The purpose of the C.H.A.M.P.S. Middle School Sport and Fitness League is to offer additional opportunities for students, regardless of athletic ability,  to engage in a wide variety of physical activities, and to encourage these students to find activities that they enjoy and can participate in for life.

The C.H.A.M.P.S. program promotes health-related fitness and sports skills that can be maintained long after school days are over.

Schools who participate in the C.H.A.M.P.S. program can choose from a wide variety of before- or after-school activities, including traditional sports (e.g., basketball, tennis, lacrosse), non-traditional sports (e.g., golf, fencing, badminton) and fitness activities (i.e., yoga, aerobics, tai chi).

The C.H.A.M.P.S. League began as a pilot in the spring of 2004, and included 50 middle schools within Regions 2, 5, 8, and 10.

That year, for the first time, the Department of Education hosted a city-wide middle school inter-scholastic basketball tournament and a culminating fitness festival for more than 1,200 middle school students in Central Park.

During the 2004-2005 school year, the program expanded into winter and spring seasons, increasing the number of activities in the existing schools and adding new schools, resulting in a greater number of students who were able to participate.

For 2005-2006, the C.H.A.M.P.S. Middle School Sports and Fitness League added a third season (fall), and expanded to approximately 1000 programs in over 200 middle schools citywide.  In addition, the Office of Fitness and Physical Education has continued to offer extensive professional development clinics for teacher-coaches working with students via the C.H.A.M.P.S. League in each of the three seasons.