‘Padel was my lifeline during my sister’s battle with cancer’

Padel gave Alyson Wort a vital network of new friends she ‘never even knew she needed’ during a hugely tough period of her life when her sister was dying of cancer.

In early 2020, Alyson became sole carer to her sister Heather Read, who lived just round the corner from her in Rawdon near Leeds. They were inseparable and Heather’s sudden diagnosis was “a massive shock”. She was ill for only a few months before passing away in August that year. 

Just before this hugely difficult time, Alyson had fallen in love with padel while on holiday in Spain and returned home eager to find a local padel court. The nearest – at that time – was at Harrogate Sports and Fitness Club. There, she joined women’s coaching sessions led by Nicky Horn. 

“At this stage I didn’t actually need any new friends in my life – I didn’t have enough time for my existing ones!” laughs Alyson. “But I ended up with this whole bunch of lovely new friends who were at the same early stage with the sport as I was. 

“It turned out to be very important because it was at that point that my sister started to become ill. It was a wonderful outlet for me.” 

Alyson recounts: “I spent every day with Heather and took her to all the hospital appointments. She became weaker and weaker. One morning when were packing her things to go to a hospice, we could tell something had altered. She just slipped away without any fuss.” 

Heather had done extensive community work and, because Covid restrictions at the time meant only 15 people could attend her funeral, mourners lined the route to the church instead. “It was incredibly moving,” said Alyson. 

Although padel clearly couldn’t begin to make up for such a loss, the support network the sport provided was a great source of comfort for her through this period – and that network grew and grew.

When Surge Padel opened in Harrogate, Alyson jumped at the chance to play indoors. Despite slipping and breaking her arm and wrist (thankfully not her playing arm) on her first day there, she still plays at Surge regularly. 

Then, Rawdon Golf & Lawn Tennis Club – walking distance from her house – built two padel courts. “I didn’t want to give up all my new pals in Harrogate, so I joined both clubs,” Alyson said. “That made it slightly awkward, but hilarious, when Nicky arranged a match between us! I decided Rawdon was my ‘home’ club so I played for them. 

“It was summer during that period when Heather died and I found women who, despite not knowing them for very long, were just so incredibly supportive.

“These are all relatively new friends in my life. Having them, the fresh air and the exercise and playing for an hour without thinking about anything other than hitting a ball, was wonderful.” 

Heather’s late husband Geoff had been captain and president at Rawdon Golf & Lawn Tennis Club and Alyson loves feeling the family connection when she plays padel there. 

Immediately after Heather’s death, padel yet again played an important part in Alyson’s healing process. At that point, she admits she was “not coping very well” and “kept looking out of the window expecting to see Heather at the door”. 

She decided to get away to Nerja near Malaga for a six-week break. There, almost inevitably, she discovered a padel club and ended up mixing in with another group of players who she became close to. “I’m still on their WhatsApp groups which can get confusing when I get lots of different messages asking for a hit on a Monday morning!” she jokes. 

Now back home, Alyson, 72, plays twice a week in Rawdon and twice in Harrogate. “These lovely new groups of pals I now have is testament to just how sociable padel is,” she says. “You start with a core group of roughly the same standard, but it’s like a stone in a pond; others come to join you and your circle of friends just blossoms.

“It’s so successful because getting a rally going is so easy. As it’s doubles, it doesn’t expose you as a singles game would, so your partner can cover for you until you gain confidence. Nicky brought us together and gave us that initial confidence, constantly urging us be more aggressive and get to the net to improve our games. 

“She has forged these networks at both clubs between women who have quickly become friends. Some of us are now talking about going away to Portugal on a padel holiday. It just has that effect on you in a way that no other sport does.” 

Alyson’s amazing story is the first of a new series on The Padel Paper called Padel and Me. Has padel played an important role in your life? Let us know by emailing: info@thepadelpaper.com