Athletics

At the Brooklyn Waldorf School, we believe that the unification of physical and mental health is fundamental to a child’s cognitive, social and academic growth.  Athletic engagement encourages students to connect with each other, improving their communication and teamwork abilities, sharpening their strategic thinking, and supporting a balance of humility and resilience through collaborative experiences.

Movement and Athletics through the Grades

Curricular movement classes and BWS team athletics develop in tandem as students mature through the grades.  Movement classes build-on the principles and skills behind teamwork: a necessity for social beings.

Lively dance activities, circus arts and Bothmer gymnastics comprise some of the foundational movements introduced in the lower grades.  As students ascend the grades, these exercises evolve into increasingly sophisticated, faster-paced team movement and sports.  Deliberately building movement skills and confidence encourages all students to stretch their capacities as team contributors and flexible collaborators, a strength that serves far beyond athletic fields.

In Grade 5, students participate in the inter-school Pentathlon, a much anticipated event, culminating from a year-long, low-intensity training integrated with their academic studies of ancient civilizations.  Students deepen their curricular studies by embodying ancient athletic skills from long jump and throwing discus, synthesizing these movements with historical and musical studies through song and recitation.  In this way, the students truly embody the form, balance and culture of the times, forging a deep and lasting relationship to their studies.

The upper grades movement curriculum sharpens the emphasis on collaboration in athletics.  Students learn the rules and finer techniques of various team sports, including volleyball, basketball, handball, badminton, fencing, floor hockey, running, ultimate football, soccer and softball.  Students develop appreciation for the subtleties of joyful and graceful movement in athletics, and become attentive to the unsung, cooperative aspects of team play that support a successful experience.

The movement class assessment standards become the athletic standards for our middle school, inter-school team athletics.  Coaches, teams and players are expected to demonstrate qualities of self-direction, responsibility for self and others, and collaboration.  Players must also demonstrate a stewardship of school resources and facilities, responsibility for personal actions, positive contributions and ethical and respectful behavior towards others.  Lastly, players must be able to work within groups to achieve group goals and to show effective and responsible use of time.

Phoenix Basketball

The fiery BWS Phoenix mascot inspires a school spirit of resiliency, especially during basketball season.  The BWS Phoenix basketball teams are proud of their strong seasonal records, high student participation and supportive fans.  The friendly rivalries and cross-team respect that students develop through the BWS basketball program exemplify the healthy camaraderie our students generate in all their community endeavors.

After School Athletics

Beyond the curricular movement classes and team athletics, our dedication to movement in development is expanded through many of our afterschool offerings, such as running club, volleyball, capoeira, and fencing.