Speaking exclusively to Cage 91, padel enthusiast Subu Jayaram explains why he took the plunge to bring padel courts to a U.S. High School for the first time and, in doing so, has paved the way for the influx of courts that will surely follow. Aidan Shephard reports.
St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Austin, Texas, has made history by becoming the first middle and high school in the United States to feature Padel courts on campus. The newly inaugurated courts symbolize a pioneering step in introducing the world’s fastest-growing sport to younger athletes and fostering a new generation of players in the U.S.
Padel has seen a meteoric rise in popularity worldwide due to its accessibility and dynamic gameplay. While padel facilities are becoming increasingly common in the United States, their presence in schools has been minimal until now. The addition of padel courts at St. Stephen’s underscores the school’s commitment to innovation and providing students with unique athletic opportunities.
“Our promoter, Bryan Sheffield, has a heart for Austin’s Community and their access to courts, health and wellness,” said Christo van Rensburg, director of the Drop Shot Tournament Series, organizer of the WTA 250 ATX Open and other racquet events, and who provided funding for the padel courts. Drop Shot Tournament Series has also invested in many other health and wellness initiatives in the Austin community and the padel courts at St. Stephens was one they felt passionate about.
The leadership team at St. Stephen’s immediately saw the vision of bringing youth padel to the U.S. to expose the student community to this global phenomenon…”
The project was conceptualized and spearheaded by padel-enthusiast Subu Jayaram in collaboration with the school’s athletic department and community members. Subu, a parent at St. Stephen’s said, “The leadership team at St. Stephen’s immediately saw the vision of bringing youth padel to the U.S. to expose the student community to this global phenomenon while continuing to foster a love for racquet sports.” Jon McCain, the school’s athletic director, emphasized the broader impact of the new courts: “Padel has really appealed to kids who are competitive in tennis and young adults who want a little more than something like pickleball. It fits right in a niche for them where it’s competitive and fun for them to play. It’s been more successful and popular than I could have imagined, we see kids who are playing at USTA tennis tournaments every weekend, that love to play padel and that’s great to see.”
The excitement among students has been palpable. Many have already begun incorporating padel into their athletic routines, while others are eagerly anticipating the chance to try the sport for the first time.
Vihaan Subramanian, an 8th-grader at St. Stephen’s and founder of the school’s padel club, gave his thoughts on the new courts: “I picked it [padel] up and started playing about a year and a half ago and love the sport. Now, I’m trying to share that with the youth, not just at the school but across the U.S.” When asked about how the student body has taken to the new courts, Vihaan shared just how popular they’ve been since opening. “Whenever I go to the courts, they’re always full of people playing and enjoying it,” he explained. “I’ve spoken to some of the international students here as well and they really enjoy padel because they’re used to playing in their home countries and now, we have it here.”
As the first school in the country to embrace padel, St. Stephen’s has set a precedent that could encourage other educational institutions to follow suit.
The opening of these courts could have implications far beyond the St. Stephen’s campus. As the first school in the country to embrace padel, St. Stephen’s has set a precedent that could encourage other educational institutions to follow suit. By introducing students to padel at a younger age, schools like St. Stephen’s can help build a foundation for future enthusiasts and competitive players.
In addition to serving students, the courts are expected to act as a community hub. The donor group envisions that this investment will catalyze a movement for other schools to continue to grow the sport’s development in Austin and beyond.
“The sport of padel, while bigger in Europe than in the US, is growing in popularity here and we see this as an opportunity to introduce students to a new racquet sport with an eye on getting them active and engaged in a lifelong sport,” said Christo in an official statement to Cage 91. “We are excited to take this trailblazer journey with them.”
The inauguration of the padel courts at St. Stephen’s marks a pivotal moment in the integration of international sports into U.S. schools. The school’s forward-thinking approach not only benefits its students but also positions it as a leader in promoting sports that resonate globally.
This is just the beginning for padel’s breakthrough into the United States.
