Important Updates:

Dear DC Middle School Families,

As our athletics program continues to grow, I want to share an important update that reflects both the momentum we’re experiencing and our ongoing commitment to developing students through sports.

Starting this school year, some middle school sports will include tryouts.
This is a shift from how we’ve done things in the past, and I want to be transparent and supportive as we move forward together.

Why the change?

Our goal at Denver Christian is to continue creating a middle school athletics experience that reflects the culture we’ve built at the high school level — competitive, Christ-centered, and focused on whole-student growth. Over the last few years, we’ve seen increasing interest in middle school sports, which is exciting! But in several cases, we’ve had more athletes sign up than we have roster spots for, which has led to logistical challenges and a diluted experience for players and coaches.

By introducing tryouts (only when necessary), we are:
- Ensuring athletes are placed where they can develop and contribute
- Aligning our middle school teams with the expectations of our high school programs
- Preparing students for what it takes to play at the next level

What you need to know:

• Tryouts will only happen when more students sign up than we have space for.
  For example, in volleyball, we’ll continue having two teams per grade of 10 players each (20 total). If more than 20 girls try out, we will hold tryouts and make cuts to reach that number.

• Varsity coaches will work alongside middle school coaches to design tryout guidelines and drills. This ensures consistency with the expectations and culture of each high school program.

• There will be many other opportunities for students who don’t make a specific team.
  Denver Christian offers a wide range of after-school activities and athletic options throughout the year, and we’ll work with families to help students find the right fit.

• More details about tryout dates, signups, and expectations will be shared later this summer.

We know that trying something new can come with questions — and we’re here to walk through it together. Our heart is to keep building a strong, Christ-centered culture in athletics that challenges our students, supports them, and sets them up for future success — both on and off the field.

Thanks so much for your partnership and support as we continue to grow the Thunder athletic experience.

Roll Thunder!