All SGS family members, students, staff and alumni are invited to join the SGS Strava Community on the Strava mobile app.  If you not familiar with this app, it is a great way to track your physical activity and to connect with fellow activity enthusiasts!  Just download the app, sign up with the SGS Strava Community, and when you go for a hike, run, or ride just hit "Record" and stick it in your pocket.  You can check your distance and pace, upload photos, and participate in virtual races and other competitions.  Contact john.deforest@sgsdragon.net with questions.  This could be a fun way to build community and see how people are staying active!

Upper School athletes are now able to get into shape safely thanks to conditioning workouts after school on the soccer field.  See a Photo Gallery of one of the first workouts on Sept. 30.

After some warm up jogging and socially distant stretching, the 2nd graders played "Red Light, Green Light" for their PE class.  See a Photo Gallery of them outside on the soccer field.

The Saint George’s Dragons were named the 2B/1B Boys Soccer "Team of the Decade" by the Eli Sports Network.  "The Dragons have played in half of the Championship games in this decade and held up the Gold Ball three times," according to Eli Sports' website, earning 56 points to top the list of all 2B/1B teams.  "Plus they added two 3rd place finishes and a quarterfinal. Saint George’s raised the Championship banner for the 1st time in 2015 with a win over Tacoma Baptist then defended their title over Crosspoint and got their 3rd one this past November in a shoot-out with Life Christian Academy."

A combination of Prescott and Waitsburg-Prescott grabbed the #2 spot (46 points) by participating in 9 of the 10 quarterfinal rounds, including two Titles.  Providence Classical was 3rd overall (32 points) with 7 quarterfinal showings.

In addition, the Saint George’s Dragons also tied for 4th overall (27 points) in the 2B/1B Girls Soccer "Team of the Decade" listing.  "They only appeared three times at State but took full advantage with two Championships and a 2nd place finish. The Dragons won in 2016 and 2018 both times over Kalama and had a 2nd place finish in 2017."

The Saint George’s Dragons were recently named the 2B Boys Basketball "Team of the Decade" by the Eli Sports Network.  "Saint George’s had a great deal of success over the last decade with seven top 8 finishes (40 points)," according to the Eli Sports website.  "The Dragons got things going with a bang as they won the title in 2013 defeating Colfax 51 to 40 and would follow up with a 2nd place finish in 2014 coming up short to Morton-White Pass 54 to 51. After not placing in the top 8 in 2015, the program would place the next five seasons and counting. After a top 8 finish in 2016, the Dragons would place 5th in 2017 before back to back trips to the championship in 2018 and 2019, losing to Kittitas-Thorp both times 65 to 50 in 2018 and 79-51 in 2019. The Dragons wrapped up the decade with a 3rd place finish in 2020."  (When Eli Sports tallied up the top boys basketball teams in all classifications, the Dragons made the Top 10 with 1 Championship, 4 Finals, 5 Final Four, and 7 Top-8 finishes.)

The Northwest Christian (Colbert) Crusaders finished in 2nd place (35 Points).  "The Crusaders started the decade out in style with seven straight top 8 finishes from 2011-17, winning the title in 2011 defeating Napavine 41 to 32."  The Brewster Bears and Kittitas-Thorp Coyotes tied for 3rd place (30 Points).  "The Bears program had top 8 finishes in 2014-16 and 2018-20, winning the title this spring with a 58 to 57 victory over Life Christian Academy.  The Kittitas-Thorp program only finished in the top 8 three times this decade, but they really made those finishes count with state title in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Two of those victories came against Saint George’s." Note: These rankings are based off consistency of these respective programs, which is why the Dragon’s program ranked ahead of the Coyotes.

Saint George’s School is excited to welcome Stephanie Jackson as our new volleyball coach!  We think Coach Jackson will be a great addition to the Saint George's Community.  When we get back together, please make it a point to introduce yourself and Stephanie to our School.

As a collegiate athlete, Stephanie was a volleyball player at Auburn and the University of Georgia. During her collegiate career, she won the Arthur Ashe student-athlete award in 1999. Stephanie grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, in Lockport, IL.  In high school, she was the Illinois Gatorade and Chicago Sun Times Player of the year her senior year.  Stephanie was a setter and an outside hitter throughout her career.

Stephanie has taught English as a Foreign Language internationally in China, Venezuela and the United Arab Emirates. In the United States, Stephanie has primarily taught History and Spanish in Illinois and Louisiana.  While teaching, Stephanie also sponsored a student club that advocated against school bullying.  She has a Master of Arts in Teaching in the Secondary Classroom. 

"Stephanie has demonstrated a strong passion for youth leadership and a belief in the values fostered by an International Baccalaureate education," says Ryan Peplinski, SGS Athletic Director.  "She is excited to have the opportunity to join the Saint George’s community and to help the players get closer to fulfilling their potential in volleyball, in school and in life, and in doing so to help lead the Saint George’s volleyball team to victory!"

The SGS Alumni Association has decided to cancel the Fourth Annual Golf Classic on Friday, June 26 at Kalispel Golf and Country Club.  Contact Ryan Peplinski with questions or for a refund.

Following the cancellation of the 2020 spring sports season as a result of the COVID-19 shutdown, the WIAA and RushTeamApparel have developed a line of apparel items that honor spring sports and commemorates the "Be The Light" campaign that brought Washington communities together to celebrate their sports teams and graduating seniors.  See a Video about the spring sport merchandise and Order Your Apparel here.

Dragon Sport Fans:
There are two major topics Athletic Directors and the WIAA are talking about across the state -- Summer Activities and Fall Sports.

Summer Activities: 
The WIAA staff has been working closely with the Governor’s office to overlay the NFHS and Washington State phases of reintroducing school athletics.  The work is done and the State Department of Health is currently looking at the document and we expect clarity in the next few days.  No activities can take place on school campuses until Friday, June 19 according to Governor Inslee’s order.  Once schools get the go ahead from the Department of Health, each school must have a safety plan in place before practicing.  Any practice on or off campus still needs to be within safety guidelines.  Right now our coaches can give Saint George's athletes workouts online, but cannot meet in person.  We hope to have more clarity in the next several days about when that will change.  

One of the main concerns coming out of the Stay Home orders is the physical conditioning of students.  There are students who have stayed active and some who have not, but most have not been in competitive situations.  It will take some time to get back to game-level conditioning.  The better shape athletes are in once we can return to practice together, the more quickly they will adapt.  SGS Athletic Director Ryan Peplinski will send out an email as soon as he hears from the WIAA.

Fall Sports:
The WIAA has been working long hours on every potential scenario for fall sports.  The goal is to get student athletes back on the playing fields as soon as safely possible.  On or around June 30th, the WIAA will decide a path forward and Saint George's will plan from there.  

Senior Dan Rigsby has committed to play basketball and run track at Western Washington University this fall.  Dan's signing ceremony was held June 4 at his home with (l to r) SGS basketball coaches Ryan Peplinski, Brad Kirsch, TJ Moulton, and Matt Melka in the photo above.  

Dan was the Dragons' starting point guard on their run to 3rd place at State this year.  He also won the 400-meter race at the 2019 State 2B Track and Field Championships.  Western Washington, located in Bellingham, is an NCAA Division II school that competes in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.  Congratulations, Dan!