Mondays with Mike: From Play to Advance
PCA’s Fall Athletics Story
Dear PCA Families,
Happy Labor Day and Welcome back to Mondays with Mike.
What a start to the school year—truly the best first week I’ve seen in seven years at PCA. I say this while we are working to complete work we planned on having ready (the playground for K-5, updates soon) or starting new (a new approach to Hybrid learning with the college-level Upper School courses).
From PCAP through the Upper School, your children have stepped in with joy, confidence, and purpose. Parents, thank you for the support that has made this possible.
Academics classes begun strong this past week, and we held our All-School Chapel–a student led Convocation.
Already our first athletic games were last week, with all varsity teams in action this week.
Theater auditions are coming up, and classrooms are alive with learning.
A year of growth is well underway.
This week on the podcast, you won’t want to miss hearing directly from our coaches about how athletics at PCA is more than competition—it’s about shaping character, building community, and preparing your children to play, participate, compete, and advance in life.
With gratitude to God, together with you,
Mike Runey
Head of School
Fall Athletic Key Takeaways
- Our Philosophy: Play • Participate • Compete • Advance
- Looking Back
- Last year, PCA athletes lived this philosophy well: varsity volleyball and women’s soccer both reached the state semifinals; cross country sent runners to the Meet of Champions; and middle school volleyball made the Final Four for the first time in school history.
- Winning percentages reflected that growth: Upper School teams posted a 66% record overall, while Middle School teams excelled with a 76% record.
- This Year’s Participation and Momentum
- Upper School: 170 students; 67 athletes competing in fall sports → 40% participation.
- Middle School: 148 students; 64 athletes competing in fall sports → 43% participation.
- These numbers are remarkable compared to many schools, where only 20–30% of students join athletics. At PCA, nearly 1 in 2 students is a fall athlete.
- This breadth means that your child is more likely to not just join a team, but also contribute, learn, and grow in ways that might not be possible elsewhere.
- Looking Ahead
- Coaches are clear: our goals aren’t only about banners but about shaping lives.
- Middle school programs are building foundations in skill, discipline, and love for the game—preparing future varsity leaders.
- Varsity teams continue to pursue excellence at the highest levels while modeling Christlike leadership on and off the field.
- Every PCA athlete is being prepared to advance—not just in competition, but in life: growing resilient, confident, and faith-filled.
To hear past episodes, share with your loved ones and friends, follow, and even review us, check out our PCA Podcast on these platforms:
