WORCESTER, MA — Hundreds of middle schoolers in Worcester will now have the opportunity to participate in organized athletics, some for the very first time.
Worcester Public Schools is partnering with the Play Ball Foundation to bring free, school-based intramural sports to middle school students across the city, the district announced on Tuesday. The privately funded nonprofit says the expansion will support after-school leagues at Worcester middle schools.
The program will launch with baseball, softball and soccer this spring, with Play Ball funding coaches, equipment, uniforms and transportation.
The partnership will serve Burncoat Middle School, Forest Grove Middle School, University Park Campus School, Claremont Academy, Sullivan Middle School and Worcester East Middle School.
Play Ball says it will also expand athletics through added sports programming, practice clinics and other resources, including more equipment.
"Worcester is a proud, tight-knit community where kids show up for one another," Katie Small, Play Ball Foundation Executive Director, said. "We're thrilled to partner with the district to bring the joy and power of sports to even more middle schoolers."
Worcester Public Schools Superintendent Brian E. Allen said the partnership supports the district's broader commitment to middle school athletics.
"Athletics serve as a vital extension of the classroom, providing an environment where our students can cultivate the resilience, teamwork, and leadership skills essential for their success both in high school and in life," Allen said.
The Worcester expansion brings the Play Ball Foundation's reach to more than 8,000 middle school students across 12 Gateway Cities in Massachusetts, according to the organization. Those cities include Boston, Lawrence, Holyoke, New Bedford, Lynn, Salem, Methuen, Quincy, Chelsea, Taunton, Chicopee and Worcester.
The push to bring the Play Ball Foundation to Worcester was led by South High Community School staff members Jillian Moriarty and Jane Dowd, working with Worcester Public Schools Athletics Director David Shea and his department staff.
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