Tennis, anyone?

You can count on one hand the number of Beduin sports stars in Israel. In fact, one finger is probably all you need, with the only name coming to mind being that of Taleb Tawatha, a defender for Israel's national soccer team who plays for German club Eintracht Frankfurt. Poor infrastructure, a lack of sporting tradition and cultural differences are just a few of the reasons that can explain why so few professional athletes hail from the Beduin sector, which numbers about 300,000 people in Israel. That could all change in a few years if the Altori family has its way. Siblings Shadi, 16, Samer, 13, and Karin, 10, who live in Rahat in the south, are among the best in the country in their respective age groups and have big dreams they plan to realize. They train at the Beersheba complex of the Israel Tennis Centers under the guidance of head coach Yoav Schab, the former coach of current Israel No. 1 Dudi Sela. The Altoris aren't all just about tennis though, with Shadi and Samer speaking surprisingly maturely about their wish to go to a college in the US and earn an education while playing the game they love. “My goal is to go to college,” said Shadi, who is ranked in the top 10 in his age group and will play in junior ITF Futures tournaments in Israel in the coming weeks. “After that I'll try to become a professional player. My goal is to pick up more experience and maybe even to break through before college,” added Shadi, who is thinking about studying sports medicine. “It is important to think forward. I've always had plans of what I want to do.” The Altoris all began playing tennis around six years ago, meaning that while Shadi started at a relatively late age, his younger siblings have been engaged in the sport for much of their lives. Samer is ranked No. 15 in his age group, while Karin is placed at No. 1 and wants to be like her favorite player, Romanian Simone Halep, currently ranked No. 4 in the world. “They are very special kids,” said Schab, who has coached Shadi and Samer for almost four years and has taken Karin under his wing in the past year. “We have different programs of coexistence at the Israel Tennis Centers, but they came to us from a different club in Beersheba and play at a very high level. They are among the best in the country in their age groups.” Schab moved back to Beersheba from Tel Aviv after he finished working with Sela in 2009. He then spent three years guiding Russian player Alex Bogomolov, working part-time at the ITC center in Beersheba when he wasn't traveling abroad, before ultimately becoming its head coach. “I always knew I would return to live in Beersheba and fortunately for me there are a lot of good players here,” he said. “Last year in the boys' 12-yearold age group, our players finished in first, second and fourth place, with Samer coming in sixth. My goal is that in 2017 they will take the top four spots in the 14s.” Schab also spoke about the way in which the involvement of the Altoris has contributed to coexistence between Jews and Muslims. “Their connection with the team is great. On Shadi's birthday we all went to Rahat to celebrate. He sleeps at his friend's in Beersheba and they stay with him in Rahat. They brought down a lot of barriers, including for myself.” Schab fully supports Shadi and Samer's plans to go to college in the US, saying he would recommend that to every aspiring player in the country. “I think the best chance to become a professional player is to go through college. In three years in college you play 50 games a year. You get all the support you need from coaches and other staff. You receive help in your studies and when you finish at 21 you will also have a degree. So if things don't work out on tour you can go and get a job.” Founded in 1976, Israel Tennis Centers is one of the largest social service organizations for children in Israel, serving more than 20,000 children every year. The ITC's 14 centers stretch from Kiryat Shmona to Beersheba. Many of the centers are in underprivileged neighborhoods, providing disadvantaged children with a safe, structured and nurturing environment. “Coexistence is one of the cornerstones of our organization,” said ITC CEO Ari Strasburg. “We have many such programs across the country and it is part of the fundamental values we are trying to teach. Equality is one of our main values. Teaching that there is no difference between religions and sectors and that everyone is equal on the court.” Strasburg spoke of the ITC's future plans. “We are always looking for more partners. We are in the process of opening our 15th center in Sderot and we also plan to build another center in Kiryat Haim in Haifa. Half of the money for the center in Sderot was raised with the Jewish National Fund, and we are also involved in a project with them to upgrade the center in Beersheba. Everything that we do is with the aim of enhancing our ability to give to the children of Israel.” Strasburg explained that the decision to build many of the centers in mixed Arab-Jewish cities like Jerusalem, Haifa and Acre was based on the ITC's principles. He believes the Altoris are a prime example of coexistence at its best. “We will give them all the support they need. Not because they are Arabs or Beduin. We will support them the way we do every child with the goal of helping them to realize their dreams.”

Tennis, anyone?

Poor infrastructure, a lack of sporting tradition and cultural differences are just a few of the reasons that can explain why so few professional athletes hail from the Beduin sector.

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