Middle School Athletics

We believe a quality middle school athletic experience prepares scholar-athletes for a successful transition to high school.

We emphasize academic engagement, athletic skills development, teamwork, and sportsmanship in order to prepare our scholars to become champions on and off the field. We want all of our scholar-athletes to have a high quality athletic experience. In some cases, this means combining players from different schools together to make one robust team. Our middle school sports programs are available to all scholars at all schools! For more information about specific sports, and to learn which schools have teams (or partner together to make teams), click on the programs below.

Middle School Athletics Programs

Fall Sports

Boys Soccer

Season: Boys Soccer

Grades: 6-8 combined

School Teams:

Aberdeen and North Park
Alger
Burton
CA Frost, Shawmut Hills, Blandford, and Zoo
Center for Economicology, City
Gerald R. Ford and Dickinson
Riverside
MLK Leadership Academy
Harrison
Sherwood Park and Ridgemoor Park
Southwest
GR University Prep, Museum School, and GR Montessori
Westwood

Cross Country

Season: Fall

Grades: 6-8 combined

School Teams:

Alger
Burton
CA Frost, Shawmut Hills, Blandford, Zoo, Aberdeen, North Park
Center for Economicology, City
Gerald R. Ford and Dickinson
Riverside
MLK Leadership Academy
Harrison
Sherwood Park and Ridgemoor Park
Southwest
GR University Prep, Museum School, and GR Montessori
Westwood

Football

Season: Fall

Grades: 7/8 combined

School Teams:

Middle schools combined to form two GRPS teams for football competition: the Bengals and the Redhawks. In addition to allowing scholar-athletes greater opportunity for development, these combined teams encourage scholar-athletes to foster meaningful teammate relationships with scholars from across the district, many of whom will remain their teammates through high school.

Bengals Team (practices held at Alger Middle School): Alger, Burton, Dickinson, Ford, GR Montessori, GR University Prep, MLK Leadership Academy, Museum
Redhawks Team (practices held at Westwood Middle School): Aberdeen, CA Frost, City, Harrison Park, Riverside, Shawmut Hills, Southwest, Westwood

Home Game Field: Houseman Field (150 Houseman Ave. NE)

*For information about affiliated youth programming (tackle football, 3rd-6th grade), please contact the varsity coach at Union High School.

Volleyball

Season: Fall

Grades: 6 only, 7/8 combined

School Teams:

Aberdeen and North Park
Alger
Burton
CA Frost, Shawmut Hills, Blandford, and Zoo
Center for Economicology, City
Gerald R. Ford and Dickinson
Riverside
MLK Leadership Academy
Harrison
Sherwood Park and Ridgemoor Park
Southwest
GR University Prep, Museum School, and GR Montessori
Westwood

Winter 1 & Winter 2 Sports

Basketball

Season: Boys Basketball- Winter 1, Girls Basketball- Winter 2

Grades: 6 only, 7/8 combined

School Teams:

Alger
Burton
CA Frost, Shawmut Hills, Blandford, Zoo, Aberdeen, North Park
Center for Ecnomicology, City
Gerald R. Ford and Dickinson
Riverside
MLK Leadership Academy
Harrison
Sherwood Park and Ridgemoor Park
Southwest
GR University Prep, Museum School, and GR Montessori
Westwood

Bowling

Season: Winter 2

Grades: 6-8 combined

School Teams:

Aberdeen and North Park
Alger
Burton
CA Frost, Shawmut Hills, Blandford, and Zoo
Center for Ecnomicology, City
Gerald R. Ford and Dickinson
Riverside
MLK Leadership Academy
Harrison
Sherwood Park and Ridgemoor Park
Southwest
GR University Prep, Museum School, and GR Montessori
Westwood

Bowling events take place at various bowling alleys throughout the city, depending on lane availability. Specific locations will be shared with teams at the start of the season.

