Top UK Beach Volleyballer Issa Batrane Joins EcoAthletes Champions Squad to Help Spike Climate Change
Twenty-five-year-old Issa Batrane is approaching the prime of his beach volleyball career and thus the prime of his influence as an athlete. Passionate about climate change, he is looking to ramp up that influence by becoming EcoAthletes’ newest Champion. The London native showed an immediate aptitude for indoor volleyball when he started playing at 13.
Issa Batrane (Photo credit: FIVB World Tour photographer)
“By the time I was 16, I was on the senior Richmond Volleyball team and part of the regional England national squad as an outside hitter,” Batrane recalled. “Then I attended the Bournemouth Volleyball Academy, Learning and Achievement Federation (LeAF) at 17 — my mum didn’t want me to go so far away at first but ultimately, she understood. When summer came ‘round, I was looking forward to hanging out with my friends but one of my coaches asked, ‘why don’t you try beach volleyball?’ as a way to get better at indoor, to improve my touch, movement and jumping.”
The experiment in the sand proved to be a propitious one for Batrane if not for the Junior indoor national squad as beach volleyball proved to be a perfect fit.
“I’m really too short to be an outside hitter indoors, and so the indoor coaches wanted me to be a defensive player” admitted Batrane. “So, I decided to switch to beach during my second year at Bournemouth University where they have the only indoor beach volleyball facility in the UK.”
Fast forward five years and Batrane is one half of a top British team with teammate Freddie Bialokoz. The duo’s short- and long-term goals are lofty.
Issa Batrane fully extends his body to make the play (Photo credit: FIVB World Tour photographer)
“The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham next summer are the next big step for us; qualifiers are in May,” said Batrane. “Then it’s qualify for the ’23 World Championships and the Paris Olympics in 2024. Long term, our goal is to medal at LA 2028.”
By that time, Batrane expects he will have used his platform to make a positive difference on climate change, thanks to an environmental ethos that was instilled to him well before he ever eyed a volleyball net.
“The environment was important to our family as far back as I could remember,” recalled Batrane. “My mum was always telling us ‘Recycle this’, ‘upcycle that’, ‘don’t waste’, things like that. And then beach volleyball really made me more conscious of environmental and climate degradation. I’d see razors and toothbrushes on the sand. I studied business, information technology and have always had a passion for sustainability, which made me curious about how we could use technology to do more on the environment and climate.”
Curiosity piqued, Batrane sought out climate information wherever he could find it, listening to climate-themed podcasts like Blue Planet, Future Blue and the 8-part Emergency on Planet Sport series.
Batrane practices his serve at sunrise (Photo credit: VolleyTours)
It also led him to scrutinize brands interested in potential endorsement deals: “If I’m going to use my platform to message on climate then I’m going to ask brands what they’re doing to reduce emissions along with other ways they really want to make an impact? That’s why I’ve endorsed Hylo Athletics’ sustainable apparel.”
Becoming an EcoAthletes Champion was a natural next step.
“I love how EcoAthletes offers a community for athletes who are interested in leading on climate, and also helps with climate communication,” Batrane offered. “And I’m excited to meet like-minded athletes and broadening the reach of our climate messaging.”
Founder and CEO Lew Blaustein is happy to welcome Batrane to the EcoAthletes Champions fold.
“Beach volleyball is growing in popularity in Great Britain and so is Issa’s platform,” Blaustein said. “His commitment to climate action and his desire to become a more powerful climate communicator will make him an impactful climate leader.”