Category: Middle School Sports

Naomi White refs volleyball

College Volleyball Hopeful Started with AEF Middle School Sports

Many student-athletes who begin their sports careers in AEF’s Middle School Sports program go on to serve as coaches and referees when they reach high school. Currently, Encinal’s coach is a former participant and the ACLC/Nea basketball and track programs regularly include former players in coaching roles.

We connected with one of these high schoolers, Naomi White, who is currently a senior at Encinal High School. Naomi started playing volleyball at Wood Middle School with the AEF Middle School Sports (MSS) program and continues to be involved in the program as a referee.

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relay race

AEF Middle School Sports are Back with an Equity Focus

AEF is back at it with our Middle School Sports program, which we have been running since 2009 after it was cut by AUSD. AUSD and public middle school students are eligible to participate as part of their school teams. Girls Basketball games begin in January 2022 with the boys games following in March. Coed Volleyball and Track & Field will be spring sports.

AEF took advantage of the break in action to create Guiding Principles to steer the program.

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From “Bummed Out” to Sports Star

spotlight-bb-feb16Daniel transferred to his new middle school in the beginning of 6th grade. After a few weeks, the AEF Middle School Sports coach, who is also a P.E. teacher at the school, noticed he was hanging by himself and had little enthusiasm. Daniel told the coach he was having a hard time making friends and was feeling  “bummed out”. The coach suggested sports as a way for him to get involved.

The coach realized he had no experience with any sports,

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Wood Volleyball Team Raises Money for Breast Cancer Awareness

Our Middle School Sports program provides students with a safe, healthy after-school activity that supports sportsmanship, teamwork, goal setting, self-confidence and school spirit.  But you never know what else can happen when you put a group of determined middle schoolers together.

The Wood Middle School volleyball players decided they wanted to support breast cancer awareness.  Throughout the month of October the girls donned pink hair bows and the boys pink socks and laces.

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