Padel is the fastest growing sport in the world and the University of Exeter Padel  Society aims to bring this sport to as many people within Exeter as possible.

Why do we want to start the society -

We had been receiving lots of interest and voices wanting Padel in Exeter. We beleive the main reasoining behind the high interest is the sport's ability to cater to players of all skill levels, coupled with its minimal learning curve, makes it particularly well-suited for a multicultural institution like the University of Exeter. Currently, Exeter lacks a dedicated society for padel, representing a missed opportunity that we aim to rectify. With over 25 million active players across 110 countries and a notable surge in popularity across the United Kingdom, we recognize padel as the next major racquet sport. Consequently, we are determined to introduce it to the Exeter community.

Notably, there are numerous other prestigious Russell group universities such as Bristol,Durham, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and Oxford alongside other major non-Russell group universities all boasting impressive padel societies. Given Exeter's renowned sporting prowess, we believe it is imperative for the university to have a thriving Padel society.

Mission and Vision 

- Create an elite Padel team to compete against other universities in inter-university competitions

- Promote the sport of Padel among university students by organizing events and activities aimed at introducing as many individuals as possible to the sport.

- Develop a diverse society that encompasses both competitive and social Men's and Women's teams, ensuring inclusivity and participation from all members.

- Create a This Girl Can Padel initiative, promoting inclusivity and encouraging female participation in the sport.  By specifically targeting female students, the initiative seeks to address any barriers or challenges that may prevent women from engaging in padel tennis.

- Organize taster sessions to introduce newcomers to the sport of Padel, recognizing that many members may be trying it for the first time.

- Create an inclusive and fun society for all of our members.

- Allow all people to Play Padel regardless of their level, from competing with other unis to just trying out the sport.

- Advocate for Padel to be recognized as a BUCS (British Universities & Colleges Sport) sport in the near future, promoting its status and visibility within the university sports community.

-Foster a supportive community within the society, where members share tips, support one another, and continuously strive to improve their skills and performance in the sport.

Plan of activities/previous activities:

We have been speaking to multiple Padel Brands that are interested in working with us shortly

In November 2023, our President and Club Captain competed in the first-ever university padel tournament In Bristol( Hosted by goldenpointpadeluk) and came 5th out of 16 teams, narrowly losing to the eventual winners. This result makes us feel that we have the ability to challenge and be one of the very best university Padel Teams in the near future.

Our members have also competed in multiple non-university Padel Tournaments 

Empower Padel, who are the Largest Female Padel tournament organisers in the UK, have contacted us and are interested in Running a women's Padel tournament for University of Exeter female Students at some point next academic year.

We have reached out to the University of Bristol Padel Society and UWE Padel Society and both are interested in running events with us at their courts in Bristol

We have also been in contact with the University of Exeter Squash Club and Exeter Tennis club about possibly running a joint event with them playing squash/Padel

We have been in contact with a couple of Padel court builders and they are hoping to have courts in Exeter by first or second term next year and we hope to leverage this opputunity by providing weekly training sessions and matches alongside monthly tasters sessions and tournaments.