By Brian Johnson, Director of Middle School, and Jonathan Kim, Associate Athletic Director 

Every week, both division directors and both athletic directors meet to discuss UPrep’s Athletic Program. In addition to reviewing game schedules, coaches, and student athletes, we spend time discussing national and local trends in athletic programs, happenings at the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association, and how we can continually improve upon our competitive program, which aligns with the school’s mission, vision, and values. Two years ago, we asked: how can we build a healthy culture of competition in middle school while maintaining the sense of community? Our answer: the Puma League. 

The Puma League was established to intentionally address the wide spectrum of student-athlete development. As UPrep has grown, participation in our Middle School programs has skyrocketed. Last year alone, we fielded five girls’ volleyball squads and 10 boys’ and girls’ basketball squads. This growth created challenges both in scheduling space for practices and games and in maintaining competitive equity. Most of the schools we compete against typically field only two squads; as a result, our lower-level groups were often matched against higher-skilled opponents and experienced lopsided losses. To address these issues, the intramural-style Middle School Puma League was created for girls volleyball, boys and girls basketball, and winter co-ed Ultimate. UPrep still fields D1 and D2 teams that compete against other schools, and the students not placed on these teams are part of the Puma League. These students have skill-building practices one day a week, and they are split into teams and play against each other during two-hour Saturday sessions.

By creating a dedicated intramural tier, we have successfully met two distinct needs. First, we are building a healthy culture of competition. Our D1 and D2 athletes now practice and compete alongside peers of similar skill levels. This has allowed for higher level practices, more competitive games, and has provided our coaches an opportunity to challenge our athletes and prepare them for Upper School sports.  

Second, the Puma League creates growth and access. For our beginner and intermediate players, the Puma League shifts the focus from wins and losses to fundamentals and skill development. It is also an opportunity for our students to learn how to be a good teammate while working with others to achieve a common goal.  

The Puma League has been tremendously successful in its first year. In both volleyball and basketball, our beginner and intermediate athletes are seeing a significant increase in "touches," meaning they are physically touching the ball/frisbee, and meaningful playing time, ensuring that skill acquisition happens in live-game scenarios rather than just from the sidelines. The addition of the Puma League Mixed Winter Ultimate Frisbee this winter provided athletes an additional opportunity to be active, improve their Ultimate skills, and prepare for the spring season. 

We have removed the barrier to entry for new athletes, raised the ceiling for our most competitive athletes, and continued to foster a sense of belonging for every student-athlete regardless of their starting point. Upper School Dean and Varsity Boys Basketball Coach James Johnson notes that the Puma League provides athletes with an opportunity for individual skill development. “This will help them feel more comfortable in game situations when they’re ready,” he said. “Many of our young players are still working to understand the rules or develop basic skills. Developing these skills in a controlled environment will help speed up player development.” 

We are confident that athletes starting in the Puma League in 6th or 7th grade will develop the skills necessary to be competitive on D1 and D2 teams by their 8th grade year. Athletes who maintain their commitment and apply the feedback received from coaches when participating in the Puma League or D1 and D2 teams will develop into athletes who can meaningfully compete on our Upper School teams.

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