{"id":96952,"date":"2025-05-05T13:59:36","date_gmt":"2025-05-05T09:59:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lovin.co\/dubai\/?p=96952"},"modified":"2025-05-05T13:59:36","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T09:59:36","slug":"how-this-irish-expat-is-changing-lives-through-inclusive-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lovin.co\/dubai\/en\/news\/how-this-irish-expat-is-changing-lives-through-inclusive-sports\/","title":{"rendered":"How This Irish Expat Is Changing Lives Through Inclusive Sports"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"\" data-start=\"245\" data-end=\"561\">If you\u2019ve ever come across the bright energy of Heroes of Hope at a local sports event, you\u2019ve witnessed the work of Hollie Murphy. The Irish expat is the founder of one of the UAE\u2019s most impactful sports academies for people of determination \u2014 a not-for-profit that now supports nearly 300 athletes across 24 sports.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"563\" data-end=\"721\">Lovin Dubai caught up with Hollie to chat about the power of community, building something from scratch, and the relentless pursuit of inclusion through sport.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"563\" data-end=\"721\">WATCH the full episode <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=jKXQdrIIkIs\">here<\/a><\/h2>\n<p><iframe title=\"Meet the Founder Of The UAE\u2019s Most Inclusive Academy!\" width=\"900\" height=\"506\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jKXQdrIIkIs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"723\" data-end=\"999\"><strong data-start=\"723\" data-end=\"766\">It all started with a moment of madness<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"723\" data-end=\"999\">Originally a PE teacher, Hollie moved to Dubai and quickly saw a gap in inclusive sports programs. \u201cThere were so many kids who wanted to play, but there just wasn\u2019t anything accessible for them. I wanted to change that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"1001\" data-end=\"1185\">What began as a small initiative during the COVID era has now grown into a thriving sports movement, backed by hundreds of families, volunteers, and coaches who believe in the mission.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"1187\" data-end=\"1508\"><strong data-start=\"1187\" data-end=\"1227\">From one sport to 24 (and counting!)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"1187\" data-end=\"1508\">Today, Heroes of Hope runs 24 sports across the week \u2014 from swimming and athletics to basketball and jiu-jitsu \u2014 in collaboration with community academies. \u201cWe don\u2019t just teach the sport; we host events, create competitions, and give our athletes a platform to shine,\u201d she shared.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"1510\" data-end=\"1723\">With waiting lists growing and hundreds of athletes involved, the demand for a central hub is growing too. \u201cWe\u2019re still looking for a permanent venue. That\u2019s the dream \u2014 to bring everyone together under one roof.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF;border: 0;border-radius: 3px;margin: 1px;max-width: 540px;min-width: 326px;padding: 0;width: calc(100% - 2px)\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DIWfFG5pN4O\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"flex-direction: row;align-items: center\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 40px;margin-right: 14px;width: 40px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 100px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 60px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"height: 50px;margin: 0 auto 12px;width: 50px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 550;line-height: 18px\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px;flex-grow: 0;margin-right: 14px;margin-left: 2px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 20px;width: 20px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 2px solid transparent;border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom: 2px solid transparent\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center;margin-bottom: 24px\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 224px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 144px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;line-height: 17px;margin-bottom: 0;margin-top: 8px;overflow: hidden;padding: 8px 0 7px;text-align: center\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: 17px;text-decoration: none\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DIWfFG5pN4O\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Special Needs Sports Academy (@heroes_of_hope_)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"1725\" data-end=\"1931\"><strong data-start=\"1725\" data-end=\"1764\">What keeps her going? The athletes&#8230;<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"1725\" data-end=\"1931\">\u201cI wake up every day thinking about what more we can do,\u201d she said. \u201cThese athletes are capable of so much. We\u2019re just giving them the space and support to prove it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"1933\" data-end=\"2114\">Heroes of Hope runs purely on goodwill \u2014 no salaries, just heart. \u201cEvery coach, every staff member, every helping hand \u2014 they\u2019re all volunteers. It\u2019s a movement powered by purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"314\" data-end=\"425\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"><i>Listen to The Lovin Dubai Show podcasts\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/eg\/podcast\/the-lovin-dubai-show\/id1484254079\">right here<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<p>Stay in the loop with Dubai\u2019s hottest news, right at your fingertips! Download the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lovin.co\/dubai\/en\/\">Lovin Dubai app<\/a>\u00a0for FREE to catch the latest stories on your phone.