Project Overview: Together in Sports

Project Overview: Together in Sports

The "Together in sports" project, formally titled "Joint trainings and competitions in Estonia and Latvia," was a cross-border initiative that used the universal language of sports to connect young people, coaches, and local leaders. At its heart, the project's mission was to build trust and forge a shared sense of community between border communities in Latvia and Estonia.

The Starting Line: Why Was This Project Needed?

The partner municipalities - Valka, Smiltene, and Valga - faced a set of common challenges that they were determined to overcome together. Located along the Latvian-Estonian border and far from their national centers, these communities needed a new way to connect, share knowledge, and create opportunities for their youth. The primary obstacles were:

• Geographic Location: Being situated far from their respective capital cities meant fewer opportunities for development and collaboration compared to more central regions.
• Economic Conditions: Lower levels of economic activity resulted in less financing for community programs, meaning local sports development was not as advanced as in other parts of their countries.
• Cooperation Gaps: Before this project, cooperation in sports between the neighbouring municipalities had not been in focus. There was a clear opportunity for shared learning, especially as Valga’s sports clubs were eager to learn from the established sports schools in Valka and Smiltene.

A Cross-Border Team: Who Was Involved?

Three municipalities, two from Latvia and one from Estonia, joined forces to bring the "Together in sports" project to life. This partnership was the foundation of the project's cross-border impact.

Partners

• Valka Municipality Council - Latvia, Lead Partner
• Smiltene Municipality - Latvia, Partner
• Valga Municipality- Estonia, Partner
   

The project's main beneficiaries were the young athletes, their coaches, and sports specialists from these regions. By providing new opportunities for training and competition, the project also positively impacted the wider community, which rallied together as spectators and supporters of the joint events.

The project's activities were carefully designed to foster both skill development through shared learning and friendly competition through international events. The plan was divided into two key areas: experience exchange visits and joint sporting events.

Learning from Neighbors: Experience Exchange Visits

To share knowledge and best practices, the project organized three targeted trips that allowed participants to learn from successful sports programs in both countries.

1. Visit for Sports Specialists: 45 specialists traveled to Tartu, Otepää, and Pärnu in Estonia to study how these cities organize major sports events and manage their local programmes, bringing valuable new ideas back to their home communities.
2. Visit for Coaches and Trainees: 130 coaches and young athletes visited the Ventspils Olympic Centre in Latvia. This trip gave them firsthand experience with top training facilities and modern methods, including the use of digital technologies to check their power and speed.
3. Visit to Shooting grounds: A focused group of 50 shooters visited Otepää, Estonia, to raise self-confidence, foster friendly competition, and become familiar with the shooting infrastructure of their neighboring country.

Competing Together: Joint Camps & Tournaments

The core of the project involved bringing young athletes from Latvia and Estonia together on the playing field. A series of camps and tournaments were organized across several popular sports, creating a vibrant atmosphere of friendly rivalry and mutual respect.

The Final Score: What Did We Achieve?

The project created a vibrant, lasting cross-border community and proudly surpassed its original participation targets.

The project set an ambitious goal of achieving 795 participations in its joint actions. By the end of the project, the target was achieved and a total of 804 participants took part in various various camps, tournaments, and exchange visits.

Building a Stronger Community

Beyond the numbers, the project delivered added value that will benefit the partner regions for years to come. The most important achievements were:

• Shared Expertise: Partners gained new experience in organizing international sports events, improving their ability to host high-quality competitions for their communities.
• New Connections: The project built strong, lasting relationships, with particularly good cooperation established between the floorball, football, and basketball team coaches and their young athletes.
• Strengthened Partnerships: The overall collaboration between the Valka, Smiltene, and Valga municipalities was reinforced, sparking new ideas for future cross-border cooperation projects that extend even beyond the world of sports.

The conclusion of the "Together in sports" project is not an end but the beginning of a new chapter of cooperation. The partner municipalities are inspired by its success that they have committed to continuing the joint sports events using their own budgets. International competitions in track-and-field, shooting, football, basketball, and floorball will continue, ensuring that the spirit of friendship and healthy competition forged across the border will thrive for years to come.