ABSTRACT
The chapter provides an insight to the realm of small-town and rural sports, focusing on the People’s Sports Teams as a prominent symbol. These and other social organisations operated under the authority of the People’s Republic of Poland, an authoritarian regime, and were responsible for fostering and overseeing sports activities in the provinces. Nevertheless, the records found in central archives only offer a limited perspective compared to the actual practices of provincial sports clubs. The chapter unveils how local sports enthusiasts and athletes would strategically navigate and sometimes challenge the official organisational framework in order to attain their desired objectives. Furthermore, the chapter delves into the material conditions of sporting events in the peripheries and explores the agency of rural and small-town residents with an interest in sports.
