The Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS) is pleased to announce the receipt of a grant from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, in partnership with the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, to expand middle school athletic programs, adding soccer for boys and girls and girls' flag football. The grant, in the amount of $425,000 over a three-year period, will fully fund the first year of soccer and flag football, providing our students and schools with the funds necessary to start these programs. The balance of the funds will be used to support the programs over the next two years, as the district takes over funding of these programs.
GSCS has offered five sports at the middle school level for several years including football, cheerleading, softball, basketball and track and field. The addition of flag football and soccer are needed additions that will expand access to athletic programming to at least 720 additional student athletes by 2028.
GSCS District Athletic Director Bill Stikes stated, "We are grateful for this grant from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, allowing us to expand our athletic programming to reach new students. Our student-athletes graduate at higher rates than non-athletes, have higher grade point averages and have less disciplinary referrals. Expanding our middle school programming allows more of our students to experience the positive outcomes associated with athletic participation at an earlier age. This grant provides all the necessary funding to start these programs and will allow us to offer both flag football and soccer at no cost to participants."
Many students have advocated for adding sports like soccer. Rehoboth Road Middle School Sixth Grade Student Ava Killingsworth stated, "I am so excited to hopefully be able to be a part of the new middle school soccer team and represent my school! It means the world to me to get more time on the field, doing what I love. Soccer keeps me in shape, and I’ve made some of my best friends while playing. I can’t wait to meet my new team! We’re going to be awesome!”
GSCS Athletics believes in the power of educational-based athletics and seeks to use sports to teach life skills like hard work, perseverance, discipline, sportsmanship, teamwork and character. Our coaches use athletics to drive individual and school improvement, emphasizing academic excellence, good character and exemplary behavior. GSCS partners with organizations like the Beyond Self Athlete Program and the Positive Coaching Alliance to help empower coaches to provide positive experiences for student-athletes.