Flagship ‘heart of padel’ Alex Grilo academy plans
Rocks Lane Padel in West London has announced plans to launch a world-class coaching academy and double the number of courts it offers across its sites in a move described as ‘taking padel to the next level’ in the UK.
Former World Padel Tour player turned professional coach Álex Grilo is joining the centre to establish the Rocks Lane Padel Academy by Álex ‘El Mejor’ Grilo, with a firm commitment to developing the skills of beginners through to top class players.
It’s a major coup for the organisation and bases a heavyweight Spanish talent in the UK. Chris Warren, founder of Rocks Lane, said: “We are delighted that Alex has decided to use his formidable knowledge and experience to transform the padel landscape here with the formation of this flagship academy. It will cater for all standards, wheelchair players and aspiring world class players, emphasising Rocks Lane’s & Álex’s core values of inclusivity, fair play and friendship. The academy will also operate a charity to allow all players to play padel no matter their background, with scholarships available to help players reach their full potential.”
Experience
Alex reached a career high of World No 48, counts world top 5 player Ale Galan as a good friend and partnered the legendary Juan Lebron in his playing days. He hails from the epicentre of the padel world – Andalucia – and is already credited with building a successful coaching academy in Spain where he has trained players to World Padel Tour standard. With more than 20 years’ as a professional padel coach he brings a wealth of experience with him.
In his new role in London he will be responsible for leading the Rocks Lane coaching team, delivering on-court sessions and continuing to develop training programmes. All academy lessons will follow what the centre described as its ‘progressive teaching method’, a standardised coaching system designed by Alex and Chris to ensure that players receive high levels of tuition delivered with a consistent approach.
“Álex’s vision aligns with ours – the belief that the UK deserves a coaching system that is derived from the heart of padel – Andalusia in Spain,” added Chris. “We as a nation can then learn from the best and emulate Spain’s success at all levels of the game.”
Expansion plans
Chris also has plans to further extend the Rocks Lane reach. The organisation, which has 13,000 players across its sites, currently has 10 courts at Chiswick (six outdoor, four undercover) and four courts in Cornwall, two each at The Point at Polzeath and Trevose Golf Club. This year will see two more courts added to the Chiswick site and padel introduced to Rocks Lane in Barnes, with four courts opening this year. The Bandeja understands there is also the potential of new locations being announced.
“Our aim is to double the number of courts available to our padel community over the next 12 months as we spread the Rocks Lane Padel Academy by Álex Grilo across the UK,” added Chris. 🎾
