Over the past three years, the Athletics & Wellness Center (AWC) has gradually become part of GFA's visual landscape. This summer, its doors officially opened, bringing to life a project first introduced to the community in 2023 as part of Lives of Purpose: The Centennial Campaign for GFA.
The 55,000-square-foot Athletics & Wellness Center, which includes 35,000 square feet of program space, reflects GFA’s longstanding belief that athletics and wellness are essential parts of a student’s education and growth. More than simply adding space, the AWC provides more time and opportunities for students to move, compete, collaborate, and connect as part of their daily experience at GFA.
At its center is a flexible field house that provides additional court space for Middle School and junior varsity volleyball and basketball teams, easing scheduling constraints that previously pushed some Upper School practices and games later into the evening. Two new squash courts with viewing galleries, a dedicated wrestling room, a high-performance training area, an expansive fitness center, and a sports medicine suite bring training, competition, injury prevention, rehabilitation, and wellness together under one roof.
The result is a space designed not only around what students do, but around what they gain from doing it together. Teams have more opportunities to practice and build community. Students have greater access to spaces where they can develop healthy habits and challenge themselves. And throughout the building, spaces for gathering and connection make athletics and wellness an even more visible part of daily campus life.
The opening of the AWC also coincides with a new chapter in GFA athletics leadership. On July 1, Jen Harris became Director of Athletics after nearly two decades at the school as a teacher, coach, Assistant Director of Athletics, and, most recently, Associate Director of Athletics. For Harris, the AWC reflects a broader vision for student development. “It will be a cornerstone of our community,” she said, “a place where teams build unity, students forge lifelong connections with peers and mentors, and individuals discover what it means to feel healthy and confident in their own skin.”
That vision extends well beyond competitive athletics. While student-athletes will benefit from new spaces for training and competition, the AWC was designed to support every student’s well-being and sense of belonging.
“At GFA, we meet students exactly where they are,” Harris said. “The AWC will provide countless opportunities to ensure every student is seen, known, and supported for who they are today and who they strive to be tomorrow.”
Mrs. Bolton once observed, “It is on the playing fields more than anywhere else that character is built.” The Athletics & Wellness Center carries that conviction into GFA’s second century, creating more space—and more time—for students to challenge themselves, care for their well-being, build relationships, and grow together.