Athletic Program
St. Paul Academy and Summit School believes that the pursuit of competitive excellence and success in athletics is central to our mission as a school, and an integral part of a complete educational experience.
Athletic competition is a powerful educational experience that promotes the development of leadership, self-confidence, sportsmanship, and commitment to a team, and it is in alignment with our mission of shaping the minds and the hearts of the people who will change the world. Our student-athletes are coached to work hard towards collective goals, to strengthen their individual skills, and to persevere when confronted by challenges.
Team sports at SPA are introduced as class activities in the physical education program starting in Grade 3, and interscholastic competition begins in Grade 6. The Middle School athletics program is very strong, with almost 97% of students in Grades 6-8 participating in at least one SPA team sport. In the Upper School, 77% of students compete on at least one SPA team and our athletes are regularly recognized through selection to regional and national team events.
After graduation, many Spartan athletes go on to successful careers in collegiate athletics. Since 2015, 16 SPA alumni/ae have gone on to play Division I sports in college, and another 46 participated in Division III athletics.
Are you interested in connecting with an SPA coach or a member of our Athletics Leadership Team? Please complete this Prospective Athlete Inquiry form and a member of our team will follow up shortly.
The purpose of these handbooks is to provide information relevant to participation in the Upper School and Middle School Athletics Programs. We believe that athletics plays an integral role in the development of many of our students. The goal of the athletic program is to provide a challenging and nurturing athletic environment where student-athletes can build lasting relationships with their teammates and coaching staff and learn life lessons while experiencing the pride of representing St. Paul Academy and Summit School.
Program Focus
Competition is the essential ingredient of the athletic program. We encourage our student-athletes to embrace challenge, overcome obstacles, think creatively, cherish loyalty and, most importantly, to compete with enthusiasm. Competition helps students to do their best and helps them learn how to deal with both winning and losing in a respectful, socially acceptable way. Our student-athletes are expected to play with determination, compete fairly, and respect the efforts of their opponents.
Program Goals
- Encourage levels of excellence from our athletic teams that match our expectations in the classroom;
- Provide a range of opportunities for students to compete;
- Help our student-athletes reach their athletics goals as teams and individuals;
- Instill appreciation of commitment to team, school and fitness;
- Teach rules, skills, self-discipline, cooperation, sportsmanship, respect, and commitment to shared goals;
- Support positive self-image and confidence gained through athletic participation.
Participation in interscholastic athletics is an important piece of Middle School student life. The Middle School offers 12 dedicated sports teams for students in grades 6-8 to participate in and an additional 6 Upper School sport offerings for students in grades 7-8. Almost 97% of our students participate on one of our teams each year. SPA maintains a staff of over 40 coaches. For detailed information about SPA’s athletic program, visit the Middle School Athletics section of our website or contact Taylor Tvedt, Lower & Middle School Athletics Director.
Middle School team schedules and rosters can be found under the Athletic Team Pages tab. Most Middle School sports are open to all students in Grades 6-8 regardless of experience. Upper School teams (Alpine skiing, hockey, swimming and diving, golf, boys’ and girls’ lacrosse) are open to athletes in Grades 7-8 who have prior experience in these sports, at the discretion of the coach and the Department of Athletics based on skill evaluation during tryouts.
Sports Clinics are a wonderful way for Lower School students to develop their skills to a greater level, and enjoy the school spirit that comes with being part of a school sports team. Upper School student-athletes will often come to the Lower School to practice with younger players, and these experiences help Lower School students understand what it means to be a Spartan at SPA. Contact Lower & Middle School Athletic Director Taylor Tvedt for more information about Lower School Athletics.
Students in grades 3-5 can participate in co-ed sports clinics. Skill development, introducing team concepts, and having fun are the main components of these clinics. Clinics occur 1-2 times a week from 3:15-4:30 p.m during weekdays at the Goodrich Campus, and on Saturday mornings at the Randolph. Student-athletes in grades 3 and 4 practice together on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Saturdays. 5th Grade clinics occur on Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Saturdays. There are no competitions for Lower School student-athletes.
