Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) is excited to announce the addition of three new middle school sports for the first time in more than 40 years: Girls Volleyball, Boys and Girls Cross Country, and Boys and Girls Soccer. Volleyball and Cross Country are part of the Fall season, similar to high school programs.

     “We are excited about the expansion of middle school athletics to increase student engagement across the district at the middle school level,” GCPS Director of Athletics Jason Holcombe shares. “Now students will have more opportunities to build school spirit, community, and engagement in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades in GCPS. Students who are engaged with extracurricular activities attend school at a higher rate, achieve higher grades, and graduate on time."
 

• Middle School Volleyball is divided into three divisions (Northern, Southern, Western), with the season running from August 10 to September 11, culminating in a championship tournament which was won by Crews Middle School.
   
• Middle School Cross Country began on August 17, with teams competing in seven meets. North Gwinnett Middle School won both the Boys and Girls Gwinnett County Championships and will move on to compete in the Georgia High School Association Championships on October 12.
   
• Middle School Soccer starts in Spring 2025 with scrimmages on February 1, followed by six regular season games running from February 8 to March 29. Playoffs are scheduled for April, with the County Championship on May 3.

     “This expansion offers more opportunities for 6th-8th graders to build school spirit, engage with their community, and enhance their academic performance,” Holcombe adds. “We thank the Board of Education for supporting this initiative.”