PHILOSOPHY

The Brearley Athletics Program offers opportunity to girls in grades V-XII to participate on a team.  The program strives to provide a balance between competition at a high level while remaining inclusive.  This affords every student the opportunity and the experience to participate on a Brearley team, historically resulting in high participation rates.  
 
While there is emphasis on sport-specific skill development, an equally important component of our program is to instill invaluable life skills such as collaboration, communication, sportsmanship, time management.
 
We foster an environment for our girls to challenge themselves and support their teammates.  We celebrate the importance of hard work, commitment, and determination, while understanding and providing the necessary skill development for social and emotional learning.
 
Through risk-taking and experiences on a Brearley Team, our girls learn to be more resilient, self-aware, manage their emotions, confident, strong-willed, respectful, socially aware and compassionate leaders of our community. 
 
V/VI 
The passion for Brearley Athletics begins when girls are in the 5th grade and have their first the opportunity to participate on one of our 8 V/VI Teams. The V/VI Athletic Program is designed to be introductory in nature by placing an emphasis on sport-specific skill development, and by providing students with an opportunity to experience a variety of teams and individual sports in an intramural and interscholastic setting. 
 
VII/VIII 
The VII/VIII Program offers a “no -cut " policy to ensure every student has a place on a team of her choice regardless of skill or experience. The VII/VIII program builds on the V/VI Program with an increased competitive schedule and increased time commitment (3 days per week). In several sports (volleyball and basketball) athletes are divided into A & B teams based on skill level. In addition to age-appropriate skill development there is an emphasis on comradery, teamwork and spirit. In all competitions/events, athletes are guaranteed participation/playing time. Attendance is required (with the exception of religious school that occurs during the practice time).  The goal of the VII/VIII program is to develop and prepare our athletes for Varsity Competition. Middle School athletes are given opportunities to develop leadership skills by being elected captain and given team responsibilities. A majority of VII/VIII contests are with AAIS schools. 
 
Upper School
In Upper School, the focus is more competitive.  While cuts do take place, one team per season adheres to the “no cut” policy allowing all students an opportunity to participate on a team.  Coaches strive to instill the values of ethics, teamwork, and sportsmanship as they simultaneously teach their young athletes how to balance their academic needs with their physical, social and emotional growth.
 
We are a founding member of the AAIS, a league made up of 11 private schools throughout New York City. Some of our successful teams compete at the state level in NYSAIS. Most recently in Spring 2016, the Varsity Softball team captured the AAIS Championship and in Fall 201 6 season, the Varsity Soccer were AAIS Regular Season Champions and advanced to the Quarterfinals in the NYSAIS Tournament. 
 
DANIELLE KING
Director of Athletics
The Brearley School is a K-XII independent day school for girls in New York City. Empowering girls of adventurous intellect to think critically and creatively.
610 East 83rd Street
New York, NY 10028
(212) 744-8582 

590 East 83rd Street
New York, NY 10028
(212) 744-8582