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'Girls Only is not a hype. It is a necessity'
The sport-wide campaign Onze Club Is Voor Iedereen (Our Club Is For Everyone) draws attention to diversity and inclusion. Perhaps somewhat fashionable terms, but it simply comes down to everyone being welcome. Martial arts have traditionally been very colourful, including in terms of the backgrounds of the people who practise them. Even so, there are still opportunities to help new groups over the threshold. We highlight a number of gyms that may inspire others to reach a broader audience as well.
What started with a few bootcamps in the park has grown into a gym of its own, where girls feel safe, strong and seen. At Amsterdam-based NOBY Sports, it is about more than training. It is about growing, physically, mentally and socially. Inspire. Empower. Transform. That is what they do, every single day.
Founders Sascha Sch tle and Sabah Abdellaoui had been friends for some thirty years. From their teenage years onwards they were part of each other's lives: as friends, as training partners, as sisters. 'We trained at Vos Gym,' Sabah says, 'where we did kickboxing, and at Abadi, where we did Pencak Silat. Sport was a common thread in our friendship, and in our lives, right from the start. We were part of each other's story, on and off the mat.'
'A little over five years ago we decided to start teaching together. Before the coronavirus pandemic we began with outdoor bootcamps. Later we expanded to classes in existing gyms, and we started teaching kickboxing as well. One of those gyms, The Big Lab, asked whether we wanted to take over the Ladies Only concept. We seized that opportunity with both hands.'
'In the beginning we focused mainly on Ladies Only classes. We saw that many women needed a safe place to train, where they did not have to adapt or explain themselves. But we soon noticed that young girls need that space just as much. Certainly girls who are just starting out, or who do not feel at home in a group with boys. Think of girls who are shy, who want to learn to defend themselves, or who prefer to train in an all-female environment for religious reasons. And so we started Girls Only classes.'
Flourishing
'From the very start we saw what a difference it made. Some girls came in with their eyes lowered, hesitant, holding back. But within a few weeks you could see something change. They gained confidence, took initiative, started laughing, stayed behind after class to chat. They were given the space, literally and figuratively, to flourish.'
'We train with respect, enjoyment and attention. Our instructors are women who understand what these girls are dealing with. The girls feel free to ask questions, to make mistakes, to be themselves. They learn not only techniques, but also self-confidence. They learn to set boundaries and dare to claim their place. And they build a bond, with each other, with us, and with themselves.'
'Alongside the regular girls' classes, we now also coach girls towards competition. Some of them take the sport very seriously, and I want to support them in that. Not only in their technique, but mentally as well. I want to pass on to them what Sascha and I learned ourselves: that sport can lift you up, make you stronger, teach you to persevere and to believe in yourself.'
'What makes NOBY special, I think, is how accessible it is and the personal contact. We come from the same neighbourhood as many of our members. We know what they may be facing at home, at school and in society. That is why it is so important that places like this exist: places where girls can be themselves and can surpass themselves.'
The strength of women in sport
'I see more and more women claiming their place in the martial arts world, and I welcome that. But as a sector we have to grow along with it. We have to make room. Not a symbolic offer, but genuine attention and genuine guidance. That is what we do at NOBY Sports, because it is needed, and because we know what a difference it can make.'
'If the two of us could get something off the ground, purely out of friendship, passion and belief in others, then I hope this story may inspire other gym owners. It starts small, but the effect is big. I have experienced that first-hand.'
'Sadly, disaster struck last year. Sascha became ill and her illness was only discovered when it was already at an advanced stage. She literally fought to the very end and kept working for the gym. She died in November 2024. It hit like a sledgehammer. We had been friends for thirty years, and we had built this up together. We did everything with heart and soul, out of trust and friendship. And now I was on my own. Not knowing that I would receive support from all sides.'
'At such a moment you are completely caught up in your grief, and you do not notice it straight away. But looking back on that period, I also see confirmation of what we built together. The support from our gym was indescribable. Girls who were there for each other, parents who expressed their appreciation, members who kept coming and shared our grief, all of it stemming from the bond we had built. We saw the result of the seeds we had planted together, often without realising it.'
'Girls Only is not a hype. It is a necessity. It is a safe space where girls learn who they are and who they may become. And I am proud that, starting from something small, we were able to make something big out of it. It is also part of her legacy, and that lives on, every single day.'
Through the campaign Onze club is voor iedereen (Our Club Is For Everyone), the Dutch Olympic Committee and Sports Federation (NOC*NSF) offers support to clubs, associations and sports entrepreneurs that want to actively work on diversity and inclusion. A menu of options has been developed for this purpose, including free workshops and training programmes.
Earlier in this series:
Our martial arts gym is for everyone