Through this experience, we are reminded that sport and exercise are critical to our wellbeing and our ability to face adversity. 

So when CISAA and The York School’s competitive athletics programme was halted, we knew that we needed to find ways to keep up the physical exercise and also maintain our mental resilience. 

While our physical contact is limited, and we can’t cheer together in the arenas, it doesn’t mean we can’t come together as a community

Physically, we are engaging our students and keeping them active, but our Director of Athletics recognized the need to highlight the tools we have to stay mentally engaged as well. And not just for the Athletics department, but for the whole community.

His purpose was for the whole community to be able to aspire and learn from people with deep lived experiences. So he reached out to his top athlete contacts for support, asking them if York School students could interview them on what they do to focus, stay in shape, and manage their stresses. Their response was overwhelmingly positive and Coach D’s “Get Up in the 6ix” interview series was born. 

Top Athletes included:

The candid conversations ranged from the role of the parent in their students’ sporting life, to Black Lives Matter and those days we sometimes want to just ‘throw in the towel’. Athletics is a driver that can restore our mental and physical health, as well as being a unifying bridge between cultures. Giving The York School students the opportunity and access to meet and interview star athletes about their journey has been an incredible experience for all, and we look forward to many more ways to learn from the experts on how to tackle adversity through sport. 

* Through physical fitness, teamwork, mental focus and a supportive community, The York School has won 35 CISAA Championships since 2014.  

Watch the highlight reel of the virtual ‘Get up in the 6ix’ series facilitated by The York School’s amazing Athletics department!