All Good Choices – Athletics and Drama at Park

in Summer 2022 by

Is your student wondering about after school activities for next year, and having trouble making a choice? We thought as the year drew to a close that it might be fun to ask current students to share what they loved about the activities they chose this year. The bad news is that their responses may not make it easier for your child to make a choice, because kids had a lot of similar things to say about why they loved their after school activity. The great news is that so many positive themes emerged from kids’ experiences that it became clear there are no bad choices. Whatever activity Park students choose, here are some things they can expect:

Teamwork

Whether it’s making magic on stage or on the field, kids felt like they got to know other students and enjoyed working together and being part of a team.

I loved many things about basketball.  My favorite was warming up with my team and others.  I was able to get closer to my classmates. My basketball coaches were very nice and helped us learn about basketball and made us better players throughout the season.

– Kiana ‘25, Basketball

Even though my closest friends chose different sports, I met lots of new people. It’s a great opportunity to be a part of a team and to reach out. We had away games at lots of different schools and home games at Park. I’m hoping to play again next year, and it’s definitely something I recommend even if you’ve never played before.  

-Sebastian ‘25, Lacrosse

Having never played field hockey before, I had no idea what to expect.  Turns out it was really fun:  we got to do lots of team building stuff, the coaches are really encouraging and nice, and I was able to learn a lot about the rules and how to play better.  I loved getting to cheer on the rest of my team!

-Jojo ‘25, Field Hockey

Growth

Students felt like everyone was welcome on their team regardless of previous experience. Coaches helped students learn the sport, and kids who had never done something before were impressed by their own progress over the course of the season. For one student, Park athletics even helped her gain the confidence and skills to try out for a club team. 

I was scheduled to try out for a volleyball club in early December and on the day of the tryouts I was nervous and asked my mom to cancel it. My mom insisted that I put my fears behind me and go for it. Happy I did because I made the team and developed some great friendships with my teammates. I’m looking forward to the next season. 

-Livvy ‘24, Volleyball

The team dynamic was very interesting because we had people who hadn’t played softball in the past and others who had club level experience.  The coaches made it easy for us to learn about the rules and incorporated fun into the lessons. 

-Kaylee ‘23, Softball

I really liked intramural sports because you’re not playing games against other teams so it’s kind of a year to get better at the sport with less pressure and to get to know your teammates.

-Andrew ‘26, Intramural Lacrosse

Fun

Students loved drama and athletics because they were fun! They made friends, they loved the satisfaction of seeing themselves improve, the thrill of cheering for their friends,and  the laughter that happens when you’re putting a play together.

Drama was really fun! Ms. Fries makes it an amazing, hilarious, enjoyable experience. For the fall we put on The Hobbit, and for the winter musical we put on Shrek, and finally, for the 8th grade play, we put on the One Act Play Disaster. Drama is definitely something I would recommend.

-Margot ‘24, Drama

Track and Field was a lot of fun for me because I wasn’t very good at running or the field events in the beginning, but now I have beaten my best times multiple times. I had time in the beginning of the season to learn everything and even have a practice track meet before we competed against other schools.

-Will ‘25, Track and Field

In every activity students found opportunities to connect, learn new skills or hone existing ones, and have fun with each other. Whatever your child chooses, their coaches will help them learn and improve and teammates will encourage them and cheer them on. And with all levels welcome and supported, they can always try something different next season or next year. There really are no bad choices! 

So… what sounds fun? 

For a more in depth look at Park’s drama program, check out the article “Drama at Park Teaches Skills and Builds Identity” from the Winter of 2021.

Author

  • Kelly Caiazzo, Park Perspectives Editorial Board

    The parent volunteers on the Park Perspectives Editorial Board write articles on current events at the School and matters of interest to the Park community for this quarterly newsletter. We are always looking to grow our team of volunteer writers and photographers. If you are interested in learning more, please contact communications@parkschool.org

The parent volunteers on the Park Perspectives Editorial Board write articles on current events at the School and matters of interest to the Park community for this quarterly newsletter. We are always looking to grow our team of volunteer writers and photographers. If you are interested in learning more, please contact communications@parkschool.org