There are plans to open a training facility in Bahrain for up-and-coming padel players as the sport attracts an ever-growing number of enthusiasts at home and abroad.
The kingdom’s first internationally-certified Bahraini female Padel coach today urged competitive youngsters to take up the craze and benefit from the fitness and fun too.
Fatima Ali, 32, who has been playing the racket sport for two years, was certified as a Padel coach by PadelMBA Academy in Spain in November last year and has now started training beginners, as well as children and players with special needs.
“Padel is a unique game as it broadens the mind, moves the body and teaches a player patience while also being a social fun game,” explained Ms Ali to the GDN.
“I’ve been into several sports since I was a young girl and I’m particularly passionate about racket sports – such as tennis, squash and badminton – and I also took part in cycling and marathons.
“But Padel is something special. When I first started playing one of my colleagues suggested that I should try coaching so I started training children and a year after that I received the certification from PadelMBA – which is accredited in Spain.”
According to Ms Ali, she organises social games to ensure its growth in the community while expressing pride at her achievement as being the first Bahraini woman to be certified as a padel coach.
Her padel coaching skills are in huge demand and she also travels to Saudi Arabia for sessions over the weekend.
“This certification has opened up doors for me because it allowed me to develop a range of training techniques and confidently teach those with special needs too, for example” said Ms Ali.
“I encourage children – and others – to pursue their sporting passions.
“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher so being certified as a professional coach in a sport that I love and enjoy is an achievement and something I’m really proud of.
“I ensured that I incorporate techniques I learned as a life coach to develop the confidence of children and beginners, as well as strengthen their personalities, provide a social outlet for the community and increase awareness regarding sport.
“I would like to thank my friends Fatima Janahi, Eman Sharif, Mona Al Shimari and Hind Musaiqer for their continued support and encouragement which allowed me to pursue the certification and expand my skills.”
It took time, however, for the activity to grow on one of the kingdom’s star players.
“I was totally against padel at first because I played tennis for years and I believed that it was the ‘authentic’ classic racket game,” said 32-year-old Muneera Al Shaikh – a player on the Bahrain National Padel Team under the Bahrain Padel Federation.
“I then started to play padel in 2022 and at first it was very stressful because I wasn’t used to playing with a partner but my family encouraged me and I kept developing and I was chosen for the national team. “One of the beautiful memories I have with padel is being chosen to take part in the Third GCC Olympic Games held in Kuwait in 2022.
“It has always been my dream to represent my country in sports and I always thought it would be too late or I’d be too old to do that but I got the perfect opportunity to achieve my childhood dream of being part of the team.”
Ms Al Shaikh revealed that padel – as a mental game more than a physical game – has taught her discipline, patience, kept her brain active, increased her fitness and changed her communication skills through various social interactions at games and group training.
She added that throughout the years that padel has been active in Bahrain, society’s perception of the sport, female athletes and social games has changed significantly in a positive manner.
“Mental, psychological, social and financial support from parents towards their children who want to play sports is very important as it provides encouragement for excellence in the field,” said Ms Al Shaikh.
“I wanted to thank the Bahrain Padel Federation for their efforts to support, develop and enhance the sport in Bahrain but we still need more support from the private sector. The more support the sport receives the bigger Bahrain’s achievements can be across the regional and international stage.”
The GDN previously reported that private sector investment in sport is proving attractive as the government announced ambitious plans to turn local clubs into private enterprises, said former Youth and Sports Affairs Minister Ayman Almoayyed.
He said efforts were ongoing to promote investment opportunities. “We have more than 33 padel clubs now in the country and the government has not invested in them; it’s the private sector,” he said during a plenary session during a recent briefing on Public-Private Partnership at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay.
Talks with potential investors and government bodies over a specialised training facility remain high on the agenda with several interested parties wanting to play a part in padel’s local development. Online reports suggest its growth rate has been eye-catching. According to a Deloitte piece, padel already has more than 18 million players globally, nearly a quarter of the 87m tennis players.
As reported earlier in the GDN, compared to other sports, padel is less about technique and power when you first start playing, so everyone is at more of a level playing field right from the off. Serves are underarm, balls have a slightly lower compression and the racket is closer to your hand, making it easier to control your shots.
reem@gdnmedia.bh
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