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MEDIA

Soul Padel Launches ‘What’s That Racket?’ Initiative to Inspire the Next Generation of Padel Players

Soul Padel, a leading force in making padel accessible and inclusive, has this week launched an exciting new initiative, What’s That Racket?, aimed at introducing children across the UK to the fast-growing sport of padel. The programme is designed to develop the next generation of players while promoting physical activity and a healthy lifestyle by offering free courts to schools.

The inaugural session took place on Wednesday morning at Soul Padel Stockport, where local schoolchildren took to the court to learn the basics of this dynamic and social sport. With the ultimate goal of designating Wednesday mornings for schools across the UK to bring pupils to play padel for free, What’s That Racket? aspires to become a weekly tradition for young people, mirroring the community spirit of other successful national movements.

Soul Padel has announced plans to expand the initiative, including at its new clubs opening in St Helens and Glasgow later this year, as part of its long-term commitment to growing the sport and welcoming everyone to the court.

Mark Hewlett, Founder and CEO of Soul Padel, commented: “We’ve taken inspiration from the incredible success of Parkrun, where Saturday mornings have become synonymous with running, no matter where you are in the UK. Our goal with What’s That Racket? is to carve out a similar space for children to discover the joy of padel, with Wednesday mornings being known as the time to meet, play, and connect on the court. This initiative embodies our vision of welcoming everyone to the game, and it’s a privilege to extend that welcome to the next generation of players.”

This week’s event was delivered with the support of Stockport Shapes Alliance and led by Sue Morrison of LÜSÜ Sports, an LTA Accredited Coach. A group of 12 pupils from Cheadle Catholic Junior School participated in a variety of engaging activities. They worked up from basic shuttle drills to partnered ball tosses, practising skills across the net, playing against the glass, and culminating in serve-and-return games with a partner.

Sue Morrison added:
“This first session was absolutely fantastic! The children were engaged from the moment they stepped onto the court – from the warm-up to learning ball and racket skills, they had so much fun and couldn’t get enough of it. What makes padel so special is its inclusivity; with smaller rackets, a compact court, and the chance to play against a partner it’s a sport that really appeals to younger players. Seeing the teachers join in and watching the kids’ confidence grow so quickly was amazing. By the end, everyone was buzzing about Soul Padel and couldn’t wait to share this incredible sport with their families and friends. One child even asked, ‘When can we come again?’ – that says it all!”

By targeting schools, What’s That Racket? aligns closely with Soul Padel’s mission to use the sport as a vehicle for community building, improved health outcomes, and inclusivity. The initiative also supports national efforts to combat childhood inactivity and obesity by fostering a love of movement through a team-based, easy-to-learn sport.

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Soul Padel, a leading force in making padel accessible and inclusive, has this week launched an exciting new initiative, What’s That Racket?, aimed at introducing children across the UK.