects players’ intelligence whilst acknowledging how people actually learn and improve at Padel.
Kyra Pieterse – Creative Lead, Padel Skill Cards
Kyra Pieterse is a designer and illustrator currently based in Kuala Lumpur, which she uses as a base whilst travelling around Southeast Asia. She brings over 25 years of design experience, from educational content to corporate design work and everything small businesses need.
For the Padel Skill Cards project, she used her illustration skills to create a set of fun characters and drawings that grab kids’ attention whilst keeping the coaching points crystal clear.
She worked closely with Christiaan to develop the layout and design of the Passport to Padel Juniors cards. Coaching ideas transformed into a format that’s both playful and practical. Each card was carefully designed to guide kids through one skill at a time, with a game or activity on the reverse side.
Kyra also handled the design and build of the Padel Skill Cards website using MaxiBlocks. The site stays clean and easy to navigate. Parents, coaches, and clubs can quickly find out more about the cards and how to use them.
Martín Torres Coggiola – Advisor
Born in Córdoba, Argentina, Martín Torres Coggiola has been obsessed with Padel since he first picked up a racket in 1988. He climbed to second category as a player and never looked back.
Now he channels that same drive into coaching. Martín has guided players and teams to championships across all ages and skill levels. What fires him up? Watching someone break through their barriers and reach heights they never thought possible.
As a father of two, Martín has a special knack for working with junior groups. The kids absolutely love his fun and engaging games. This was exactly why he was perfect for developing the mini games on the back of each card. His ability to make learning feel like play is what sets him apart.
Jorge Chacon Sanz – Advisor
Subject matter expert and advisor. Head Coach and youth Padel advisor to the Malaysia Padel Association.
Padel Skill Cards: Passport to Padel Juniors
The Padel Skill Cards are designed to help children learn the basics of Padel in a way that feels simple, active, and fun. Each card focuses on one skill or set of movements, such as footwork, balance, or racket control. These are shown using short phrases and clear steps alongside colourful, illustrated characters that kids can follow easily. The back of each card features a matching game or activity to help players practise the skill through movement and play, either with a partner, in a group, or even with a parent or coach.
The cards were created with help from experienced Padel coaches who work with young players. Every element has been tested on court to make sure the content works in real sessions. The set includes cards on basic rules, safety, movement, and shot preparation. Designed and illustrated by Kyra Pieterse, with layout and content guidance from Christiaan, the cards are printed on waterproof, durable board so they can be used directly on court. They’re part of the Passport to Padel Juniors series, and a first sample print is now on its way.