On July 31, the final meeting of the regional organizing committee for the preparation and conduct of physical education and health-promotion events and competitions under the “Side by Side All-Ukrainian School Leagues” program for the 2025–2026 school year took place.
The meeting was chaired by Ihor Boiko, Deputy Head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration and Co-Chair of the organizing committee. Heads of military administrations and officials from the regional communities’ education, physical education, and sports authorities joined the discussion.
This season, 137 educational institutions from 40 communities in the Donetsk region participated in the school leagues. They formed 255 teams, comprising 1,680 students. The number of participants was nearly four times higher than in the previous season.
The competition took place in five stages. At the local level, 50 tournaments were held in 23 communities. The regional stage took place on May 27 in Dnipro and brought together 329 students from 24 communities. Participants competed in soccer, rugby-5, basketball, 3×3 basketball, track and field, orienteering, chess, and table tennis.
Fourteen teams from the Velykonovosilkovska, Dobropilska, Kostyantynivska, Myrnohradska, Novodonetska, Ocheretynska, and Pokrovska communities advanced to the finals of the All-Ukrainian stage. They represented the Donetsk region in orienteering, chess, cheerleading, soccer, basketball, track and field, table tennis, rugby-5, and volleyball.
During the meeting, the communities whose teams competed in the national finals were honored with commemorative plaques. Participants also discussed preparations for the new 2026–2027 season.
Despite the war and forced displacement, schoolchildren in Donetsk Oblast continue to train, form teams, and represent the region with dignity at the national level.