Courting Tucson: The Pad is Riva Mackie’s Love Letter to the Game of Padel

In this episode of Life Along the Streetcar, we dive into the inspiring journey of Riva Mackie, a world-ranked padel athlete whose passion for the game spans continents and decades. From her early racquet-sport roots in Canada to intensive training in Monaco and years on the competitive circuit, Riva has lived and breathed padel. Now, that passion has a new home, The Pad Tucson, a state-of-the-art indoor racket sports club located in the heart of Downtown. But The Pad is more than just a venue. It’s Riva’s mission in motion: a place to introduce Tucsonans to the global sensation of padel, to build community through movement, and to lower the barriers to play for people of all backgrounds and abilities. We talk with Riva about: - Her unexpected journey from camper-living athlete to Tucson entrepreneur - Why she chose Tucson over a dozen other cities across the U.S. - The rise of padel and pickleball, and how they’re changing the social fabric of downtown life - How The Pad blends sport, socializing, and fun to create something entirely new Whether you're a lifelong athlete or just racket-curious, this story might just inspire your next serve. 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: Catch this and all episodes of Life Along the Streetcar wherever you stream podcasts. We share the voices shaping Tucson’s urban core every Sunday (Streaming on Monday). 🔗 Explore More: 👉 The Pad Tucson: https://www.thepadtucson.com 👉 Podcast Hub: https://soundcloud.com/lifealongthestreetcar 👉 Behind-the-scenes & local highlights: https://www.facebook.com/LifeAlongTheStreetcar 🎾 Come for the courts. Stay for the community. And discover how one woman’s love for a sport is reshaping the heart of Tucson.