From your Assistant Athletic Director/Head Cross Country Coach Sarah Rhea
The Children’s Catechism that Academy students memorize poses the question: What is the chief end of man? To which this answer is given: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” The foundational truth found in this catechism is the repeated teaching of the Word of God: “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:36). “For you were bought with a price. So glorify God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:20). “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23). Pursuing excellence glorifies God. At The Academy, athletics is one-way students have the opportunity to use their body, their mind, and certainly their spirit to glorify God.
We have five seniors on our Cross-Country team this year and three of them have been a part of the Cross-Country program since they were 6th graders. Coach Spears and I have shared the honor of watching them learn what it means to discipline one’s mind and body to glorify the Lord. We have watched them serve others while going through their own pain and seen them strive to create unity amongst their teammates. We have watched them work hard and fall short of their goals only to show up at practice the next day eager to continue their pursuit of excellence. We have seen their dedication pay off with memorable personal bests, medals, team trophies, and even State championship rings; yet their hearts maintain a humility and a focus on glorifying the Lord. This desire to glorify God within this pursuit of excellence in every area is the culmination of the long-term development plan of an Academy athlete.
This is our desire for every athlete that comes through our Athletic Department: whether we are fanning the flames of excitement that Grammar athletes have learning a new sport, training Dialectic athletes to embrace a higher level of discipline or teaching Rhetoric athletes to live up to their full potential, we are doing it all for the glory of God. At The Academy, athletics give the opportunity to the full cultivation of moral and intellectual virtue in our students. It is in this way that the Vision of a Griffin Athlete and our Portrait of a Graduate come together to produce students that will continue “to glorify God and enjoy him forever.”
