By Samantha Keller ’19, Sports Editor

What is a soccer team without a goalie… a softball team without a pitcher… or a football team without a quarterback? One might say that teams like these would have a very difficult time competing and in return encounter very little success, if defined by wins and losses. Yet, the challenge of admitting students to fill positional vacancies like these is not an easy task for a rule-abiding institution like Newark Academy. The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, NJSIAA, a governing organization made up of over 430 public, private and non-public high schools in the state, including Newark Academy, has set forth very specific guidelines regarding athletic recruitment. In Section 4 of the NJSIAA Constitution, Bylaws, Rules and Regulations, it is very clearly stated that “Athletic recruitment is prohibited.” This constitution further explains, “Athletic recruitment is contrary to the purposes and objectives of high school sports. Prohibiting athletic recruitment helps to keep athletics in its proper place and subordinate to academics and maintains competitive equity on a level playing field among member schools.” But it appears that not every school that is a part of this administrative organization plays by the rules, so how does athletic recruitment play into Newark Academy admissions?

Contrary to various other schools in the area, Newark Academy coaches do not have a huge role in the admission process of prospective athletes. If a student applying to the school wants to highlight their athletic enthusiasm, they are encouraged to fill out an Athletics Inquiry Form to make it clear to the school and Athletic Department that they are interested in being a part of the varsity programs, should they be accepted. From there, coaches are able to seek out these students, watch them compete in their respective sport or sports, and encourage them to apply, but that is essentially where the coach’s participation in this student’s admission process ends.

The Admissions Department at Newark Academy has a scope of characteristics that they look for in prospective students,including, first and foremost, students with a strong sense of character, but also those who are passionate about learning and giving back to the community, and are willing to take risks. More specifically, the school searches for the most well-rounded students that also meet all admission criteria. As a result of this obligation of versatility, the athletic programs at Newark Academy can sometimes fall behind and important vacancies are not always guaranteed to be filled.  

Ultimately, it comes down to whether or not an athlete can succeed at Newark Academy outside of their sport. Yet athletics is not enough on its own to guarantee a student a spot at the school. Essentially, for a school like Newark Academy that does not necessarily place athletics over any other extracurricular activity such as arts or theatre, a star field hockey player has no more priority than an exceptional violinist.

Director of Athletics Ted Gilbreath, said, “Athletics are a vital part of the Newark Academy experience. Through the decades, Minuteman teams have enjoyed success at every level and NA student-athletes have achieved remarkable distinctions. Yet scores and trophies only tell part of the story. It is in the striving, the improving, the camaraderie and the challenges that NA student-athletes come to define excellence for themselves.” If winning titles and collecting trophies was our school’s primary goal, the admissions process for prospective athletes would be very different. Instead, coaches and administrators within the school recognize other valuable components of athletics including a sense of teamwork, comradery, and leadership.

Athletics are usually not the first thing Newark Academy students consider when discussing the ample number of elements that make our school great; yet, there is still a sense of pride in knowing that Newark Academy is selecting the most academically qualified and diverse group of students in New Jersey, ultimately sacrificing a point, set, or trophy to achieve the school’s true goal of excellence.