A Blaze of Glory

ABlaze athlete is not your typical competitor. Every student is an integral member of the team, and every member of the team feels worthy; it is a winning combination!

As JCDS Athletic Director, Laura Ball philosophized: “If a Middle School student has a passion, or even a small interest in joining a team, they can. There are no try-outs or cuts. The inner drive should not be squashed, but celebrated.” Laura went on to say, “We have had dozens of players over the years who never believed, or had confidence that they could possibly compete, but after a very short time as a Blaze member, they recognized their own athletic capabilities and suddenly blossomed. For many, it has been a life changing experience.”

This inclusivity not only produces students with invaluable life skills, but also creates some formidable young athletes! JCDS is the smallest of the JDSL (Jewish Day School League) thus to compete successfully, we accept fifth graders on our teams. As it turns out, this necessity brings far greater depth and spirit to our teams, including beautiful opportunities for older kids to mentor younger ones. The 7th and 8th graders perpetuate the leadership they were given by guiding their 5th and 6th grade teammates!

Blaze members regularly experience the thrill of competition and winning, but more importantly, they understand the moral imperatives of dedication, perseverance, accountabili- ty, self-esteem, fairness, leadership, and sportsmanship. Our student athletes have character. They love to win, but they are also taught how to graciously lose and accept defeat. As basketball coach, Ari Ebstein, wisely stated, “We emphasize positive body language and communication – for students to keep their heads held high regardless of the situation, and to keep their comments to one another constructive. ‘Build one another up’ is a phrase we frequently use at practices and games.” And in his ever-positive way, Ari also reminds the kids frequently that, “99% of games are won by the team that wants it the most.”

The JCDS community surrounds our teams with tremendous energy and support. Although we are often the smallest school to compete at any game, home or away, we have never-ending school spirit and the loudest parent and student cheering squad! Over the years, The Blaze has had countless high-scoring games and matches, winning multiple trophies. We’ve won both the boys’ and the girls’ basketball championships, and this season, we were the only school in the JDSL to have two teams in those championship games. Our girls came so close; giving their absolute all, and they lost the final tournament by only three points!

On the field, the court, and in the classrooms, at JCDS we encourage students to be their best selves; to show self-confidence, to be brave, kind, and to take risks. We cultivate our graduates to be proud and move forward without worry of failure, but rather, to believe they will succeed.