Sports Participation by Middle School Reveals Inequity

M-A is undoubtedly a powerhouse when it comes to athletic events, offering a total of 64 sports across a three-season catalog. Consistently, M-A is one of the most successful schools in terms of sports in the Peninsula. In the 2024-25 school year, the varsity teams collected eight Peninsula Athletic League (PAL) titles, and 20 student athletes advanced to compete at the collegiate level.  

The M-A community fosters an environment where many athletes have the opportunity to succeed in sports—winning championships, building an athletic legacy, and representing M-A with pride. However, the athletes who become champions are not a completely accurate representation of the diverse student body. 

Three main feeder middle schools comprise the majority of M-A’s student population. Hillview Middle School has the highest percentage of graduates currently attending M-A, accounting for 39.6% of the total school enrollment. The second largest feeder school, Cesar Chavez Ravenswood Middle School (CCRMS), constitutes 15.6% of current M-A students. La Entrada Middle School follows shortly behind with its students making up 12.5%.

Despite Hillview and La Entrada accounting for 52.1% of students’ middle schools, they contribute to over 75% of varsity athletes’ feeder schools. Hillview accounts for 55.9%, and La Entrada makes up 22%. 

Hillview, La Entrada, and CCRMS all offer low-cost after-school sports programs, but they are largely recreational and social. Higher-intensity sports offered by non-school affiliated clubs can better prepare students for making a high school varsity team, but they are often expensive. High-income households can afford to spend more on programs that rigorously build their child’s athletic capabilities, giving these students more opportunities to reach varsity levels.

Conversely, lower household income can create a disadvantage in the development of a student’s athletic talent and their preparedness for high school competition. The 2024-25 School Accountability Report Card for these three main feeder schools provides a glimpse into this discrepancy. While at Hillview and La Entrada, less than 15% students are classified as “socioeconomically disadvantaged,” 93.2% of households at Cesar Chavez identify within this category.  

The majority of varsity sports require some level of previous experience. Many local middle schools do not have the financial or functional capacity to provide an early introduction to every sport that is offered in high school, often forcing students and families to find this experience elsewhere.

For example, aquatic programs, including boys water polo, are not offered by any of M-A’s three major feeder schools because none have a pool on campus. As a result, middle school students interested in water sports turn to local clubs and programs to fill the gap. This has effects on teams’ demographics; the 2025 boys PAL championship-winning water polo team of M-A is made up of 100% former Hillview or La Entrada students. 

Furthermore, youth sports costs have increased dramatically over the past five years. The estimated yearly cost that parents spend on youth sports ranged up to $25,000. Wealthier families generally pay over $1,400 more annually for their child’s principal sport than lower-income households. 

When students can afford access to more training, equipment, and practice, they are more likely to be prepared to make the rosters of varsity teams. 

In a 2023 M-A Chronicle editorial, it was found that the majority of varsity rosters for baseball, girls soccer, and dance disproportionately include club sport-playing students. These teams are also the teams that are heavily composed of Hillview graduates. 59.1% of both girls soccer and baseball attended Hillview, and 76.9% of dance team members did as well.

In the fall of 2024, M-A introduced girls flag football, a brand new sport to the school. With an opportunity to draw new student athletes to participate, this pattern of dominating representation from certain middle schools continued. Much of the inaugural varsity roster was already involved in other sports. In this most recent season, out of the 24 CCRMS, Hillview, and La Entrada varsity athletes, only two went to CCRMS. 

Some no-cut sports have more diversity. Cheer, for example, accepts many students who are not as familiar with the sport, being also one of the few sports where Hillview is not disproportionately represented. The cheer roster comprises a total of eight middle schools, making it one of the most diverse teams M-A provides. 

Hillview and La Entrada are located in some of the most affluent neighborhoods in California, and produce the most varsity athletes for M-A. Because of the socioeconomic status of residents in the wealthiest areas, the amount of resources they can afford to spend on youth sports is increased.

M-A’s motto of “Strength In Diversity” is reflected in the makeup of the campus, but lacks visibility on the athletic side. Modern youth sports are structured to benefit students who come from households that can financially support the pay-to-play model. M-A’s current varsity rosters mirror this nationwide trend, giving more representation—on the field, court, and pool—to those who can afford it.

When a major feeder school like CCRMS represents 15.6% of the student population but only 3.6% of varsity rosters, it is a cause for concern and indicative of a glaring inequity. Raising awareness is the first step.

In 2022, California voters passed a proposition that mandated 1% of every school district’s budget be allocated towards art and music education. While there are statewide requirements on minimum time spent on physical education, a specific dollar amount or budget percentage is not required. Physical education lays the foundation for involvement in athletics. The drastic division between middle schools’ graduates in varsity teams could be lessened if more children were given the opportunities to play and participate in sports, regardless of status within their communities. While a student’s socioeconomic background can determine access to competitive sports outside of school, it falls to California voters to make balancing the playing field a priority.