Cape school district, Parks and Rec say intramural sports a success

Representatives of Cape Girardeau Public Schools and Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department called their partnership in intramural sports a success.

During the 2022-23 school year, the district formed teams of third through sixth grade students to compete in sports, such as basketball, soccer and baseball, through the Parks and Rec intramural system.

Tyson Moyers, athletic director for the district, said the idea for the partnership came out of a conversation in 2021 between he and district superintendent Neil Glass looking for ways to increase participation in high school athletics. Moyers said, at the time, the district only had a 27% participation rate, which was 30% less than the national average.

Moyers said the best formula for improving numbers at the junior high and high school level is by getting students involved while in elementary and middle school. He said the best way he found to accomplish that goal was by partnering with and integrating into the existing system at Parks and Rec.

Scott Williams, Recreation Division manager at Parks and Rec, said his department was also looking for ways to increase participation and grow its sports program.

"We asked ourselves who we weren't reaching," Williams said. "When Tyson contacted me, I could see right away that a partnership would help bring in kids from those parts of town we hadn't been able to reach."

Moyers said one goal the partnership achieved was lowering the financial barrier keeping some children from participating. He said the district pays the enrollment fee, which covers various costs including uniforms, equipment and facility fees.

Moyers said 268 third and fourth graders and 181 fifth and sixth graders participated in the first year. He said "better than half" had never played on a team before.

"When they first start, the skill level isn't there yet, which just makes sense. Those kids are still learning how to play," Moyers said. "Some of them, it's the first time we've ever put a ball in their hand."

That skill level disparity, Moyers said, is one reason participation levels are so low at the junior high and high school levels. He said if students feel they can't compete, they may not even try. He said giving students the opportunity to join in at the elementary and middle school level, they are able to learn those skills easier and faster, and that increases the likelihood of continued participation.

Williams said the first year of the partnership has been "a great success" in spite of a few growing pains involved. He said a result of achieving the goal of increased participation meant a need for more coaches and referees.

"Trying to get people to give up their time, volunteer to come and help teach young kids can be tough," Williams said. "But that's always a struggle."

Moyers agreed and added that another aspect is training the intramural coaches to teach players "what our high school and junior high coaches want taught at that level," so their students already know the program and don't have to be retaught.

Moyers said it will be five or six years before they know whether that 27% participation number goes up at the high school level as a result of getting students involved at the younger age groups. However, both Moyers and Williams agree the benefits students receive along the way make the program worthwhile.

"I believe that sports are not only an extension of the classroom, but can reach kids that possibly wouldn't be reached in any other facet," Moyers said. "Sports can keep them engaged, teach them discipline and how to work with others. If we can teach them those lessons in elementary, middle school and in high school through athletics, then that's just a win, right?"

Williams agreed students participating in extracurricular activities can help in other aspects of their lives.

"We've seen proof that the younger you get kids involved in athletics — or whatever their choice of activity, whether it's sports, band or the arts — there's a bigger chance if kids are involved in these things, given a chance to do it, that they're going to be much more ready for life no matter what avenue they take," Williams said.