Students' Sport Games

The Tallinn Education Department is active in promoting education through sport via "Tallinn Students' School Sport Games" project.

The project has been implemented under various names since 1922, when the Association of Tallinn Secondary School Sports Clubs was founded. The current students' sport games have been held since 1981, yet the aim has stayed the same: to promote sports, healthy lifestyles and positive attitudes into youth.

Tallinn School Sport is a working, dynamic system and quite unique in Europe. The sporting competitions span over the entire school year, energizing sporting life at schools and giving almost 13500 students the opportunity to compete in various fields. There are championships in 14 fields: track and field athletics, relay race, relay swimming, checkers, chess, skiing, cross-country running, orienteering, football, handball, basketball, badminton, volleyball and table tennis.

Start for cross-country running
Championships are held for boys and girls in two age groups: basic schools (13-15 years old) and upper secondary schools (16-18 years old). All students in these age groups in Tallinn's school system are eligible and almost all of them are part of the process.

Andres Vakra, Coordinator of the project, considers the importance of the sustainability of the project: "The sportive young person is healthy, with bigger workability and always in good mood. The teachers have a significant role to educate the young people with healthy attitudes. It is only natural that every student's path in sports starts with school spirit, and defending his or her own alma mater. Winning is not everything, an active participation and perseverance are held in high regard."