When Jack Hot Wheels first picked up a padel racket in August 2023, he had never played a racket sport in his life. Less than three months later, he was competing internationally in Dubai. But that’s just one of many remarkable twists in Jack’s extraordinary journey.
Living with a genetic condition called brittle bones, Jack has broken nearly 100 bones and undergone more than 25 surgeries in his lifetime. Yet rather than letting this define his limitations, it sparked a fierce competitive spirit that would eventually lead him to pioneer adaptive padel in England.
Before becoming England’s adaptive padel team captain, Jack led multiple lives – first as a competitive wheelchair racer, then as a successful actor. He starred in a BBC comedy series and appeared in various productions over several years. But perhaps his most incredible athletic achievement came at age 12 when he won the London Junior Marathon with his tibia and fibula completely broken in half – a story that needs to be heard to be believed.
“The doctors laughed at me,” Jack recalls telling them he planned to race just five days after breaking both shin bones. “There’s no chance, dude. Your leg is hanging off.” Not only did he race, but he won, leaving his concerned father cycling the marathon route and trying to find him. He discovered that Jack had already crossed the finish line and was receiving his medal from Richard Branson.
Jack’s introduction to Padel came through his friend Luke Dolphin, a coach who had repeatedly invited him to try the sport. After several declined invitations, Jack finally agreed – and something magical happened. “In that moment when I was playing padel, everything went away,” he says. “Every bad thought and every frustrating contemplation in my mind… I had the best hour.”
That first session led to a revelation: there wasn’t an established wheelchair padel team in England. While countries like Spain and Italy had thriving adaptive padel programs with 20-30 players per team, the UK was just beginning. Jack saw an opportunity and, true to his nature, seized it.
What makes adaptive padel particularly intriguing is how it accommodates different types of disabilities. While the only rule change from standard padel is allowing two bounces, the techniques vary dramatically based on each player’s unique abilities. Jack and his teammate Rob Teague, for instance, play differently than someone with paralysis from the waist down, creating fascinating tactical variations in the game.
Perhaps the most captivating moment in Jack’s padel journey so far came during a match against Marcos in Italy. The story involves a behind-the-back shot that seems impossible – especially from a wheelchair – but you’ll have to listen to the full episode to hear that tale.
Today, Jack is focused on growing adaptive padel in England and working toward making it a Paralympic sport. He currently plays in a basic 15kg wheelchair – more than twice the weight of a proper tennis wheelchair – yet still competes at an international level. It’s just one of many challenges he’s determined to overcome as he builds this sport from the ground up.
“I feel like there’s a lot more people out there who have no clue what padel is yet, and they are in for a real treat when they discover it,” Jack says. “Because it probably will change their lives.” Given his own transformative experience with the sport, it’s hard to doubt him.
For Jack, padel arrived at exactly the right moment, following what he calls the “signs in life.” From reading random messages on passing buses to accepting that long-delayed invitation to try padel, his story is a testament to staying open to unexpected opportunities – even when they come wrapped in challenges.
Want to hear more about Jack’s incredible journey, including his adventures in BBC comedy, his international competitions, and that mysterious behind-the-back shot story? The full episode dives deep into these tales and more, offering an inspiring look at how one man’s determination is helping create new possibilities in the world of padel.
Follow Jack’s journey on Instagram @jackorpadel and stay tuned for more developments in the rapidly growing world of adaptive padel.
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