by At a news conference on Tuesday, the San Diego Unified School District welcomed an increase in student engagement in sports, new equipment, and field improvements.
Between the 2018 and 2024 academic years, there was a 13% increase in the number of kids participating in school athletics, according to SDUSD superintendent Fabi Bagula.
And that’s even though the district’s overall enrollment fell by 23% over that time.
San Diego Unified started sponsoring middle school athletics in the 2021 academic year, according to Lonnie Jones, the Middle School Athletics Coordinator. and 5,700 pupils are playing currently.
Sports at Jones Middle School are more than simply games as the program begins its fourth year.
According to Jones, they are routes to self-assurance, self-control, and long-term success.
According to Bagula, the district has acquired over 2,000 sporting supplies for the forthcoming academic year, including hundreds of balls for different sports, mouthguards, wrestling equipment, and soccer and cross country uniforms.
Additionally, the district bought flag football players foam headgear.”We’ve continued to do everything we can to invest because we recognize the tremendous value that sports bring to our students and their families,” she added.
Additionally, over eight high schools in the district have had their fields updated or upgraded in recent years.
The district’s annual student-athlete leadership summit was held at Clairemont High School at the same time as the news conference.
Approximately three dozen student-athletes attended the summit to discuss safety and other topics.
Get neighborhood news in your inbox. It’s free and enlightening.
Become one of the 20,000+ individuals who receive breaking news alerts and the Times of San Diego in their inbox every day at 8 a.m.
Weekly updates from San Diego communities have also been provided! You acknowledge and agree to the terms by clicking “Sign Up.” Choose from the options below.
Every high school in the district will have an athletic council to talk about sports-related issues starting in the fall, according to Bagula.
According to Jaxson Giusti, a junior at Mira Mesa High School and member of the student-athlete advisory council, the state’s school sports governing body has explicit guidelines that encourage good sportsmanship: respect referees and other officials, cheer for your team rather than the other team, and refrain from using foul language or rushing the field.
According to Giusti, sports are ultimately about more than just competition. They emphasize morality, cooperation, and proudly representing our school and community.
