At Westminster Christian Academy in Lafayette, it's frequent lately to listen to college students and academics discuss attending the college's weekly soccer sport. On the identical time, the sounds of whistles and sneakers echo from the gymnasium because the volleyball staff ends the 12 months and the basketball groups put together for the brand new season. And college students who take part in winter and spring sports activities like soccer and baseball proceed to hone their expertise whereas they anticipate the season.
For the reason that opening of Lafayette Higher College in 2019 for grades seven by means of twelveThursday levels, Westminster continues to construct its athletic packages because of an lively teaching employees, enthusiastic college students and the help of native households. The WCA Chargers at the moment are of their remaining 12 months of probation with the Louisiana Excessive College Athletic Affiliation after in search of admission two years in the past. Starting in 2024, Westminster will probably be a full member faculty of the LHSAA, which means will probably be assigned to a district and eligible for playoffs and nationwide recognition.
“We're taking it to the following degree and dealing towards our aim of being within the LHSAA,” Westminster principal Brett Darby stated. “Our coaches have completed an incredible job of constructing positive we’re aggressive and that we’ve video games on the schedule. Our student-athletes take follow and preparation critically and benefit from the course of and being a part of a staff. We’re excited concerning the success we’ve had to this point and are able to be within the LHSAA to additional develop our college students and promote our packages.”
Coach Jim Stomps, Westminster's head soccer coach and athletic director, praised the scholars for laying a stable basis for present and future success. The soccer staff has 33 gamers this 12 months, together with one senior and 11 juniors. Some eighth-graders are even beginning as a result of Westminster performs a nine-game schedule towards equally sized faculties. Dwelling video games are performed on the Broussard Sports activities Advanced in St. Julien.
“There's plenty of pleasure in soccer as a result of all people is aware of we're utilizing this 12 months to push ourselves ahead and be able to compete in an actual district and struggle for the playoffs beginning subsequent 12 months,” Stomps stated. “I'm actually pleased with how management is rising among the many college students and the way they carry one another up and make one another higher. Our core values on the faculty are love, reality and repair. We wish to see that in our sports activities and educate children that there’s something to work for that’s larger than themselves.”
As Westminster's athletic packages develop, the Lafayette campus is investing in services to make sure groups have sufficient assets. Darby stated a model new gymnasium opened earlier this 12 months, permitting the basketball and volleyball groups to host their first actual house video games.
“The help we've had is unbelievable,” Darby stated. “Whether or not it means displaying up for the video games or stepping up financially, our households assist us obtain our targets. This provides us the boldness to do nice issues by way of our services and groups.”
Stomps additionally praised the Westminster administration for displaying its help for sports activities by offering assets for college students and dealing with different faculties to make sure Westminster student-athletes can play at a good and aggressive degree.
“It's enormous when you’ve got each mother and father and directors who get on board with you and consider in your imaginative and prescient,” he stated. “It's humiliating. It permits us as coaches to construct younger women and men who honor God in phrase and deed by means of sports activities. I don't consider in dropping. I consider there may be profitable and studying. We construct on what we do properly and use it to enhance.”
Darby famous that including sports activities to Westminster's Lafayette campus doesn’t detract from its main give attention to offering high-quality teachers and serving to college students develop a biblical worldview.
“These are nonetheless our high priorities,” he stated. “However we additionally know that athletics does wonders for the college by way of giving visibility and informing the group about what we're all about. There are nonetheless lots of people in Lafayette who don't know we’ve a highschool right here. Athletics is a technique to showcase what we’ve to supply whereas giving our college students one other technique to additional develop and study Christian values.”
Westminster Christian Academy makes use of Kingdom training to develop youngsters to stay lives stuffed with love, belief and obedience to Christ. For extra details about Westminster Christian Academy in Lafayette or to schedule a campus tour, go to www.wcala.org.
