Hilma Nalupe 

The Namibia Hockey Union is set to host a lively and meaningful “Padel for Purpose” tournament today at the Nampadel in Windhoek. A fundraising drive to help send the country’s U/21 men’s and women’s teams to their respective Junior World Cups later this year. 

Both teams made history in April when they finished second at the Junior Africa Cup held in Windhoek, earning silver medals and qualification to the Junior World Cup, with the women’s team heading to Chile and the men’s team to India. 

According to Janine van der Merwe, manager of the men’s U/21 team, the initiative was born out of the teams’ need to raise funds to cover travel and accommodation costs. “The government said they would help us, but we would also have to fundraise. This is where we got the idea to have a “Padel for Purpose” day to raise funds so the teams can travel to compete in the Junior World Cup,” she explained. 

The event promises to blend sport, fun and community engagement, with around 30 teams expected to participate. The day will feature a social Padel tournament open to all levels, followed by a prize-giving ceremony and auction with exciting items such as Fly Namibia tickets and restaurant vouchers up for grabs. 

Beyond fundraising, the event also doubles as a teambuilding experience for the players, who will be working, playing and engaging with supporters from the corporate and sports community. “The main goal of this initiative is fundraising, but it will also be an event that brings together people from the corporate environment, sport and all ages,” Van der Merwe added. 

On the field, both teams have been hard at work preparing for the global stage. U/21 men’s coach Randy Slabbert said preparations resumed in May, with an intensified training schedule involving the men’s national team to boost performance and competitiveness. “We want to leave no stone unturned, to be as well prepared as possible to compete at the world stage,” he said. 

Slabbert noted that one of the biggest challenges remains integrating locally based players with those studying abroad, as well as adjusting to the higher tempo of international competition. To address this, Namibia has arranged friendly matches against Malaysia and Canada before the tournament. 

-hilmanalupe@gmail.com