Bloomington Public Schools bringing back middle school sports

After nearly two years, multiple sports are being reinstated at Bloomington middle schools.

Starting in the 2023-24 school year, boys and girls soccer and coed wrestling will be brought back as extracurricular activities, Bloomington Public Schools says.

Middle school sports were cut in 2020-21 due to budget reductions but the district’s school board recently opted to bring some back.

The move comes from the school board’s desire to allow students to participate in more structured after-school activities, the district says.

In light of this announcement, the school district is working to hire coaches and get equipment after receiving a $50,000 grant from the Bloomington Noon Rotary Foundation and $100,000 from ESSSER funds.

Other sports, such as volleyball and basketball, will continue to be provided through the after-school Galaxy program.

District officials say they’ll monitor participation rates to help make decisions about other sports in the future.