In a couple of hours, we will begin a new chapter in SM´s history. Why? Because Sweden´s padel is no longer a loose thread in the padel map for one, while women´s padel lifts up a high standard for the development of female sport as a whole.
Carolina and I have teamed up not to complete a slot in a celebrated competition. We have teamed up because we share a vision of the sport we have fallen in love with. As this blog and page draw my story with padel, I can only come back to my blog with an admired companion and now friend, to the core of us being women athletes in the world of European padel.
In this regard, Carolina´s long run in padel has seen women rise from the sidetracks of padel to central courts. It is true we girls have gone a long way in making a statement. It is for women as strong-headed and committed as Carolina Navarro that some of us have the pleasure of playing center court, enjoying prime time streaming and on-spot coverage of our padel performances.
Sweden is swiped off its feet with padel. What has started as an affair is settling into more serious competition and overall business development. It is an honor and a pleasure to be part of this movement, being clear where we stand. While our padel still needs a lot of work to be done in order to stand on a European level, I honestly believe us, everyday athletes who make this sport real and attainable to the growing base of Swedish fans who have the responsibility to develop not only the game with technicality and witt to fill padel arenas but also to lift the standards on which the game as female athletes is played.
women´s padel: a case inside and outside sweden
I can´t stress it enough: A padel player is an athlete, whose overall condition is balanced for development when mind, nutrition, tactical and technical training are one whole package. Female padel allows for people to grasp what we can achieve as padel players. Our game is disciplined, focused, and targeted. We can´t and we should not compare to men´s padel, not because we can´t perform as men do, but rather because our game invites, inspires, and includes. Our game, as athletes is a conjunction of discipline, overall integrity and connection between the achievable and the attainable for everyday women regardless age or physical conditions.
What Bela can do, can only Bela do, for sure some supreme being has anointed him, and along with him a small few of men, our dear @dannewindahl included of course, but it is us ladies who give this sport the achievable to the most of regular humans. Time and time again while conducting training and lessons, both Carolina and I have been pointed to the fact that female padel is a learning vehicle for aspiring amateurs and casual players. The crowds can identify in our game, in our mindset for play, and in the techniques and tactics under which we develop the game.
Overall in Europe girls and women have a chance to interact with sport in their lifetime. While we are young, we are encouraged into sports for sound and healthy development. While in Spain padel is second to football/soccer, Sweden picks up faster and faster as padel arenas seem to pop out day by day. While this happens, in Sweden there are more teen girls and young women falling out with the sport. My research has shown that we do very little to retain young women into sports in general, and padel is no exception. While we grow, us padel athletes, should be encouraging young girls and women into an active lifestyle that remains with us for a lifetime. Carolina and I share this vision for padel development and our activities not only as players but as promoters of the sport of padel beyond the fuss and buzz of competition. This, we hope is our legacy: encouragement and opportunities for girls and women to become part of a doable and practical sport, that offers health and wellbeing for a lifetime.
We are hopeful in the near future top players will become female padel coaches. In turn, an understanding of the game, seen as perceived by women will yield its crop. While we still strive, both of us to make our way with our sponsors in order to keep on doing what we love, we believe we have a duty to perform: leaving our testimony to the coming generations of girls and women who should ride the tides of padel. Hopefully they can find a sport to develop themselves where no gender gaps in performance, prize money and broadcasting are to be filled. Luckily new generations of padel women will compete in tournaments whose boards are managed by both women and men, and where hopefully any aspiring athlete can tour the world of padel with confidence that it is possible to make a living out of the sport she loves.
This is where we come together, as athletes, as women, and padel players. That´s what has united us, and what will bind us together. This post stands as our statement, for the sport we love and the future we want to build as professionals, women and players. Are you into our game?
Join us for conversation on the video here, and YES, Carolina is great at her Swedish skills. So lucky to have teamed up with this amazing woman 😉