The POP Padel Team

Chris Louis

Co-founder & CEO

Nolan Bacchieri

Co-founder & Business Expansion

Jonathon Hodess

Director of Operations

Sal DiBenedetto

Director of Marketing

The Director of Racquets at Concord Country Club, has a passion for tennis that has been with him since childhood. However, his love for other racquet sports, such as padel and platform tennis, has grown significantly over the past decade, both as a competitive player and a coach. Nolan's competitive tennis journey began at a young age, and has since dedicated over 15 years to coaching. His diverse coaching experience in multiple racquet sports including tennis, pickleball, padel, platform and squash, has led him to assume a more managerial role at country clubs throughout the Philadelphia and Wilmington region over the last five years. Discovering and playing padel in 2020, recognized its immense potential as a relatively new sport in the United States, which led him to co-found POP Padel. Nolan is a well-known and highly accomplished pro in the area, accumulating USTA, PTR, PPTR, PPR certifications and is apart of the Directors Club of America.

Chris has 25 years of on-court coaching experience, with the last decade and a half dedicated to building and managing tennis and fitness clubs. A longtime member of the local tennis community, Chris developed his game at Penn Oaks, reaching a #2 ranking in the Middle States and a top-60 national ranking. During his four years at Henderson High School, Chris became the only student in the school’s history to capture the Ches-Mont singles title all four years. He went on to compete collegiately at Boston College and the University of Richmond, where he won a conference championship and earned MVP and Player of the Year honors. Chris’ background in business and finance coupled with an immersion in the racquets community has led him to co-found PoP Padel. As a newly certified Padel Professional, Chris is excited to help forward the growth of this exciting new sport.

Jonathan is a USTA-certified tennis instructor with more than 20 years of coaching experience. Having started coaching at a young age, he has spent decades developing his approach to instruction and working with players across a wide range of ages and skill levels. He is known for bringing energy, enthusiasm, and a genuine passion for the game to every session. In addition to providing private instruction and leading adult practices, Jonathan plays a key role in Penn Oaks’ junior programming. He is one of the primary instructors for junior clinics and summer camp programs, helping young players develop their skills while building confidence and a lasting appreciation for the game. Jonathan also coordinates Penn Oaks’ USTA Junior Team Tennis (JTT) program, providing young players with opportunities to develop their game in a competitive team environment. His extensive coaching experience and commitment to player development make him a valued member of the Penn Oaks coaching team.

With a racquet in hand since a young age, Sal has built a lifelong career around competitive tennis and coaching. He played four years of varsity tennis at Salesianum in Wilmington, DE, earning a ranking among the top 10 players in the state. He continued his collegiate career at Arcadia University where he became one of the program’s top players and a MAC Conference finalist. Beginning his coaching career at age 20, he has spent more than six years as a USTA-certified coach, working with players across a wide range of ages and skill levels. His experience includes organizing and leading successful junior and adult clinics at Penn Oaks Tennis & Fitness. While tennis provided the foundation, padel has become his greatest passion. Its unique combination of athleticism, strategy, creativity, and social connection has driven his focus toward growing the sport and creating an exceptional padel community.

Johan Hoegstedt

Startegy & Business Consulting

Johan is a lifelong racquet-sport enthusiast originally from Sweden, with an accomplished background in competitive tennis and platform tennis. He played collegiate tennis at the University of Utah before spending time on the professional tour, including traveling and competing alongside his older brother, Thomas, a highly accomplished professional player. Throughout his competitive career, Johan has earned national championships in both tennis and platform tennis, bringing a wealth of experience across multiple racquet sports. After nearly three decades in the local community, he has developed strong connections to the area both on and off the court. Johan spent 34 years with the same pharmaceutical company, building a successful professional career while maintaining his passion for racquet sports. Today, he is particularly excited to bring his experience to the court and continue expanding his knowledge of padel, a sport he has quickly developed a strong enthusiasm for.