The following article about America’s top padel influencers is from guest columnist Freddie Hanbury, a sports marketing professional and padel enthusiast, who is seeking to chronicle some of the most influential players, thinkers, and business people in the U.S. padel world in light of the sport’s explosive growth across America over the past couple years.
This is part one of a four-part series and the following U.S. padel personalities are featured in no particular order.
Marcos del Pilar: Co-Founder and Commissioner, Pro Padel League; Director of Padel MBA
This swashbuckling Spaniard has been banging the proverbial drum for U.S. padel for many years, and finally, deservedly, is seeing the fruits of his labor as the American padel scene now picks up pace.
For someone who founded his first company at the age of 14, the words pioneer and entrepreneur don’t do del Pilar justice. Here is someone who grabs life with two hands and embraces the opportunities it presents, which is why the often-dubbed “Godfather of American Padel” is co-Founder and commissioner of America’s newest professional sports league, the Pro Padel League (PPL), Director of the Padel MBA USA Program, and is the Former President of the US Padel Association.
As del Pilar’s already-famed quote during his RacquetX session went, “The U.S. is not a promise anymore. Padel is here. It has arrived!” And that’s in large part thanks to him, which is why he’s easily one of America’s top padel influencers.
Santiago Gomez: Founder and CEO of Padel Haus
This former investment banker-turned New-York Times-award-winning restaurateur, will forever be known as the man who brought padel to the Big Apple. That’s not a bad adage to live by. And yet, that’s exactly what the Mexican entrepreneur did. And boy, didn’t he do it well?
It took only the first quarter for his first Padel Haus club in Brooklyn to break even, and since then it has gone from strength to strength with the popular outdoor Domino Park pop-up courts neighboring the East River during Summer 2023, and a club opening in Dumbo, with the brand’s final Brooklyn installment to open its doors in Greenpoint later this year. Oh, and then there’s Nashville to come, too. This man knows the sport, knows his market, and knows the importance of the modern lifestyle brand that Padel Haus is fast becoming known for.
Britt Dubins: USA’s No.1 Pro Padel Player
When one thinks of padel players in the U.S., they often think of Spanish or South American players who have moved to America to play in the high stake competition such as the Pro Padel League (PPL). Britt Dubins is someone who has done the exact opposite. Miami born and bred but now based in Madrid, the affable, ambitious Dubins is one of the most exciting new faces in the sport.
Arguably America’s best female player, she has represented Team USA in international competition, and now is one of the few Americans competing in the PPL. As if this wasn’t enough, she also co-hosts her own podcast, The Padel Movement, alongside Padel 22 Founder, Ben Nichols. The prospects are bright for this law graduate both on and off the court in the years ahead. The U.S. padel scene needs more people like Britt Dubins!
Cesar Caceres and Julian Wortelboer, Co-founders, Padel Smash Academy
With an abundance of charisma, class, and charm, Caceres and Wortelboer are a dynamic duo in the U.S. padel world. Thanks to their infectious enthusiasm, humor, and passion for “all things padel” the Miami-based duo have quickly attracted a devoted audience to their Padel Smash Academy podcast and YouTube channel.
In addition to his role at Padel Smash Academy, Wortelboer is the only Padel Master coach in the U.S. and was recently named as the new Chief Padel Officer of Ultra Padel Club in Miami.
Caceres meanwhile has made it his mission to nurture padel’s growth in the U.S. During his career he’s enjoyed success across the real estate and tech markets and now, alongside Wortelboer, he has turned the Padel Smash Academy into one of the leading padel success stories in the U.S. Expect to see much more of this partnership in the months and years ahead.
We’ll be back soon with part two of this series on America’s top 20 padel influencers, so please stayed tuned (or just subscribe to our “State of the Game” newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn). In the meantime, drop us a line in the comments below or on LinkedIn and let us know who else you think should be included.
