Philippe Clement opens new Norwich City padel courts at The Nest

Philippe Clement opened three new community padel courts at The Nest, praising Norwich City's 'amazing' and high-level work for the local area.

Norwich City head coach Philippe Clement has opened three new community padel courts at the club's Holt Road training complex, praising the club's deep-rooted commitment to local wellbeing. The new covered outdoor facilities at The Nest, the home of the Community Sports Foundation, were officially launched on Tuesday evening with first-team players Jack Stacey and Jacob Wright also in attendance.

Clement, appointed last November, said the scale of the club's community efforts had been a revelation. "It was not something I knew before I came," Clement said. "I knew it was a family club and I felt it from the first day, but the community work that's been done by the club and the people around the club, it's amazing." He added that the work was "really at a high, high level" and that you could "feel the heartbeat of the club for society."

Stacey's influence

The project was heavily influenced by right-back Jack Stacey, who has been a consistent advocate for the club's disability and mental health programmes. Stacey, who scored in the recent 4-3 defeat to Bolton, joined former midfielder and current player liaison officer Simon Lappin for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The courts are seen as a social sporting hub, with Clement noting padel is playable "until age 75" and became a major trend in Europe during the Covid pandemic. He described the facility as a valuable escape from the intense environment of professional football.

Jake Humphrey, the chairperson of the Community Sports Foundation, stated the courts embody the organisation's mission to improve physical and mental health in the region. The development on the former Anglian Windows site is part of an ambitious long-term plan for The Nest, with a sports hall slated as the next stage of construction.

On-pitch context

The community initiative comes as the first team seeks consistency on the pitch. Norwich currently sit 17th in the Championship with nine points from eight games, having lost their last three matches. Fans can also review the squad's contributions this season, including top scorer M. Touré's five goals, on the official stats page.

The new padel courts represent a tangible extension of the club's identity beyond results, aiming to serve the Norwich community for years to come.