LEARNS Middle School
Sports Program
The Berkeley LEARNS Sports Program offers twelve different sports throughout the year. The majority of the teams are competitive, but there are also intramural teams for some of the sports as well. Intramural teams do not have a tryout process, but the competitive teams do. Our Intramural (IM) teams are used to promote wellness and allow students who do not compete on our competitive teams an opportunity to be active, learn the fundamentals of a sport, and ultimately have fun. If you have any questions or concerns please contact Fred Sims, Athletic Director at [email protected] or (510) 883-6511.
*Students WILL NOT be allowed to tryout for any team without completion of the 3 required documents: (1) Assumption of Risk for Participation in Voluntary Sports Program, (2) Medical Treatment Authorization Waiver, (3) BUSD Health Certification for Participation (signed and stamped by a doctor).
*Students WILL NOT be allowed to tryout for any team without completion of the 3 required documents: (1) Assumption of Risk for Participation in Voluntary Sports Program, (2) Medical Treatment Authorization Waiver, (3) BUSD Health Certification for Participation (signed and stamped by a doctor).
UPDATES: SPORTS:
Our LEARNS Sports Program has been given the green light to start our Fall sports! As discussed in the parent meeting, there were 2 proposals presented on how to start:
1) run all of our Fall sports as intramurals and keep students on their respective campuses competing against each other or
2) run our Fall sports as "normal", but only compete against Longfellow, Willard, and Head Royce (at home only).
District administration has accepted proposal #2, so we will be setting up a game/meet schedule with the aforementioned schools. Stay tuned for further announcements regarding game schedules.
PLEASE NOTE...NO STUDENTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO TRYOUT OR PRACTICE WITHOUT ALL OF THE MEDICAL FORMS COMPLETED AND ON FILE WITH OUR LEARNS OFFICE (B1). MASKS MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES FOR TRYOUTS, PRACTICES, MEETS/GAMES.
Any questions please contact: Fred Sims Athletic DIrector [email protected]
Our LEARNS Sports Program has been given the green light to start our Fall sports! As discussed in the parent meeting, there were 2 proposals presented on how to start:
1) run all of our Fall sports as intramurals and keep students on their respective campuses competing against each other or
2) run our Fall sports as "normal", but only compete against Longfellow, Willard, and Head Royce (at home only).
District administration has accepted proposal #2, so we will be setting up a game/meet schedule with the aforementioned schools. Stay tuned for further announcements regarding game schedules.
PLEASE NOTE...NO STUDENTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO TRYOUT OR PRACTICE WITHOUT ALL OF THE MEDICAL FORMS COMPLETED AND ON FILE WITH OUR LEARNS OFFICE (B1). MASKS MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES FOR TRYOUTS, PRACTICES, MEETS/GAMES.
Any questions please contact: Fred Sims Athletic DIrector [email protected]
King Cobra Sports
Our King Athletic Program is run through our LEARNS Afterschool Program. All athletes MUST be registered with the LEARNS Afterschool Program once you have made the final roster. Those sports with "No Tryout" require students to already be registered with LEARNS prior to their first day of practice. Students WILL NOT be allowed to tryout for any team without completion of the 3 required documents: (1) Assumption of Risk for Participation in Voluntary Sports Program, (2) Medical Treatment Authorization Waiver, (3) BUSD Health Certification for Participation (signed and stamped by a doctor). These forms are attached here and new forms must be completed each year. If your child had a physical after 6/11/2021, then you can simply attach a copy of that physical form to our BUSD Health Certification for Participation Form to satisfy the doctor requirement.
We are still in the process of hiring coaches. Those sports with a "TBD" will have their practice days/times announced once the coaches clear district onboarding. The practice schedule is built around the coach's school and/or work schedule, so please be patient and aware of the announcement of practice days and times. Practices are twice a week for 1.5 hours each, no weekends. No prior experience needed! Although we would like to take everybody on the team, the numbers can be too high to ensure safety, quality instruction, and playing time. Students and parents need to be aware of what a tryout entails and that there will be some who make the team and some who won't. We encourage all students to do their best, but you must also be prepared for either outcome.
