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Granite City CUSD 9 expands elementary athletics program and schedules Sports Day
Summary
Granite City CUSD 9 presented an expanded elementary athletics program that more than doubled participation from about 70 in March to roughly 160 in April; the district plans recurring multi‑week sessions, a Sports Day next week for about 150 students, and continued coordination with volunteers and the park district.
The Granite City CUSD 9 Board of Education on April 28 heard a detailed presentation from athletic director John Mode about a revived elementary athletics program that the district says aims to give neighborhood elementary students structured opportunities in basketball, football and other sports.
Mode told the board the program restarted this year with a committee of community members, board members, coaches and principals to organize logistics, bus routing and site coordination. "We offered four dates at each location," Mode said, and described participation growth from about 70 students in March to roughly 160 in April as a sign the program is meeting demand.
Mode credited high school athletes and coaches who volunteered as instructors and the park district for lending flag football equipment. He said the district issued participation certificates and is planning to offer additional four‑week sessions in fall and spring, with possibilities for baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball and track. "We'd like to offer another four‑week program in the fall," Mode said, describing plans to expand if volunteer capacity and site arrangements permit.
Board members and staff singled out several staff and volunteers who managed routing, site coordination and family outreach, including Chris Mitchell (bus routing), Chris McCulla (booklet and logistics), Nikki Petrillo (family survey), and Robert Bragg and Kyle Briggs (site coordination). Mode said those operational supports were critical when participation swelled.
The board also heard logistics for an upcoming Sports Day event the district expects to host on its turf and track, with about 150 elementary participants, school‑color shirts for each school, National Honor Society and student council volunteers, athletic trainers and a traveling trophy to be presented by a family representative. A parent who spoke during public remarks described the program as a welcome opportunity for her fourth‑grade child.
The board did not vote on the athletics program at the meeting; Mode said the committee will meet before the end of the school year to finalize fall programming and volunteer needs. The district described the initiative as part of its broader effort to expand CTE and extracurricular offerings accessible to younger students.
Next step: the athletics committee will meet again before the school year ends to set fall dates, finalize volunteer recruitment and review participation and budget implications.
