First Middle School Sports Programs Starting At Alexandria City Public Schools

ALEXANDRIA, VA — School-based sports in middle schools will be a new offering at Alexandria City Public Schools this school year.

The school division said it was launching sports during the 2024-2025 school year at four middle school campuses and would be adding more sports over the next three years. Sports being introduced this school year are the Scholastic Bowl and girls or boys’ basketball in the fall season and track and field, or swim and dive in the spring season.

According to ACPS, more than 350 students have shown interest in trying out for the first sports. Students participating in school sports must attend all classes, be in good standing with their teachers and earn grades higher than D to be permitted to practice or play.

"Our goal is to change behavior and make sure they take everything seriously on and off the playing surface," said James Parker, executive director of athletics and student activities at ACPS.

Parker believes the new sports program will strengthen the sports culture at middle schools and help the success of Alexandria City High School teams. ACPS is also working on a schedule allowing the teams to play schools outside the school division.

The coordinators of sports programs at middle schools include Evan Sonoda at George Washington Middle School, Jennifer Wilson at Francis C. Hammond Middle School, Nicholas Hildebidle at Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School and Eric Brandley at Patrick Henry K-8 School.

The head boys’ basketball coaches are Fulton Vinson (GW), Donald Linwood (Hammond), Adrian Slade (Jefferson-Houston) and Robert Giulian (Patrick Henry). The Head girls’ basketball coaches are Andrew Storr and Patricia Miller (GW), Tenicka Frye (Hammond), Harrisson Horne (Jefferson-Houston) and Michael Veale (Patrick Henry).

Head track & field coaches are Kendia Thomas (GW) and Darnell Roy (Hammond), and head swim and dive coaches are Diller Matthews (GW) and John Gullickson (Hammond).

The head Scholastic Bowl coaches are Melanie Roberts and Ebony Fuseyamore (GW), Karl Pederson and Kathy Mason (Hammond), Brittany Fraser (Jefferson-Houston) and Meaghan Weis (Patrick Henry).

Sign-ups to try out for sports are available to ACPS students in sixth to eighth grade. Families may express interest in volunteering with teams, including with game management and scorekeeping.