The Pro Am Padel Tour is joining forces with BADU Sports to make padel more inclusive by opening up access to ethnically diverse young people.
Coaches, sports development teams and volunteers from BADU Sports – an award-winning East London sports coaching and mentoring organisation – will be given court time, coaching and equipment at Pro Am Padel Tour’s upcoming event at Rocket Padel Ilford on Monday 1 July.
This will empower the BADU team to introduce padel to local communities and develop the skills of young people from Black and global majority backgrounds.
Despite being the world’s fastest-growing sport, a look at the current top 10 rankings of Britain’s professional female and male padel players reveals just one player (Nikhil Mohindra) from a global majority background.
Pro Am Padel Tour is looking to address this disparity whilst padel is still in its growth phase by widening access to ethnically diverse young people across London.
“We are excited to be working with the Pro Am Padel Tour to ensure greater understanding and wider access, particularly for Black and global majority groups,” said Nana Badu, founder of BADU Sports.
“To look at how we work to ensure the diversity and inclusion of various ethnicities and classes is at the forefront as this sport continues to grow. We look forward to having the demonstration day with them and we thank Pro Am Padel for seeing us as a partner that can help drive the commitment to inclusion.”
Oliver Morgan, founder of Pro Am Padel Tour, added: “Padel is exploding in popularity, but for it to truly thrive, it needs to be a sport for everyone. Partnering with BADU Sports allows us to break down barriers and ensure this exciting sport reaches a wider audience, particularly young people from diverse backgrounds. Together, we can make padel a sport that reflects the rich tapestry of London and the UK.”
Pro Am Padel Tour will also be offering fundraising opportunities for BADU. This includes allowing the organisation to charge courts for corporate sponsors and auction a coaching session with one of the UK’s leading padel players.
The Pro Am Padel Tour’s latest event at Rocket Padel Ilford on Monday (1 July) will feature the UK’s top pros including Tia Norton (British No.1), Aimee Gibson (British No.2), Louie Harris (British No. 3) plus rising stars team up with high-profile celebrities for an unforgettable padel experience.
The celebrity line-up includes Mark Foster (6x Olympian and BBC presenter and Strictly Come Dancing star), Matty Lee (Olympic gold medallist and I’m a Celebrity star), Jeff Brazier (TV personality), Jody Morris (former England and Chelsea footballer), Freya Davies (England cricketer), Laura Wright (singer who is a regular feature at sporting and royal events) and Natasha Hunt (World Cup winner with England rugby).
Padel’s most promising next-gen talent, brother and sister duo Liam and Chloe De La Mare, will showcase their skills by headlining in a Next-Gen Exhibition. Aged just 14 and 15, they’re already outperforming many top adult players in the UK. Liam is ranked No.3 at U18 and No.1 at U16, whilst his sister is ranked U18, U16 and U14 No 1.
Watch out for further announcements about additions to the line-up plus a full schedule. All padel fans are welcome to attend Rocket Padel Ilford on Monday free of charge!
