Founded by Seun and Laura Crowe, Pride Padel is a community built upon inclusion, accessibility, and the simple joy of playing padel together.

About the founders of Pride Padel

Seun and Laura started playing padel just over a year ago, initially as a way to get active, meet people, and commit to a sport together. Laura had a racket-sport background and some early exposure to padel, so suggesting a return to the court felt natural. What began as a casual idea quickly became a daily passion (as many of us can relate to!) – they now play nearly every day.

As an LGBT+ couple, they were initially unsure how welcoming padel spaces would feel. That hesitation didn’t last long. They quickly experienced padel’s unique ability to bring people together, and that sense of connection became the spark for something much bigger.

Community origins

Pride Padel was created to offer an alternative to padel environments that can sometimes feel male-dominated or intimidating. The mission is to run inclusive, welcoming, and accessible events for the LGBT+ community, allies, women, people of colour, players of all abilities, and more.

A key focus is ensuring beginner players can genuinely compete without pressure, while still maintaining a strong competitive and community feel. Pride Padel is proudly not-for-profit. Through becoming Rocket Padel ambassadors, Seun and Laura gained a platform and chose to use it to give back — keeping events affordable and reinvesting everything into the community.

Rather than income from ticket sales, Pride Padel relies on partnerships with supportive brands to enhance events with prizes and experiences, all while staying true to their values of inclusion and accessibility.

Getting involved with Pride Padel

The best way to get involved is by booking onto an event via the link in Pride Padel’s Instagram bio. The account is also where the community shares updates, future events, and ongoing initiatives. See their account here: Pride Padel.

Community reflections

The most meaningful part of the journey has been hearing how safe and welcome players feel at Pride Padel events. Some winners have shared that it’s the first time they’ve ever won anything – moments that mean everything to the founders.

Seun and Laura also regularly receive messages from LGBTQ+ individuals who feel nervous or unsure about attending padel socials. Taking time to answer questions, offer reassurance, and build confidence has become a core part of what Pride Padel stands for, something that resonates deeply given their own experiences during their youth as LGBTQ+ individuals. 

The biggest challenge has been prize support. Pride Padel has been built using personal funds alongside full-time jobs, and securing sponsorship hasn’t always been easy. That said, ongoing relationships with supportive brands and creative initiatives like merchandise drops have helped make the model more sustainable — all driven by genuine passion and belief in what they’re building. Golden Padel, Tenzing, Soleau, Utoka, and Padel Vibes have all supported Pride Padel. 

Looking ahead: what’s next?

What excites Seun and Laura most is the growing demand from people asking them to bring Pride Padel events to new cities and areas. Exploring this expansion over the next year feels like a natural next step for them and the community.

They also have a women’s tournament coming up in March 2026, featuring a coaching-focused clinic and tournament for 48 women, delivered alongside two LTA Level 2 female coaches: Connie Simpson and Gabriela Coglitore. Beyond that, planning the 2026 calendar is already underway as Pride Padel continues to grow — with the same commitment to making padel a space where everyone feels confident stepping onto court and being themselves.

Pride Padel is proof that community-first thinking can genuinely reshape how sport is experienced — and the journey is only just getting started for them. Wishing them and their community the best for 2026!