School Sports vs. Sports School
As the winter athletic season comes to a close and the spring season is set to begin, I’ve been thinking a lot about sports and how proud I am of our athletic culture. bbin娱乐平台 is not a “sports school” according to the conventional meaning of that phrase in New England independent schools. This is not a place students and families choose because our teams will face elite competition and be visited by scouts. We offer a limited menu of two or three interscholastic sports per season, competing against similar-sized schools in the sports our kids are most excited about. As our long-serving athletic director, Mr. Stone, likes to quip, our football team remains undefeated since the school’s founding – because we have never had one.
And I wouldn’t change a thing. What we have is precious and increasingly unusual. There is a vibrant and healthy sports culture characterized by joining. Students who have not played soccer since elementary school or have never picked up a foil take up those sports, often playing alongside classmates who have significant experience and skill. While we have no formal team-sports requirement, about two-thirds of our students play at least one team sport each year – with many playing two or three seasons. While it’s not how we measure the program, that culture of participation has actually led to a nice string of championships over the past few years.
Sports are also where some of the most important learning happens. We celebrate the sportsmanship, teamwork, grit, and work ethic young people pick up along the way. Sports are one of the few places kids can learn from failure. They build self confidence and lifelong healthy habits. Plus, sports are fun and build community spirit, both for the players and those of us on the sidelines.
What’s troubling is how increasingly unusual this is. The drive for specialization and professionalization of athletics at earlier and earlier ages is understandable, particularly given the unfortunate incentives built into admissions in this country’s selective colleges. But it is taking a toll on the mental and physical health of our young people – and in some cases taking the joy out of something that’s supposed to be fun. We are a better school for our sports program and sports culture, and I hope we see a shift in this direction more broadly in the coming years.