Sports at Oldfields
Hello! My name is Madi, and I am a junior at Oldfields. I have been here since March of my freshman year, and I am absolutely in love with the athletics program at Oldfields. During my time here, I have played a lot of sports that I am familiar with and tried a lot of new sports as well. I have played softball, field hockey, basketball, and ran both track and cross country. At Oldfields, you can feel very confident in your abilities to try something new, or continue participating in a sport that you have been playing for as long as you can remember. Our community on campus is extremely encouraging!
Sports are such an important part of my life. I have always loved being active, and for as far back as I can remember, sports have always played a large role in shaping who I am. Athletics at Oldfields are different from any other school I have ever seen. To begin, our sports practices and games happen after our academic day. On top of that, our entire student body participates in every season of athletics throughout the year. Participation is required in replacement of an academic physical education class. I enjoy this set up because I do not have to worry about a gym class in the middle of the school day that may make me exhausted or worn out for the rest of my academic classes. Another amazing thing about our athletics program is that there are so many opportunities. Students can choose to participate in anything from horseback riding, to fitness, to team sports like basketball. Students can even play a sport outside of Oldfields that they’re passionate about, and this type of participation can count as your requirement.
My sophomore year, I played field hockey and basketball for the first time in my life. My teammates and coaches were always there for me during the extremely early morning basketball workouts and during late afternoon practices. I was terrified to try a new sport. However, Oldfields truly is a place that is safe to try new things and to step outside of your comfort zone. This is because of the community that exists on our campus. My teammates understood that I was learning, and at times, had no idea what I was doing. Even though I had never shot a free throw or held a field hockey stick before, my teammates never altered their attitude towards me. One of the best parts of trying something new was the immediate reflex that my teammates had to cheer me on as I continued to try and improve my skills.
Oldfields is such an amazing place to better yourself. No matter if you are working to improve at something you already know you are passionate about or if you are trying something for the first time, you will be surrounded by an encouraging and uplifting group.