Sandburg Middle School coaches, teachers and administrators already knew that. In fact, creating opportunities to make friends and build community was part of the reason Fairfax County Public Schools decided to bring sports to middle school for the first time this year.
“It’s really great to see students bringing this idea of camaraderie and teamwork into their classrooms and schools, and we hope it will build on that momentum.”Eric Underhill the principal said.
Fairfax launched its first middle school sports program last month, welcoming thousands of sixth, seventh and eighth graders to the school’s cross country teams.
District spokeswoman Julie Malt said the area’s community sports programs are so strong and popular that the middle school does not offer track and field. But Fairfax Superintendent Michelle Reed, who came to the district last year, said she wants more equitable policies. Now, students can get exercise and bond with their neighbors without having to play sports in paid communities, which often requires fees and transportation costs.
In March, the school board agreed to allocate $600,000 to literally help middle school students get started. School leaders say so far the cross country season has been well received by students and parents. Nearly 2,000 students participated in the district’s first competition last Saturday. The season continues until October. And in the spring, the track begins.
The introduction of middle school sports comes as schools across the country face a mental health crisis, due in part to the isolation and disruption students have felt during the pandemic. Nationally, 70% of schools have reported an increase in students seeking mental health services since the pandemic began.
About 17% of sixth graders in Fairfax County report feeling stressed most or all of the time, and about 62% report feeling stressed some or all of the time, according to the county’s 2023 Youth Survey conducted in November and December 2022. Almost 30% of sixth graders who reported feeling stressed at times reported feeling so sad or hopeless nearly every day for two or more weeks in a row that they stopped doing regular activities.
Reed said she hopes athletics will promote physical and mental health in the district’s 23 middle schools.
“This is just part of a healthy lifestyle as young people enter adolescence and graduate to become citizens,” Reed said in an interview. “We are in a mental health crisis in many ways, and we are also facing a fitness crisis in this country. It’s so important that students are actively engaged, and we want to make that possible.” I’m just excited.”
At Monday’s practice, Moore explained his routine for the day. Don’t go too fast, he said. He aims to complete four laps around the track and field stadium. He knew that many of the nearly 50 runners there had competed in the inaugural event just days earlier.
“Hey, there’s three ‘Panthers’. Let’s say it real loud,” he said. “1, 2, 3…”
“Panthers!” the kids shouted before the Nikes hit the asphalt.
Research shows that physical activity can have a positive impact on school performance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, physically active students tend to have better grades, school attendance, cognitive ability, and classroom behavior. Research has also shown that participation in youth sports can have a wide range of social benefits, including improving mental health, building confidence, and developing important skills such as teamwork and leadership.
Sandburg athletic coordinator Tyesha Augustine said the school is already seeing the positive impact of its cross country team. Her students run up to her in the hallways asking how they can get involved, and her parents are trying to find ways to help as well. She saw runners sitting together at lunch. These are friends I might not have met otherwise. She hears her children encourage each other and has seen many grow in confidence with each of her practices.
“Kids today have a reason to feel seen and to feel seen,” Augustine said. “It’s not just, ‘I’m a student at the school,’ it’s, ‘I’m a student-athlete,’ and at the end of the day, you get the benefits.”
Megan Afrifa, 12, didn’t really like running when she first joined the team, but the best friends she made in the first few weeks of practice motivated her to keep coming back. I started thinking.
“I like meeting new people who are really cool,” Meghan said. “And I like to see people outside not using their phones.”
Reed said the district plans to continue investing in middle school sports and hopes to expand its offerings in the coming years.
Middle school sports are fairly common. Nearby Prince William and Arlington counties offer a variety of sports, including tennis, football, soccer, basketball, and wrestling. In this district, middle school students can choose from a variety of sports, including bowling, archery, and baseball.
Other school districts are now following suit. Baltimore City Public Schools piloted a middle school sports program last year and launched the full program this year. Additionally, Alexandria City Public Schools, which does not offer middle school sports, announced last month a proposal to introduce track and field to middle school. .
“We truly believe our kids need more programming in the wake of COVID-19,” ACPS Athletic Director James Parker said at the Sept. 21 school board meeting. “They need more opportunities to learn things like leadership and healthy habits, to be around positive role models and to stay off the streets.”
The board will consider funding the proposal, which would add 10 sports over three years, during spring budget discussions.
When they returned to practice on Monday, after running for about an hour in the lingering heat, the students began to walk slowly. They paced the track with their hands on their heads. They stretched out on the green grass, their bellies rising and falling, still breathing heavily.
Practice was coming to an end, but not before taking a break and catching up with friends.
Claire Brown, 13, joined Sandburg’s team to continue playing lacrosse outside of school during the offseason. Although running has never been her “strong skill,” she said she can already feel her endurance building and getting better.
The encouragement from my friends on the team gave me strength.
“They were trying to get you excited and it was like, ‘Oh, come on,’ okay, I’ve got a little bit more left in me,” Brown said. “It’s like everyone is encouraging each other. ‘You’ve got a little bit left. Just push a little harder. You’re getting there.’
