We are all coming to Padel courts up and down the country to have fun first and foremost. The way that this happens most effectively is if games are evenly balanced and this is why levels are important. Your level is a moving, living, changing thing - it does not define you as a player or an individual but it will allow you to get padel that makes you feel like you are in a game that you are comfortable with.

Most padel players are familiar with a 1-7 scale where 1 is a beginner and 7 represents a professional player. This is the system that is used in the majority of clubs and is endorsed by the LTA. One of the challenges with this is that a player levelled in Club A may be a different standard to a player with the same level at Club B. Many of the most popular apps also allow players to level themselves initially. Levelling systems can therefore live in bubbles related to clubs or apps.

At EGP, we believe that levels are best overseen by trusted administrators and coaching staff who have a strong handle on playing ability and experience, not just in this centre but in other areas of the country and abroad. We use a levelling matrix as a broad guide and all players at EGP should endeavour to come to a levelling session in order to have an initial level set for them by the coaching staff. These sessions cost just £5 and involve anything from four to eight players.

At EGP, we are partnered with PadelLevels who are on a journey to create and maintain a global database for levelling in the sport which will mean that you can play anywhere from Towcester to Timbuktu and know that you will get a game that is correctly calibrated for you. Your level will be recorded into the EGP app and then synchronised with PadelLevels. If you already have a level on the platform, it will be imported when you download the EGP app.

A profile is automatically created for you on PadelLevels by our system but you will not be able to see the information unless you create an account and “claim” your profile. When you register, alongside the email address entry box is a search box. If you enter your name in here you will be able to select your profile (if it already exists on PadelLevels) and link this playing persona to your account.

Congratulations, you are on board. Now you just need to play and record your scores via the simple interface. We would encourage you to enter as many results as you can and - preferably - all of them to give the system as much data as possible. Your level will constantly change - even when you are not playing - as it calibrates to results entered by people you have previously played with or against. Winning does not guaranteed an increase, nor losing a decrease. Depending on the other players in the game, the system compares the actual result to what it expects the result to have been.