TCA maximizes schedule to get the most to witness college signings
Over the years, The Classical Academy has found the perfect way to take advantage of the secondary school’s unique schedule in order to maximize its annual ceremony honoring student-athletes signing national letters of intent.
The charter school has a built-in “flex” period that starts at 10:30 a.m., preceding the first lunch period. Gary Geiger, the school’s activities and athletics director, figured flex would be the best time to schedule the annual signing event. At that time of the day, the highest percentage of students, some of whom start the day off campus or who leave early due to after-school out-of-town competitions, can participate.
And it’s been a smashing success, but Geiger is sure not to take the credit.
“It works out ideally for us,” said Geiger, in his fourth year at the post. “We didn’t like first thing in the morning or the end of the day. We can get our entire student body in the gym to honor the kids by doing it when we do it. And having one signing is great to see that many kids at the table at one time. We saw how successful that was at other schools in the district.”
The Titans feted eight student-athletes who earlier this year officially signed to attend college and play varsity sports at the next level: Bailey Ball (cheer-stunt to Vanguard University); Katie Flaherty (girls’ cross country-track to Belmont University); Anna Kemper (Lewis-Palmer girls’ diving to Air Force Academy); Meredith Rees (Lewis-Palmer girls’ swimming to Missouri); Keighley Shoop (girls’ cheer to Southwest Baptist); Chantae’ Steele (girls’ cross country-track to Biola); Kaylee Thompson (girls’ cross country-rack to BYU); and Braden Whitmarsh (Discovery Canyon boys’ swimming to Colorado School of Mines).
Due to the extension in national letter of intent signing dates — every Division 1 and 2 sport with the exception of football and basketball featured one combined period from mid-November to early August — schools had much more flexibility in scheduling events. Gone are the days when schools automatically held their event on the first day possible.
That has been seen across the district and northern El Paso County.
Lewis-Palmer, Liberty and Palmer Ridge were the only schools to hold their events on April 17, the first day of the fourth and final period but only applying to those signing for basketball at the Division 1 or 2 level.
TCA went a week early on April 10, while Discovery Canyon chose April 22, with Air Academy (April 24), Rampart (May 6) and Pine Creek (May 7) rounding out the district’s ceremonies.
While the eight Titans student-athletes are known well to their classmates during the school day, not many might be aware of their athletic endeavors. Three of the eight compete in sports that TCA doesn’t offer (swimming and diving), while cheer competitions aren’t as publicized and attended as other events played on campus.
“We love the fact that our students are taken in and made to feel at home at other schools because we don’t offer that particular sport,” Geiger said. “We had coaches from several schools who shared in our celebration. These kids don’t necessarily get the recognition you’d get if they played a sport on campus. A lot of us don’t know what’s going on outside of school, so we absolutely want to honor all our kids and make a big deal of their accomplishments.”
TCA held its annual ceremony to honor college-bound student-athletes April 10 in the school’s gym.