Asheboro middle schools caught off guard by RCSS ban

ASHEBORO — The decision by the Randolph County School System to nix middle school athletics connections to Asheboro City Schools and Uwharrie Charter Academy sent some shockwaves through the community last week.

For Asheboro City Schools, it’s a matter of finding the next move in an unexpected development.

“We didn’t see this coming,” said Aaron Woody, superintendent of Asheboro City Schools. “I would just say we’re disappointed and we also understand.”

The RCSS board of education voted to end athletics ties with other districts in middle school sports beginning with the 2026-27 school year.

The board spent considerable time discussing the topic, including what was called recruiting of RCSS students for athletics reasons. There was also the sentiment that UCA, as a charter school, isn’t on the same playing level as RCSS members because of differing rules governing that school.

The RCSS board’s discussions also pointed out that by excluding competitions with schools outside the district it would allow all ticket revenues involving its middle schools to stay with RCSS schools.

Part of the discussion involved concerns from board members about students along with coaches and teachers leaving RCSS schools for either Asheboro City Schools and / or UCA.

Woody said his district wasn’t seeking a change in the set-up for middle school athletics.

“We didn’t manufacture this,” he said Monday. “We weren’t part of this decision at all. … We’re open to conversations (with RCSS). All of us are better together. We want to be good partners.”

RCSS has seven schools competing in middle school athletics. So it will be part of a seven-school arrangement instead of the 10-school middle school league that exists now.

North Asheboro Middle School and South Asheboro Middle School are part of Asheboro City Schools. Uwharrie Charter Academy also plays on the middle school level in Randolph County.

Woody said Asheboro schools will find positives out of the situation.

“We’re all about creating opportunities and experiences for our students,” he said.

Wes Berrier, the athletics director at Asheboro High School, said options will be assessed for the two middle schools. He said reaching out to schools in Guilford County might be a possibility because the varsity Blue Comets are now in a conference with Guilford County schools. He said connections to schools in Montgomery County, Moore County and Davidson County could be considered.

Woody said it might be difficult in the short term to find ideal solutions for his district.

“We’ll build new partnerships,” Woody said. “We’ll figure it out.”

Without RCSS schools in the middle school league, there will be additional travel costs and time commitments for the Asheboro middle schools, Woody said.

The RCSS board’s vote also included the stipulation that for the 2024-25 school year that middle schools would only participate in postseason competitions on RCSS campuses.