5 minute read
Athletics
ATHLETICS RETURNS TO ST. PHILIP’S
The Saints are back! Our athletic program returned to full swing this summer after the pandemic caused our organization to put this multi-faceted program on hold for over a year, to ensure the safety of our young athletes, staff, and volunteers. Football and cheer were the first sports to open registration. This year, four football teams returned to operation. This included Flag, 8U, 10U, and 12U.
Our Saints Cheerleaders returned in a big way, taking home major wins in the USAYL Cheer & Dance Competition hosted at St. Philip’s on November 14. These talented young girls, ages 4 – 12 years old, took home 1st and 3rd place. They worked tirelessly to achieve such an amazing accomplishment. Congratulations to the girls, their amazing coaches, and parents for the time and effort put into making this season a success.
In addition to football and cheer, volleyball is making its comeback at St. Philip’s with a girls' volleyball clinic held in November. Participants learned all about serving, passing, setting, and other basics to understand the game of volleyball. Twenty girls, ages 6-12, enjoyed the day of skills and fun.
SUMMER CAMPS OFFERED A WELCOMED WARM UP FOR FALL SPORTS
The Dallas Cowboys hosted a free football camp at our campus on Saturday, July 10th. Over 50 boys and girls participated in the camp, receiving individual and group coaching from current and former NFL players. The young athletes, ages 6-13, learned lessons in teamwork, dedication, and character.
St. Philip’s was excited to host over 100 young ballers from all over the D/FW in a two- week summer basketball camp with Damien Mobley, Head Coach for James Madison High School. Boys and girls, ages 6-14, were taught the basics of the game from dribbling to passing, layups, and more! The camp ended with the ultimate slam dunk --an inspirational message from Spud Webb, former NBA player and St. Philip’s ambassador. Webb supports strong athletic programs in inner city communities like St. Philip’s, many of whom remind him of those that shaped him growing up in Dallas in the 70's.
important upcoming dates:
Basketball - League play begins January 15 | Lacrosse Clinic - January 15 Soccer - Registration begins February 21 | Baseball - Registration begins March 7 Track & Field - Registration begins March 7
ST. PHILIP’S ALUMNUS, JEREMY WINSTON, RECRUITED BY PROFESSIONAL LACROSSE TEAM
The St. Philip's alumni network will soon be adding a professional athlete to its ranks. In August of this year, Jeremy Winston (Class of 2011) heard his name called by the Halifax Thunderbirds in the fifth round of the 26th National Lacrosse League Draft.
Jeremy’s journey began in elementary school at St. Philip’s, where he was a member of the Saints’ lacrosse team. He credits the Saints lacrosse program for introducing him to the sport he would fall in love with. Upon his graduation from St. Philip’s, Jeremy went on to attend Parish Episcopal School, where he would catch the attention of Division-1 college coaches across the nation. He would then go on to commit to Jacksonville University, where he accumulated nearly 60 goals across four seasons. In addition to his athletic achievements, Jeremy has excelled in the classroom. He recently completed a degree in Sociology with a minor in Criminology and hopes to one day work in Medical Sales.
When asked about the role St. Philip’s has played in his journey to becoming a professional athlete and an exceptional student, Jeremy said that he would not be in his current position had it not been for the values he cultivated in South Dallas: “The biggest thing I learned from St. Philip’s was the importance of respect.” Jeremy also emphasizes the importance of St. Philip’s black history-centric curriculum: “The amount of black history we learned helped me keep my eyes open at a really young age.”
Jeremy is currently using his extra season of athletic eligibility at Jacksonville University, while also pursuing a graduate degree and preparing for the Halifax Thunderbirds upcoming training camp
KOBE BOYCE SHINES ON THE FIELD AND IN THE CLASSROOM
While attending St. Philip’s, Kobe Boyce (Class of 2011) was a member of the football, basketball, lacrosse, and track teams. He credits his former coaches with being exceptional at developing young talent while emphasizing the importance of having fun: “Schematically, there’s not a lot to teach kids at that age. The St. Philip’s coaches were good at building on our natural strengths and letting us maximize our potential at that young age…” After graduating in 2011, Kobe went on to attend Shelton School and Lake Dallas High School. He made football his primary sport and quickly rose up recruiting ranks. Kobe ultimately committed to the University of Texas over schools such as Oklahoma University, Texas A&M University, Baylor University, and many more.
One of Kobe’s fondest memories as a student at St. Philip’s was winning the Sunshine Award, given to a student who spreads joy and naturally brightens up a room. This experience, coupled with the life lessons he learned from his teachers, taught him to value his true self and continue to spread positivity.
Today, Kobe is working on finishing his undergraduate degree at the University of Texas and aspires to become a coach after college. As a coach, Kobe wishes to instill his athletes with the same life lessons he learned at St. Philip’s.
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