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Athletics Update

July 15, 2021

In this update: Athletic Registration Update- Field Hockey, Tennis, Volleyball - Changes to the Athletic Department - Summer Workouts - High School Golf - Last chance for Spring Sports Feedback Survey

Athletic Registration is opening soon!

We are transitioning to a new registration software, FinalForms. We will no longer use FamilyID. However, I'm working with FinalForms to ensure that our site is ready for launch, and that process has taken a bit longer than I hoped!

But it is critical that we get numbers for our fall sports ASAP - so please fill out this Fall 2021 Sports Interest Form ASAP. This is especially critical if you have a daughter in grades 5 -8, as we are determining if we have enough for our teams at that level (see below for more details). It should literally take you less than a minute per child, so no excuses!!

2021 Fall Sports Interest Form

The Athletic Department is excited about the capabilities of the FinalForms system and hope that our families and coaches appreciate the ability to more easily complete and track important athletic requirements.

One of the best features of this software is that you will be able to register for ALL your sports throughout the school year at once. Once the system is open, please do so ASAP, as it greatly helps our planning. While you may pay for all registrations up front, you may delay payments for Winter and Spring sports until closer to their start dates.

Besides online registration, the only other form we need is your Sports Physical Form signed by your child's physician. These differ based on your child's grade (links below if you want to get a head start on completing them; h/t to Allie Dolan for being the first to get her kids in for this coming year!):

A Parent and Physician Release Form for athletes grades 1-6
A PIAA CIPPE Section 7 for athletes grades 7-12
- This form may not be completed earlier than June 1, 2021, and shall be effective, regardless of when performed during a school year, until May 31, 2022, or the conclusion of the springs sports season.
- Also, please note that a nurse's physical paperwork is not the same as the PIAA CIPPE Section 7 and cannot be accepted for sports participation.

This form can be uploaded to your FinalForms registration or turned into the office and marked to my (Mr. Deschamps) attention.

Field Hockey, Tennis, Volleyball

Last fall, we offered Cross Country and Girls Soccer in the High School for the first time. Formerly, these programs were co-ops with Vincentian. With two additional fall girls' sports offerings (in addition to Field Hockey and Golf), we found ourselves stretched thin. In addition, based on last year's registrations, we project to have a deficit of girls for field hockey at the middle school level. And so we met as a team to come up with a plan...

In order to maintain our field hockey program for 5th-8th grade girls' we need to have 15 girls registered by August 1st. If we do not have enough girls to field a team, we would consider changing our offering at that level to be an Aquinas girls' volleyball team (in the Diocesan League). But we need to know ASAP as the deadline for registration in that league is fast approaching. Be aware that if your daughter's first love is volleyball, we currently offer it through a co-op with BTA. A flyer with further details on that arrangement attached below.

Finally, with Mr. Salinas' and Mr. Gracey's blessing, we've moved 5th-8th Girls' Tennis back the spring and rebranded it as "Intramural Girls Tennis." This means the program focuses on skill development and competition within the program, rather than competing against other schools.

BTA_Aquinas Volleyball 2021.pdf

Athletic Department Changes

I'm excited to announce a few changes to the Athletic Department. Jen DeWitt will be the Lower and Middle School (K-8) Athletic Director while Jim Richthammer will be the High School Athletic Director.

We hope this division of labor allows both programs to flourish and fulfill the mission of the school through athletics. They'll receive some administrative help from our front office staff, and some technical assistance from me (Tyler) in the background. However, I will no longer "officially" be part of the athletic department, instead taking on additional administrative responsibility in the High School.

Summer Workouts

Summer workouts for various teams are in full swing. Checkout their schedules on each team's Google Calendar. We hope to see your son or daughter there!

Google Calendars

High School Golf

We have more exciting additions to announce! Coach Joe Rukas will be joining our High School Golf program, alongside Coach Laura Mullican, to lead our Boys and Girls in WPIAL golf for the first time. Summer practices start July 29, so check out the flyer below for more information. Be sure to register ASAP on FinalForms to be part of Aquinas history!

Aquinas Summer Golf 2021.pdf

Final chance for Spring Sports Feedback Survey

This kind of got away from me, but I did want to provide one last chance to provided feedback on your child's spring sports experience. Links to those surveys just below! Please complete by July 22 at which point I will close the surveys. Thanks!

Parent Survey

Athlete Survey

Sports contribute to the love of life, teaches sacrifice, respect and responsibility, leading to the full development of every human person.

St. John Paul II