Sport plays a central role in developing connection, character and community
PARTNER CONTENT: On any given weekend in Abu Dhabi, Raha students from both the Gardens Campus and Khalifa City Campus can be found arriving early for swimming meets, cheering from the sidelines of a basketball final, or travelling together for fixtures across the region.
Sport at Raha is not confined to timetables or training slots – it is a visible, lived part of school culture. Across both campuses, the programme is built on a clear belief: sport should develop children and young people first.
Participation is prioritised in the early years, allowing pupils time to explore, learn and grow before specialisation.
“We don’t start by asking who will excel,” explains Ben Sapwell-West Director of Sport, Gardens Campus.
“We start by asking how sport can help us grow people. When students feel included, supported and challenged at the right time, excellence tends to follow naturally.”
Up to Under-15 level, students are not cut from teams. Large training squads encourage skill development, confidence and commitment, ensuring no child is excluded before discovering their potential.
Inclusive pathways, competitive ambition
Inclusion does not come at the expense of excellence. Raha continues to compete and succeed at the highest levels across Abu Dhabi and beyond.
“It’s excellence without exclusion,” says Ben Willgoss, Athletics Director and ECP Lead Khalifa City Campus. “That can be done well if the authenticity is there.”
Flagship programmes include swimming, triathlon and basketball, supported by expert in-house coaching and carefully selected external partners.
In particular, the partnership with Arabian Swim Academy has been integral to the success of the swimming programme and the wider triathlon pathway, creating a structure that nurtures talent while keeping doors open.
Belonging through shared endeavour
Sport plays a powerful role in building identity and self awareness – particularly in an international school community.
Representing the school and committing to a team creates a shared sense of purpose. “When students choose to join a team, they create their own sense of belonging,” outlines Jan Stipek, Principal, Gardens Campus. This unity extends across campuses.
In triathlon, students from Gardens and Khalifa City train and compete together as one Raha team. The experience reinforces the idea that sport at Raha is bigger than any single campus.
“It’s one of the few spaces where we compete as one school – and the unity that creates is extraordinary,” says Willgoss.
Confidence that transfers beyond the field
The impact of sport at Raha reaches beyond physical development. Students who may struggle to find their voice in the classroom often discover drive through sport and carry that assurance into their learning.
“We see students gain confidence through sport, and that self-belief transfers into the classroom,” says Ben Gibson, Head of Grade 9 and Basketball Coach.
Early mornings, long seasons and sustained commitment teach students resilience, time management and emotional maturity, skills that mirror the demands of academic life and prepare them for future challenges.
Raising aspiration through opportunity
Basketball exemplifies Raha’s commitment to ambition. The Raha success story in the Junior NBA programme speaks for itself, with Raha teams competing at elite levels and students gaining exposure to professional environments, including training alongside NBA legends.
“If students finish the season loving the sport with a strong drive to keep playing, we have succeeded,” comments Gibson.
Educating the athlete
Raha’s sporting philosophy extends into the curriculum. A pioneering sports science pathway in Grades 6 -10 integrates Exercise Physiology, Psychology and Biomechanics, helping students understand how their bodies perform and adapt.
“This isn’t about producing the most high-performing athletes,” explains Charlotte Picknell, Head of MYP Physical & Health Education.
“It’s about educating young people to understand their bodies – how they move, recover and respond, so they can make informed choices and carry healthy habits with them long beyond their school years.”
Space for sport
Flexible multipurpose training spaces across both campuses, combined with well-established local facility partnerships, give Raha the physical capacity to deliver a broad and ambitious sports programme without compromise.
With 17 sporting options available to students, the school is able to run multiple programmes simultaneously across age groups and ability levels, ensuring participation remains wide while carefully structured performance pathways are fully supported through access to high-quality facilities.
A sporting journey worth following
What sets sport at Raha International School apart is not a single programme or result, but the coherence of the whole.
Participation and performance sit side by side.Sport is a vehicle for growth: physical, emotional and social. Raha students are learning how to commit, belong and grow – together.
Explore a school where sport builds more than results, visit ris.ae
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