About 50 Timberland scholars signed up for the program and were divided into six teams. Each Saturday in March, teams were given a one-hour timeslot that included a half hour of practice, and another half hour dedicated to competition. The two teams with the same timeslots each week would play each other, and since March had five Saturdays, every team got the chance to compete against the other five.
Parent partnerships were crucial for Edwards, a former college basketball player, as she organized the program’s format. She said each team was coached by parent volunteers and that their support was one of the reasons she was able to make the Tiny T-Wolves work.
Timberland Technology Teacher/Coordinator Arie Edwards (middle) speaks to students before a game, reminding them to display good sportsmanship and have fun.
“They made things a little easier,” Edwards said. “It was huge to have them be a part of this, especially for the students whose parents volunteered. It formed a bigger interest and connection to the whole program. It created excitement instead of nerves and they made everything run smoothly.”
Instead of opening the gym and letting scholars play basketball, Edwards was intentional about including basketball education in the program. On top of the 30 minutes set aside for coaching, students wore color-coded wristbands in games to learn defensive strategy. Students would look for the player on the other team with the same color wristband as they wore, and that’s how they knew who to guard.
As scholars got more comfortable on the court, they were improving in the classroom as well. Members of the Tiny T-Wolves have been more focused and engaged during instruction and have shown better behavior in the classroom. Edwards said she makes it a point to tell scholars their academics and behavior must be in top shape if they want to compete.
Half of the team’s time each Saturday was dedicated to learning basketball skills. Parents volunteered to serve the group as coaches.
“We remind them that it is a privilege to be a part of a team and represent our school,” Edwards said. “It does really help with those behaviors, and they’ve been doing a lot better. Because they know it can be taken away, it helps them stay on track.”
Moral Focus was also a point of conversation for Tiny T-Wolves participants. While Edwards said she stressed a variety of virtues, including respect and encouragement, she said self-control was an area of focus.
“You might get hit with a ball and instead of trying to fight, you have to collect yourself and keep playing,” Edwards said. “At the beginning of every game, we had a discussion with both teams about how even though winning is important, it’s more important to respect your teammates, respect others, use good sportsmanship, and have fun.”
Students await a free-throw during a game in the Tiny T-Wolves program.
What a great program! Great work, Arie, and all of Timberland!
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About Timberland Charter Academy
Timberland Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Muskegon, Michigan, serving students in Young 5s through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes 99 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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