Program Overview

Lovett provides opportunities for students to try new things, explore their potential, and develop their skills and talents. Nowhere is that more true than in athletics. Lovett's athletics program is an essential facet to the school philosophy, which seeks to develop the whole child--including physically. From movement education in the early childhood program through competitive varsity sports, students gain a broad exposure to the importance of physical activity.

Soccer

Interscholastic competition is available from grades 7–12, and 80 percent of Lovett’s students compete in one or more of the 65 teams fielded in 15 sports. The school is proud of its rich history of success. Lovett’s varsity teams have won 100 state championships, and since 1981, 31 Lovett athletes have been named High School All Americans in nine sports: soccer, tennis, diving, football, baseball, cheerleading, swimming, track and field, and lacrosse. All of these accomplishments have yielded a tremendous amount of “Riverbank Pride.”

Beyond individual excellence, the athletic program promotes personal traits--including commitment, discipline, team cooperation, individual leadership, sportsmanship, and consideration of others--that are vital to the success of the Lovett Athletics Program, where students not only play to have fun and to improve--but also to win.

Lovett's athletics facilities are among the best in the Southeast, and include a stadium, three gymnasiums, a natatorium, baseball and softball fields, 10 tennis courts, a new 400-meter track, four practice fields, and a wellness center. Top-quality coaching, sports medicine, and training and conditioning staff encourage our athletes to perform to the best of their abilities, both on the field and in the classroom. Resistance training for injury prevention and improved performance is an important part of the Lovett athletic experience and is maintained in both in-season and off-season programs. Four full-time staff members working out of the school’s Hite Wellness Center (which includes a weight room, a wellness room, and an athletic training room) ensure that Lovett students are better prepared, have more strength, and are at less risk for injury.

Our students’ performance off the field is just as important as that during competitive play. For this reason, the Athletics Department has developed programming for athletes and coaches to encourage sportsmanship and moral leadership, as well as positive support from coaches, parents, and fans. Because so many of life’s lessons can be learned through athletic participation, athletics is a natural place for us to teach our students the importance of integrity, courage, compassion, respect, responsibility, and honesty--the core virtues expressed in the Lovett Character Pledge.


 

Athletic Philosophy

It is the intent of The Lovett School to provide every opportunity for students in Grades 7–12 to participate in as many interscholastic athletic activities as possible. While some of our sports require a limitation of numbers, others are open to all.

The Lovett Athletics Department and Administration are committed to the continuous development of the interscholastic athletics offerings available to our students. While each program has goals specific to the nature of the sport, all Lovett sports programs share the following three goals:

  • Work to Improve: Improving through practice and game experience is vital to success.
  • Work to Have Fun: Fun is a function of commitment. An athlete is having “fun” when he is improving both as an individual and as a member of a team.
  • Work to Win State Championships: All Lovett athletes should be preparing for the day when, as varsity athletes, they have the opportunity to compete for state championships.

All Lovett athletics programs require a five- or six-day commitment from the athlete in order to participate. Weekend or holiday games and practices may vary, depending on the level of the team and the sport. The athlete is also expected to make a commitment to improve, which requires a positive attitude toward all aspects of the program.

Baseball Player.