Galadari staff unleashes players within

Apart from the obvious fun element, what stood out the most was the unity.

As the Dubai Fitness Challenge hit the halfway mark, Galadari Brothers is powering ahead with more and more employees unleashing the player within them.
Showing great enthusiasm through their participation in the challenge, the third weekend gathering of the group's fitness activities saw an impressive turnout of nearly 350 employees at the Dubai Stars Sportsplex on Friday.
The Galadari Multisport Championship saw staff members test their skills, stamina and team coordination as they took to the indoor courts and battled out in three different sports activities - volleyball, basketball and badminton. The day started with the registration process of all the participating employees, who then switched on their Dubai Fitness Challenge app for 30 minutes as the tournaments began. After the registration process, the players were given healthy breakfast boxes before getting on with the volleyball tournament that saw the participation of 12 teams from the Galadari group. All the players - comprising both men and women - were dressed in colourful jerseys representing their respective companies. The volleyball finals were concluded by 12 noon after which there was a prayer and lunch break. The championship resumed at 1.30pm with basketball and badminton matches taking place simultaneously in adjacent courts.
Apart from team games, the multisport championship also saw a good number of women participating in both basketball and volleyball tournaments. To motivate and encourage more women to participate, the group also introduced separate women categories in badminton. Galadari Brothers teams were allotted two multipurpose courts at the sportsplex that were used for basketball, volleyball and badminton.
Apart from the obvious fun element, what stood out the most was the unity, team spirit and enthusiasm among the employees who cheered for their teams, motivated them and pushed each other to achieve their best.
Talking about how such fitness activities enhance relationships, blue-collar worker SM said: "Today, I played volleyball with my supervisors and managers and it was a beautiful experience to be part of the same team as there were no hierarchies or inhibitions. We played as buddies, we coordinated like teammates and we enjoyed like children. Winning or losing is not important, what is important is the solid relationship we develop during these activities, the trust we establish and the happiness we experience. I am grateful to our company, the group and this country for bringing in such initiatives that keep people active and also give us a break from monotonous routines."
saman@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai Fitness Challenge