Licking Heights Middle School has hit the finish line in both sports opportunities and academic success.
Starting in the fall, the school will field its first official football team, which will compete against other local schools in the 2024-25 season.
The team grew out of a co-ed intramural program founded four years ago by special education assistant Logan Hamilton. Hamilton said he envisioned the program as a developmental system for high school teams, where students could learn the fundamentals of soccer and get their first experience playing on a team. The program has grown rapidly each year, from about 30 students at the start to nearly 70 by the 2023-24 school year.
Hamilton, who attended Licking Heights from kindergarten through 12th grade, began supporting the middle school football team while a student there.
“Growing up as a student, I always felt like there wasn't really something at Licking Heights that I could be a part of,” he says. “I didn't play football, basketball or baseball, and there weren't any clubs or programs that suited what I wanted to do. I grew up playing soccer, and I always wondered why there wasn't a team.”
Now as an adult, Hamilton said he has broadened his focus to create a comprehensive program that caters to students' interests and allows them to invest in their own education and maturity. About 70 percent of the students who participate in the on-campus program each year are Nepalese, one of the three largest minority groups at The Heights.
“This year, while talking to one of the social workers in our district, we realized that there were no programs or clubs at the middle school level to hold Nepali students accountable,” he said.
In addition to developing strong athletes, Hamilton wants to develop his players into respectful, hardworking and kind young men. Accountability is a key element of his coaching style, and students who want to play football are expected to maintain at least a 2.5 GPA. He also works closely with teachers to monitor students' behavior in the classroom.
“One of the biggest lessons students learn in this program is how to be a good person,” he said. “The only thing I preach to my players is attitude and hard work. If you have that, you can be successful in whatever you do.”
Ultimately, Hamilton hopes his students have fun on the field and realize the importance of working hard to achieve their goals in sports, school and throughout life.
“When kids have something to strive for, they learn more about life and the value of working for what they want,” he said. “Sports is a privilege, not a right. I say that every year to every group of students in my program.”
Information submitted by Licking Heights Local Schools.
