Pervouralsk New Pipe Plant’s stadium is currently hosting the preliminary stage of the city Leather Ball tournament, organized to celebrate the Metallurgist’s Day. Twelve children’s teams, including backyard clubs from Magnitka, Talitsa, and (for the first time this year) Bilimbai are competing for the place in the semi-final. The preliminary games will last for four days, with three backyard clubs playing each day. In the end, four strongest teams have to be selected, with valuable prizes for the winners.

The Leather Ball’s semifinal and final games are to be played at the new sports-playing area (to be constructed next to school No.10) on Metallurgist’s Day, July 20, 2008. The site is already under construction: it has been covered with macadam, the lamp posts have already been installed, as well as the basis for the fence.

This new playground is going to become the first of the three hockey courts that are to appear this summer. Putting up sports fields and organizing football championships are parts of Pervouralsk New Pipe Plant’s strategy aimed at popularizing sports among children; this is a joint project implemented by the plant, the municipal council, and the local hockey club.

The Leather Ball football championship is the summertime alternative to the winter’s Wicker Ball hockey tournament. The main ambition behind these events is to ensure ongoing training of young sports players and to create the conditions necessary for the children’s physical development and excellence in sports.