Spring Sports Are Thriving

When I checked the CHSAA website home page on Monday, I was pleased to notice that all four of the athletics rankings featured CA teams.  I cannot recall the last time all four sports that use rankings (boys and girls lacrosse, girls soccer and baseball) featured Colorado Academy in the top 10.  This doesn’t even take into account our girls golf and tennis teams, which are very strong; however, there are no CHSAA rankings for those sports.  (Other students are also engaged in Ultimate, a non-CHSAA sport, as well as running track and field in conjunction with our neighbor Denver Christian.)

 

The rankings success is a testament to the hard work of our student-athletes and the dedicated effort of our fantastic coaches.  The time commitment is significant, and both the physical and mental demands on all involved (including the parents and other supporters on the sidelines!) mean that students are putting in long hours to reach their individual and team goals.  As one senior recently told me, “Right now my team is the group I feel closest to.  The togetherness we feel is unbelievable.”

 

While the demands of the spring sports schedules are indeed noteworthy, I am grateful for the way athletics keeps students focused and engaged in the spring, even as the weather gets warmer and the hint of summer vacation is in the air.  Many students have told me that playing a sport actually helps make them more diligent about their time management, including in their academic and arts requirements.  They know they must use their limited time wisely.

 

As we move towards post-season play, the students will enjoy both the thrill of competition and the added pressure of a win-or-go-home situation.  The community benefits from the opportunity to cheer them on these endeavors.  Go Mustangs!

 

In a related note, five of our senior lacrosse athletes appeared in a recent Denver Post Preps podcast.  I was proud of the mature and articulate way they presented themselves.  All of them emphasized the importance of TEAM and modestly deflected questions about their own abilities.  Please see http://www.denverpost.com/2017/04/18/post-preps-podcast-inside-colorado-academy-lacrosse/