Join us on Friday, March 4 for DPS Night with the Nuggets.
The charitable arms of Colorado’s pro sports teams have greatly contributed to the success of the Denver Public Schools (DPS) Prep League, engaging tens of thousands of students to participate in afterschool athletics over the years. Since 2004, Kroenke Sports Charities, which includes the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Mammoth, and the Colorado Rapids, has provided funding support for middle school sports in DPS. In addition, the Denver Broncos, the Colorado Rockies, and the McCormick Foundation — a Colorado Rockies charity fund, have also provided funding. Collectively, these organizations have given more than $2.5 million toward the Prep League program since 2004.
As we enter the spring sports season in DPS, the DPS Foundation reached out to students, coaches and local professional teams, to reflect on how far the program has come and why supporting athletics for young students is important.
Jessica, a former DPS student, now has a full ride sports scholarship at CSU.
We first reached out to Jessica, a lifelong DPS student, who first found her love for athletics through the DPS Prep League at Florida Pitt Waller K-8 School. She is now a successful college freshman at Colorado State University with a full ride volleyball scholarship. Thanks to Prep League, Jessica grew as a student as well as an athlete in middle school. With the skills she learned through Prep League, Jessica excelled at Thomas Jefferson High School, making varsity as a freshman.
“Something I learned through Prep League was that you have to learn how to lose before you can win. I have taken that valuable lesson with me throughout my life,” Jessica said. “When I was younger, I was so competitive, and I really hated losing. I remember losing the championship game in eighth grade and learning from my coach that how you handle a loss is just as important as how you celebrate a win.”
Athletics helped Jessica in the classroom as well. Throughout middle and high school, Jessica excelled in academics, and she was an honor roll student in high school. To her, giving up at school was not an option.
“If you quit in the classroom, then you don’t get to participate in your sport,” Jessica said. “This pushed me to do well in school. I don’t know where I would be without volleyball in my life right now.”
Thanks to the charitable gifts of Colorado’s pro sports teams over the past several years, students like Jessica are given the motivation that they need to succeed.
What is Prep League?
Prep League, the official middle school sports program in DPS, has become one of the most popular afterschool activities among students in grades 6 through 8. Comprised of 33 DPS schools and impacting roughly 6,000 students, students have the opportunity to participate in 17 sports throughout the school year and during the summer. These sports include cross country, softball, flag football, basketball, baseball, soccer, and volleyball. Prep League gives students access to positive role models, such as coaches and older players and helps middle school students during a critical time of their lives by helping to foster teamwork, leadership and skill-building.
Slavens Boys’ Soccer Team
Further, Prep League upholds a high academic standard. Each week, coaches check their student athletes’ academic performances, attendance and behavior, and students whose performances are below standards do not play in that week’s game. This creates a compelling incentive for students to attend class, maintain high grades and stay out of trouble during the school day. Prep League also fosters increased parent and community involvement – families and neighbors attend competitions and become avid fans of their teams and supporters of the schools.
Unique Pro Sports Team/School System Partnership
We connected with the Denver Broncos to hear why the organization strongly believes in supporting DPS’s middle school sports.
“The partnership we have with Denver Public Schools is so special on many levels,” said Bobby Mestas, the Broncos’ Director of Youth and High School Football. “Getting kids involved in football in middle school breathed new life into DPS high school football by getting more students involved and wanting to participate. The Broncos know it is important to support middle school sports particularly because during the middle school years, students are mature enough to understand serious issues and to learn the tools they need to succeed later in life.”
“Being a part of a sports team builds character and gives children opportunities to engage with adult role models in a way that extends beyond the classroom,” Bobby added.
The DPS Foundation and Rockies staff join on the field to celebrate the Rockies’ check presentation in July 2015.
The Colorado Rockies are another strong supporter of Prep League. Jim Kellogg, Vice President of Community and Retail Operations for the Rockies told the DPS Foundation, “The Colorado Rockies Baseball Club is genuinely enthusiastic about the opportunities the league creates for the young people it serves. The program creates an opportunity for students to participate in sports who may not otherwise have the chance to play.”
According to Michael K. Evans, Athletic Director at McAuliffe International School, “Research shows it’s not just academics that help kids be successful. Some kids have support and connections at home. For those kids that don’t have the support at home, athletics and activities can really be that connection that engages them in the classroom.”
Academics and athletics go hand in hand. Michael said he has seen the impact Prep League has had on many students’ academic success. For example, a current eighth-grade student enrolled in Prep League now excels academically while participating in sports. During the off season, she had to work harder to motivate herself. Now that she is back in basketball, Michael said she is showing significant improvement. Prep League provides many middle school students the motivation that they need to be successful.
DPS Athletic Directors emphasize the incredible value that Prep League provides for young students.
“Our kids need to do more than sit in a classroom all day. Academics alone is not enough,” said James Duran, Athletic Director for 12 years at Skinner Middle School.
Offering extracurricular activities that involve the challenges of sportsmanship, being a part of a team, working well with adult coaches, and appropriately handling competition help prepare students for being a better citizen and team member.
“I’d like to thank the DPS Foundation and its partners for all of their support over the years. Without them, middle school sports in DPS would look very different,” James said.
A Successful Partnership Benefiting DPS Students
DPS and the DPS Foundation extend a sincere thank you to Colorado’s pro sports teams for their continued partnership in providing middle school students the opportunity to participate in various sports through Prep League. Their unique partnership and commitment to Denver’s students help keep students engaged in school and focused on success. This support is critical to our programs and our students’ development into young leaders of Denver.
Invest in Prep League today! Learn how you can partner with us to contribute in middle schools sports, making it possible for every child to have a well-rounded and educational experience.