Austin Prep is home to over 50 athletic teams among 18 different sports. These sports are made up of driven student-athletes who are deeply dedicated to their various teams. Recently, the school has implemented a new program called the Veritas Student Leadership Council, in order to foster leadership qualities among Varsity student-athletes. The Council is specific to each season of sports, with one for the fall teams, one for the winter teams, and one for the spring teams. With frequent meetings and think-tanks among the teams, it is an important initiative to foster leadership both in and out of the athletic sphere.
The meetings are facilitated by Coach Jocelyn Almy-Testa, in collaboration with Pat Driscoll, Rachel Galante, and Adam Kramer, other faculty members in the athletic department. The Council promotes a rapport among teams in order to reach success as a united front. As a foundation for the season, the very first meeting is dedicated to establishing team goals within the framework of the Austin Prep motto: inspiring hearts to unite, minds to inquire, and hands to serve. By prioritizing this basis for all team endeavors, it ensures the Augustinian message is central even within athletics. Further, the teams of each season become able to understand each other better by placing all their goals in similar terms, allowing them to relate to one another. This encourages the team’s leaders to work for the betterment of all athletic teams, not just their own, in a purposeful, intentional way.
From the first meeting on, the Veritas Student Leadership Council continues to establish enrichment activities. From meetings open to any teams, meetings for only a few teams, and meetings between all the teams, there are endless opportunities to learn and grow. The lessons learned in the Council are brought to each team through the initiative and example of the leaders in it. Thus, although the Veritas Student Leadership Council only hosts a few students, it ultimately benefits all student-athletes in a trickle-down manner.
