Athletics

 

	The Greens Farms Academy athletic program, with its 19 interscholastic sports, over 50 interscholastic teams, and 25 recreational programs, is one of the most highly respected and successful programs in the Fairchester and New England Prep School Leagues. There is a lot of winning as well as a lot of physical and character development that take place in the program each year. Through its required participation, the athletic program endeavors to help our students develop physically, and to instill a life-long appreciation for physical activity, a desire to strive to perform at one's best, and a confidence that one can succeed in challenging situations. Therefore, participation in the athletic program is not an end to itself, but an opportunity for our students to have experiences that will benefit them both at the time of their participation and into their future. To this end we provide our students the opportunity to become more skilled and experienced in a variety of competitive and non-competitive athletic areas.

	We believe that a “good athlete” possesses both good athletic skills and a positive, supportive attitude. Accordingly, the program provides coaches who subscribe to the “positive approach” for teaching and motivating, directly fostering a supportive, trusting environment in which to train and compete. These coaches are also experts in their sports, allowing students to develop their abilities as far as they have the passion to go. And the results are strong. Our Middle and Upper School teams are among the most successful for schools our size in the Fairchester and New England Prep School Leagues. For a listing of our recent accomplishments click here. For information on the leagues in which we compete click here. Deeper than winning, the purpose of the program is to help our students develop into good citizens with a positive self-image, a concern for the welfare of others and the capacity to make sound moral and ethical judgments. We are proud that we have accomplished our successes while never compromising the high standards of conduct and sportsmanship we feel are essential for a healthy experience in sports. As validation of these efforts, GFA has recently received the prestigious Fairchester League Allen Hall Sportsmanship Award on more than one occasion, as well as several other league sportsmanship awards.

	A positive competitive experience can be very rewarding and beneficial to a young person, while a negative experience can have a devastating effect that can often last into adulthood. We believe that when athletes are confident that they are valued and respected for who they are, regardless of ability level, their efforts to strive for and attain excellence dramatically increase, resulting in greater success. Therefore it is with full respect for an individual's effort and integrity that we encourage all our athletes to:   Play Hard - Play Fair - Strive To Be Your Best!