- April 24, 2024
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The Flagler County School Board is currently weighing options to establish a districtwide middle school athletics program. This is a good thing.
The board held a 20-minute workshop meeting Tuesday to get the ball rolling, although nothing was decided.
Although there will be many financial hurdles, establishing a sports program for middle school students will help on several levels. If the board can find the funding, the program should happen.
With middle school students finishing their day around 1:45 p.m., there are several after-school hours before parents get home. Having athletics programs — and other extracurricular activities — can help keep students busy.
Steve DeAugustino, athletics director at Flagler Palm Coast High School, said discussions are still preliminary, but he agrees having the program would be a good idea.
“I think any activities that we can offer where the kids have an anchor to the school and the coaches are there helping them with their academics and discipline (is a good thing),” DeAugustino said.
For many student-athletes, a coach is another adult figure in their lives who can help shape them.
“Coaches, in my opinion, are one of the best mentors you can have,” DeAugustino said. “Coaches spend a lot of time with kids, and they get to know them, and they get involved in a lot of aspects of their lives.”
Currently, there are two football teams at the county’s two middle schools: Indian Trails and Buddy Taylor. And while those teams utilize the school district's facilities, the actual teams are a product of the Flagler County Police Athletic League.
So, there really hasn’t been a fully established middle school sports program in Flagler County. At least not in a long time.
“I think it would be a tremendous thing to add to the curriculum,” said Matanzas High School Athletics Director Ken Seybold. He also said adding programs outside of sports would be good.
Keeping students productive with sports and other programs after school is a huge benefit, but the teams would also act as feeder programs to both high schools. That would help develop high school athletics programs because players can develop better relationships with coaches long before they become freshmen.
Even though the financial aspect is likely the largest hurdle, I think it would behoove the School Board to continue to have this discussion. Developing a middle school sports program seems like a win-win for student-athletes, coaches and the community.
