Ahmedabad, Aug 10 (IANS) The International Schools Sports Organisation (ISSO) is set for its biggest season yet, with its network expanding to more than 630 schools and student-athlete participation expected to cross 28,000 during the 2026-27 season, as the organisation steps up efforts to build structured pathways in school sport across India.
Namrata Adani, an Advisory Board Member of ISSO and the Founding Director and Promoter of Adani International School, Ahmedabad, is playing a key role in driving the organisation’s vision to create a more comprehensive and future-ready sports ecosystem for young athletes.
ISSO has recorded significant growth over the last two seasons, expanding from 440 schools in 2024-25 to 510 in 2025-26, before crossing the 630-school mark this season. Participation has similarly risen from 21,100 student-athletes to nearly 24,900, with the organisation now projecting more than 28,000 participants.
Speaking on the expansion, Namrata Adani said, “Every child deserves the opportunity to discover the transformative power of sport. At ISSO, we are building an ecosystem where young athletes are encouraged not only to compete, but also to lead, learn and grow. The remarkable growth of ISSO reflects the trust that schools, educators and parents have placed in this vision. As we expand our reach, we remain committed to nurturing talent, empowering coaches, creating new opportunities and ensuring that every student has the platform to realise their full potential.”
The organisation’s focus extends beyond conducting competitions, with initiatives aimed at strengthening different stages of an athlete’s development. ISSO IGNITE, its residential high-performance programme, provides training camps under nationally and internationally accredited coaches.
At the coaching level, ISSO Academy has partnered with the International School Sport Federation (ISF) Academy, FIBA, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and Kukkiwon to offer internationally recognised education and certification programmes.
ISSO has also introduced SCORE (Sports Career Opportunities Reimagined) to help students understand opportunities beyond competitive sport. The initiative connects young athletes with universities, industry leaders, and sports professionals to raise awareness of academic and career options in the sports sector.
The organisation has also widened its competitive and professional pathways through its collaboration with the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), particularly for young golfers seeking a route towards higher levels of the sport.
The expansion will be accompanied by a busy competitive calendar. ISSO is scheduled to conduct national championships in Football, Tennis, Chess, Swimming, Judo, Taekwondo, Karate and Badminton during September, with several other major events planned through the remainder of the 2026-27 season.
With its growing school network, increased participation, and emphasis on coaching, performance development, and careers, ISSO is seeking to move school sport beyond participation alone and to create a more connected pathway from grassroots competition to high-performance and professional opportunities.
–IANS
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