On Wednesday afternoons at 2:30, you will find about 45 fourth graders gathered for a favorite afterschool club meeting — the South Douglas Reading and Sports Club. Now in its sixth year at the school, the club appeals to
students with diverse interests.
The chief aim of the club is to foster a love of books with students who might not name reading as their favorite subject. At the same time, book lovers have an opportunity to participate in sports like kickball and basketball.
Thomas Bruno, South Douglas teacher and the club’s sponsor, shared, “The Reading and Sports Club is the first time that some of the kids have ever played football or basketball.”
Bruno believes the club builds confidence in reading and sports. “I’m a firm believer that physical activity positively impacts our kids’ excitement and capacity for learning and reading,” he added.
The weekly two-hour meetings allow time for two parts. Club members pour over books for the first hour, and then head outside to participate in team sports like flag football, basketball, and kickball.
The students read about sports heroes from the past like Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth and Wilma Rudolph as well as more current figures such as Patrick Mahomes, Simone Biles and Josh Allen. The concepts of healthy competition and team spirit are learned and practiced as the students play against each other in a friendly game like Wiffleball, for example.
One fourth grader shared that his favorite book is about former Patriots and Vikings superstar Randy Moss. He said, “I love Randy Moss! Did you know that he’s famous for his amazing one-hand catches?”
Another student declared, “Everyone loves the club! We all get along, practice sportsmanship, and get to read lots of good books!”
According to Bruno, “The club has amassed hundreds of sports books through generous grants from organizations like the Douglas County Education Foundation, PAGE, Georgia Teachers Initiative and the Georgia Association of Literacy Advocates. It is an important part of the culture of South Douglas and is a huge success with the students.”