Baseball player image Baseball player

PolyAthletics

The Power of Play

By promoting character, self-esteem, and mental and physical health in all students, Poly Prep Athletics enables young people to learn about their own physical fitness, set personal goals, and develop a sense of confidence that will extend into the classroom and guide them throughout their lives.

Female athletes at poly prep

Athletics, at its best, should feel like an extension of play: fun, engaging, and healthy. Our program, headed by a three-time Olympic coach, gets Poly students moving every day.

Whether it’s staying active and healthy, playing collegiate sports, or becoming a professional athlete, Poly provides students the physical and mental resources to reach their goals.

Program Philosophy

Poly Prep student playing on a bouncy ball

We believe in the power of play. In Lower School, daily active play is an integral part of the students’ physical education. During free play, teachers supervise as children use their imagination to create inclusive games. While firmly rooted in fun, our P.E. classes help our youngest students learn fundamental movement skills though challenging activities and non-competitive games. As time progresses, students gain competency and confidence in their physical abilities, and are able to synthesize these skills.

  • Balancing
  • Jumping
  • Climbing
  • Catching
  • Skipping
  • Kicking
LS pe happy kids

By second grade, students have mastered the basic building blocks and continue to develop and refine their gross motor skills. While keeping joy front and center, multisport play introduces new games and the ethos of sportsmanship to the curricula. Kids explore the various challenges presented by sports and improve their agility, balance, coordination, and speed.

  • Handball
  • Gatorball
  • Soccer
  • Hockey
  • Lacrosse
  • Basketball
Poly Prep Lower School students playing soccer

By fourth grade, students have become physically literate and are ready to sample the variety of sports available in Middle School. They continue to enjoy both unstructured and structured play, thereby further developing their motor skills while continuing a strong association of fun and creativity with physical exercise. At recess, the playground is filled with activity, from climbing and cartwheeling to kickball and basketball. P.E. introduces warm ups like star jumps, mountain climbers, and planks before students get to dive into their sport unit. 

As core strength, endurance, and flexibility increase, students spend more time thinking and playing as a team. Team play progresses dexterity and fine motor skills, as well as game strategy, camaraderie, and collaboration. These skills are utilized not only on the court or field, but also in all areas of the students’ personal development. 

Poly Prep Middle Schoolers learning to play lacrosse

All Middle School students take P.E. In Grades 5 and 6, they cycle through the most popular sports, which are taught by the varsity team coaches. By sampling the breadth of athletics, students both expand their general skills, as well as begin to develop predilections for individual sports they would like to focus on. In Grades 7 and 8, the students get the opportunity to do just that by picking one sport each season. At the Middle School level, physical education is designed to help the students develop physically as well as mentally, and to give them the experience and the space to consider what they most enjoy. Their training has now expanded to include an emphasis on competition, as well as sport-specific fitness, strategy, and skill development. By the end of Middle School, students have a strong foundation for lifelong fitness, recreational sports, and a thirst for challenge and competition.

Poly Prep athlete practicing the high-jump

In Upper School, athletics can be accessed through a variety of routes such that each student has an option that suits them. There are eighteen sports offered at the JV and varsity level, as well as specialized P.E. courses, which allow students to add recreation to their day. Whatever the student’s goal, whether it is general fitness, specialization in one sport, or training to be a three-sport athlete, we provide the support and opportunities to do so. 

Poly Prep Homecoming Football players running to the field

At Poly, we are student-athletes, not athlete-students. Because of that, our coaches are dedicated and passionate professionals who strive to help us win every game, and also understand that education is the top priority. Students learn to work hard in the classroom so they can play hard on the field. In Upper School, students have access to elite and individualized training so they can compete at the highest levels. 

Poly’s dedication to long-term athlete development is upheld by our state-of-the-art facilities. Our 25-acre campus houses almost all of our sports, while hockey and crew train and compete off the grounds. Our facilities include multiple playing fields, an all-weather track, a cardio training room, a strength and conditioning center, two indoor gyms, nine squash courts, a swimming pool, and a baseball and softball indoor training center.

  • Poly Prep student playing on a bouncy ball

    Active Start

    We believe in the power of play. In Lower School, daily active play is an integral part of the students’ physical education. During free play, teachers supervise as children use their imagination to create inclusive games. While firmly rooted in fun, our P.E. classes help our youngest students learn fundamental movement skills though challenging activities and non-competitive games. As time progresses, students gain competency and confidence in their physical abilities, and are able to synthesize these skills.

