When four ladies take to the court to represent Lancashire at this weekend’s Over-50 UK PADEL County Championships in Bristol, captain Jan Mort will be bursting with justifiable pride.
Eight weeks ago, Jan, 57, had never met her team-mates – and they are still yet to meet the Lancashire men’s team, with whom they will combine in the mixed doubles. That introduction won’t happen until they all arrive in Bristol!
Putting together a squad to represent the Red Rose county has been a labour of love for Jan (pictured above, far left). She lives in Southport and her nearest padel clubs are in Liverpool, Lytham St Anne’s, Preston and Clitheroe (for those unfamiliar with the north-west, that’s a bit of a trek). With such geographically sporadic facilities, there’s not much of a cohesive padel ‘scene’ yet in the area.
Nonetheless, Jan was determined to form a team. She actually plays most of her padel at Rawdon in Leeds and Surge in Harrogate as she lived in Yorkshire for 30 years and has a big network of friends there from her tennis-playing days. She is also on the GB padel ‘radar’ squad. She used her contacts to ask around for any players with Lancastrian roots who might be interested in forming a county team.
Initially, no-one came forward. “They just weren’t ready,” Jan told The Padel Paper. “Ladies transitioning from tennis or squash just hadn’t played long enough to build the skillset and confidence to give it a go.”
Then, Jan Bell got in touch. She played at The Padel Club in Wilmslow, Cheshire, but lives in Lancashire. She brought along her sister-in-law Tracey Bell and their friend Liz Eaton.
“We just started,” said captain Jan. “I had trials just to check that we weren’t going to go all the way to Bristol and get beaten so badly that they’d never want to play again!
“Together, we have developed their understanding of padel and got them match-ready. It has been about creating partnerships and building teamwork.”
The squad played two friendlies against Rawdon and Ilkley at Surge in Harrogate. “It was a great chance to play as a team, experience that team spirit and build confidence,” said Jan. “They have been the most enthusiastic group I’ve ever come across and it’s been great to see how we’ve flourished.”
They have been drawn in a group with Surrey, Dorset and Cheshire at the UK PADEL O50 County Championships at Rocket Padel in Bristol this weekend. In the mixed they play Somerset and Yorkshire – which will be a War of the Roses battle with added spice for Jan against her Yorkshire friends.
“We may not be a powerhouse like a Surrey or a Yorkshire, but I can tell you we will try our absolute hardest,” Jan said. “We are really up for it, whatever the outcome.
“Come rain, hail or shine, we’ve made that effort to get together and practise. Our journey together has been great fun. We’ve all progressed and done a lot of laughing. We’re all so excited. I’ll be a bit sad after the County Championships because we’ve all been so focused. I’m sure it will go in the blink of an eye – but then we’ll have to see what our next challenge will be!”
