How Padel Maidenhead is paving the way for inclusive padel
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Since opening only a year ago, Padel Maidenhead has established a reputation as one of the most inclusive and accessible clubs in the country. In September, that reputation is set to go international.
Every aspect of the seven-court facility in Berkshire has been designed with wheelchair accessibility in mind, from the LTA-approved extra width of the court side doors to avoidance of stairs and gravel and even having four sports wheelchairs for visitors to use free of charge.
Padel Maidenhead's determination to remove all barriers to participation also extends to its programmes to encourage female participation, its junior initiatives and partnerships with local schools (including special schools for pupils with disabilities and special educational needs).
On 20 September, Padel Maidenhead will be hosting the first-ever UK stage of the Inclusive Padel Tour (IPT), marking a groundbreaking moment in the growth of accessible sport in Britain. The IPT is a calendar of competitions which take place all over the world, paring a 'bionic' (disabled) player with an able-bodied player, with the disabled person allowed two bounces.
Kristen Paskins, a wheelchair user, padel player and LTA Ambassador who regularly represents Padel Maidenhead, has already competed in the IPT in Venice, Milan, Dubai and Miami. She has been instrumental in bringing the IPT to Berkshire for its UK debut.
"The IPT really demonstrates that padel is a sport that embraces everyone," she says. "It has the capacity to be accessible to all — but only if we put the roots down from the very beginning and build the foundations.
"From the beginning, even before I was involved, Padel Maidenhead have prioritised inclusivity, with wider court entrances, ramps everywhere and accessible changing rooms with showers. That's what an inclusive environment looks like."
Padel's small, enclosed court and doubles format makes it particularly playable for people with disabilities including wheelchair users. It has played a vital role in Kristen's life since she became disabled very suddenly and traumatically in 2022 due to functional neurological disorder.
"My neurological condition impacted me very quickly," she explains. "I lost a lot of things I used to do and had to rebuild my identity — but padel was one of the biggest ways I've been able to rebuild my strength, confidence and independence."
Kristen has led taster sessions at Padel Maidenhead for other wheelchairs users and is organising adaptive padel sessions for pupils from local special schools the day before the IPT competition in September. Kristen is also taking a specially adapted version of the LTA Level 2 coaching qualification to enable her to coach other disabled players.
"Kristen is a great advocate for the club, always bringing other people down from all sorts of different backgrounds and demographics and giving them the confidence to play," says Jade Basford, Padel Maidenhead's Events and Marketing Manager.
The club also has a high proportion of regular female players with coach Anneka Els leading sessions for improvers, development and performance squads every Wednesday, which are always fully booked. "It's something we're so proud of," says Jade.
"Those three groups are like having an A, B and C team," she explains. "We invited all these women to be part of the different squads. They were so excited and proud to be asked, and they are now all training together."
Once a month, there are internal women's tournaments for all ages. "It's super fun and friendly. I'd suggest all clubs do women's tournaments because it really builds their confidence,” says Jade.
One such female participant who is now flourishing at the club is Harriet. She started playing recreationally at Padel Maidenhead with her dad and a few friends.
"I loved the game straight away and soon took a job behind the bar so I could be around the club more," she explains. "One of the best parts of working here has been the chance to jump on court with all kinds of members each week — it’s grown my love for the sport and massively improved my game.
"Now I’m taking my LTA coaching course with the goal of becoming a coach here. I feel so lucky to be part of such a positive, welcoming community. Coaching feels like the perfect next step, and I’m really excited to help others discover the sport that’s given me so much.”
Three of Padel Maidenhead's six full-time staff are women and eight of its 12 zero-hours contracted staff are also female, which obviously helps to encourage more female participation. Additionally, Jade is an ambassador for Empower Padel, led by Pepita Stonor, which organises female-focused events, tournaments and training clinics.
Padel Maidenhead has a notably thriving social scene and one aspect that has unexpectedly helped to create that is the involvement of the team in different matches, tournaments and classes.
"Giving your team the opportunity to play really helps to build that rapport between the staff and the customers," explains Jade. "They've become friends. That's so key. People tell us that they like to come in before their match and stay afterwards because they can almost guarantee they'll know someone they can talk to."
Intro to Padel, Padel Xpress and Padel Plus courses help give beginners a non-intimidating introduction to the sport where they can learn alongside the same people each week. They act as feeder systems into internal tournaments and open match play.
And Padel Maidenhead go to great efforts to nurture the next generation of players too, offering big discounts to local schools as well as reduced-fee Sunday morning junior coaching sessions for 5-7, 8-11 and 12-15-year-olds, then older children in the afternoon. The honours board will have juniors included on it too, demonstrating their equal stature in the club.
Additionally, a family summer holiday package offers an hour of padel, racket and ball hire plus pizzas and drinks for £50.
"Simply getting people through the door is what I believe we're doing best," says Jade. "It's so important to remove whatever barriers people typically face when it comes to getting involved in sport. That benefits not just us as a club but the game of padel too."
