As the Arden Project comes to a close in spring, the physical education department has hired Liz to assess the Marlborough’s athletic program. Liz will give the School recommendations for strengthening sports teams and ensuring the success of student-athletes. Liz has experience as a club lacrosse coach and school administrator at the college and high school level, and worked with Head of School Priscilla when Priscilla was the Head of School at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy.
Athletic Director David said he appreciates the opportunity this review affords.
“[The review] is timely because we are going into the Arden Project, so we are going to have a brand new state of the art facility, and it will be time to get a chance to get a feel for where our school is athletically,” David said.
Liz will evaluate all areas of the School’s athletics program, creating potential for major changes in the school’s sports teams. During her campus visit on Feb. 23-24, Liz met with athletic staff, coaches, athletes, council members and parents in order to help her compile her report.
Liz said her main focus is raising the visibility of athletics.
“I’m here not only to get a good sense of who you are as a school, but also [to] help elevate the athletic program here to mirror the academic program,” she said.
Liz said that the completion of the Arden Project provides an opportunity for strengthening the athletic teams and students’ sense of community through sports.
“The Arden Project is obviously giving your athletic program an enormous boost and allowing you to have facilities right on campus which can very easily [promote a] culture of athletics,” Liz said.
Liz hopes she will provide useful feedback for the School to make the best use of the new facilities.The Arden Project and the athletic audit are tools that Liz hopes will attract prospective student athletes.
“The desire as a school is to attract high level students but also athletes, who can contribute athletically here,” Liz said. Through the Arden project and some new initiatives Liz hopes the School will be able to “highlight [in] the admissions process that we really care about athletics here.”