For years, Los Angeles Unified has given middle school students a chance to try a sport, learn the basics, and have some fun. That remains its mission. But this spring, something different took shape on the soccer fields of Los Angeles.
New League Takes Shape
For the first time, Beyond the Bell, Los Angeles Unified School District’s Expanded Learning Program Division, which includes managing our after-school programs, partnered with the athletics department to launch a league designed as a bridge to high school athletics.
It is built not just to introduce kids to soccer but to give them something more akin to prep sports. Boys' and girls' teams from 24 middle schools took part, and this month, both programs crowned their first city champions.
Rafael Acosta, a regional director for LAUSD’s Beyond the Bell, had a simple goal in mind from the start. "What we wanted to do was provide an enhanced experience that felt more like high school," he said.
It showed. Players wore uniforms bearing their school names and competed in high school stadiums across Los Angeles. High school referees ran the games. Athletic trainers worked the sidelines. Boys' and girls' teams rode the bus together, cheering each other on every Saturday. At some schools, bands and cheerleaders came out, too.
Behind it all was a structure built to match the experience. Coaches log eight to ten hours of training each year, going well beyond district requirements, with coursework in positive coaching and sideline conduct.
The 48 teams were divided into regional groups of six, each guaranteed at least five full games in a round-robin format on Saturdays. Every match featured two 25-minute halves. The top two teams from each region advanced to the Division 1 playoffs, then to the quarterfinals, semifinals, and, finally, a city championship.
Championship Events
The season culminated in championship games on Tuesday, April 21. Miguel Contreras Learning Center hosted Division 1 playoffs for first and second place, where Alexander Fleming Middle School defeated Robert Frost Middle School in the girls game, and Foshay Learning Center’s boys topped Stephen White Middle School.
Belmont High School hosted Division 2 playoffs for third and fourth place. John Burroughs’ Middle School girls defeated Wilmington Middle School, and Francisco Sepulveda Middle School boys were crowned champs over Luther Burbank Middle School.
Building Readiness for High School Athletics
In each game, those on the roster played at least 10 minutes. In the existing Beyond the Bell sports program, which welcomes any student who wants to try a sport, games are shorter, rosters are smaller, and playing time is far less structured.
For a family deciding which program fits their child, the distinction is clear: one opens a door, the other helps to build the athlete who walks through it. Acosta knew by season's end the program had delivered.
"It's as close as possible to high school," he said. "The coaches and players prepared for games, and the kids showed up and played."
That level of readiness is precisely what Trenton Cornelius, the Interscholastic Athletic Coordinator at Los Angeles Unified, is counting on. He sees a long arc. "In my opinion, in five years, students will be fully prepared to make high school sports better, more consistent, and more rule-aware," he said.
Strengthening Connections
He also hopes the friendships forged on those Saturday fields give talented young players a reason to stay close to home. "Some of these kids, especially the more experienced ones, can compete in sports with their classmates," he said, "which will encourage them to go to high school and keep that process going."
It is a vision rooted in something the district understands well: Sports are one of the surest ways to keep kids connected to school.
"The biggest thing is kids feel a sense of belonging," Acosta said. "They look forward to every Saturday, being with their friends, classmates, and coaches. This league is a more organized approach to play with friends that you grew up with and see on a daily basis in class.”
And none of it costs a penny. No registration fees, no equipment costs, no pay-to-play barriers of any kind. The only price of admission is a willingness to show up.
Broadening the Program
That invitation will be extended to the upcoming sports seasons. This summer, Beyond the Bell will offer volleyball and three-on-three basketball leagues for boys' and girls' divisions. In the fall, boys' and girls' basketball or flag football will be added to the schedule, which has yet to be finalized.
With the soccer season as the new sports model, organizers gave every reason to believe the best is still ahead. For more information about enrolling children in Beyond the Bell or learning more about the sports programs, please visit Summer of Learning or Beyond the Bell.
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