Sportshall athletics: the winter indoor format explained

Long before most young athletes ever step onto an outdoor track, they compete in Sportshall, the UK's biggest schools athletics programme, and one that happens entirely indoors.

Where it came from

Sportshall was created by George Bunner MBE to give young athletes a safe, warm environment to train and compete through the cold, dark winter months, when an outdoor track is a much less appealing place to be. The first competition ran in 1976, and the UK Clubs Championships have run annually since 1984, making it one of the longest-running youth formats in British sport.

Events, adapted for a sports hall

Traditional track and field events are reworked into indoor-friendly versions: running and relay races, obstacle courses, shot put, speed bounce, standing long jump, standing triple jump, and vertical jump, alongside whatever else a session's coaches choose to include. The adaptations exist so a school sports hall, rather than a full outdoor facility, can host proper competition.

Who it is for

Sportshall covers children aged roughly 4 to 16, with the Sportshall Indoor League specifically running five fixtures across the winter for what was previously the U11 to U15 age range (now U12 and U14 under the current age group system, see our age groups guide).

What it feels like

Competitions are known for an electric atmosphere: teams cheering each other on through relay races and field event challenges, run at a pace that keeps things moving and keeps younger athletes engaged, rather than the longer, quieter format of an outdoor meeting.

Getting involved

Most Sportshall competition is organised through school links and local athletics clubs rather than entered individually. If your child enjoys it, that is usually the moment to look at joining a proper club for training outside of school hours.