CALL 801-282-1000Varsity Sports at West Ridge Academy
Go Fighting Eagles!!
The Varsity High School sports program here at West Ridge Academy has a unique objective that is a little different than mainstream high school sports programs across the country because of the uniqueness of the students that are coached. West Ridge is a residential therapeutic treatment center for at risk youth and has been competing in varsity athletics for the past eight years. The youth that participate in varsity athletics for West Ridge come from varied paths of adversity. The primary focus of West Ridge Academy and its varsity sports program is to help young people experience a change of heart.
The varsity sports program at West Ridge works to support our overall mission in the following ways:
1. Create an opportunity to give the student-athlete a chance to compete in varsity athletics at the high school level, maybe where he or she did not have the opportunity before they came to the academy.
2. Giving the student the opportunity to build self esteem and self worth while working in a team concept.
3. Applying the varsity sport team concepts to life as a successful family on the playing field and likening the successes on the playing field to their own family situations.
4. To teach the specific sport to the teams so the team can be competitive in their respective sporting events in the 1A high school classification.
5. To give our youth another avenue to help create a Change of Heart .The success of the varsity sports program at West Ridge Academy is not measured necessarily just on wins and losses on the playing field, but measured by the overall experience participating in the varsity sport. This includes all the practices, games, matches, traveling with teammates, working with coaches, elevating their scholastic performances to be eligible to participate, and having their families come to watch them perform.
The varsity sports teams at West Ridge participate at the 1A classification under the Utah High School Activities Association. Class 1A is the smallest classification in Utah but has the most schools. The Varsity sports program at West Ridge Academy includes men's baseball, basketball, soccer, golf, and women's basketball, track, and volleyball. Women's athletics are new for the 2006-2007 school year because of the new girls program here at West Ridge.
The overall experiences of the student athletes at West Ridge has been tremendously positive since the inception of the varsity sports program over eight years ago. Many of the athletes have gone back and been successful in their own lives as a result of the overall experience at West Ridge. Some have gone on to collegiate academics and sports and have had successful careers at that level.
Lastly the varsity sports program has not only a positive effect on the participants of the game but the entire student body at West Ridge Academy. The student body plays an important role in the program because of the enthusiasm and energy displayed in their team that represents them. The student body is made up of all youth from ages 9-18 and they definitely display pride in their team in a very positive way by making signs of support for their friends on the court or field. The athletes are positive examples and set a precedent for the rest of the student body by showing that working and sacrificing for a common goal is worth the end result as long as you have done your absolute best to attain that goal.
