Win-Win

PEOPLE ARE TALKING. There are murmurs in the Metro League and whispering around SLIAC. What is going on at Principia? Are they prioritizing athletics over academics? Compromising character to succeed in sports?

Absolutely not, contend College Athletics Director Ramiro (“Coach Ro”) Dominguez and his School counterpart Shawn Brown (US’00, C’04). The “secret,” they say, is no secret at all: Success on the scoreboard is simply an extension of Principia’s whole-person philosophy.

“Principia teams are just different. They are ruthless but polite. They are tough but sensible. They are hard-nosed but intelligent.”
–Opposing college men’s basketball coach

The Principia Athlete

Principia athletes come in many shapes, speak a variety of languages, and excel in a plethora of pursuits. For a small community, Principia athletes are remarkably diverse—so diverse that it’s easier to define them by what they are not.

The Principia athlete is not one-dimensional, out for personal praise or to elevate self over team. God-guided—coached by character educators who prioritize sportsmanship over the scoreboard and growth over glory—the Principia athlete proves the promise of Mary Kimball Morgan’s whole-person education.

When two dozen coaches, educators, and administrators were asked what they look for when recruiting a Principia athlete, several words came up repeatedly: commitment, determination, grit, joy. Not mentioned once: standout statistics or athletic prowess. 

“We’re looking for students who want to be here, to grow spiritually, intellectually, and mentally,” says Dominguez. “We’re looking for students who buy in. And I find students want those things too.”

College softball coach Grace Burrows has been traveling the country, recruiting prospective Principians. “I look for good people,” she says. “You can build an athlete, but if they’re not here to be a good teammate and a good student who is involved on campus and getting their homework done—if they’re not holding themselves accountable—then I’m not interested. That’s what we look for here.”

“I hear those voices that ask, ‘Is Principia just a basketball school now?’” says Upper School Principal Samantha Dry. “But they don’t see the whole picture—the students who competed in State in music or the 15 upper schoolers selected for a juried art show, or the students making real change through the Impact Challenge and service projects.”

If Principia is compromising grade points for game points, no one told Upper School boys’ basketball coach Jay Blossom. “We have higher standards across the board [than other schools],” he says. “It takes a lot of work, but we demand it, and our kids buy into that. You can see it in the way they conduct themselves on the court, in the classroom, and in their own lives.”

Spirituality and the Principia Athlete

The role of faith in society is evolving, and it’s natural for people to ask how students and coaches practice spirituality at Principia. To borrow a phrase, there is no spot at Principia where God is not. 

“Being able to respect the religions of different kids, and to lead with it and not hide it, is special,” says Upper School wrestling and track and field coach Lee Furnace. “The number one goal of coaching is to help these kids see their Creator through what we’re doing.”

After going through the ringer of big-time tennis, Saray Hernández Cisneros (C’26) (p. 25) found that Principia College’s Christian Science-based environment healed her fraught relationship with the sport. 

Upper School swimmer Sarah Lamb (p. 29) credits Principia’s metaphysical approach with helping her smash personal and School records. “At Principia, my coaches have a spiritual standpoint, and I can go to them for spiritual help,” she says, “That’s helped me overcome mental limits and accomplish my goals.”

Healings are happening in the heat of competition. Spiritual growth goes on in interactions large and small. In diverse but undeniable ways, the Principia athlete continues to demonstrate how fearless faith overcomes limitation.

The Principia Athlete and the Whole Person

Principia athletics aren’t in competition with the whole-person ideal; they are proof of it. “Research shows that self-efficacy is greater in students who participate in athletics, clubs, student government, etcetera,” says College President Dr. Meggan Madden (C’93). “The whole-person concept aligns with this research. It is the rich foundation from which students grow spiritually, morally, academically, and athletically.” 

Madden’s statement is supported by performance: 50 Principia College athletes earned SLIAC All-Academic Team honors this past school year.

Upper School graduate and incoming Principia College freshman Shepherd Thomas (US’26) (p. 33) advanced to the State finals in both soccer and tennis, but his athletic pursuits didn’t deter him from also making the honor roll and leading Hubbell House as House Captain. Upper School junior Hazel Stewart (p. 31) found that lessons learned on the soccer pitch improved her confidence and performance in the classroom. Zayana Brown’s (C’26) (p. 28) love of soccer opened doors to dance, choreography, and opportunities to write, direct, and perform. The examples are as numerous and diverse as the student-athletes themselves.

As Principal Dry says, “You don’t come to Principia just for sports. You come for the whole experience. We want you to be all in, to add value everywhere, because that’s how you learn who you are and what it means to be a proactive change agent.”

The experience of the Principia student-athlete proves the interconnectedness of whole-person education. “We strive for excellence in the classroom; we should strive for excellence in athletics,” says Dominguez. “Let’s make sure we’re being competitive and striving for that excellence.” Brown ups the ante: rather than simply striving for excellence, “We should demand it.”

Brown describes this as Principia’s “Win-win philosophy: winning in objective and winning in purpose.” In other words, prevailing on the scoreboard through a purpose-driven, character-focused approach. “That’s our calling card.”

“It was an honor to share the court with such a talented team that also demonstrates such admirable character.”
–Opposing high school boys’ basketball coach