Cheer

Season: Winter 1

Grades: 6-8 combined

School Teams:

Alger
Burton
CA Frost, Shawmut Hills, Blandford, Zoo, Aberdeen, North Park
Center for Ecnomicology, City
Gerald R. Ford and Dickinson
Riverside
MLK Leadership Academy
Harrison
Sherwood Park and Ridgemoor Park
Southwest
GR University Prep, Museum School, and GR Montessori
Westwood

Swimming

Season: Girls Swimming- Winter 1, Boys Swimming- Winter 2

Grades: 6-8 combined

School Teams:

All middle schools combined to form one dynamic GRPS swim team. This allows our scholar-athletes to participate in the swimming events they prefer most.
Practices occur at three high school locations throughout the city. Practice groups are as follows:
- North Group (practices held at City High Middle School)- Center for Economicology, City, Riverside
- South Group (practices held at Ottawa Hills High School)- Alger, Burton, Dickinson, Gerald R. Ford Academic Center, GR Montessori, GR University Prep, MLK Leadership Academy, Museum, Sherwood Park, and Ridgemoor Park Montessori
- West Group (practices held at Union High School)- Aberdeen, Blandford, CA Frost Middle, Harrison, North Park Montessori, Shawmut Hills, Southwest, Zoo

Wrestling

Season: Winter 2

Grades: 6-8 combined

School Teams:

All middle schools combined to form one dynamic GRPS wrestling team. This allows our scholar-athletes to compete within their weight class against wrestlers from across West Michigan.

Practices occur at two convenient locations:

Bengals Group-South (practices held at Ottawa Hills High School)- Alger, Burton, Dickinson, Gerald R. Ford Academic Center, GR Montessori, GR University Prep, MLK Leadership Academy, Museum, Sherwood Park, and Ridgemoor Park Montessori
Redhawks Group-West (practices held at Union High School)- Aberdeen, Blandford, CA Frost Middle, Center for Economicology, City, Harrison, North Park Montessori, Riverside, Shawmut Hills, Southwest, Zoo

Spring Sports

Baseball

Season: Spring

Grades: 6-8 combined

School Teams:

Alger
Burton
CA Frost, Shawmut Hills, Blandford, Zoo, Aberdeen, North Park
Center for Ecnomicology, City
Gerald R. Ford and Dickinson
Riverside
MLK Leadership Academy
Harrison
Sherwood Park and Ridgemoor Park
Southwest
GR University Prep, Museum School, and GR Montessori
Westwood

Girls Soccer

Season: Girls Soccer

Grades: 6-8 combined

School Teams:

Aberdeen and North Park
Alger
Burton
CA Frost, Shawmut Hills, Blandford, and Zoo
Center for Economicology, City
Gerald R. Ford and Dickinson
Riverside
MLK Leadership Academy
Harrison
Sherwood Park and Ridgemoor Park
Southwest
GR University Prep, Museum School, and GR Montessori
Westwood

Golf

Season: Spring

Grades: 6-8 combined

School Teams: All middle school scholars are invited to participate in golf programming through a partnership with First Tee-West Michigan. The golf program integrates golf skills development with important life skills, empowering our scholars to become confident learners in sports and school. Events are held at Indian Trails Golf Course (2776 Kalamazoo Ave SE). While this is a partnership program, any scholar interested in participating in golf can sign up directly through the school each spring.

Softball

Season: Spring

Grades: 6-8 combined

School Teams:

Alger
Burton
CA Frost, Shawmut Hills, Blandford, Zoo, Aberdeen, North Park
Center for Economicology, City
Gerald R. Ford and Dickinson
Riverside
MLK Leadership Academy
Harrison
Sherwood Park and Ridgemoor Park
Southwest
GR University Prep, Museum School, and GR Montessori
Westwood

Tennis

Season: Spring

Grades: 6-8 combined

School Teams:

In partnership USTA-Midwest, GRPS proudly offers a tennis development program for all middle school scholars.

Bengals Group-South (practices held at Plaster Creek Park)- Alger, Burton, Dickinson, Gerald R. Ford Academic Center, GR Montessori, GR University Prep, MLK Leadership Academy, Museum, Sherwood Park, and Ridgemoor Park Montessori
Redhawks Group-West (practices held at Union High School)- Aberdeen, Blandford, CA Frost Middle, Center for Economicology, City, Harrison, North Park Montessori, Riverside, Shawmut Hills, Southwest, Zoo