Athletics

Athletics and Educating the Whole Child

Interview by Candace Silva, Communications Manager

Athletics at Allen-Stevenson not only provides opportunities for all types of students but the goals of our athletics program stretch beyond winning. We seek to instill a lifelong appreciation for movement, school spirit, camaraderie, a positive can-do attitude, true sportsmanship, and self-esteem.

Director of Athletics Rich Alifano and Communications Manager Candace Silva sat down with three of our student- athletes to hear how athletics has played an essential role in their time at Allen-Stevenson and its positive impact on their education and well-being.

What sports do you play at Allen-Stevenson?

Ben Harris (Eighth Grade): At Allen-Stevenson, during the fall, I play soccer. During the winter, I do wrestling. And during the spring, I do track.

Tyler Parrot (Eighth Grade): During the fall, I play football. During the winter, basketball, and during the spring, baseball.

Charlie Sossen (Eighth Grade): I play basketball during the winter.

What is your favorite part of being on a team at Allen- Stevenson?

Ben: I would say the best part about being on a team at Allen-Stevenson is that I’ve known almost everyone on the team for at least five years because I've been at this school for a really long time so I know them very well.

Tyler: I'd say I really like bonding with kids in other grades as well. Back when I was in Seventh Grade, I made a lot of friendships with a lot of the eighth graders that I really didn't know before. And the same thing goes for this year with the current seventh graders. I really like that element of the sports at A-S.

Charlie: I agree with Tyler. I made a lot of new friends who were in the Eighth Grade last year and this year, with those in Seventh Grade. I also like when we play games and friends from our grade come and support us and watch us.

In what ways do you feel that you've grown as a result of your time on these teams?

Tyler

Tyler: I feel like I’ve really grown a lot, not only as an athlete but in terms of my mentality as well. Before, I would be tough on myself, and I feel like sports has really helped me to get myself together in times like that and I just keep on playing.

It's really helped me with my maturity as well. I feel like when we're on these teams, we're making a big commitment to the school and all the responsibilities we have to these teams.

Charlie: Playing has really helped my leadership a lot because at times, I would feel kind of shy or afraid to speak up. But it’s in this last year and current year that I've had to be a leader on the team, and that is really helpful.

Ben: I would agree with Charlie. It's helped me as a leader, especially this year in Eighth Grade. I was the captain of the soccer team, and playing with both the seventh graders and my eighth-grade friends showed me how to keep everybody's heads up and make sure no one gets down so we can all play at a hundred percent the whole game.

How do you feel that your participation in sports adds to your overall experience at this school?

Ben: I think the sports at Allen-Stevenson adds an element that I feel you don't always get at other schools. Allen-Stevenson is known for the plays that it puts on and the musical performances, but it also has a great athletics program that gives students a way to express themselves—not only through the arts but also through sports.

Tyler: Going to an all-boys school can be very competitive. So,

I feel like sports really lets us show that competitiveness on the court and on the field rather than in school and in our classes. It just brings a lot of fun because you get to really show off your stuff. I really like that.

Charlie: It allows people to be well-rounded. Like Ben said, some people express themselves through the arts, but having sports at school and being able to participate gives a lot of people the ability to express themselves through that aspect. Having all of [those options] is really important and that's something the school does really well.

Are there any lessons that you learned through athletics that you can apply to other places, either in school or in your lives?

Ben: I would say the biggest lessons are camaraderie and teamwork. Being able to lift people up when they're down, making sure that you can keep everybody together as a team… I feel like that can be used through a school project or if you're working on something at home with a sibling. It is useful in other aspects of your life.

Tyler: Like Ben said, it goes back to teamwork. It really teaches you to be the bigger person and how to pick [teammates] back up. That’s how everyone on the team is. Everyone's there for each other. I think [the coaches] do a really good job of teaching everybody the overall lesson of helping each other out. We're like a brotherhood at the school. We're all in this together.

Charlie: In life you work a lot in groups, and it's really important to have skills to work with other people—even if you're not friends with them or know them well. Playing a sport at this school and meeting new people in different grades builds that skill which can help you outside of athletics.

How do you balance your time playing sports and your academic workload?

Ben: Being able to manage my schoolwork and athletics has been a big part of my life for the past five or six years because I also play a sport outside of A-S. Balancing my schoolwork with A-S athletics as well as my outside athletics has definitely been a challenge, but I also think it brought out the best in me at times. Knowing when I need help from my teachers to do work or making sure I communicate with both my coaches here as well as my coaches outside has helped my communication skills. Tyler: Similar to Ben, I've been playing sports outside of school, and just sports in general for as long as I can remember, so I'm pretty used to managing and balancing my workload with my athletics. I feel like the school does a really good job of providing time during the day and even after school for our practices so that we have time to get the sports work done, and then after that we can go home, get our schoolwork done and get ready for the next day. A-S does a good job of mapping out the times for us to do all these different things. Charlie: I agree; during the school day, we have a lot of time to do work, and that helps me a lot, especially because I also play sports after school. Like Ben said, being a student-athlete helps me with time management and communication with all my teachers. I'll always reach out to a teacher if I need help, and all the teachers at A-S will always respond to you and are so helpful. Like these guys said, I've just been playing sports for so long that it’s become a routine now. I think if I didn't play sports outside of school, my time management would not be as good because I have to be very effective with the little time that I have. I think that’s really helped me for the future.

Ben Is there anything that you like particularly about your school team versus being on an outside team or vice versa?

Tyler: I think it's the best feeling to play sports at such a competitive level with all of your [school] friends. There's just this feeling when you win while your whole school is watching because you see all these people every day.

Charlie: We've built a great community here, especially with the sports. I love when my friends come and watch me at the games and that really builds me up and gives me confidence when they're coming and cheering for me. I really enjoy that.

What would you say to younger boys who are considering joining sports here at A-S?

Ben: Go for it. It doesn't matter if you play the sport outside. If you're just coming into it, there will be a place for you on an A-S team. There's always a friend that will be there to support you, whether you do well or whether you make a mistake. There will always be someone to support you throughout your Allen-Stevenson sports career.

Tyler: I have a little brother in Sixth Grade, and I tell him all the time: just have confidence. You really have nothing to lose in the sports we play at Allen-Stevenson. I mean the school gives us so many opportunities to play sports and I think everyone should try to take advantage of that.

Don't be worried or scared. Just play, have fun, be confident, and just try to make the most of your experience.

Charlie: Like Tyler said, everyone should take advantage of the opportunity [to play sports] because we're really lucky to have it. I think it's important for everyone to branch out and try new things and they shouldn't be afraid because they have great support from their friends, the coaches and the community.

Charlie