ATHLETICS
Athletics at a Glance GPS Athletics teaches girls to: »B e team players »U nderstand the importance
of mental toughness
»A ccept challenges
enthusiastically
»V alue strength, fitness,
stamina, and good health
Research shows that every aspect of a girl’s life can be enhanced by participating in sports: relationships, confidence, emotional well-being, health, body image, even academic performance. According to the Women's Sports Foundation, girls drop out of sports at two times the rate of boys, and more than half will quit playing sports by age 17. At GPS, however, girls keep playing. Two out of three GPS Middle School students and 60 percent of Upper School students participate in sports, compared to 36.8 percent in Tennessee (the second lowest in the country). With 15 varsity sports and 12 Middle School sports, every girl can find her place—on the field, court, river, track, course, or in the gym or pool. To keep girls in sports, we tailor coaching to their socioemotional development, ensuring they have the support they need to succeed. This means a coaching model focused on encouragement and positive feedback. Coaches are also relational and take time to explain the why behind what they are asking of each girl to increase buy-in. GPS athletes and coaches were recognized with the AF Bridges Award for the TSSAA East Region for the 2018-19 school year. The annual award recognizes the high ideals of ethics and integrity in the teaching and promotion of citizenship and sportsmanship. 2 6 | A G U I D E T O M I D D L E S C H O O L AT G P S
BRUISER DEFINITION: A BRUISER IS A GPS GIRL WHO—IN SPORTS AND IN LIFE—IS AN ATHLETE , FIGHTER, LEADER, HARD WORKER, TEA MM ATE , WINNER, AND SISTER. SHE IS TOUGH, AGGRESSIVE , STRONG , UNBREAK ABLE , DEDICATED, BOLD, RESILIENT, FAIR, SM ART, CONFIDENT, PREPARED, AND EMPOWERED. A Bruiser as defined by our students