    • Balancing
    • Jumping
    • Climbing
    • Catching
    • Skipping
    • Kicking
  • LS pe happy kids

    Fundamentals

    By second grade, students have mastered the basic building blocks and continue to develop and refine their gross motor skills. While keeping joy front and center, multisport play introduces new games and the ethos of sportsmanship to the curricula. Kids explore the various challenges presented by sports and improve their agility, balance, coordination, and speed.

    • Handball
    • Gatorball
    • Soccer
    • Hockey
    • Lacrosse
    • Basketball
  • Poly Prep Lower School students playing soccer

    Learn to Train

    By fourth grade, students have become physically literate and are ready to sample the variety of sports available in Middle School. They continue to enjoy both unstructured and structured play, thereby further developing their motor skills while continuing a strong association of fun and creativity with physical exercise. At recess, the playground is filled with activity, from climbing and cartwheeling to kickball and basketball. P.E. introduces warm ups like star jumps, mountain climbers, and planks before students get to dive into their sport unit. 

    As core strength, endurance, and flexibility increase, students spend more time thinking and playing as a team. Team play progresses dexterity and fine motor skills, as well as game strategy, camaraderie, and collaboration. These skills are utilized not only on the court or field, but also in all areas of the students’ personal development. 

  • Poly Prep Middle Schoolers learning to play lacrosse

    Train to Train

    All Middle School students take P.E. In Grades 5 and 6, they cycle through the most popular sports, which are taught by the varsity team coaches. By sampling the breadth of athletics, students both expand their general skills, as well as begin to develop predilections for individual sports they would like to focus on. In Grades 7 and 8, the students get the opportunity to do just that by picking one sport each season. At the Middle School level, physical education is designed to help the students develop physically as well as mentally, and to give them the experience and the space to consider what they most enjoy. Their training has now expanded to include an emphasis on competition, as well as sport-specific fitness, strategy, and skill development. By the end of Middle School, students have a strong foundation for lifelong fitness, recreational sports, and a thirst for challenge and competition.

  • Poly Prep athlete practicing the high-jump

    Fit for Life

    In Upper School, athletics can be accessed through a variety of routes such that each student has an option that suits them. There are eighteen sports offered at the JV and varsity level, as well as specialized P.E. courses, which allow students to add recreation to their day. Whatever the student’s goal, whether it is general fitness, specialization in one sport, or training to be a three-sport athlete, we provide the support and opportunities to do so. 

  • Poly Prep Homecoming Football players running to the field

    Train to Compete

    At Poly, we are student-athletes, not athlete-students. Because of that, our coaches are dedicated and passionate professionals who strive to help us win every game, and also understand that education is the top priority. Students learn to work hard in the classroom so they can play hard on the field. In Upper School, students have access to elite and individualized training so they can compete at the highest levels. 

    Poly’s dedication to long-term athlete development is upheld by our state-of-the-art facilities. Our 25-acre campus houses almost all of our sports, while hockey and crew train and compete off the grounds. Our facilities include multiple playing fields, an all-weather track, a cardio training room, a strength and conditioning center, two indoor gyms, nine squash courts, a swimming pool, and a baseball and softball indoor training center.

Poly Prep Stats

Ivy Prep League logo

Founding member of the Ivy Prep League

Olympic logo

2 Olympians on Staff

Championship logo

60+ NYSAIS Championships and 275+ League Championships

Athletics All-Americans 24

Poly students recognized as All-American athletes in their sport since 2017

Poly Facilities

Poly’s dedication to long-term athlete development is spectacularly reflected by our state-of-the-art facilities that houses almost all of our sports on our 25-acre campus.

Facilities

Poly Athletics

Alumni

Tess Sutter ’21

“Tess’ work ethic, values, and ability to be a consummate teammate while striving for excellence have been recognized by her teachers, coaches, and peers.”

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Alumni

Channing Austin ’20

All-American athlete Channing Austin, who played on Team NY at the National High School Baseball Championship in Houston in 2019, committed to play for the University of Virginia Cavaliers.

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Alumni

Fiona Greig ’97

“Athletics gave me a natural home.”

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