Ben Hanley has been on a mission with two ex-RAF pilots to push the padel envelope within the armed forces. From setting up unforgettable events with hundreds of thousands of visitors, to creating meaningful partnerships with some of the biggest names in the padel world, Hanley will stop at nothing to ensure that padel finds its place within the military.
Hanley’s career with the RAF has spanned over 10 years, in recent years since beginning a posting in Madrid, he has been part of the RAF squadron working alongside NATO in air policing, covering the whole of southern Europe. After arriving in Madrid, he discovered and fell in love with padel, making it his overarching aim to create a team called Forces Padel, with a mission to provide members of the armed forces with greater access to Padel. Hanley, a passionate advocate for the sport, is leading efforts to make Padel a recognized and widely embraced activity within the armed forces. His vision includes the establishment of clubs and, eventually, courts across the country.
Hanley made a striking entrance into the world of Padel. After just a year of playing, he found himself sharing the court with former world number one and five-time world champion, Seba Norrone. This remarkable opportunity came at the inaugural Hexagon Cup, where Hanley won an online competition to train with the Padel legend. From that point on, he continued to refine his skills, regularly playing with madrid’s local padel lovers through the Playtomic platform.
A great success so far
Hanley has developed strong relationships with key figures within the padel world. One of which is The Padel School, an organisation focused on the growth of the padel community. Earlier this year, The Padel School partnered with the RAF to showcase the sport at the Royal International Air Tattoo, the largest airshow in the world, attended by over 300,000 people. The event gave Padel a global platform, with military personnel from all over the world experiencing the sport firsthand. Despite limited space, a dedicated area was set up, attracting long queues of people eager to join in on the padel action.
Hanley has also been working on a partnership with the Hexagon Cup, the most talked about name of the padel scene since the recent announcement that Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero will join the star studded line up of team owners for the event in early 2025. This collaboration has helped to further raise the sport’s profile within military circles, offering more servicemen and women the opportunity to get involved. With Hexagon Cup offering to bring a pop-up padel court to an RAF station for a taster day, this collaboration is going to be extremely beneficial for both parties. Hanley hopes this event will capture the interest of military leaders and showcase the potential benefits of having a club at their bases.
In Spain, Hanley has gone a step further, founding a Padel club at the Combined Air Operations Centre for NATO in Torrejón. The club features players from 19 different nations, many of whom are being introduced to the sport for the first time. There’s no doubt this has been fantastic for padels recognition in the armed forces, helping to foster camaraderie and promote fitness and competition among NATO personnel.
Padel’s future in the forces
Unfortunately for Hanley, knee surgery has put a pause on his love affair with playing the game of padel. However, fortunately for the padel world, It’s going to take plenty more than that to slow this padel pioneer down. Hanley has been as busy as ever preparing for the bright and busy future that padel is facing in the armed forces.
Life at the moment for Hanley on the padel front is about preparing for the NATO Torrejon Nations Tournament in November. This highly anticipated event will see nations compete for the title of best padel team within the Combined Air Operations Centre. The competition will be fierce, each of the 19 nations looking to claim bragging rights on the court, with Spain currently looking like the front-runner according to Hanley.
In the UK, the Army courts at Aldershot are progressing, thanks to private investment, while plans for courts at Halton have slowed. However, with talk of a larger Padel and Pickleball expansion in the future, things are looking bright for racket sports within the armed forces in the UK.
Through his dedication and vision, Ben Hanley is paving the way for Padel’s future in the armed forces, building international connections and bringing the sport to not only the military but also a wider global audience. His efforts are creating a new chapter in military sports culture—one that’s inclusive, dynamic, and competitive.
