“Go therefore and be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).  The instructions of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount provide a high bar for the focus of Valor Christian Athletics.  While none of us will ever achieve perfection on earth, we are commanded to pursue excellence in all our endeavors.  The pursuit of excellence must traverse all of our activities, from the competitive arena to the classroom to our spiritual lives.  It is with this passion that we will pursue the core objectives of our athletic program:

1. Strengthen our athletes’ faith in Jesus Christ;
2. Develop excellence in Christian character, which is based in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ;
3. Instill great work habits in all our athletes;
4. Teach, stress, and monitor the primacy of Academics.

Strengthening Our Athletes' Faith in Jesus Christ

Pursuing excellence in Athletics at Valor Christian accomplishes three primary results: (i) excellence honors God; (ii) excellence inspires others; and (iii) excellence brings success which create opportunities for influence. The subject matter behind the inspiration and influence of others is faith in Jesus Christ. We give our all to whatever athletic endeavor we’re focused on just as Christ modeled the same with his very life. A core objective of our athletic program is thus to strengthen our athletes’ faith in Jesus Christ – to know him, to love him and to make him known to others. Our coaches will serve as spiritual mentors by developing meaningful relationships that will provide growth opportunities in the lives of our athletes.  This is both the greatest charge and the greatest responsibility of our athletic program.

Athletics on its own does not build character. In fact, competition is much more prone to building self-centeredness, egotism, and pride in one’s self. Rather, it is the character of one that builds character in another. At Valor Christian it is the character in our coaches and teammates that will help build character in one another. Pursuing excellence in our athletic programs gives our coaches the opportunity to develop and inculcate Christian character into the members of their teams.  Each program will have a detailed and intentional plan outlining the goals they will pursue – goals for success in competition, goals for success in personal growth and development, and goals for increasing in Christian character.   Developing leaders is a primary outcome we hope for all students at Valor and our Athletic program is thus designed with this outcome in mind. True leadership flows first out of deep and unwavering Christian character and so this character will be exemplified, modeled, and taught by our coaches to our athletes.

Instilling Great Work Habits

Success in any life venture requires discipline and good work habits. While students at Valor will spend significantly more time on academic pursuits than athletic ones; we believe the athletic department can have a significant impact on the success in the classroom by developing excellent work habits in students while we have their attention and interest in the development of their athletic accomplishments. Hard work and discipline are always transferable skills. Therefore, athletes at Valor will be required to demonstrate a positive attitude and an uncompromising work ethic.  While the individual possesses complete control of both of these, our coaches and trainers will be ever vigilant through encouraging, modeling and correcting in this area.  There is never an excuse to be outworked. Valor athletes will be prepared for competition and will learn and experience that pursuing excellence through discipline will naturally lead to success in all endeavors.

Primacy of Academics

Excellence in athletics is a hallmark of a great school. Yet, athletic achievement will never supersede academic accomplishment. Valor Christian exists first and foremost as a college-preparatory institution. The goal for all of our students is that they matriculate to the College or University of their choice and are prepared for success in the classroom. Even for those few who will be blessed to play college or professional sports, it is the sharpening and control of the mind that will primarily be an individual’s greatest asset to be influential.  At Valor, the Athletic Department will assist families and teachers in demanding that students are engaged in their studies and must first experience success in the classroom to have the privilege to experience success on the field. Grade checks will be performed for each athlete and they will be held accountable to put forth their best attitude and their best effort in the classroom.