SPORTING EXCELLENCE AT WIS
Washington International School’s athletics program embodies the mission, philosophy, and objectives of the School and fosters the development of character, life skills, sportsmanship, and teamwork. Middle and Upper School teams compete in the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference (PVAC), a league of private schools in the DC metropolitan area.
Our Athletics FAQ provides answers to the questions we hear most often. We encourage student athletes (and their parents) to read our Athletics Handbook, which contains general information about WIS athletics, as well as details about our concussion management program.
ATHLETICS CALENDAR
FAQS
| Where can I find general information about the WIS Athletics program? |
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| The Athletics Handbook is the best source of comprehensive information. |
| What sports does WIS offer and when do the seasons begin and end? |
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A list of sports by season is available below. The fall season is August to early November; the winter season is November to March and the spring season is March to May. There are additional details available in the Athletics Handbook. FALL SPORTS
WINTER SPORTS
SPRING SPORTS
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| When do tryouts take place each season? |
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Tryouts/practices for fall sports begin in August, before the first day of school. Specific dates are listed on the Athletics calendar. Please check the calendar for updates to practice schedules. Winter and spring season tryout/practice dates are also available on the Athletics calendar. NOTE: Dates are not typically listed as "tryouts" — the early practices each season are when team rosters are determined. |
| What if my child is not in Washington, DC when fall practices begin? |
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Please notify Floreal Pedrazo, the Athletics Director (EMAIL) if your child intends to play a fall sport but will not be available for practices prior to the first day of school. The Athletics Director will inform the team coach. Decisions regarding A or B team rosters (Middle School) or Varsity and JV teams (Upper School) are usually not made until the end of the first week of classes. Still, it is important to get students in playing shape before games begin; the August practices are designed for that purpose. If our athletes are in shape, they are likely to experience fewer injuries. |
| Are there "B" teams for all Middle School sports? |
| We try to have B teams whenever the numbers allow and when we are able to identify enough coaches. Many schools with enrollment similar to WIS do not have B teams, so scheduling matches may be challenging. |
| My Grade 6 child is on an outside team; should my child leave that team to play for WIS? |
| We encourage parents to allow their children to continue playing on outside teams, particularly if the child is entering Grade 6. We want students to play and get game experience and many sixth graders may not be ready for the rigor or challenge of competing with eighth graders. There are exceptions, and we sometimes have Grade 6 players who make strong contributions on our A squads; these students usually possess solid skillsets and the experience of playing with older and stronger players. |
| Are children playing on outside teams permitted to miss WIS practices and matches? |
| Our coaches are usually flexible about a player missing the occasional practice in order to go to an outside team practice or game. However, we expect all players to show 100% commitment to being at WIS games. Missing a league game in order to attend an outside team’s practice should be avoided. |
| Can my child play more than one sport in a given season? |
| No, students cannot play on more than one team per season. There is too much overlap between practice and game schedules. We want our players to commit and make the necessary sacrifices that are part of being on a school team. |
