In his first year as athletic director at Davidson Middle School, Jonathan Victor started an after-school program this spring that will focus on sixth graders who are interested in athletics and want to get better.

The program, Sixth Grade Sports Foundations, was created by Victor and superintendent Sharon Irvine while brainstorming ways to set sixth graders up for success in sports, since their options are limited. Currently, sixth-grade boys are only eligible to participate in cross county, soccer, swimming, wrestling and track, and sixth grade girls can compete in cross country, cheer, swimming, wrestling, soccer and track.

“It’s always important for us to make sure that our numbers are good for our athletics and that we have full teams, so at the start of each sports season I ask students if they’re trying out for any sports,” Victor said.

He explained that many students express their interest in sports but are hesitant to because they’re not really sure how to play.

Since sixth-grade athletics are limited, especially starting next spring with sixth graders becoming ineligible to run track in the Downriver League, Victor’s idea was to create a program that would keep interested kids involved in sports until more options become available to them in seventh grade.

Sixth Grade Sports Foundations is an after-school program that is split up by gender and coached by two Davidson staff members. The welcoming atmosphere of the program will foster an environment of not only growth but also extracurricular fun and bonding with peers.

The males will learn football and basketball-related skills while the females will focus on volleyball and basketball. All students will learn the rules and the basics of the game in addition to proper weightlifting techniques and other skills that will promote overall physical fitness.

“We’re going to show them different things so that they can strengthen their bodies and overall just be healthier individuals,” Victor said, also emphasizing that the program will promote teamwork, allow students to get to know their classmates better and even give Davidson students a leg up on other Downriver schools when it comes to next year’s sports.

Many students who grew up playing sports in elementary school don’t continue playing after a gap year, so Sixth Grade Sports Foundations is designed to keep students’ interest alive. It is also designed for students who have never played a sport to get comfortable with team sports and encourage them to get involved and try something new.

“The goal is to have them all reach their full potential and their own personal goals,” Victor said. “Even if they don’t end up playing the sport, I feel like they’re still getting a lot out of this program.”

This year, there were at least 53 interested sixth graders and Victor anticipates the program doubling next year.

Another goal he has for the program, especially as more and more students sign up, is to get student-athlete volunteers from Southgate Anderson involved as mentors.

“I think it would be amazing to get more members of the community involved with this,” Victor said. “It's always a positive thing to get high school students to act as a mentor or a coach for younger students. In my opinion, it creates more buy-in for the community and builds a sense of togetherness.”

For more information about the Davidson Athletics Program, visit https://davidson.southgateschools.com.