Children in Riga try out padel for the first time
At a Riga padel club, children and young people are trying the sport for free as part of a two-week initiative offering over 1,000 training spots. Participants shared their first impressions of the game's early challenges and small victories.
At the "Infinity Padel Club" premises on Uriekstes Street in Riga, children and young people took part in their first introductory padel session under the guidance of certified coaches. Padel is a sport that combines movement, quick reactions and cooperation with a playing partner. For most participants, this was their first time on a padel court, so the session began with a mix of curiosity and mild nervousness.
Early impressions and challenges
Several children admitted the game seemed easier than it turned out to be. Difficulties included hitting the ball accurately and figuring out how to react once the ball bounced off the court's walls — something many found to be the biggest surprise. Others struggled simply to reach the ball in time, saying it often felt faster than they were.
Still, after just a few rallies, many participants felt things starting to click. Several children highlighted the moment they managed to hit the ball back and forth over the net several times in a row as a particular highlight, describing a sense of accomplishment that made them want to keep playing.
Coaches' observations
The project's initiator noted that one advantage of padel is that it allows children to experience an early sense of success relatively quickly. He explained that padel helps develop coordination, reaction speed and quick decision-making, while also being a team sport that teaches children to communicate, cooperate, and handle both wins and mistakes.
During the first session, young players learned the basics of padel, including serves, strokes and doubles play. Several participants expressed a clear wish to return for future sessions to keep improving.
About the project
The free padel initiative, launched by the association "JaRi", runs from 17 to 28 August with support from Sofi Fonds, Infinity Padel Club and the Game Is On platform. Over the two weeks, more than 1,000 spots are being offered in free sessions, with around 100 children and young people taking part each day.
