HEADMASTER TRIP DARRIN GREETINGS FROM ST. GEORGE

Teamwork, perseverance, practice, preparation - there are so many parts of athletics that are also fundamental characteristics of being a good student, man, father, and citizen. That is why all of our students are required to participate in some form of athletics at Blue Ridge School. Though we expand our definition of athletics to include our unique outdoorsmen and outdoor program in addition to conventional high school sports, the lessons are the same.

Because athletics are so important to our mission, it is equally important to have qualified coaches leading those teams. In the following pages, you will hear from some of our many talented coaches. They will share what is important to them, what makes a good team and player, and why coaching at Blue Ridge is so satisfying. Cade Lemcke, our veteran varsity basketball coach, continues to be an outstanding mentor to dozens of his former players. One of those players is Aamir Simms ’17, who had a tremendous career at Blue Ridge and Clemson University and now plays professionally in Paris, France. John Holt ’06 shares Aamir’s story of perseverance and love of the game.

Newer Blue Ridge coaches Dom Starsia and Clint Alexander already had established reputations in their sports of lacrosse and football when they took over our programs. Coach Starsia is a Hall of Fame college lacrosse coach with multiple NCAA national titles to his credit. In the following pages you will learn why he stepped away from retirement to take on the new challenege of coaching high school players. Coach Alexander’s passion and drive served him well at another all-boys boarding school in Virginia. Now he brings that enthusiasm to Blue Ridge.

Blue Ridge School’s own leadership has a new coach, so to speak. Robb Sasser III ’82 has begun his term as Chair of the Board of Trustees. Robb is a proud alumnus who has long served the School with his time, insight, professional experience, and financial resources. As Head of School, I am excited to work more closely with him to execute the Board’s vision for our future. To that end, the Board and administrative leader team have been hard at work considering potential revenue streams, our academic profile, and the physical needs of our students and community through an extensive campus master plan. With Robb’s guiding hand, Blue Ridge is poised to have many years of continued success in financial stability and fundraising, as well as attracting and retaining outstanding faculty and students.

In honor of one particularly outstanding faculty member, we recently had the distinct pleasure of formally dedicating the John B. Young IV Library. We were joined by students, many retired faculty, John’s extended family, and some of John’s former students. Prior to the ceremony, John was joined by Jim Niederberger and Carl Frye to share stories from their careers at Blue Ridge School. If you have not yet seen the video, I encourage you to watch it on Blue Ridge School’s YouTube page. Their stories offer humorous and heartfelt perspectives into life on campus.

Meanwhile, campus is as beautiful as ever thanks in part to two new additions: the Hall of Leaders beside Battle House and the Shook Family Patio at the new Williams Dining Hall. These public spaces provide attractive environments for students, parents, and alumni to gather for meals and events. Gathering as we do fosters the relationships that make Blue Ridge School such an important and successful school. I enourage you to return to campus as soon as you can to witness all of our improvements and to stoke the fire of your own bond with Blue Ridge.

Go Barons!

BLUE RIDGE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION:

Mr. William A. “Trip” Darrin III, Head of School

Mr. D. Franklin Daniels, Jr. P’23, Associate Head of School for External Affairs

Mr. Vinton Bruton, Associate Head of School for Operations

Ms. Amber Wilkins, Dean of Faculty

Mr. James Douglas, Dean of Academics

THE RIDGE:

John Dudley, Editor/Graphic Designer/Photographer

Josh Palubicki, Director of Enrollment Communications/Contributing Photographer

John Holt ’06, Contributing Writer

Elaine Alexander, Contributing Photographer

Andrew Shurtleff, Contributing Photographer

THE BLUE RIDGE SCHOOL MISSION:

We focus on helping boys reach their potential through personalized, structured, innovative learning practices in a college-preparatory, all-boarding community.

Blue Ridge School admits qualified young men of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. Blue Ridge School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, financial assistance and loan programs, athletic and other administered programs.