At Bivouac, Kate Tregay ’28, a Junior Guide, asked Ryan McCullough ’30 what sports he was doing. Squash, tennis and Strength and Conditioning (S+C) in the fall, he told her.
Ryan was among the freshmen who were unable to do S+C due to numbers. They were supposed to find out after returning from Bivouac, but he learned of this change from Kate while in New Hampshire.
Sign-ups for S+C ran so high across the Upper School (US) this fall that the program couldn’t run safely with everyone in the gym, US Assistant Director of Athletics Taylor Clancy said in an email to The Vanguard. On Sept. 9, an email from Scott Giusti, Assistant Director of Athletics, was sent to US students announcing a change to S+C: the program closed its fall session to one grade — freshmen.
The restriction is only for the fall. This season, she said, they can try Health and Fitness, taught by Director of Physical Education and Health Henri Andre. S+C focuses on lifting weights and cardio. According to the school’s website, the Health and Fitness “curriculum guides all students in developing their physical, social and emotional health.”
Ryan joined Boys’ Thirds Soccer instead. He played middle school soccer last year but planned to drop the sport this fall to focus on squash and tennis.
“Soccer still, because it’s a high school sport now, is taking up a lot of time,” he said. “Also on the weekends too. This weekend, I have my first soccer game for school at the same time as a tennis tournament I have. So I’m not going to be able to play in the tennis tournament.”
Ryan trains for squash and tennis twice a week, and he planned to use S+C to prepare for his seasons. S+C would have left him more free time than another sport, he said.
“There’s a lot of stuff I have to fit into my day,” he said. “You need to be very motivated to do all your stuff and then go to the gym by yourself on top.”
Ryan said Kate told him an email had gone out about the change.
“I understand why they had to do it,” he said. “It was because there were just too many people who signed up. I just think it’s unfortunate.”
Until this year, S+C students could come into the Nicholas Athletic Center gym any day after school, sign in, stay for as long as their workout took and leave when they were done, S+C Program Head Ethan Collins said. Classes ran with 30 or more students.
“In the past few years we’ve tried to accommodate everyone, but it’s led to a decrease in the quality of the class,” he said.
According to an email sent to S+C participants and reviewed by The Vanguard, students are assigned 45-minute sessions on three consistent days each week based on their top day preferences, with priority given to upperclassmen. Students also list whether they would prefer to do their session before or after school. Ten students are allowed in the morning sessions and 20 in the afternoon sessions.
Coach Collins said most S+C students come in with some lifting experience or an athletic background, while Health and Fitness is more foundational.
He said he wasn’t sure why the restriction only applies to the fall athletic season and said it might come down to the sports and credit options students have in the winter and spring.
“Hopefully it will be to their advantage when those freshmen become sophomores next year and have a better idea of what they’re hoping to get out of the class, because they have a year of sports under their belts,” he said.
Serena Mohsen ’29, who is on the Girls’ Varsity Field Hockey and Ice Hockey team, took S+C as a freshman last spring. Having the opportunity to work out at school gave her a way to stay active, she said, while the gym staff also provided guidance for students who were unsure of what to do.
“I’ve never had the chance to work out at school, so it gave me a better attitude,” she said. “It’s a good way to learn how to work out if you haven’t had infrastructure for workouts. If you’ve already been doing that, it’s a good way to practice.”
Dean Riaz ’28, who runs track and field, has taken S+C since his sophomore fall, and said previously the fall sessions didn’t have enough space for more students.
“I see a reason,” Dean said. “It’s kind of a valid reason [but] if you’re a freshman who wants to do strength, it’s kind of a bummer.”
Although the changes to S+C were made in response to this year’s specific circumstances, Coach Collins said he expects the policy to continue in the future.
