Overview

“Elite athletics and elite academics:
That's the situation ... at National Cathedral,
a great school with really good sports.”

- Hall of Fame basketball coach Tara VanDerveer
.
Athletics at NCS are integrated into the curriculum, bringing the joy and benefits of physical activity, healthy competition, internal courage, and teamwork depending on the path of each student. The program’s home is the NCS Athletic Center, a state-of-the-art 90,000 square-foot underground facility with a fitness and strength training center, four sports courts, a running track, a multi-purpose crew room, and dance studios, all situated around a freestanding, 50-foot climbing tower. Our athletics program has a broad range of choices for students to pick from, whether they are trying something new or following a particular passion. 
 
Lower School physical education (P.E.) classes, held three times per week for each grade level, provide a foundation of skills-based play, emphasizing fun, fitness, strategy, and sportsmanship.
 
Middle School students choose from an array of competitive seasonal sports teams or dance, fitness, or Voyageur, a coed education option focused on problem solving, risk taking, and group cooperation activities.
 
In Upper School, physical education choices include interscholastic teams in 14 different seasonal sports (listed below) as well as options in dance, Yoga, Pilates, fitness, or Voyageur.

Through the Independent Studies option, NCS Middle and Upper School students may apply to earn physical education credit by pursuing activities, such as figure skating, ballet, horseback riding and fencing, outside of school.
 
Our interscholastic teams provide opportunities to work with teammates from different grades and a variety of coaches. Students learn not just about physical activity’s impact in their lives, but also about perseverance, vulnerability, and how to define success. They get real-world practice in taking risks in controlled, supported environments and through these experiences grow immensely in their self-awareness and confidence. They learn the importance of trust in one another, giving each other energy and support regardless of the outcome.
 
The Independent School League, one of the largest girls’ leagues in the country, has consistently recognized NCS as one of the top athletic programs in the region. Many graduates play college sports, their NCS experience preparing them for success not only in the classroom but also on the playing field, pool, court, and beyond.

Upper School Interscholastic Teams:
Basketball
Climbing*
Crew*                                                                                                                    
Cross Country*
Dance Team
Field Hockey
Lacrosse
Soccer
Softball
Squash
Swimming & Diving*
Tennis
Track & Field*
Volleyball

*co-ed
 
Middle School Interscholastic Teams:
Basketball
Cross Country
Dance Team
Field Hockey
Lacrosse
Soccer
Softball
Swimming*
Tennis
Track & Field
Volleyball
 
*co-ed

Check out the video below to learn more about NCS Athletics. 
.