Fullerton School District’s student-athletes will have access to a new program next year designed to help them compete at an elite level while maintaining academic commitments.
The Performance Academy Sports Program will offer sixth- through eighth-grade students the flexibility to train in their chosen sport through a partnering sports academy while continuing their education in person.
The program is a “balanced solution,” said FSD Superintendent Rob Pletka, for students seeking extensive and competitive training alongside their studies.
“The need for a specialized program in the Fullerton School District, particularly in Orange County, arises from the unique challenges faced by advanced student-athletes and their families,” Pletka said. “These young athletes, including our dance athletes, often compete at high levels, both statewide and nationally, requiring intense training schedules that can conflict with traditional school hours.”
Pletka said this is a “dilemma” that forces many students and their families to choose online schooling, which he says is “sacrificing valuable in-person educational and social experiences.”
“The strain of late-night practices, juggling homework and the need for proper rest can be overwhelming,” Pletka said. “This program aims to alleviate some of that burden by aligning school schedules with athletic commitments, ensuring that student-athletes can thrive both academically and in their sports.”
How does the Performance Academy Sports Program work?
While the program is open to all students, participants will be educated at Parks Junior High School for seventh and eighth grade and Rolling Hills Elementary School for sixth grade. Students will receive normal instruction in-person at their respective schools, and around 1 p.m., the student-athletes will leave campus to access their sport or academy training, Pletka said.
For students to be eligible for the Performance Academy Sports Program, they must be an “advanced athlete,” which Pletka said is identified through participation in a qualifying sports training program or competitive team.
Additionally, students must be in a sports training program that has a minimum of 90 minutes of physical activity per day for at least four days a week, totaling at least 7.5 hours per week, Pletka said. Once in the program, students must also complete a weekly log of their activities.
The district does not provide any of the athletic training, Pletka said. Instead, the program works alongside local sports academies, called “providers,” that will handle the athletic portion of the Performance Academy Sports Program.
Through the providers, Pletka said, students will engage in about 8 hours of training per week, which includes specialized sessions focusing on speed, agility, weightlifting and conditioning with advanced training and coaching.
“The caliber of personnel involved in these programs is exceptional,” Pletka said. “Training is conducted by professionally trained experts, many of whom are former NFL, NBA, MLB and NCAA athletes and coaches.”
Providers already approved to work with the Performance Academy Sports Program include Delta Sports Group, FAST Swim Team, Proacademy, ProPlay, Redline Athletics, ZT Prospects Academy, Mather Dance and KPOP Center.
Although the program is free from an educational standpoint — similarly to how public school is free for students — the costs of the athletic academies, travel teams, club sports and junior national teams are paid by the families, not the district.
Pletka said that “significant interest” has already been shown for the program, with 79 students signed up already.
Applications for the Performance Academy Sports Program are open now until June 22 and more information on how to apply can be found on the program’s website.
And on Thursday, June 6, FSD will host a “Meet our Approved Providers” event at the district office located at 1401 W. Valencia Dr. in Fullerton. There, families will be able to learn more information and ask questions to the associated providers.
How is this different from other Orange County programs?
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified recently created a similar program dubbed the Universal Sports Institute that will begin next school year.
There, third- through twelfth-grade students will be taught through Parkview Independent Study School in Placentia, an already-established alternative school that offers “self-learning” curriculum paths. And instead of partnering with local providers like FSD’s program, the Universal Sports Institute will provide trainers and coaches in-house — including some coaches and athletic directors from other district high schools, its website says.
PYLUSD will also provide a facility specifically designated for those in the program to use. According to the Universal Sports Institute’s website, the facility is expected to feature strength and conditioning rooms, speed and agility training areas, tumbling mat space, cold plunges, a therapeutic swim spa, turf training areas, batting cages and a golf simulator.
And then there are other similar academies in Orange County that are not associated with a specific school district.
In San Juan Capistrano, EM Speed and Power Traning’s main clientele are softball and baseball athletes, but it assists some soccer and football players as well. There, through a charter academic program, students of any grade level can study independently and train extensively for their respective sports.
Orange County Sports Fundamentals in Anaheim houses a prep academy for seventh- through ninth-grade athletes and utilizes El Rancho Charter School for its academics.
