Scope and Sequence Works for Athletes, Too

Colorado Academy’s Middle School athletics program, which begins in sixth grade and requires three trimesters of participation each year, is designed to be complementary to CA’s academic and artistic offerings. We ask CA Middle School student-athletes to challenge themselves by trying new activities and by working hard to become as skilled as possible in their chosen area of focus. The balance between the traditional classroom, the arts, and athletics is fitting, engaging, and provides experiences that are healthy and appropriate.

 

Our philosophy around the education of the whole child throughout the entire school year has positive social implications, and lessons learned through sports are beneficial both in the hallways and in how they can impact the often-complicated social scene for students that age.

 

Another part of our philosophy is to have teachers among the ranks of our coaching staff. For example, Middle School Principal Bill Wolf- Tinsman coaches soccer. Wolf-Tinsman says, “I have always enjoyed coaching in the Middle School and the valuable on-field relationships with kids. There is no question that the impact we can have as a coach can be different than the one we can make as teachers. Each can play a role in helping our students grow into the kind of thoughtful and talented young people we believe they can be.”

 

Middle School sports are about competition, participation, challenge, growth, and fun. Unlike some club sport experiences, we emphasize the growth and fun. Our coaches’ and school’s philosophies are less about outcome and more about understanding and meeting the athlete’s individual needs and goals, while also developing the team to the best of its ability. We try to measure our success by the quality of the experience each child has and the growth each experiences as an athlete and person. At the same time, we have our eye on the long view as it stretches into the more competitive high school athletics landscape. We pay close attention to sport-specific skill development, sportsmanship and the students’ ability to collaborate.

 

All of the sports we offer in the Middle School are great examples of the kind of work we are trying to accomplish, and this vertical view surrounding individual, team, and program development is perhaps best exemplified by this year’s boys soccer program. Top to bottom, from the Sixth Grade team to the Varsity State Tournament qualifying team, the philosophy of teaching and preparing students for next year and the next level has been phenomenal. We have the opportunity to begin developing predispositions in Lower School, support their skill development in

Middle School, and then help players get to the highest competitive level in Upper School. Varsity soccer coaches who have seen our Middle School soccer teams play and practice say that what CA does from a soccer “scope and sequence” point of view is extremely impressive.

 

Over time, teaching skills and a shared philosophy and culture lead to tremendous results of which our students and community can be proud. As Head Coach of CA’s soccer program, Gabe Bernstein notes, “One of the best parts of my day during the fall season is walking out to Firman Field to begin setting up for Varsity practice. If I’m early enough, I get the chance to watch our Middle School soccer players developing their technical abilities and tactical understanding under the supervision of our Middle School coaches. Usually, however I am running late! On these days, the Middle School boys are passing me on their way back to the gym, sweaty, smiling, and buzzing about. I then watch as our JV and Varsity boys begin warming up for practice, and all I can think about is the culture we have established. Our soccer staff has worked tirelessly to create a positive and competitive culture in the soccer program here at CA. My walk from the gym to Firman field reminds me every day why we coach, why we teach, and why it’s so important to give back to the game.”

 

As we head into the winter sports season, Middle School students have the ability to play basketball, climb, play racquetball, take yoga, or do conditioning. I hope you can come out to watch how the players are developing over their half-dozen years in our Middle and Upper Schools.