Organisers of a disability padel programme in Kent hope their example can dispel some padel coaches’ and clubs’ fears around working with disabled players.
Vanessa Oakes, inclusion coach mentor at Kent Tennis, has teamed up with experts from local specialist coaching organisation Inclusive Sport to host sessions at Smash Padel in Whitstable, funded by Kent Tennis and the Boost Foundation.
The sessions, held weekly during school holidays, see children and adults with a variety of physical and learning disabilities share the court, playing specially adapted versions of padel.
One mother, whose son Thomas has cerebral palsy, said: “For my son to be included means the world.”
Organiser Vanessa, who has a severely autistic son, said: “I know from experience that having a child with a severe and complex disability, you live on the fringes of society. You don’t get to access things.
“So for the parent or carer to have something their child is welcomed to is just not an everyday occurence. These sessions give young disabled people meaningful sporting opportunities and have a massive knock-on impact on the families.”
Vanessa has sourced funding and helped to deliver inclusive tennis sessions for Whitstable Tennis Club for almost 10 years with demographics ranging from refugees to domestic abuse survivors and people with disabilities.
She wanted to spread that positive impact through padel, making use of its enclosed space and accessibility, to engage young people.
“The padel court is very much a safe space,” Vanessa explains. “It doesn’t work for everyone because the noise can lead to sensory overload, but an enclosed space means you can really focus. I like the proximity. It’s very sociable. Compared to tennis there’s a lot more interaction and banter.”
Having approached several padel clubs, Vanessa found a general reluctance to get involved in such projects. Most are commercial clubs whose priority is filling courts, rather than engaging with different sections of their local communities.
Smash Padel Whitstable gave a different response. “They have been absolutely outstanding,” Vanessa told The Padel Paper. “I go to them with my next hair-brained scheme, and they give me a booking window straight away. That’s amazing because the barriers at other venues usually centre around cost of courts and coaches.”
Craig Meredith, Centre Manager at Smash Padel Whitstable, said: “We’re not doing it for a tick box exercise, we’re doing it from a genuine drive and desire to hit as many different demographics in the community as possible.
“It’s incredible to watch these sessions for people with all sorts of disabilities. It really stops you in your tracks.”
The coaches are provided by local partners Inclusive Sport. Their expertise in delivering sport for people with disabilities, combined with the experience and passion of Vanessa and Smash Padel’s staff, enables all parties to benefit and learn from each other.
Initially funded for six weeks by Kent Tennis, the project now has long-term backing from the Boost Community Trust. This funds Inclusive Sport’s coaches and Smash Padel’s court fees (which were initially offered free).
Over 30 young people have taken part since the project started. Quite apart from the positive impact it’s had on the participants, it has also forged vital connections between parents and carers.
Craig from Smash Padel has some sympathy with coaches and venues who might be somewhat hesitant to deliver specialist sessions with disabled players due to their inexperience, but says forging the right partnerships can overcome obstacles.
“With padel booming and clubs filling their courts, they might say, ‘Why would we put coaches under bigger workloads and have to fund CPD?’ Plus a lot of coaches are scared of the unknown and think it might be too much to take on.
“But partnering with experts, and potentially having in-house coaches shadow them so they learn from each other, benefits everyone.”
Vanessa adds: “There’s a great fear around disability. Other venues have quoted unrealistic prices for coaches and court hire, then ask me to pay for equipment hire! They don’t seem to have much sense of corporate social responsibility, which is why it’s so refreshing to be working with Smash Padel. They really are one in a million.”
One mum, Caroline, whose son Thomas attends the sessions regularly, said: “For my son to be included means the world.
“[It’s] the ability to adapt to his needs at sessions which make them unique. He really enjoys being part of a team and is able to take part with the specialist coaches who are experienced.
“We struggle to find activities for him as he is a wheelchair. Finding an activity indoors in an environment he knows will include him is very special.”
Jenni (pictured above), an adult wheelchair user who participates in the programme, said: “Wheelchair padel has opened a door I thought was lost to me.
“Living with multiple sclerosis means my movement is limited, and I don’t have the same level of ability, but I can take part in a sport I love. Apart from the joy of playing padel, it has brought new friends and opportunities beyond the court too.”
Carly, mum of Jack who has autism, added: “These sessions are perfect for him as he can play at his level, with games adapted to suit his needs and capabilities. I love seeing him joining in as best he can and being celebrated for his achievements.”
To read the article on The Padel Paper click here –
https://thepadelpaper.com/disability-padel-inclusive-smash-padel-whitstable/