The Principia coaching staff is looking forward to working with each athlete in the special environment that sports camp provides. This unique environment includes the building of team, the responsibility of preparation and dedication, and the pursuit of excellence in taking on and overcoming the many physical and metaphysical challenges that sports camp provides.
Sports camp offers the opportunity for great growth. Your spiritual support and thought for your child and Principia will be greatly appreciated. The metaphysical and conditioning assignments that each player was given by their respective coach in the spring (each coach’s letter with the metaphysical and conditioning assignments is available by clicking on the appropriate sports link below) will aid them through their challenges and build a stronger foundation from which to grow.
It is our job as educators and coaches to develop “a keen joy in the overcoming of obstacles…” (EAP, p.8). While this will continue to be an objective for the entire athletic department, sports camp provides a special setting to achieve this objective to its fullest. This objective coincides with the theme or creed of Principia Athletics (ATS, p.14) which we will develop and continually emphasize every season.
Part of that Creed defines the Principia athlete as “High Minded and Hard Fighting”. Each team will decide and distribute sports camp t-shirts that represent this theme by their teamwork, completion of their summer conditioning and metaphysical assignments.
Our Sports Hotline number is ext. 3082 (on-campus), and 314-514-3082 (off-campus). Please feel free to call this number on game days for information regarding times, locations, and weather updates.
Athletics at Principia is a key aspect of Principia’s ‘whole man’ education that engages and seeks to reveal all aspects of the individual – the spiritual, moral, physical, intellectual, and social.
“Principia education should mean the education of the whole man – physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually, as well as intellectually.This can be accomplished through athletics, sports of various kinds, academic training, association with each other under refined social conditions, and above all, through the unfolding of the spiritual nature in the daily practical application of the teachings of the Master.”Mary Kimball Morgan, EAP, p.69
One of the most important aspects of a Principia education is character training, or in other words the spiritualization of thought.The athletic department has defined team work, selflessness, and consideration for others (GOLD) partnered with physical demands that teach one to no longer lean on the material staff (BLUE), as our primary objectives in developing spiritualized thought.
The Principia athlete is high minded and hard fighting by expressing purity and courage in every challenge they face.Our goal is to foster a balanced education of learning how to work with others under the adverse circumstances that competitive sports uniquely offer.
“This ‘whole man’ whom Principia seeks to develop will live in a highly competitive environment when he leaves school.He will need to know how to get along well with others in competitive situations.He will need to know how to subordinate his own activities to a group plan, even when there is a chance for brilliant individual play that would bring momentary glory to the one, and perhaps ultimate defeat to the group.Nothing in the gamut of curricular and extracurricular school activities can be devised to do a better job of teaching this ability than a competitive sport…”Edwin Leonard, As The Sowing, p.13-14
PRINCIPIA ATHLETIC CREED
Aggressive without antagonism;
Working hard for skill in one’s sport and for mental and physical alertness;
High minded and hard fighting;
Always gracious, and win or lose, steadfast and loyal to team and school;