<\/p>\n<p>Plus, the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lovin-dubai-newsletter.beehiiv.com\/subscribe\">Lovin Dubai newsletter<\/a>\u00a0just got a refresh! Sign up now for your daily dose of news, straight to your inbox!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/lovin.co\/merch\/?site_id=1\"><i>Get ready to rep your city in style! The Lovin Merch drop is here \u2013 Grab yours now!<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you\u2019ve ever come across the bright energy of Heroes of Hope at a local sports event, you\u2019ve witnessed the work of Hollie Murphy. The Irish expat is the founder of one of the UAE\u2019s most impactful sports academies for people of determination \u2014 a not-for-profit that now supports nearly 300 athletes across 24 sports. &hellip; ","protected":false},"author":4375,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[50],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-96952","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":{"hide_featured_image":false,"featured_image":{"ID":96953,"id":96953,"title":"Holly Murphy","filename":"Holly-Murphy.png","filesize":875362,"url":"https:\/\/cdn.lovin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2025\/05\/05134517\/Holly-Murphy.png","link":"https:\/\/lovin.co\/dubai\/en\/news\/how-this-irish-expat-is-changing-lives-through-inclusive-sports\/attachment\/holly-murphy\/","alt":"","author":"4375","description":"","caption":"","name":"holly-murphy","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":96952,"date":"2025-05-05 09:45:16","modified":"2025-05-05 09:45:16","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/lovin.co\/dubai\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1200,"height":630,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cdn.lovin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2025\/05\/05134517\/Holly-Murphy-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cdn.lovin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2025\/05\/05134517\/Holly-Murphy-250x131.png","medium-width":250,"medium-height":131,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cdn.lovin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2025\/05\/05134517\/Holly-Murphy-768x403.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":403,"large":"https:\/\/cdn.lovin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2025\/05\/05134517\/Holly-Murphy-700x368.png","large-width":700,"large-height":368,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cdn.lovin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2025\/05\/05134517\/Holly-Murphy.png","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":630,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cdn.lovin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2025\/05\/05134517\/Holly-Murphy.png","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":630,"small":"https:\/\/cdn.lovin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2025\/05\/05134517\/Holly-Murphy-120x63.png","small-width":120,"small-height":63,"custom-size":"https:\/\/cdn.lovin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2025\/05\/05134517\/Holly-Murphy-700x200.png","custom-size-width":700,"custom-size-height":200}},"featured_image_caption":"","shorten_deep_link":"https:\/\/lovin.go.link\/koDcn","summary":"","flexible_content":false,"legacy_image":"","legacy_full_image":"","type_of_video":"Self Hosted","lovin_video_link":false,"lovin_video_link_webm":false,"video_thumbnail":false,"disable_lovin_hearts":false,"lovin_heart_title":"","show_sponsor":false,"sponsor_name_copy":"","sponsor_image":false,"sponsor_name":"","sponsor_content":"","sponsor_website":"","sponsor_facebook":"","sponsor_twitter":"","sponsor_tiktok":"","sponsor_instagram":"","enable_reveal_feature":false,"reveal_image":false,"featured_for_app":false,"legacy_meta_tags":"","episode_number":"","embed_code":"","episode_introduction":"","is_guest_user":false},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lovin.co\/dubai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96952","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lovin.co\/dubai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lovin.co\/dubai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lovin.co\/dubai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4375"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lovin.co\/dubai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=96952"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lovin.co\/dubai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96952\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lovin.co\/dubai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=96952"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lovin.co\/dubai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=96952"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lovin.co\/dubai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=96952"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}