NAL: Home of the Academic Athletes!
The 2021-2022 season is a go!
2019-2020 City/State Champions: Mesa Academy
2019-2020 City/State Runner Up: Poston
The National Academic League® (N A L®) is the super sport for academic athletes! By successfully combining the important aspects of team sports -- such as competitiveness, strategy, team mentality and cooperation in a group effort -- with important aspects of learning -- such as problem solving, critical thinking and scholarship -- the N A L® motivates and recognizes academic athletes like their athletic peers.
The games and tournaments resemble an athletic event and include facets of athletics such as home and away games, quarters, time-outs, high scorers, and game strategy. Each game consists of four separate quarters and each quarter develops different skills such as problem solving, teamwork, and quick recall. Participating students receive honor and pride for their scholarly endeavors as well as peer and media attention. By each season's end, Mesa determines a champion school and that school then participates in the National Tournament conducted through video conferencing.
N A L® questions span 22 subject areas grouped under the basic curriculum areas of math, English/language arts, science and social studies. Each question has been correlated to National Common Core Standards.
Involvement in the N A L® generates the same popular enthusiasm and pride as do sports teams when they win league and division championships. Making role models of young scholars has a tremendous peer group effect that is positive during and beyond school years. N A L® students gain essential skills that they carry with them later in life. In addition to promoting sound academics, NAL students learn "how to learn" and by extension, how to work and become successful and productive adults.
Watch our 5 minute introductory video Click here
Watch this terrific 3 minute video of the Smith team in action against Allison Magnet School of Wichita, Kansas, in the 2014 NAL National Tournament. Click here!
Marlene Kothe, Mesa Public Schools NAL League Commissioner
480 472-0322 (w)
mbkothe@mpsaz.org