Staunton, Augusta County and Waynesboro schools are bringing football to middle schools in all three school systems.
Waynesboro School Board approved middle school football and cheer starting with the 2025-2026 school year at its regular meeting Tuesday night. Augusta County Schools has already begun preparations.
“Because of the logistics, we’ve got to do what they do in order to have an opportunity for middle school students to play,” said Waynesboro Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff Cassell Tuesday night.
If any one of the school systems were not to sign on for middle school football, then the other teams would have less teams to play against.
Kate Collins Middle School in Waynesboro has had the Quarterback Club, according to Cassell, as well as middle schools in Augusta County and Staunton. With a lot more planning to do in Waynesboro, the school system knows it will not charge an activity fee for middle school students to play football.
Players will probably practice at Kate Collins, Cassell said, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and games between the three school systems would be at 5 p.m. on Thursdays before Junior Varsity football games. High school football games will continue on Friday nights.
Waynesboro School Board Chair Amber Lipscomb inquired about the costs necessary to start middle school football in Waynesboro, such as a coach’s salary and a bus driver to drive players to away games.
Waynesboro Schools Assistant Superintendent Dr. Ryan Barber said that the salary for a middle school football coach would be in the range of $3,150 to $5,150 per season. Waynesboro Schools Executive Director of Operations DeWayne Moore said a bus driver will be available from current staff on an hourly basis.
Cassell said the school system will have to figure out what is needed when the time comes.
School board member Debra Freeman, a former cheerleading coach, asked if middle school cheer would also begin with middle school football and she was assured that it would.
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Rebecca Barnabi
