MEETING ON THE FUTURE OF YOUTH SPORT AND INCLUSIVE COACHING

From September 2 to 5, Jose Ruiz, Deputy Director of the Rafa Nadal Foundation, and Eunate Gómez, Project Manager, attended the “Coach the Dream: Future of Youth Sport” summit in Paris, organized by Nike.

This event brought together renowned sports experts, community leaders, and international organizations to work together on strategies addressing the most pressing challenges facing youth sports today. Crucial topics were discussed, such as the need to implement more inclusive coaching practices, find innovative ways to improve access to sports and physical activity, and ensure the safety and well-being of young athletes.

The summit provided an essential platform for the exchange of ideas, the search for creative solutions, and the construction of a future where all young people, regardless of their background or situation, have access to inclusive, safe, and high-quality sports coaching. Some speakers shared messages aimed at coaches and sports technicians to achieve maximum inclusion in sports: “Make them feel welcome,” “Don’t make them feel different,” and others like “We don’t coach basketball or soccer, we coach kids,” aligning with the child and adolescent protection policy that the Rafa Nadal Foundation applies in each of its projects.

Lessons from the Paralympic Games

As part of the summit, the representatives of the Rafa Nadal Foundation also had the opportunity to attend some events at the Paralympic Games in Paris, thanks to Nike’s invitation. This experience provided a powerful demonstration of the resilience and effort of athletes who, despite facing significant barriers, manage to compete at the highest international level. The Paralympic Games embody the spirit of inclusion that both the Foundation and its partner, Nike, work tirelessly to promote.

The Rafa Nadal Foundation’s participation in the “Coach the Dream: Future of Youth Sport” summit reaffirmed its commitment to building a more inclusive and accessible future in sports. Through projects like Play All, the Foundation continues to drive initiatives that promote inclusion in sports.

Rafa Nadal Foundation and Nike’s Play All Project

The Play All project developed by the Rafa Nadal Foundation, with the support of Nike, directly benefits children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 16 who are in socially vulnerable situations in the city of Barcelona.

Their goal is to provide access to tennis for those young people who would otherwise find it difficult to practice this sport. They use tennis as a tool to instill four positive values: sportsmanship, commitment, camaraderie, and effort.