Why have Athletics at a Christian School?

1/27/2026

At Trinity Christian School, athletics are an extension of our mission of educating the whole person (spirit, mind and body) under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Our athletic program is not merely about competition or winning, but about formation: shaping students who pursue excellence while honoring God and others.

Please read on to learn more about our philosophy of athletics at TCS, as well as to read an essay by one of our student athletes on the impact running track has had on him. Our Philosophy of Athletics can be found here.

Participation in sports provides a powerful context for teaching Christian character. On the field and court, students learn submission to authority, discipline, self-control, hard work, courage teamwork, endurance and focus- all of which are virtues that Scripture calls us to cultivate in every area of life (Colossians 3:23; 1 Corinthians 9:24–27). Wins and losses alike become opportunities to practice integrity, self-control, and Christ-like sportsmanship.

At TCS, coaches serve not only as instructors of skills but as mentors and role models, intentionally pointing students to a higher purpose. Athletes are encouraged to recognize their abilities as gifts from God and to use those gifts faithfully, whether in moments of success or challenge.

We believe athletics should reinforce—not compete with—our spiritual and academic priorities. Through healthy competition, students grow in confidence, resilience, and leadership while learning to represent their school, teammates, and the Lord Jesus Christ well. In this way, Trinity Christian School athletics help prepare students for lives of service and witness, training them to “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1), for the glory of God.

To this end, we invite you to read a paper that one of our students wrote for a Rhetoric I assignment. The assignment was to write a piece of epideictic rhetoric, which means to praise or blame something (typically in the present tense). Examples are eulogies, toasts, or commemorations. This student wrote an open letter to track (as in, the sport). This paper captures in concise form what the impact of athletics at TCS can have on a student's formation. Please read on below.

Dear Track,
Thank you for being the place where the amount of effort I put in practice returns in events. You hurt me physically and mentally, but in return you gave me discipline, perseverance, and a little more confidence. You make my body ache in the mornings and throughout the day, but you also gave me more character when I needed it most.

You taught me a few things that I did not like for a time. You showed me that improvement does not come all at once, but rather little by little. Every workout reminded me that quitting is always an option but not the right one. When my legs burned and my arms were cold, you forced me to decide who I wanted to be. I learned that limits are often imagined, and that the body can exceed far more than the mind believes.

Track, you also taught me humility. No matter how good I felt, the stopwatch never lied. Success was earned, never given. Some races ended in celebration, and others ended in disappointment. Yet each one mattered, because I was always held accountable.

Beyond competing in races, you gave me a community. You taught me how valuable teammates can be. Track, you taught me that I have a community who will stay either in suffering and joy. You gave me people who understood without explanation what it meant to push through one more rep or race. We celebrated personal records together and endured losses together. Through shared effort, we found people more than just teammates, we built friends.

You are not beautiful in the usual sense. You are harsh, demanding, and revealing. Yet that’s why you are worth praising. Your beauty lies in what you create within those who commit to you. You shape character through repetition and honesty. You reward patience, consistency and perseverance.

Though one day I may step off the track for the last time, what you have taught me will never fade. I will carry your lessons in all my trials. Thank you track for making me stronger- you always will be a part of who I am.

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Why have Athletics at a Christian School?

Trinity Christian School