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Forum Faculty Podcast

Athlete or Academic: What’s the Real Priority in Schools?

Featuring , and

In this episode of the Forum Faculty Podcast, we’re discussing the significance of sports in school life and striking the balance between being a student and an athlete. We welcome to this conversation coaches and teachers Jeff Thompson, Joel Sellier, and Brian Carroccio. They dive into the historical importance of physical education, the post-COVID surge in youth sports, the impact of club sports on school sports, and the critical development of discipline and teamwork through athletics. They also touch on challenges like balancing academic responsibilities with athletic commitments, and the role of parents in shaping a child’s sports journey. Join us for a comprehensive discussion on how sports contribute to the all-round development of students.

00:00 Introduction
00:48 The Importance of Physical Education
01:38 Post-COVID Sports Boom
02:19 Balancing School and Sports
04:09 The Rise of Club Sports
05:27 Challenges of Travel Sports
13:58 Parental Influence in Youth Sports
17:54 School Sports vs. Club Sports
18:12 The Role of Discipline in Sports
19:31 Managing Expectations in Competitive Leagues
25:58 The Value of School Sports Beyond Winning
27:11 Balancing Academics and Sports
27:47 Lessons from the Field
28:20 Dealing with Success and Failure
28:58 The Importance of Teamwork
30:57 The Role of Coaches
35:32 Challenges of Scheduling and Facilities
45:23 The Value of Multi-Sport Participation
47:44 Final Thoughts and Reflections

About the Authors

Jeff Thompson

Science

Jeff has a BS degree from New Hampshire College/Southern New Hampshire University, where he was a four-year letter holder for the men’s basketball team. Before returning to The Heights in 2024, Jeff had previously taught here, beginning in 2002. For a decade and a half, he taught in the middle school faculty. Jeff and his wife, Dominique Dawes Thompson, operate gymnastics academies across the DMV and have four children.

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Joel Sellier

Director of Summer Programs, Math
Joel Sellier joined the faculty of The Heights School in 2004. He is the Director of Summer Programs, as well as an upper school math and computer science teacher. Mr. Sellier’s classes include Geometry, Intro to Computer Science and Business Computing Applications. He also coaches the varsity golf team. Mr. Sellier graduated from The College of W...
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Brian Carroccio

Tenth Grade Core and Math Teacher

Brian Carroccio graduated from The Heights in 1994, and received a B.A. in history from St. Mary’s College in 1998. Brian then returned to his alma mater to teach and coach baseball from 1998-2003. After a year teaching at The American School in Switzerland followed by a year at The Avalon School. He returned to The Heights in 2005 to teach upper school mathematics and history and coaches the School’s varsity baseball team. Brian and his wife, Allison, have a daughter, Stella and son, Walter.

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