COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: FEMME OPEN About Femme Open One name has come up consistently in our Community Spotlights, and that’s Femme Open. Founded by Johanna Livijn and Johanna Aybar, Femme Open began as a simple idea that turned into a significant movement.  Their story started in Båstad in 2018, during the

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: SUNSET PADEL CLUB “I first started playing padel when my gym opened new courts. I decided to give it a go a couple of times, joined a small group coaching session, and before I knew it, I had played 12 days in a row. I was completely hooked.”

HSH Prince Albert of Monaco, a keen padel player, accepting Barry’s invitation to travel to Dublin to inaugurate the new padel courts at Fitzwilliam LTC, where he was presented with a special edition racquet by Barry. COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:BARRY COFFEY Discovering Padel Racquet sports have been a lifelong passion for Barry

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:PADEL WITH HOLLY About Holly Holly first discovered padel almost by chance. After starting a new job, she noticed courts next to her office and decided to give it a go. From her very first session, she was hooked (something many of us can relate to!). What began as

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:PINK PADEL CLUB About The Founder of Pink Padel Club For Janelle Marie Rodriguez, padel has been a game-changer in more ways than one. A journalist, actress, producer, and former ESPN professional, she only picked up the sport earlier this year. Despite never having played racket sports before (“unless

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:BRITISH PADEL ACADEMY About the Academy The British Padel Academy is dedicated to developing and supporting the future of padel in the UK. With the sport growing rapidly and hundreds of clubs opening across the country, the demand for experienced coaches, structured programmes, and opportunities for players has never

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:EMPOWER PADEL About Empower Padel For Pepita Stonor (Founder), the journey into padel began in 2020, first on holiday in Portugal and then back at Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire. What started as a personal passion for padel among friends quickly evolved into a mission. It became clear that while

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:FEMPADEL COLLECTIVE About FemPadel Collective FemPadel Collective was founded by two Colombian sisters, Claudia and Carolina, who now live in Portugal and The Netherlands. Their journeys into padel began in different ways but led them to the same mission: “to carve out a dedicated space for women in padel.”

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:LOUIS TELFORD About Louis Louis Telford, from Greater Manchester, is a remarkable multi-sport athlete competing at the top level. Living with cerebral palsy diplegia has never held him back: Louis plays professional wheelchair basketball abroad as part of the England pathway programme for half the year, and dedicates the

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:PADEL SMASH GIRLS How The Padel Journey Began Padel kind of found us! Jo was introduced to it through friends and loved the fun, fast pace. At the same time, Gail picked it up while on holiday and as a former tennis enthusiast with slightly dodgy knees, she realised

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:RAF PADEL About Ben Ben’s padel journey began in late 2022 after moving to Madrid for work. He first picked up a racket in November and, like so many others, quickly became hooked to padel. From this, he made it his mission to bring padel back to the UK

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:MEN OF THE MILE About the Founder & Community Origins Lee first picked up a padel racket in October 2024. Every Wednesday, he’d pass by the local padel courts during the group’s “Walk & Talk” sessions and tell himself he’d try it one day. Eventually, he did – and

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:WORLD’S LONGEST PADEL MATCH A Record Attempt for a Remarkable Cause When four friends decided to turn their love for padel into something extraordinary, they set their sights on an ambitious goal: to break the World Record for the longest padel match ever played – aiming for 40 hours

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: ANASTASIA How It All Started It all began on holiday in Spain, where friends invited Anastasia to join a casual padel match – and she was instantly hooked, like so many of us. The blend of strategy, social energy, and fast-paced rallies made it impossible to resist for

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: AZIZ PADEL About Aziz Padel Aziz first discovered padel when a colleague invited him for a casual match. What started as a friendly social activity quickly turned into a passion that hasn’t faded since. “I fell in love with the sport right away and still have the same

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: PADEL & PRAMS About the Founders: Emma & Vic Padel & Prams was founded earlier this year (2025) by Emma Powell and Vic Nicholas, two women passionate about sport, community, and creating opportunities for new parents to stay active. Emma, a keen padel player and sports lover, first