Page 24 - FIS World December 2020

Another Win for FIS Athletics
Through teamwork, a new Athletics philosophy emerges
FIS is a place where all athletes, regardless of sport, can grow, thrive and work to achieve their best
On a crisp day in January, a group of FIS students, faculty, staff, coaches, parents and administrators from the Oberursel and Wiesbaden campuses worked
together to rejuvenate the FIS Athletics Philosophy, which was previously looked at almost a decade ago. With substantial experience leading diverse groups through strategic planning processes, in-depth knowledge of FIS and the Athletics program, Kelly Sweet, Upper School Physics Teacher and athletic parent, was the perfect fit to serve as the group facilitator.
Prior to the workshop, Ms. Sweet worked in conjunc- tion with Will Moncrief, FIS Athletic Director, to best understand the goals and objectives of the athletic program at FIS, with the central theme being “What does it mean to be a Frankfurt Warrior?” At the out- set, Ms. Sweet and Mr. Moncrief challenged each participant to provide the core values and charac- ter attributes that resonated the most with them and best represented the Athletic Department at FIS. Mr. Moncrief noted that there had clearly been an upsurge in Warrior pride and spirit in recent years, and was eager to see how this would be reflected throughout the workshop.
The comprehensive philosophy development process was robust and all-encompassing, considering statements from a variety of areas including the FIS Mission and Beliefs, IB Learner Profile and examples from other schools and universities across the globe.
Not unlike the plethora of other activities outside of the classroom at FIS, athletics provides learning opportunities to its students so it was critical that the philosophy statement was in line with the overall learning objectives at FIS. Small groups of stakeholders worked together to flesh out descriptors for a Warrior Athlete, Athletic Director and Department, Coach and Parent. The groups prioritized these descriptors to form the framework for a renewed philosophy:
The Athletic Program is an integral part of the Frankfurt International School experience. As an extension of the learning environment, we provide student athletes the opportunity to further develop their physical, social, emotional and intellectual potential. We believe that the success of our program is based on our student athletes’ personal growth, development of a strong moral character and ability to perform in a team environment. We strive to foster the Warrior spirit, instill pride in our school, and above all, ensure that our athletes leave with positive memories and a lifelong love of sport.
Some of the most valued voices of the workshop were those of Tess H., Hanna S. and Luke T., current Grade 12 students who are multi-season athletes and engaged members of the Student Athletic Council (SAC). Throughout the workshop, these students provided insightful views on “What does it mean to be a Frankfurt Warrior?”; the core theme being fun! Luke noted, “It was a new experience for me and I appreciated the opportunity to be involved in the workshop, have collaborative discussions and share my ideas with the group.” FIS Coach and Physical Education Teacher, Chris McCallum, concurred with the power of the student voices and appreciated the perspective they added. Tess, Hanna and Luke eagerly applied their IB Learner Profile mindset while working through the process.
At the end of the workshop, all participants firmly agreed that the end result was a perfect summary of all of the ideas deliberated. To help with the launch, the FIS Media Team, in its evergoing support of FIS Athletics, is showcasing the renewed philosophy in a video - T.E.A.M. (Together Everyone Achieves More)!
Martha Boston-Majetić
Athletics and Activities Department
22 FIS World October 2019