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LAKE NONA, Fla. – The USPTA (United States Professional Tennis Association), Inc., the USPA (United States Padel Association), All Racquet Sports and adidas Padel announce a partnership to endorse and officially recognize PADEL-U by adidas. With this agreement, the PADEL CERTIFICATION program of PADEL-U by adidas becomes the first certification with official recognition and endorsement for Padel coaches in the United States.

This international focus is part of the DNA of adidas padel to grow the sport around the world and this partnership is a big example of that. The growth of Padel is now a reality and the sport is on its way to explosive growth in the United States.

According to Lee Sponaugle, President of All Racquet Sports, padel is the perfect complement to tennis and the other racquet sports in the US. Beginning a sport with a unified approach to teaching and certifying racquet sports professionals is a key to success and growth.

Marcos del Pilar, International Director of PADEL-U by adidas, firmly believes education is one of the keys to grow padel all over the world and to guarantee the health of the sport in the long term. “By working together with these associations, we want to lead by example and join forces for the immediate development of the sport in the USA.”

PADEL-U by adidas is the certification and training worldwide division and is 100% focused on coaches, facilities and players experience. It is an improved evolution of the AFP Academy, which was born in 2018 strengthening the 360º concept of adidas Padel that represents its values ​​and its hallmark. With this ALL FOR PADEL concept, the official licensee of adidas Padel worldwide, the international development of the sport will come by offering a complete proposal including court building, certifications and training for coaches and padel accessories.

All Racquet Sports has already hosted 11 certification padel courses in North America and the Caribbean. Since the first certification in 2018, over 65 coaches have been certified in Houston, Arkansas, Las Vegas, Miami, Philadelphia, the Bahamas and Tampa, where the next certification will take place at the beginning of December.

Padel came to the United States in 1993, when the first court was built in a luxury hotel in Houston, Texas. Since then and with the support of the USPA and the guidance of the FIP (International Padel Federation), the sport has grown steadily. The objective of the United States Padel Association is to seek diversity in racquet sports, taking padel to all corners of the country and demonstrating, among other things, the social component that makes it so fun to play.

In the words of USPA President, Sergio Ortiz Tangassi: “This alliance that we are forming is just an example of many great things to come in the near future, with our main objective to help padel grow in the U.S.. All padel enthusiasts in this country need to have the same objectives and strive to move the sport in the same direction.”

A consistent approach to training teaching professionals is the bedrock to the growth of a sport. The USPTA is a trade association with more than 90 years of history as a world leader in professional development and certification of tennis professionals. With more than 14,000 members worldwide and 17 divisions across the country, its primary goal is to elevate the standards of tennis coaches and teaching professionals.

John Embree, USPTA CEO and Executive Director, welcomes Padel to the USA and firmly supports the growth of the sport. “This Padel partnership supports our vision statement to deliver the highest level of educational tools and programs that enhance the livelihoods of our members and to create career opportunities within the racquet sports industry.”

This partnership represents a giant step for the growth of the sport in the United States. Adidas Padel helps lead the industry as the sport continues its growth to over 20 million players around the world in 90 countries.