News

 

Sports at Jurupa elementary schools help students grow, achieve and learn without limits – in and out of the classroom. Athletics boost attendance, foster a positive school environment, and teach sportsmanship and good behavior, educators say.

 

“Our sports program has really built school pride and allowed students that may not feel as engaged to have moments to shine!” said Ronald J. Zahnd, Principal of Van Buren Elementary. “The office buzzes every day we have games, with students hovering as they wait for me to come out to begin.”

Van Buren offers soccer from October to December – 66 students currently participate – and basketball from March to May. Both feature co-ed teams of fifth- and sixth-graders, with games during lunch on Mondays and Fridays.

 

Another campus with a top sports program, West Riverside Elementary, also provides soccer (55 to 60 students are now playing) and basketball for fifth- and sixth grade students, and last year added softball. This fall, about a dozen soccer games are scheduled on Mondays and Thursdays from 2:40 p.m. to 3:40 p.m.

 

“The program is a lot of fun and it helps motivate our students to do better in their academics and behavior if they want to participate,” said Maurice Castro, a teacher who has led West Riverside’s after-school sports program for more than 18 years. After the games are over, Mr. Castro added, the school picks an all-star team to compete against staff in a big game that all students are invited to attend.

 

At Van Buren, teachers choose team captains and the school holds a player draft, assigns a college name to each team, and posts schedules, rosters and rankings on campus. The principal officiates games and shares recaps that help all students stay engaged and track progress. At season’s end, the winning team receives medals.

 

More broadly, educators say, team sports promote fitness while teaching a range of life skills.

 

“There is a great deal of collaboration, problem-solving, and communication each day in our league,” Mr. Zahnd said. “I observe teammates discussing and coming to agreements regarding position choices, penalties that I am not in position at times to judge, and strategies for winning based on gaining the lead or defending the lead.”

Athletics also can elevate students who might struggle in school – improving their classwork, conduct and mind-set.

 

​“I have one student who has some behavior issues in class and on the playground,” Mr. Zahnd said. “The soccer program has been a motivator for him to complete additional work, be more respectful to adults and students on the playground, and overall decreased his referrals to the office.”  

 

“Every day,” the principal continued, “he comes to ask when his team plays. When they are not playing, he volunteers to help distribute jerseys and sub in if there is an injury or absence. This has allowed him to be more involved with school and have more positive experiences.”

Overall, the leagues help students grow both academically and personally – improving educational outcomes across the board.

For those who join the program, “we stress the importance of being a student-athlete,” Mr. Castro said. “And the student part always comes first.”