A racket sport gaining popularity across the world has officially made its first appearance in Johnson County.
A team made up of six former and current Sporting Kansas City players — Johnny Russell, Daniel Salloi, Andreu Fontas, Roger Espinoza, Graham Zusi and Uri Rosell — opened their Overland Park new padel club La Casa Del Padel last Wednesday.
La Casa Del Padel is at 6800 W. 91st St.
- The padel club occupies two courts on the north side of the Overland Park Racquet Club, just off West 91st Street and Metcalf Avenue.
- Padel players do not need a racquet club membership to visit the padel club.
- La Casa Del Padel operates from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.
Padel ball is “tennis meets squash”
Padel ball (or “padel tennis”) is a racket sport that has grown popular in countries like Mexico and Spain.
Players at La Casa Del Padel can reserve the club’s courts or join games with other players via the club’s “open play” option. The club also offers introductory lessons for people who have never played before.
Players can purchase rackets and balls at the club, or they can bring their own. The club also offers merchandise like water bottles and T-shirts.
“Anybody can play at any age, and that’s what makes the sport so much fun,” said Roger Espinoza, cofounder and a recently retired Sporting KC midfielder. “It’s enjoyable within the family.”
Espinoza said the Overland Park Racquet Club was a great place to put their first padel club partly because of the existing enthusiasm for racket sports there.
In particular, he said there is a lot of enthusiasm among younger racquet club members and younger athletes in the area.
“Demographic-wise, it’s a very young crowd,” he said. “As we know, they’re the future, and I feel like they’ll take the sport to a different level.”
The owners hope to expand the concept
Espinoza and his cofounders were inspired to bring the concept to the metro after they played the sport during Sporting KC’s preseason.
“We thought it was important to get the sport out there,” said Espinoza, who first played the sport more than a decade ago. “And kind of educate people on what the sport is and how much fun it is, and how healthy it is for families.”
In the weeks leading up to the opening and the days following it, Espinoza said the community has shown excitement about getting to try padel for the first time. Another padel club is currently in the works in downtown Overland Park.
In time, Espinoza said, he and his cofounders hope to grow the sport’s presence beyond Overland Park.
“Our goal is to get this sport in as many areas as we can,” he said. “We love this sport, and we feel that people should have the ability to have as many opportunities as they can (to play it).”
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