Hermosa Valley School highlights growth in intramural athletics; nearly half of middle school students now participate

Hermosa Valley School presented a progress report on its intramural athletics program to the Hermosa Beach City School District board, describing expanded teams, new clinics and partnerships, and plans to launch girls flag football in an introductory season.

The presentation, led by Coach Vasquez (athletics director) and Principal Bledsoe, said roughly 47 percent of the district’s middle school students participate in some form of athletic program and credited coach retention, parent volunteers and the HVPTO with helping sustain the expansion.

Coach Vasquez told the board the program emphasizes “commitment to excellence” and “personal growth” and highlighted fall and winter season accomplishments in volleyball, cross country, surf, cheer, boys and girls basketball, and soccer. He announced a planned introductory schedule of girls flag football games against neighboring schools and described partnerships with local organizations — including Hermosa Baseball Little League (HBLL), HBYB and Playbook Sports — that will supply jerseys, clinics and volunteer support.

Students and coaches described how athletics supported social connection and skill building. Lily, an eighth grader, said, “I really actually enjoyed it. I think volleyball gave me an outlet to make some social friends.” Anja, a student and athlete, told the board the volleyball team “developed my skills, like team bonding, being competitive while still being respectful.” An eighth-grade letter read aloud by a coach from Wesley Roe praised flag football as “an amazing experience where I had an outlet to express emotion, and where I made friends across all grades.”

Board members pressed for more data on demand and access. Board member Maggie asked for wait-list information and noted the board should understand whether middle-school offerings are meeting the universe of students who want to participate. The board also discussed transportation and fees: coaches and staff said the district asks for a requested $150 participation fee per team, and cited an example bus cost of about $750 to transport students to a single away game (Adams Middle School). Officials emphasized that no student is denied participation for inability to pay and that much program funding currently relies on HVPTO fundraising and local sponsorships.

District staff described several program development items: expansion of pre-season clinics, lunchtime clubs, continuing volleyball clinics, an exploratory esports program (with input from neighboring programs), and partnerships to bring low-cost lunchtime clinics. They said some community partners have offered to provide services for no fee and that the district will pursue additional sponsorships to reduce family costs and support transportation. The athletics team also reported outreach to nearby schools (American Martyrs) and to regional groups such as South Bay Lacrosse for clinics.

The presentation included operational details: coaches’ retention (many are now in their second or third year), a focus on fundamentals for student development, and the use of parent volunteers as coaches. The board recommended continuing to track participation, wait lists, transportation costs and budget lines so that future budget or bond discussions can reflect the program’s needs.

Board members and staff suggested next steps including collecting wait-list data, exploring intramural models for younger grades, and pursuing partnerships (for example LA84 Foundation and local tech and esports resources) that could bring mentoring, clinics or equipment. The district said it will follow up with a data briefing on participation demand and transportation costs.