Athletics
St. Francis Episcopal offers a comprehensive Athletics program at the Middle School level. Students in grades 6-8 have the opportunity to participate on teams and compete against other schools throughout the year. Sport seasons are broken down into fall, winter, and spring. Participation is optional; however, 98% of students participated in at least one sport this year. Students not on a team are enrolled in a Physical Education Class. We are members of the Houston Junior Preparatory Conference (HJPC) which is comprised of K-8 and K-12 schools from the Houston area. We have won 26 HJPC championships. Our students compete in the following sports:
Boys: Cross Country, Football, Basketball, Soccer, Swimming, Wrestling, Baseball, Lacrosse, Golf, Tennis, and Track & Field.
Girls: Cross Country, Field Hockey, Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer, Swimming, Softball, Lacrosse, Golf, Tennis, and Track & Field.
The Upper School Athletics program opened in the fall of 2018 with our inaugural class of ninth grade students. At the Upper School level, we are competing independently this year in the following sports: Girls Volleyball, Coed Cross Country, Boys and Girls Basketball, Coed Swimming, Coed Track & Field, and Tennis. 94% of Upper School students participated in at least one sport this year. As the Upper School grows, so will the Athletics Department, and sport offerings to include similar sport choices currently offered in our middle school program.
St. Francis at a Glance
94% Participation rate in Upper School
98.5% Participation rate in Middle School
26 Houston Junior Preparatory Conference Championships
17 Full time faculty coaches who coach 34 total seasons;
29 Part time coaches who coach 42 total seasons
2 Weight rooms/Fitness Centers
3 Regulation grass playing fields
47 Total teams
17 Overall athletic programs
Upcoming Athletics Events
- Primary School Motor Development
- Lower School Physical Education
- Middle School Physical Education
- Upper School Physical Education
- St. Francis Sports Association (SFSA)
- Athletics Photos
Primary School Motor Development
Taking advantage of our dedicated motor room and vast outdoor space, our Primary School’s motor curriculum promotes an active lifestyle and is aligned with our Reggio-inspired program. Students attend motor classes for 30 minutes each day with a dedicated motor teacher, learning how their bodies work through rhymes, songs, games, and movement. Lively activities, relaxing exercises, and active stretches help them develop fine and gross motor skills and prepare them for their future physical education experience.
Lower School Physical Education
Promoting an active lifestyle for all ages, the Lower School physical education program is modeled after Dr. Robert Pangrazi’s positive, inclusive Dynamic Physical Education philosophy. Lower School students attend physical education classes for 30 minutes each day with a dedicated PE teacher for the year. The curriculum introduces fitness development and a wide variety of skill-focused activities to instill a lifelong enjoyment of exercise, improved skills and fitness levels, and stimulation for a better learning environment.
Middle School Physical Education
Middle School provides a variety of dynamic games and fitness activities. The fifth-grade physical education program is modeled after Dr. Robert Pangrazi’s positive, inclusive Dynamic Physical Education philosophy. Fifth graders attend PE classes each day for 45-60 minutes with a dedicated PE teacher for the year and participate in intramural sports on a weekly basis. Sixth, seventh, and eighth graders have the opportunity to participate in team sports and compete against other middle schools in the area. Students who choose not to play or manage a sport for a given season participate in physical education.
Upper School Physical Education
Upper School physical education affords students a fitness program tailored to meet their individual goals, aspirations, and physical needs. Students work alongside a certified group fitness instructor and PE educator two to three times a week for 45-minute sessions.
The Upper School Fit Fusion class infuses an assortment of aerobic-based workouts that aim to improve the five key fitness components: cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition. Students learn how to develop their own exercise plans while incorporating nutritional guidelines and wellness principles geared toward modeling healthy, active habits. Much like a fitness club, our program offers group fitness classes like weightlifting and body sculpting, yoga, kickboxing, Tabata/HiIT, Zumba, step aerobics, and so much more.
St. Francis Sports Association (SFSA)
In addition to our physical education program, students in kindergarten through fifth grade have the opportunity to participate in a variety of youth sports through the St. Francis Sports Association, a program of St. Francis Episcopal Church.