Athletics Overview

List of 3 items.

• Kindergarten and Lower School

  Lower School students participate in a carefully sequenced curriculum, with emphasis on fitness, participation, sportsmanship and general athletic skills. More specifically, the program develops gross and fine-motor skills, collaborative skills, coordination, visual and spatial awareness, cardiovascular fitness, self-confidence, and “knowing your body.” 
  
  Kindergarten through Grade 2 students participate by homeroom. Students in Grades 3 and 4 move to a gender-based program, where we introduce specific sport units that our students will be exposed to in the Middle and Upper Schools.

• Middle School

  In the Middle School, students transition to a combination of intramural and interscholastic programs. In the fall and spring seasons, students select a sport and play a competitive interscholastic schedule. Each team competes with peer schools from the Fairchester Middle School Athletic League (FAA). Playing time is evenly distributed, and the emphasis is on sport-specific skills, collaborative team work, sportsmanship, team pride and improvement over the course of a season. Usually there is more than one team in a given sport. In these cases, teams are created to be equal, both by grade level and skill level. Frequently, two separate teams in a given sport will practice together daily, which helps promote a sense of community and strengthens the bonds between students.
  
  

  The winter season is intramural-based and is divided into two equal sessions. Students rank preferences from a variety of offerings and have the opportunity to experience two sports. This intramural season adds to the students’ total athletic experience, while also providing a chance for sport-specific skill development and camaraderie amongst peers.

   

  Middle School Sport Offerings:
  
  

  Boys	Fall	Soccer, Flag Football, Cross-Country
  	Winter	Basketball, Coed Hockey, Coed Squash, Coed Volleyball, Coed Yoga, Coed Fitness, Coed Pickleball
  	Spring	Baseball, Lacrosse, Cross-Country
  Girls	Fall	Soccer, Field Hockey, Cross-Country
  	Winter	Basketball, Coed Hockey, Coed Squash, Coed Volleyball, Coed Yoga, Coed Fitness, Coed Pickleball, Dance
  	Spring	Softball, Lacrosse, Cross-Country

• Upper School

  In the Upper School, students are placed on ability-based teams through a tryout period each preseason. Every student has a chance to participate at a level that complements his or her skill level, so that each can experience success and growth as an athlete. Our teams compete in the Fairchester Athletic League (FAA), and often against non-league opponents as well. Our Varsity teams are extremely competitive and successful, frequently competing against high school freshman and JV teams, as well as travel teams. Upon graduating from NCCS, our athletes move on to their next schools feeling prepared and confident for the next level of competition.

   

  Our extensive indoor and outdoor facilities, including two full gymnasiums, an expansive gross-motor room, a cardiovascular fitness room, outdoor hockey rink, outdoor swimming pool, wooded trails and ropes course, and plentiful field space suit our program well. We also have a full-time school nurse and an athletic trainer to educate our athletes and help keep them and visiting teams safe and cared for.