I coach at West Craven Middle School (just west of New Bern, which is the only feeder school to West Craven High 2A). Since 2016 our numbers have gone down. From 60 players with two teams down to 35-40 with one team. There are many factors in my professional opinion.
1. The biggest issue I see is the specializing in one sport ( kids married to summer basketball or baseball). These kids want a break, and they can get one in the early months of fall
2. Lack of games. Players can play youth or travel football which offers more opportunities to play more games. In a real-life example, with our conference, I have to go out and find two games or play teams in the conference twice. That is not a good look, nor is that preparing them for a more extended season like JV
3. Lack of expectations from the community. If your community does not treat middle school athletics like this is the next step in becoming (insert your high school mascot), then why does it matter if they do not play? How many times have you heard someone say? " Oh, it's just middle school.'' There must be expectations for middle school athletics. It must become part of the process of becoming a high school athlete.
Coach Twichell at West Craven High does a great job with vertical alignment between our two programs.
I was a former high school coach. I never thought I would be a middle school coach, but I am, and I speak passionately about it. I have been blessed to speak at a local clinic and host zooms during the pandemic.
Sometimes Middle school is a player's 1st time playing a sport, which is excellent. What is terrible is when that middle school is the last time a kid plays a sport.
