In her inspiring book, Norwich: One Tiny Vermont Town’s Secret to Happiness and Excellence, Karen Krouse sets out to answer a simple question: how has one small town in Vermont produced so many resilient, confident, and happy Olympic-level athletes?
The answer may surprise you. It’s not by pushing kids to train harder at a young age; it’s not about embracing hyper-competitiveness; it’s not about making kids specialize in a single sport. Rather, it’s about making sports a fun, communal experience. Krouse explains, “the parents of Norwich learned through trial and error the best methods of nourishing happy athletes: by valuing participation and sportsmanship, stressing fun, community, and self-improvement.”
In many ways, Waldorf education embraces the wisdom set forth in Norwich. Molding an elite athlete is not the end goal; rather, it is a byproduct of a healthy relationship to sports and movement. Beyond just winning, development of character is the emphasized result in the athletic arena.
Whether it’s a young student working on balance and coordination through Circus Club, a middle school student learning the value of teamwork on the volleyball court, or a high school athlete flying down the Ultimate Frisbee field, the Denver Waldorf School promotes community, growth, and sportsmanship through athletics. There are no tryouts or cuts. Instead, each athlete is inspired to reach their highest potential, contributing to the team through enthusiasm, hard work, grace, and resilience. Every athlete has their place on our teams.
These lessons begin early on. For example, the first graders recently attended a volleyball game to cheer on their eighth grade buddies. With impressionable eyes upon them, the eighth graders displayed poise, confidence, and grace on the volleyball court. The athletes came together in a circle, connected with their arms around each other, after a tough point — won or lost.
On the court, they supported each other, worked together, and afterwards found their first grade buddies. In a word, they built community—the kind of community where young athletes can flourish and grow.
