Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], September 6 (ANI): A total of 1670 athletes from 90 teams from leading international schools across India are competing at Jayshree Periwal International School (JPIS), Jaipur, as the ISSO Football & Tennis Games, being held from September 3-8, continue to showcase the scale and growing strength of organised inter-school sport in the country.

The Games feature Under-19 Girls and Under-17 Boys football competitions, alongside Under-14, Under-17 and Under-19 tennis competitions for both boys and girls, bringing together some of the country's most promising school athletes, according to a press release from ISSO Games. 

With schools travelling from 25+ cities, the multi-day event has brought together hundreds of young athletes across football and tennis, creating a major platform for students to compete against some of the country's strongest school teams.

The participating schools include Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Oberoi International School, Adani International School, Singapore International School and Jayshree Periwal International School, among several others.

As the Games enter their concluding phase, players are competing in a packed schedule of matches across both sports, with the focus firmly on high-quality competition, skill development and exposure to different playing styles and sporting environments.

The Games reflect the increasing demand for structured competitive opportunities at the school level, where students can test themselves against quality opposition while developing teamwork, resilience, discipline and sportsmanship. The host school, JPIS, has welcomed athletes, coaches and school representatives from across the country. 

Speaking about the Games, Aakanksha Thapak, Founder, ISSO, said, 'School sport has the power to shape confidence, character and lifelong habits. When students compete against quality opposition from different parts of the country, they learn lessons that go beyond results. Seeing 90 teams come together for football and tennis shows how much interest there is in meaningful inter-school competition. We are delighted to bring this scale of football and tennis to Jaipur and are incredibly grateful to Jayshree Periwal International School, Jayshree Periwal Ma'am and Ayush Periwal for their continued support and for opening their doors to the ISSO community.'

JPIS Founder and Chairperson Jayshree Periwal added, "Sport plays a very important role in a child's development. It teaches discipline, teamwork, resilience and the ability to deal with both success and setbacks, lessons that are as important as anything learnt in a classroom. ISSO is doing important work in creating meaningful sporting opportunities for school students and in bringing schools together through competition. We are always happy to support initiatives that give young athletes a platform to compete at a high level and learn from one another. It is a pleasure for JPIS to host the ISSO Football and Tennis Games, and we look forward to welcoming schools from across the country to Jaipur and witnessing several days of exciting sporting action."

Beyond the competition, the Games are also giving young athletes the opportunity to interact with peers from different schools and regions, reinforcing the role of organised school sport in building a stronger and more connected grassroots sporting ecosystem in India. (ANI)