Cross Country (XC) - No tryout! Just a 2-week "trial period" to make sure XC is a good fit for the student and a good fit for the coaching staff. No prior experience needed, just a great attitude! Runners are required to attend a minimum of (2) practices a week. The XC Meet Schedule will not be finalized until the end of August. Meets will be run on Mondays and Thursdays. Meets can count towards the 2-day a week minimum requirement. Parent volunteer help will be needed when we host meets at King.
Tryout Days/Times: No tryout!
Practice Days/Times: M-F (3:30 - 5pm) *Wed (2:30 - 4pm)
Where: King Track
Attire: mask, shorts/sweats, shirt, good running shoes, water bottle, wrist stopwatch
1st Day of Practice: Monday, August 23rd @ 3:30pm
Girls Volleyball - the 6th grade volleyball program is intramural and the 7th/8th grade program plays competitively. There are no tryouts for the 6th grade team. We split the overall number in 6th grade into (2) teams and they practice and compete against each other to get themselves ready for the following 7th and 8th grade years of competitive play. The 7th/8th grade will have their tryout the week of 8/23. Specific days of the tryouts will be TBD (To Be Determined). All players are encouraged to attend both tryout days. Final roster to be decided on Friday, August 27th.
Tryout Days/Times (6th): No tryout!
Practice Days/Times: M/F @ 3:30pm
Where: King Gym
Attire: mask, shorts/sweats, shirt, good indoor gym shoes, knee pads
1st Day of Practice: Monday, August 30th @ 3:30pm
Tryout Days/Times (7th/8th): Week of 8/23! Specific days/times TBD
Practice Days/Times: TBD
Where: King Gym
Attire: mask, shorts/sweats, shirt, good indoor gym shoes, knee pads
1st Day of Practice: Week of 8/30! Specific days/times TBD
Flag Football (Coed) - our Flag Football program consists of (2) teams, JV and Varsity. We will have 2 teams (JV and Varsity). Our JV will be mandatory 6th graders with some 7th and our Varsity will be mandatory 8th graders with some 7th graders. No experience required! You CANNOT play Pop Warner (tackle) football and play flag football. All players are encouraged to attend both tryout days. Final roster to be decided on Friday, August 27th.
Tryout Days/Times (JV): 8/24 and 8/26 @ 3:30pm
Practice Days/Times: TBD
Where: King Lower Field (Track)
Attire: mask, shorts/sweats, shirt, cleats, and water bottle
1st Day of Practice: Week of 8/30! Specific days/times TBD
Tryout Days/Times (Varsity): 8/25 @ 2:30pm and 8/27 @ 3:30pm
Practice Days/Times: TBD
Where: King Lower Field (Track)
Attire: mask, shorts/sweats, shirt, cleats, and water bottle
1st Day of Practice: Wednesday, 9/1 @ 2:30pm
Tennis - our Tennis Program with Coach Carlton goes year around! No experience needed. Mondays are for "Beginners", "Intermediates" attend Wednesdays sessions, and the King Tennis Team is mostly players from the Intermediate group and competes against other middle schools and tennis clubs on Fridays. If your child has some experience and does not know what group they fit in, have them attend the first session on 8/23 and Coach Carlton will assess them and get them into the proper group.
Tryout Days/Times (JV): No tryout!
Practice Days/Times: Mondays "Beginners", Wednesdays "Intermediates", and Fridays "King Tennis Team"
Where: King Tennis Courts
Attire: mask, shorts/sweats, shirt, good tennis shoes, and water bottle. (Rackets and balls provided!)
