The Zamora Provincial Council has initiated the IM21 Padel project, aimed at promoting the sport of padel in rural areas by offering classes to children, young people, and adults. This initiative seeks to maximise the use of padel courts constructed across the province.
Juan del Canto Sevillano, the provincial deputy for Youth and Sports, presented the project in a press conference, accompanied by Ismael Medina Castro, head of IM21 Next Academy, and Borja Martínez Jimeno, the Sports Councillor of Moraleja del Vino. Del Canto explained that the initiative originated from a young company, IM21, which aims to foster sports in the province. The company proposed to the Zamora Provincial Council to provide classes to invigorate the padel courts that have been built in response to increasing community demand.
According to Del Canto, while the courts are available for public use, many residents lack the knowledge to play. Martínez Jimeno noted that the proposal was well-received in Moraleja del Vino, a locality where padel is popular, but accessibility to the capital has hindered wider participation.
The IM21 Padel project aims to make the sport accessible to everyone close to home. Moraleja del Vino, Coreses, and Fresno de la Ribera will be the first towns to host these classes, which will run from October to June, with three seasonal sessions in winter, spring, and summer. Del Canto stated, “Our goal is to bring sports to the villages, to breathe life into the padel courts that excite so many in Zamora, and to make the most of the investment made by the Provincial Council.”
Currently, around 100 participants, including children, young people, and adults, are enrolled in the classes, which will be held from Monday to Friday under the guidance of two instructors. Interested individuals can find more information on Instagram at im21nextacademy, where contact details are also provided. While the initial classes are limited to Moraleja del Vino, Coreses, and Fresno de la Ribera, there are plans to expand the programme to more towns in the future.
