New Tacoma middle school sports league starts next week. Here’s how to sign up
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Parks Tacoma and Tacoma Public Schools launch Power League for all 10 middle schools
- Registration costs $50; girls flag football and boys soccer begin practices Nov. 17
- Leagues run 10 weeks with paid coaches, school uniforms and citywide showcase tournament
Parks Tacoma and Tacoma Public Schools announced plans to create a new middle school sports league, which will feature girls flag football, boys soccer, coed flag football, girls basketball, fast pitch girls softball, boys baseball, boys basketball and girls soccer in future seasons. Golf, crew and lacrosse might be added.
The “Power League” is happening in partnership with Inversa Sports and will be available to students in all 10 middle schools in Tacoma, offering an alternative to kids who don’t make varsity and junior varsity teams but still want to have fun and play competitively, Parks Tacoma said in a news release Monday.
Registration costs $50 and is open until Friday, Nov. 14. The first leagues will be girls flag football and boys soccer. Practices start Monday, Nov. 17, and each league runs for 10 weeks with paid coaching staff trained through the Inversa curriculum, according to Parks Tacoma.
Studies show that kids “feel better physically and mentally when they move their bodies,” and only 19% of Pierce County youth receive the 60 minutes of daily physical activity recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (that’s below the national average of 24%), Parks Tacoma said.
“Middle schoolers became the focus of Power League because most children stop playing organized sports at age 12; girls are more likely to stop by age 11,” according to the news release. “The kids who were not active reported feeling depressed or hopeless nearly every day, more than twice the rate of the children who were active, according to the Aspen Institute’s State of Play report.”
In recent years girls flag football “has soared in popularity” and has achieved high school varsity status in several states, including in Washington, Parks Tacoma said.
The league had an unofficial kickoff in October with an all-girls assembly at Stewart Middle School where there was a girls flag football demonstration from Lincoln High School’s players and “an encouraging speech” by Tacoma 1976 Olympic gold medalist boxer Leo Randolph. Eighty-seven girls signed up for more information at the assembly “in a show of enthusiasm,” according to Parks Tacoma.
“The students will compete in a ‘like vs. like’ environment, ensuring all players experience meaningful competition, growth, and development, regardless of previous experience or ability level,” Parks Tacoma said. “Each student-athlete will represent their school community with pride, wear school-branded uniforms, train with dedicated coaches and participate in a structured season that culminates in a citywide end-of-season showcase tournament.”
This story was originally published November 11, 2025 at 1:15 PM.