1st Day of Practice: Monday. 8/23 @ 3:15pm for "Beginners''
We are still in the process of hiring coaches. Those sports with a "TBD" will have their practice days/times announced once the coaches clear district onboarding. The practice schedule is built around the coach's school and/or work schedule, so please be patient and aware of the announcement of practice days and times. Practices are twice a week for 1.5 hours each, no weekends. No prior experience needed! Although we would like to take everybody on the team, the numbers can be too high to ensure safety, quality instruction, and playing time. Students and parents need to be aware of what a tryout entails and that there will be some who make the team and some who won't. We encourage all students to do their best, but you must also be prepared for either outcome.
Cross Country (XC) - No tryout! Just a 2-week "trial period" to make sure XC is a good fit for the student and a good fit for the coaching staff. No prior experience needed, just a great attitude! Runners are required to attend a minimum of (2) practices a week. The XC Meet Schedule will not be finalized until the end of August. Meets will be run on Mondays and Thursdays. Meets can count towards the 2-day a week minimum requirement. Parent volunteer help will be needed when we host meets at King.
Tryout Days/Times: No tryout!
Practice Days/Times: M-F (3:30 - 5pm) *Wed (2:30 - 4pm)
Where: King Track
Attire: mask, shorts/sweats, shirt, good running shoes, water bottle, wrist stopwatch
1st Day of Practice: Monday, August 23rd @ 3:30pm
Girls Volleyball - the 6th grade volleyball program is intramural and the 7th/8th grade program plays competitively. There are no tryouts for the 6th grade team. We split the overall number in 6th grade into (2) teams and they practice and compete against each other to get themselves ready for the following 7th and 8th grade years of competitive play. The 7th/8th grade will have their tryout the week of 8/23. Specific days of the tryouts will be TBD (To Be Determined). All players are encouraged to attend both tryout days. Final roster to be decided on Friday, August 27th.
Tryout Days/Times (6th): No tryout!
Practice Days/Times: M/F @ 3:30pm
Where: King Gym
Attire: mask, shorts/sweats, shirt, good indoor gym shoes, knee pads
1st Day of Practice: Monday, August 30th @ 3:30pm
Tryout Days/Times (7th/8th): Week of 8/23! Specific days/times TBD
Practice Days/Times: TBD
Where: King Gym
Attire: mask, shorts/sweats, shirt, good indoor gym shoes, knee pads
1st Day of Practice: Week of 8/30! Specific days/times TBD
Flag Football (Coed) - our Flag Football program consists of (2) teams, JV and Varsity. We will have 2 teams (JV and Varsity). Our JV will be mandatory 6th graders with some 7th and our Varsity will be mandatory 8th graders with some 7th graders. No experience required! You CANNOT play Pop Warner (tackle) football and play flag football. All players are encouraged to attend both tryout days. Final roster to be decided on Friday, August 27th.
Tryout Days/Times (JV): 8/24 and 8/26 @ 3:30pm
Practice Days/Times: TBD
Where: King Lower Field (Track)
Attire: mask, shorts/sweats, shirt, cleats, and water bottle
1st Day of Practice: Week of 8/30! Specific days/times TBD
Tryout Days/Times (Varsity): 8/25 @ 2:30pm and 8/27 @ 3:30pm
Practice Days/Times: TBD
Where: King Lower Field (Track)
Attire: mask, shorts/sweats, shirt, cleats, and water bottle
1st Day of Practice: Wednesday, 9/1 @ 2:30pm
Tennis - our Tennis Program with Coach Carlton goes year around! No experience needed. Mondays are for "Beginners", "Intermediates" attend Wednesdays sessions, and the King Tennis Team is mostly players from the Intermediate group and competes against other middle schools and tennis clubs on Fridays. If your child has some experience and does not know what group they fit in, have them attend the first session on 8/23 and Coach Carlton will assess them and get them into the proper group.
Tryout Days/Times (JV): No tryout!
Practice Days/Times: Mondays "Beginners", Wednesdays "Intermediates", and Fridays "King Tennis Team"
Where: King Tennis Courts
Attire: mask, shorts/sweats, shirt, good tennis shoes, and water bottle. (Rackets and balls provided!)
1st Day of Practice: Monday. 8/23 @ 3:15pm for "Beginners''