Community & Friends
Yes, your kid will have friends. Here's how.
The Elephant in the Room
Let's address the #1 concern parents have about ISP:
"But will my kid have friends?"
It's a fair question. Traditional school has hallways, cafeterias, and 500 kids milling around. ISP... doesn't.
Here's our honest answer: ISP socialization is different from traditional school. Not worse — different. And for most student-athletes, it's actually better.
The Truth About Traditional School "Socialization"
Let's be real about what "socialization" actually means in traditional school:
| What People Imagine | The Reality |
|---|---|
| Deep friendships with 100 peers | 2-5 close friends, everyone else is background noise |
| Meaningful daily interactions | 5-minute passing periods, no talking in class |
| Supportive community | Cliques, bullying, social hierarchies |
| Time to connect | Rushed lunch, homework pressure, exhaustion |
The traditional school promise: 500 students = lots of friends.
The traditional school reality: Most kids have 3-5 real friends. The rest is noise.
The ISP Model: Quality Over Quantity
ISP doesn't give you 500 acquaintances. We give you:
| What ISP Provides | How It Works |
|---|---|
| 4-5 pod members | Your built-in crew from Day 1 |
| 1 SSC | An adult who actually knows your child |
| Sports teammates | Via HF 189, your existing team stays |
| ISP community events | In-person gatherings throughout the year |
| Training partners | Kids you meet at gyms and facilities |
ISP doesn't replace socialization. It restructures it.
The Pod System: Day 1 Friends
Every ISP student is assigned to a pod — a small group of 4-6 students who go through ISP together.
How Pods Work
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Size | 4-6 students |
| Grade | Same grade (similar life stage) |
| Sports | Different sports (no competition) |
| Location | Different cities (statewide connections) |
| Weekly call | 30 minutes with SSC and podmates |
| Monthly 1:1 | Private check-in with just your SSC |
Why Pods Work
Traditional school problem: With academics at home, you can ghost. No one notices if you're struggling or checked out.
Pod solution: Your podmates notice. "Where's Marcus? He missed the call." That's healthy peer accountability.
| Pod Benefit | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Day 1 friends | No "first day alone" — you have a crew immediately |
| Peer accountability | Can't hide — your pod sees you |
| Safe space | Different sports/cities = no local drama |
| Shared challenges | "Let's all do the Gable Challenge together" |
| Real relationships | Weekly calls = you actually know these people |
Pod Names
Pods name themselves — but the name has to be a person (usually from our persona library):
- "The Gables" (after Dan Gable)
- "Summitt Squad" (after Pat Summitt)
- "Wooden's Winners" (after John Wooden)
Your pod becomes your identity. "I'm in the Summitt Squad" means something.
How Online Friendships Actually Form
Here's what parents don't realize: online friendships can be deeper than hallway friendships.
| Hallway Friendship | Pod Friendship |
|---|---|
| See each other in passing | Talk every week for 30 minutes |
| Surface-level ("what's up") | Structured check-ins (how are you really doing?) |
| Compete for grades, spots | Different sports, no competition |
| Local drama carries over | Fresh start with new people |
| Limited to your school | Friends from across Iowa |
The research: Deep connection comes from vulnerability and repeated interaction — not physical proximity. Pod calls create both.
The "Can't Hide" Factor
In traditional school, struggling students hide in plain sight. They're physically present but mentally checked out.
In ISP pods, you can't hide:
- Miss a pod call? Your podmates ask where you were.
- Streaks slipping? Your SSC mentions it in front of the group.
- Having a hard week? Your pod notices your energy.
This is healthy transparency. It's how traditional sports teams work — and it's how ISP works.
Your Kid Still Has Their Team
This is the game-changer that most schools with remote learning can't offer.
Iowa Law (HF 189) = Sports Access
Iowa law requires public schools to let ISP students play sports. Your child can:
- Play Friday night football
- Wrestle for their school
- Compete in basketball, volleyball, track, swimming — all of it
| What the Law Guarantees |
|---|
| Districts must allow participation |
| Your child plays for their home district |
| ISP handles the eligibility paperwork |
| You pay the same fees as any public school student |
Bottom line: Your child keeps their sports community.
