People building UK padel.

I’m building Padel with TH — documenting my own journey from complete beginner, while getting more involved in coaching and trying to help grow the padel community around me. I had no racket-sport background when I started, so a big part of it is showing that you don’t have to have played tennis your whole life to get into padel and become a decent player.

The graft is basically playing, coaching and creating content constantly 😂 I’m on court most weeks coaching beginner and intro sessions at Padel + Play, working on my own game, playing competitive matches and then trying to turn all of that into content people actually want to watch. Alongside a full-time career as a paramedic and being a husband and dad, it definitely keeps me busy.

It matters to me because I genuinely love the sport and the community around it. I started the Instagram account just documenting my progress, but it’s quickly become something much bigger and I’d love to use it to help get more people playing and enjoying padel.

Personally, 4.0 on Playtomic. Coaching-wise, continuing to develop towards LTA Level 2. And with Padel with TH, just seeing how far I can take it — more coaching, better content, working with good brands and hopefully playing a small part in where UK padel goes next.

For me it’s mainly about community. I want to make padel feel accessible, fun and social, especially for people who aren’t elite players but absolutely love the game. Through Instagram content, trips, events and collaborations, I’m trying to help more people find the sport and feel part of it. I’ve recently helped organise a padel trip to Marrakech with a group of players, which was a brilliant example of what I love about the sport — playing somewhere new, creating content around it and building friendships off court as much as on it.

Playing whenever I can at David Lloyd Royal Berkshire and filming a ridiculous amount of it, editing after work, trying new clubs and products, meeting people in the game and putting myself forward for opportunities. Most of it happens around a full-time job and being a dad, so there are definitely some late nights involved 😂

Because padel has become much more than exercise for me. It’s given me friendships, confidence, experiences and a community I genuinely love being part of. I think sport can do a huge amount for people physically and mentally without needing to make a big speech about it.

Keep growing the community on Instagram, create better content, organise more trips and experiences, play in more places, work with good people and brands in the sport and hopefully play a small part in helping UK padel grow. And obviously… get considerably better at padel 😂🤝

I’m building Yorkshire Padel Collective around something pretty simple: getting more people playing padel and creating a proper community around it. Coaching is a big part of that, but I want it to be much more than just turning up, having a lesson and going home. I want to bring people together through social sessions, events, networking, demo days and great brand partnerships. Ultimately, I’d love Yorkshire Padel Collective to become a recognised name within the growing padel scene in Yorkshire and beyond.

At the moment, it’s very hands on. I’m building Yorkshire Padel Collective from the ground up, coaching and developing my own game, speaking to clubs and venues, approaching brands, building the website and social presence, testing products and constantly looking for opportunities to get more people involved. There’s a lot happening behind the scenes that nobody sees, but that’s part of what I enjoy. I’ve spent most of my career in sales and building commercial relationships, so I’m now putting all of that experience into something I genuinely love.

It matters because I’ve completely bought into padel. I love the competitive side of it, but what really stands out to me is how social and inclusive the sport can be. You can get four people on a court who might never otherwise have met and, within an hour, they’re having a laugh and already talking about the next game. I want to help create more of that. I’m also at a stage in my life where I want to build something of my own around a sport and community I genuinely believe in.

Growth, but the right kind of growth. More coaching, more players, more events and some really strong partnerships with brands that I genuinely want to wear, use and represent. I’m also keen to work with clubs and venues across Yorkshire and build a calendar of social, networking and community events. Longer term, I want Yorkshire Padel Collective to be known for great coaching, great people and helping grow the game in the North.

I suppose I’m building my own little space within it and also adding to a larger community. I love the social and community side of padel and I want the content and events I’m involved with to show that side of the sport — making it feel fun, welcoming and something people genuinely want to be part of.

A lot of filming, editing, posting, organising, messaging, chasing people, planning events and generally doing far more behind the scenes than anyone probably sees 😂 All alongside actually playing and competing whenever I can.

Because I genuinely love the sport and the people I’ve met through it. It started as something I did for fun and has naturally become something I’d really like to build more of my career and life around. My daughter, who is 3.5 years old, has also just started a padel tots class. She loves it. I want to show her the importance of sport, so this is just the start.

More opportunities within padel, particularly on the social media, content and events side. I’d love to work with more clubs and brands, help grow their communities and be involved in some bigger events as the sport continues to grow in the UK. And who knows — maybe I’ll be ready for some more serious competing in years to come.