Hannes Sirola was a member of the Finnish gymnastics team that won silver behind Norway in the free system at the 1912 Olympic Games. After graduating as a Master of Philosophy, he was the founding principal of the Lahti Lyceum from 1917-20. While he was teaching all subjects, his wife Ida Helmi Helena (née Tähkä) taught girls’ gymnastics from 1918-20. The couple had three sons and three daughters. When the Finnish Civil War broke out, he volunteered to join the Finnish Defence Forces of the Whites.