Padel Facility a Hit in Greater College Park

Looking to add a different kind of outdoor activity to your lineup this fall? A year-old facility right outside the University of Maryland lets you take a whack at one of the fastest-growing sports in the world—and no, it’s not pickleball.

Glassbox Padel Club, located next to the College Park Airport in Discovery District Maryland, is one of just three exclusive destinations in the DMV to play the tennis-squash hybrid. It’s scored big among members of the UMD community since opening last October, with Terps—many of whom have played in padel’s epicenters overseas—making up the majority of its regulars and employees.

“In Spain, it’s a really popular sport. We know that in the U.S., it’s less developed. So when we heard about this club, it was great news, because we didn’t expect to have padel here,” said Nicolas Campos M.S. ’26, who came to UMD from Madrid to study civil and mechanical engineering. “It’s a good place to connect with other people.”

Padel, played in teams of two on an enclosed indoor or outdoor court, originated in Mexico in the 1960s, later swelling to popularity in Spain, Italy, Argentina and other European and Latin American countries and now played in more than 150. Though it’s not as familiar in the U.S., interest—and investment—have recently been on the upswing.

Distinct from its similarly surging pickle-y counterpart, padel uses a perforated racket instead of a flat, solid one, with a ball that’s closer to a tennis ball than a wiffle ball. It’s scored just like tennis, but athletes are allowed to play the ball off the walls.

“The glass will keep the point alive much longer than it would in pickleball,” said Evan Darrow, one of Glassbox Padel Club’s founders. “So you'll get these great rallies—even if you’re an amateur, even if you’re not that good. It’s really exciting.”

He and longtime friend Jacob Villanueva were both familiar with the sport, which is widespread in Ecuador, where Darrow’s wife is from, and in Villanueva’s native Honduras. Having enjoyed playing on tennis and soccer teams together after their jobs in cybersecurity and information technology, they wanted to add padel to the mix, but found virtually no local clubs. (Glassbox Padel Club is now joined by Padel Up in Sterling, Va., and a soon-to-reopen Padel Social in Bethesda, Md.) They sought to help change that, and the College Park location, with its easy access to the Metro and UMD’s campus, “fit our model,” Villanueva said.

Now, Glassbox Padel Club features four outdoor turf courts; a pro shop where customers can buy or rent rackets, balls, other gear and light refreshments; and an inviting seating area with picnic tables and a firepit. Courts are available to book at a $60 hourly rate (or $80 for peak weekend times), or all-you-can-play memberships cost $240 per month, with Terps able to take advantage of UMD student discounts. The club also hosts adult and children’s clinics, weekly tournaments and other events.

Terps like Campos ultimately hope to create an official UMD club sport that could train there, following the lead of schools like the University of Texas, the University of Miami and Yale University. And with the courts open unless there’s snow or freezing rain, the founders aim to forge lasting connections at the space.

“The great thing about padel is that it’s not only a sport; it’s a social thing. People don’t just go play padel and go home. They build community, they make friends,” Villanueva said. “All over the world, that’s the idea of padel, and that’s why it’s exploded.”