Athletics

APPROACH & PHILOSOPHY
Westmark School recognizes the interest and enthusiasm for athletics demonstrated by our students. Westmark School’s philosophy of athletics is to promote positive attitudes, to develop skills and knowledge at the competitive level and to have fun. As a department, we promote sportsmanship, honesty, commitment, support, patience, hardwork, integrity, loyalty, and pride. The school is committed to providing everyone a fair chance to participate on a team. Westmark Athletics is a competitive, non-cut program.

In keeping with our philosophy, which seeks to encourage the development of the whole person, a co-curricular athletic sports program is offered. This program attempts to:

• Develop an interest in fitness, leisure activities, and healthy living for life
• Introduce students to the fundamentals of the sport
• Develop strength, coordination, flexibility, agility, and endurance through active participation in athletics and fitness activities
• Develop an interest and knowledge of proper nutrition standards for competition and healthy living
• Understand and demonstrate the importance of sportsmanship in a competitive and cooperative environment
• Emphasize sportsmanship, teamwork, leadership, dignity, respect of others, and a physical outlet which will enable them to progress in athletics;
• Explore and identify talents, skills, and interests and the willingness to take reasonable risks to actualize these through athletics.
• Recognize that athletic participation is a privilege and the athlete is a Westmark representative both on the field and in the community
• Serve as positive role models to all students and the community at-large
• Respond to student needs, interests, and enthusiasm by allowing students to participate in a wide variety of team sports;
• Educate the whole student both mentally and physically;
• Stress fair play, integrity, respect, and initiative;
• Maintain the overall goals of hard work, and perseverance;
• Enable students to recognize that the process used in striving to win is as important as the goal itself;
• Enable students to enjoy the athletic experience;
• Teach important life skills through athletic participation.