During a trip to South Africa, Sandy Farquharson and I visited an incredible amateur padel league organised by 360 Padel. It’s an experience I’ll never forget.
Wednesday night is league night for 72 players. Six teams of 12 compete over seven weeks, progressing to the knockout stages and ultimately crowning a winner.
Many of the players are rated around levels 2–4, which makes the atmosphere even more remarkable.
The competition follows a format inspired by the IPL cricket league, with players drafted into teams using imaginary budgets. Each team has marquee players, giving less experienced participants the opportunity to play alongside players they wouldn’t normally share a court with.
The padel itself is exciting, but what makes this event special is everything happening around the courts.
Hundreds of spectators, music, a DJ, food, drinks, photo booths, swings and places for families to relax. It’s a complete social experience, not simply a padel competition.
What can padel clubs learn from this?
For me, it’s a great example of how clubs can create a genuine sense of community. Players become part of something bigger than their weekly match, and families and spectators have reasons to visit and get involved.
That’s what makes sports development so important. Successful clubs need more than courts and bookings. They need programmes, experiences and environments that encourage people to belong and keep coming back.
I’d love to see something like this become established in the UK.
Could this format work at your club? I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.
Through The Coach Station, I help padel clubs develop coaching programmes, build communities and improve player retention.