District activities directors outline growth, barriers and new programs to boost student participation

Carl Heiney, activities director at Apollo High School, and Hillary Johnson, activities director at Tech, presented the district’s activities year‑in‑review and plans for 2025–26. “Our purpose is to create a culture where students embrace that growth mindset and it empowers them to explore their passions,” Heiney said. The presentation summarized participation data, program growth areas and initiatives to remove barriers. Notable items included continuing free admission for host events, parent passes at home games, improved online registration, on‑site physicals in partnership with LEAF and other local health providers, and return of a middle‑level activities bus after practices. A new LEAF Foundation commitment will fund free middle‑level activities for sixth through eighth graders, including those whose participation places them on high‑school teams, Heiney said. The directors reported growth in robotics, clay target shooting and fine‑arts participation; they also highlighted additions such as eSports, boys volleyball, girls flag football and expanded strength‑and‑conditioning support. Board members and staff discussed participation declines. Directors identified multiple barriers: transportation, family schedules and costs, perceived lack of belonging, and early specialization in club sports. “The sooner you help find interest in something you like, you get them in and you give them exposure,” Heiney said. The directors plan targeted outreach to youth programs, school‑level recruiting (middle‑level activity day), coach onboarding and consistent messaging to families about supports such as culturally appropriate clothing and registration help. On safety and conduct, the directors said they coordinate with conference and section partners and the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) on unified behavior expectations; they hold monthly meetings with conference schools and use the Positive Coaching Alliance for coach development. Liability and safety for clay target shooting were raised by board members. Executive Director Tracy Bowe said independent vendor groups are required to carry liability insurance and provide proof; participants and groups also use hold‑harmless agreements and follow gun‑safety protocols run by coaches and range support. The directors said they will continue to expand livestreaming and visibility for individual sports to boost exposure and recruitment and will pilot a middle‑level co‑ed swim program in spring to strengthen the feeder pipeline to high school swimming. Why it matters: Extracurricular participation is tied to student engagement and outcomes; the district is using a mix of program expansion, community partnerships and barrier removal to increase access and retention. Next steps: directors will implement the LEAF‑funded free middle‑level activities, finalize expanded registration and outreach plans, continue coach professional development, and report back on participation trends.