In Manchester there are a plethora of padel clubs, with new venues open regularly. From speaking to many players it appears that people will just play anywhere and everywhere. 

However, in the recent months a community group called ‘Manny Padel Club’ was created and it has been a major success. With their weekly events selling out in less than an hour on a consistent basis it’s evident this is needed within the UK. Community groups bring more people together within padel, whilst also allowing them to explore the many venues which are within that city. 

In Manchester there is a real lack of tournaments other than Americanos, which is something that hinders the improvement of quality of players within Manchester. Initiatives such as ‘Manny Padel Club’ allow for players to play in a competitive tournament format without affecting people’s Playtomic score.

The rapid rise of the group has highlighted the need and demand for this to be created. A major positive to this is that it caters to all audiences, from very beginners (including coaching tips) to those who are advanced and are currently competing in LTA tournaments. Fear not they are also inclusive to women’s padel and have a real focus on not only growing the number of female players but also the quality of female players in the North.

Manny Padel Club are rapidly growing and are approaching reaching 1 thousand members. Sponsors are starting to understand how crucial they are to not only growing the sport but also growing a community where people can meet. This has led to sponsors recently coming on board.

In the south there is another community initiative, which is making plenty of noise, called Sunset Padel Club. Sunset Padel club focus on inclusivity and reducing the barriers to enter the sport and are majorly successful at it. They have regular events on, which sell out on a regular basis and fill a void in the sport we all know and love.

They focus on BAME events, which is something needed in all sports to reduce the barriers and show the sport really is for anyone and everyone. It’s hard not to applaud what these community groups are doing as all it is doing is bringing a positive light onto the fastest growing sport in the world.

Although there are many positives it is not without its drawbacks and issues they may face. There is pushback from clubs due to the block booking nature of this, which could be argued that it does not allow for their “regulars” to place their usual booking. This is largely due to the fact that their bookings must be in peak times in order to cater for the majority.

Some clubs have refused to allow these events to take place, whilst others have limited the amount of hours they are allowed to use per month. This is understandably frustrating, however padel clubs are ultimately businesses who have their own decisions to make.

The biggest of setbacks that these communities face is the court costs to run these events. These groups are non-profit, therefore being charged corporate rates force them to have to inflate prices. Furthermore, brands have got involved however for these events to become even more inclusive and allow for everyone to be involved there is a need for sponsorships putting money behind the ideas. This will allow for the costs of events to go down and more people to get involved, making it even more successful.

As a whole, these communities are what drive British padel. They could lead to the next UK number one being found, whilst also potentially making new friendship groups for life. The opportunities are endless with these groups and despite the pushback from clubs they are majorly successful.

Manny Padel Club and Sunset Padel Club have brought people to padel that may have never tried it prior and have formed new friendships which could last a lifetime. They are essential to keep the grassroots game alive. There is a hope that the issues decrease and they continue to flourish.

To join Manny Padel Club’s whatsapp community click here.