Athletics

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.

Athletics at a Glance

GPS Athletics teaches girls to:

» Be team players

» Understand the importance of mental toughness

» Accept challenges enthusiastically

» Value strength, fitness, stamina, and good health

Bruisers Definition:

A Bruiser is a GPS girl who—in sports and in life—is an athlete, fighter, leader, hard worker, teammate, winner, and sister. She is tough, aggressive, strong, unbreakable, dedicated, bold, resilient, fair, smart, confident, prepared, and empowered.

The Value of Athletics for Girls

» 90 percent of female C-suite executives participated in sports as teenagers. (Source: Ernst & Young)

» Girls typically experience a significant drop in confidence throughout middle school; however, girls who play sports report confidence at consistently higher rates than girls who don’t consider themselves athletes. (Source: RulingOurExperiences.com)

» Nationally, middle school students participating in one or more interscholastic sports have higher grades than nonathletes, even when socioeconomic status, gender, age, and family composition are taken into account. (Source: NASSP.org)

#BruiserStrong

One way we stand out among other programs is our newly redesigned strength and conditioning program, which is the area’s only all-female program with two National Strength and Conditioning Association-Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists. Every aspect is geared toward improving performance, speed, and recovery along with injury prevention.

Middle School girls have access to their expertise each Wednesday through Bruiser Power Hour, an optional, after-school enrichment that emphasizes self-care while preparing girls for the next level of competition.

Outside of organized sports, we look for ways to incorporate exercise and movement. In 1990 GPS was recognized in the Southeast for creating SHAPE—Starting Habits to Attain Physical Excellence—our Middle School physical education program. SHAPE continues to prepare every GPS girl for lifelong healthy habits through fitness, nutrition, wellness, and play.

Trailblazers in Girls Sports

GPS was the first in Chattanooga to offer girls:

1909 | Basketball*

1974 | Golf

1994 | Rowing

2005 | Lacrosse

*spearheaded the formation of the city's first league

Since 2006, GPS Bruisers Have Won 20 State Titles and 27 Region Championships.

100% of our athletic resources is dedicated to the support and success of our female athletes.

15 Varsity Sports and 12 Middle School Sports Offered:

Basketball | Bowling** | Cheerleading | Climbing** | Cross Country | Diving | Golf | Lacrosse | Rowing** | Soccer | Softball | Swimming | Tennis | Track & Field | Volleyball

**Offered only in Upper School