Developing an Aligned Middle School to High School Sports Program

Middle school and high school are critical stages of a student’s life. During these years, students learn to work collaboratively, shape social skills, and develop physical abilities. A cohesive sports program can help students develop these essential skills and reach their optimum potential. However, the challenge is to create a program that is vertically aligned, sustainable and successful.

Successful sports programs, regardless of the sport that they encompass, should range from middle school through high school and require an integrated approach. The program must focus on skill development, teamwork and a positive culture. The program should also be sustainable, which means it must be supported by the school administration, coaches, parents and the community.

A successful sports program should focus on developing the skills of each student to the best of each student’s ability. This requires a structured and progressive approach that builds on the skills learned in middle school and advances them in high school.

It is particularly important for each coach to keep all vocabulary consistent as well as gain the basic understanding of why things are done a certain way. This is best achieved when the high school coach reaches out to the middle school coach and instills a sense of ownership in the program ensuring that the coach understands both the basic fundamentals and why things are done the way they are. The expectation is that all physical and soft skills are taught in a logically coordinated manner.

For example, a basketball program may focus on shooting, passing and dribbling and the core principles of the program in middle school, while in high school it may focus on more advanced skills, such as offensive and defensive strategies and the tenets of loyalty, accountability and leadership.

Teamwork, which is the ability to work together to attain a shared goal, is essential and should be promoted at all levels. This means creating a spirit of respect and trust among team members. Coaches should encourage players to work together and support each other, even when they make mistakes. For example, a program may encourage players to communicate with each other on the field or court and support each other’s efforts regardless of the outcome.

A successful program should also create a positive culture that promotes sportsmanship and fair play. This means instilling values such as integrity, honesty and respect for opponents. Coaches should lead by example and promote these values in their words and actions. An example would be a football program that encourages players to shake hands with opponents after a game and congratulate them on a well-played game. It is essential that the high school coach and middle school coach are in lock step guaranteeing that the players are exposed to the same philosophy and culture.

One way to promote the cohesive movement of players through a sports program is to set up a system that encourages middle school players to attend high school practices and contests. The younger players learn that what they are being taught is relevant to how they will play in high school.

In addition, younger players witness older players modeling soft skills like encouraging and holding teammates accountable and other leadership skills. Also, it is important for the older players to realize that there are many “little eyes” on them and that they are role models and mentors for the middle school players.

An exciting way to begin this is to initiate a middle school night at a varsity contest. Allow the younger players to watch what goes on prior to the contest in the dressing room as well as what happens on the court, in the huddle and after the contest. Their observations will further solidify the success of the program.

Conversely, host a varsity night at a middle school contest whereby the older players present the younger players with hand-written notes encouraging them to compete hard but show exemplary sportsmanship or to compete hard but remember to take care of academics. Making hand-held signs for each player is another way to show support.

Lastly, another fun way to promote a comprehensive program is to adopt a “Big Sister, Little Sister” type activity whereby varsity and junior varsity players are matched with freshman players with the idea that the older players will serve as mentors to the younger players.

Once players get to high school, it is important to make sure that the freshman team(s) aligns with the junior varsity and the varsity team. Coaches should work together to develop a program philosophy which dictates the vertically aligned progression of fundamentals, techniques and strategies to be taught. Players and their parents need to be aware there is a structure in place where all things build on each other. Nothing is done randomly, rather sequentially and with purpose. At the conclusion of each year, the program should be evaluated to ensure that all components were correctly aligned for success.

A successful sports program must be sustainable, which means it must be supported by the school administration, coaches, parents and the community. This requires a long-term vision and a commitment to investing in the program’s needs, such as equipment, facilities and personnel. It also requires the involvement of parents and the community to provide support through fundraising, volunteering and attendance at games.

Although to a lesser degree, all these things must be cultivated in the middle school and enhanced at the high school. For example, a volleyball program may involve parents at the middle school in carpooling to make sure that all team members can attend early morning practices and later evolve into support for fundraising activities for program needs that might not be covered in the high school budget.

A successful sports program from middle school through high school requires a cohesive approach that focuses on skill development, teamwork and the creation of a positive culture. The program must also be sustainable, requiring the buy-in of multiple people. By creating a program that is integrated, sustainable and successful, students can develop their physical abilities and social skills, and achieve their full potential.

There are many benefits to building and maintaining a cohesive vertically aligned sports program. A byproduct is when players and parents familiarize themselves early with the expectations of the program and are able to navigate seamlessly from middle school through high school. Another thing that contributes to the success of the sports program is that even in a down talent year, a program can still be competitive. Finally, it is hard for true integration to happen in isolation. Rather it can be achieved at a high level when the players, parents and coaches truly bond, establishing a real sense of camaraderie.