Lacrosse culture at St Stephens.

[Anonymous]

Boys program has been in shambles for last few years. Girls will be next especially once KJ leaves after the 26 class. Non scholarships has killed program and the current AD and board could care less about athletics. So remove that why would anyone consider going to a mid academic school for that price point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am an SSSAS parents. Girls lacrosse is a non factor at SSSAS at this point. Historically, it was a big deal and there were so many players for the girls team. It was part of the school culture. The school had a reputation as a "sports school" for 30+ years but they have been slowly and in my opinion intentionally gotten away from that.
I don't know what that means for the future but girls are going to other schools for lacrosse.

if they are trying to shed their reputation as a sports school, they are doing a great job

[Anonymous]

Huge mistake to shed the sports culture if that is true. If they want donations and to attract students, they need to embrace and foster that sports culture. The school is amazing and very inclusive, so a lot of what you are reading on here is LIES to intentionally mislead… The administration is great, teachers are top notch, the athletics could be boosted even more, and they should recruit more and embrace sports even more, especially if it continues to provide excellent college placement. Parents want all the IAC and ISL schools to do well as it makes the conference/league elevated. Your kid does not have to play sports to find their people. The music, robotics, and theater kids are amazing, and there is so much friendship and respect among the student body. It is a fantastic school! Don’t believe everything you read on here. The athletes are some of the smartest, kindest, and sweetest kids at the school! All these schools are so similar and offer a lot of the same, so you really cannot go wrong at any of these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hah - nice snark 17:43. Girls Lax this year 27-2-0, State Champs(again) ISL Champs(again).

Now to Op's question. While lax is big at SSSAS, so is drama, ultimate Frisbee, latin team, chorus, robotics to name a few. We have never played lax, hasn't mattered a bit. We have a head of school who recognizes all the different accomplishments of students, big and small. We have a big emphasis on community service and we are doing even more in the year ahead. Take a tour, visit classes and see for yourself. Good luck with the school process.

This 100%

[Anonymous]

SSSAS just completed a really nice renovation! They need to renovate the girls' & boys locker rooms and athletic areas next! Go visit, interact, and see it for yourself, and if you don’t vibe there, check out other places. Lots of options. Plus, many of these kids are friends with kids from all different schools and connect through all different sports, social or school activities. It is just one of many options to pick. We loved it!

[Anonymous]

For those of you that have girls in lacrosse or have had them at St Stephen’s; would you recommend the program for your daughter and why or why not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BI's academics are not less difficult than SSSA, but, there are tougher requirements to get into Ap courses. But what do I know, I am one of those aggressive 22314 hoodlems!

you are kidding right?

SSSA is way more difficult academically than BI. No contest

100% wrong. It used to be but is not anymore. SSSAS is trying to live off an outdated reputation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those of you that have girls in lacrosse or have had them at St Stephen’s; would you recommend the program for your daughter and why or why not?

Its definitely not kinder or gentler for those little girls. You only need to talk to the parents of the graduated kids to understand how many times the parents have complained about KJ or one of the other coaches. At one point during my daughter's time there, more than half the starting line up was in counseling to survive the season. School knew and did nothing. It ultimately worked out fine, but not sure winning an ISL or State title is worth that much angst from 17-18 year old girls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SSSAS just completed a really nice renovation! They need to renovate the girls' & boys locker rooms and athletic areas next! Go visit, interact, and see it for yourself, and if you don’t vibe there, check out other places. Lots of options. Plus, many of these kids are friends with kids from all different schools and connect through all different sports, social or school activities. It is just one of many options to pick. We loved it!

Renovation is beautiful and long, long overdue. Planning staff completely mis-timed the local economy though and they are still trying to pay it off, as reflected in their most recent state of the school report. Every year for more than a decade, Saints has averaged between a 4-4.75% rate increase, and now that they are requiring students to pay for the lunch program its well into the mid $50's in high school, and for those in their middle school, it will be well into the mid $60's by the time they are in high school. But across the street you have Episcopal where the kids board, and its mid 60's too. So much better value, and that doesn't begin to touch on BI, Bishop OConnell, Stone Ridge, SJCH or Visi that are half as much.

[Anonymous]

Go to a average program where your daughter doesn’t develop, plays a ton and is happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SSSAS has two problems. Since they draw from the immediate area almost exclusively, they have by far the most homogeneous population in the IAC. And yes, the lacrosse kids run the school (or at least think they do). Lots of bad behavior.

I have a daughter who plays at SSSAS and I haven't seen much bad behavior on the girls side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you that have girls in lacrosse or have had them at St Stephen’s; would you recommend the program for your daughter and why or why not?

Its definitely not kinder or gentler for those little girls. You only need to talk to the parents of the graduated kids to understand how many times the parents have complained about KJ or one of the other coaches. At one point during my daughter's time there, more than half the starting line up was in counseling to survive the season. School knew and did nothing. It ultimately worked out fine, but not sure winning an ISL or State title is worth that much angst from 17-18 year old girls.

Agree. It is a toxic culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Boys program has been in shambles for last few years. Girls will be next especially once KJ leaves after the 26 class. Non scholarships has killed program and the current AD and board could care less about athletics. So remove that why would anyone consider going to a mid academic school for that price point.

Don't kid yourself. KJ is not leaving any time soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your kid doesn't play lacrosse, how is it socially for them at St Stephens?

There are 450+ kids in the high school. The varsity lacrosse team has maybe 25 kids on it.

So... you are kidding, right? You think the overwhelming majority of kids who are not on the varsity lacrosse team are social outcasts or something?

Lax doesn't affect really social standing at SSSAS. Maybe in the old days when SSSAS was the only game in town for girls lax but that has changed. 40-44 kids = 10% of each grade. There are plenty of popular kids who do not play lacrosse. Within the girls lacrosse teams there are girls who are more or less popular.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Boys program has been in shambles for last few years. Girls will be next especially once KJ leaves after the 26 class. Non scholarships has killed program and the current AD and board could care less about athletics. So remove that why would anyone consider going to a mid academic school for that price point.

Don't kid yourself. KJ is not leaving any time soon.

As an outsider, it seems likely that next season would be her last. She’ll have a great team positioned for a championship run, which I understand would coincide with her 50th year coaching and 75th birthday. She’s had a wonderful successful career and potentially going out on top in a year full of milestones makes perfect sense to me. Maybe she’s a die hard and will continue forever, but the 2026 season could be a storybook ending of a storybook career.