How Important are Athletics to a School

“What drives kids to our school is that amazing combination we have—the terrific athletic programs and the sense of school spirit all in the context of one of the best academic environments [around].”

I’d love to have said that about our school, but I didn’t. This quote came from the Dean of Undergraduate Admissions for Duke University (sorry, Tar Heel fans) acknowledging that “the exposure generated from successful, high-revenue athletic programs positively affects the outlooks of prospective students toward their schools.” ¹

Consider that in 2008, Stephen Curry and Davidson College’s Elite Eight appearance caused the school’s admissions office to process an increased number of applications and acceptances. App State’s win over Michigan in 2007 gave that school its biggest bump in admission applications in school history. And George Mason University has increased its enrollment by over 9% since their Final Four appearance in the NCAA Basketball Tournament in 2006, including a 20% application increase immediately following that successful season. A Virginia Tech research study concluded that a Final Four appearance increases applications by 7 – 8%.²

Did these schools suddenly become better schools to warrant the increase in applications? The reality is that the increased publicity and school cache resulting from their successful athletics performances made more kids want to go to that school.

Here at Davidson Day, we are experiencing a similar phenomenon. We’ve received more publicity and media attention about our school because of our athletics program. Our unexpectedly successful basketball season has inspired families who have never heard of us or considered us before to check us out. With the announcement of our football program along with the hiring of top-quality coaches in soccer, girls basketball, volleyball, as well as football, we are experiencing a surge of interest in our school from a wide variety of families from throughout the region.

Does that mean we are doing anything more in other areas of the school – like arts and academics? In this case, yes.

We have hired a renowned archaeologist to teach Middle and Upper School History who will also spearhead our school’s development of a research center in Belize – a unique program we are developing that will enable our students to work on excavating one of the largest Mayan ruins in Central America. We have hired a math specialist, who is completing his PhD , to re-design our math curriculum from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 while teaching our Middle and Upper School students.

We are investing a quarter of a million dollars in our Theatre to support the growth of our performing arts programs and we are investing a similar amount in technology to bring Smart boards and other innovations into the classrooms. Furthermore, we are weaving global initiatives throughout our curriculum and developing unique study abroad opportunities to better prepare students for success in the world they will live and work in.

All of these wonderful, exciting, and educationally transformative initiatives are being funded by our school to provide our students with unparalleled educational experiences. But quite frankly, I will bet that you won’t be reading all that much about these amazing initiatives in the media, or hearing kids and parents talking all that much about them during their social gatherings or play dates. I bet what you will hear about is football, basketball, lacrosse, soccer and a variety of our other sports. Kids and parents will engage in passionate debate over athletics. The media will add its voice to the mix. The wonderful non-athletics initiatives will take a publicity and public relations back seat.

Am I complaining? Not in the least. It’s the reality of our American culture. It’s just the way it is.

I love athletics. I know what athletics means to kids and families and to the social well-being of a school. In the words of a blogger who attends App State and who posted this excerpt back in January: “there is one girl on my hall who had never heard about App State until they beat Michigan. For the record, she hates football … but here’s at least one person who has come to Appalachian that wouldn’t have without the Michigan game.”

Well said. Go Davidson Day Patriots!

Sincerely,

Bonnie Cotter
Head of School

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[1] Chronicle, January 26, 2010

[2] Chronicle, January 26, 2010

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