The ISP Advantage for Team Sports
| Traditional School Athlete | ISP Athlete |
|---|---|
| 7 hours of class → practice tired | 2 hours of academics → practice fresh |
| Miss training for assemblies | No assemblies to miss |
| Homework at 10pm | Homework done by 11am |
| Exhausted for morning lifts | Fresh for morning lifts |
Your child is more present for their team — not less.
See our full Sports Access Guide →
ISP Events & Gatherings
ISP students aren't isolated at home. We create in-person opportunities:
Planned Events (Year 1)
| Event | When | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| Meet ISP Info Sessions | April-June | Families meet SSCs, other families |
| Athlete Camp Weekend | Late May/Early June | 200-300 kids, 50+ athlete-coaches, sports + community |
| Launch Celebration | August | Kick off the school year together |
Ongoing Opportunities
| Opportunity | Description |
|---|---|
| Regional gatherings | Meetups in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and other hubs |
| Training partner connections | Meet other ISP students at partner gyms |
| Competition support | ISP students cheering for ISP students at tournaments |
| Pod challenges | In-person meetups for pods who want to train together |
Year 2+: As ISP grows, we'll add regional events, summer camps, and ISP-specific competitions.
Traditional School vs. ISP Socialization
Let's compare honestly:
| Factor | Traditional School | ISP |
|---|---|---|
| Number of peers | 100-500+ | 4-6 (pod) + team + training partners |
| Depth of relationships | Mostly surface | Deep (weekly structured calls) |
| Adult relationship | 1:30+ ratio (counselor) | 1:100 (SSC knows your child) |
| Sports community | Built-in | Preserved via HF 189 |
| Peer accountability | Lost in the crowd | Pod sees everything |
| Drama/bullying risk | High (local, daily) | Low (different cities, fresh start) |
| Time for friendships | Rushed (passing periods) | Scheduled (pod calls) |
The trade-off: Fewer total people, but deeper relationships with the people who matter.
For Kids Who've Been Bullied
Some families come to ISP because traditional school was harmful.
| Traditional School | ISP |
|---|---|
| Same bullies every day | Fresh start with new people |
| Nowhere to escape | Pod is curated (no bullies) |
| Adults don't notice | SSC monitors relationships |
| Social hierarchy entrenched | No hierarchy in pods |
ISP isn't retreat. It's choosing a healthier environment.
FAQ
Q: What if my kid is an introvert?
A: Pods are small (4-6 people) and structured. Introverts often thrive because they're not overwhelmed by 500 people — they have a manageable crew.
Q: What if my kid doesn't click with their pod?
A: Tell the SSC. We can move students to a different pod if the fit isn't right.
Q: Can my kid be friends with people outside their pod?
A: Absolutely. Pods are the built-in community, not the only community. They'll meet other ISP students at events, in challenges, and through the app.
Q: Will my kid miss prom/homecoming/school events?
A: ISP doesn't have traditional school events (yet). But if your child plays sports via HF 189, they may be invited to their school's events as a team member.
Q: Is learning from home isolating?
A: It can be — if there's no structure. ISP builds in structure: pods, SSC relationships, events, and sports access. Isolation happens when kids slip through the cracks. Our system is designed so they can't.
Q: How do pods actually meet?
A: Weekly video calls (30 minutes) with the SSC facilitating. Some pods choose to meet in person if they're geographically close — but it's not required.
Q: What about lunch and recess?
A: ISP doesn't have a lunch period or recess — because we don't have a 7-hour day. Your child finishes academics and has the entire afternoon for training, friends, and activities.
Q: My kid makes friends through sports. Is that enough?
A: For many student-athletes, yes. Sports community + pod + SSC = plenty of meaningful relationships. You don't need hallway acquaintances on top of that.
The Bottom Line
| What ISP Doesn't Have | What ISP Does Have |
|---|---|
| 500 hallway acquaintances | 4-6 deep pod relationships |
| 5-minute passing periods | 30-minute weekly pod calls |
| Cafeteria chaos | Structured community |
| Anonymous crowd | SSC who knows your child |
| Local drama | Fresh start, different cities |
Your kid won't have the same social experience as traditional school.
They'll have a better one — for student-athletes.
More Info
- Meet Your SSC → — The 1:100 relationship
- Sports Access → — Play for your public school team
- How ISP Works → — The full model
- FAQ → — All questions