First competitive experience puts skills developed through specialised PE sessions into practice
Sharjah Women’s Sports organized a competitive stage as part of the “Elite Sports School” gatherings on 18 and 19 May 2026 at the Sharjah Women’s Sports Olympic Centre, with the participation of the American School of Creative Science and the Emirates American School, under the cooperation agreements signed with the organization.
The initiative aims to integrate structured sports training into the school day and develop students’ abilities through regular programmes delivered by specialised technical staff.
For the first time since the initiative was launched, the gatherings featured organized sports competitions between students, marking a new stage following a series of specialised physical education sessions delivered within the partner schools by coaches from Sharjah Women’s Sports Clubs.
These sessions introduced students to the fundamentals of different sports while developing their technical and physical abilities as part of the school day. The competitive format was designed to take them from regular training into an organized competition environment, helping strengthen their self-confidence, their understanding of the rules of each sport, and their ability to approach competition with a positive sporting spirit.
The competitions build on an initiative that benefits 621 students annually through regular sports programmes delivered under cooperation agreements with participating schools. The programme reflects Sharjah Women’s Sports’ commitment to strengthening the presence of sport within the educational environment, while giving students an early opportunity to discover their abilities and develop discipline and teamwork.
The first day featured competitions in fencing, archery and table tennis, while the second was dedicated to judo, taekwondo and athletics. The events were marked by enthusiasm, commitment and positive engagement, reflecting the students’ progress and their ability to apply the skills developed during training sessions within an organized competitive setting.
Commenting on the gathering, Moza Al Shamsi, Director of Sharjah Women’s Sports, said the “Elite Sports School” represents one of the organization’s key pathways for embedding sport more firmly within the educational environment and creating wider opportunities for students to discover their sporting interests and develop their abilities through structured and sustainable programmes.
She added that the initiative reflects the organization’s belief in the importance of building a conscious and positive relationship between students and sport from the early school years, creating a balance between academic achievement and sporting development while reinforcing discipline, self-confidence and teamwork.
Al Shamsi noted that introducing competition into the gatherings gives students a practical opportunity to test their skills in a safe and encouraging environment, while supporting the wider goal of developing a promising new generation of athletes.
Alyazia Al Suwaidi, Head of the Technical Preparation and Follow-up Section at Sharjah Women’s Sports, explained that the competitions were introduced to assess the impact of the training sessions delivered within the schools.
“Over the past period, we have worked to make physical education sessions more closely connected to actual sports participation by introducing students to different sports and teaching them the fundamentals in a simple and structured way,” she said. “What we observed during the gathering reflects clear progress in the students’ engagement with PE sessions, as well as in their ability to follow instructions and apply the skills they have learned.”
She added: “This experience goes beyond competition. It helps us strengthen students’ relationship with sport within the school environment and encourages them to see physical activity as an important part of their school day. This contributes to increasing participation and promoting a sporting culture among girls from an early age.
“The competitive environment also demonstrated a good level of confidence, discipline and teamwork — all of which are important qualities that we continue to reinforce through the programme.”
Amani Hani Abdel Shafi, Physical Education Teacher at the Emirates American School, said the initiative had given students a different experience of school sport.
“The students have become more engaged in PE sessions because they feel that every training session leads towards a clear goal,” she said. “Taking part in competitions has helped them understand the importance of focus, discipline and respect for their opponents. These are extremely valuable qualities in shaping their character both inside and outside school.”
Raja Al Kraibi, Physical Education Teacher at the American School of Creative Science, said: “What distinguishes the initiative is that it does not treat sport as an isolated class, but as an integrated learning pathway. We have noticed greater motivation among the students, particularly in the younger age groups. They are more willing to try, participate, follow instructions and work as part of a team.”
Noon Al Tayeb, a Grade 6 student at the Emirates American School who competed in judo, said: “I was happy to take part in judo. I learned to focus before making a move, follow my coach’s instructions and respect my classmates.”
Her Grade 6 classmate Zainab Koret added: “I liked judo because it requires focus and calmness. It was a great experience, and I hope to take part again and continue improving.”
From the American School of Creative Science, Grade 3 student Muzna Ghanem, who participated in taekwondo, said: “I liked taekwondo because it is fun and makes me move with confidence. I was happy to take part with my friends.”
Her Grade 3 classmate Noor Saeed added: “I learned to listen to my coach, and if I make a mistake, I try again. The competition was fun and I enjoyed taking part.”
At the conclusion of the gathering, students who achieved the top positions were recognized with medals and certificates of appreciation, while the efforts of all participating students, coaches, teachers and supervisors who contributed to the success of the event were also acknowledged.
The competitions represent another step in Sharjah Women’s Sports’ efforts to establish a stronger culture of sports participation among girls and deepen the connection between education and sport, in line with its vision of developing a confident and aware generation capable of approaching sporting experiences with a positive mindset and sustained ambition.
