Everyone Plays

Students in Kindergarten through grade four take physical education classes as part of their rotation of weekly classes. In the youngest grades, students play games that develop fine- and gross-motor skills, learn the basic rules of popular sports, and participate in activities where they can practice teamwork and sportsmanship.

 

The 5th and 6th grade athletic program is a bridge from the physical education curriculum taught in the lower grades and the interscholastic athletic program introduced in grade seven. Each trimester, fifth and sixth graders select a team sport and attend practice after school from 2:45 to 4:15 p.m. each day. The program includes instructional practices, where coaches work with students on skills, rules, and sportsmanship; intramural games to build camaraderie; and interscholastic games, which offer appropriate levels of competition against peer schools in a fun and positive environment.

 

In the Upper School, students also select a team sport each term and attend practice during the regular school day from 2:45 to 4:30 p.m. Our philosophy is “everyone plays”—which means that we make every effort to ensure that students are not cut from their sport of choice. Rather, our most competitive students play on our varsity teams, while our students with less experience play on our junior varsity teams as they build skill and experience. There are occasional times when some sports (specifically tennis and squash) have more registrants than available spaces, and in those cases we give students plenty of advance notice so that they may choose an alternate sport they will enjoy.

With over 20 sports offered, 57 different teams over three seasons, and 10 intramural options, every student is able to find an athletic option that is appropriately challenging and engaging. Whether you’re trying out a new sport for the first time or starting on a varsity team, athletics at Fay provides the opportunity for challenge, growth—and fun.