From its early days with classes focusing on exercise as a means to improve students’ posture to its current position as a program with nationally ranked teams that consistently win post-season tournaments, Sacred Heart Greenwich Athletics have changed over time. Sacred Heart Athletics has developed a reputation for producing teams comprised of student-athletes who combine hard work, talent, and commitment to achieve victory. The history of Sacred Heart Athletics not only shows the abilities of the student-athletes, but it also reflects the Goals and Criteria, emphasizing perseverance and leadership.
Sacred Heart’s athletic history began long before the school’s athletic teams became well-known for their consistent playoff performances. In the late 1800s, sports and Physical Education (PE) was a minor part of school life. For years, girls wore their regular school uniforms during PE classes with sports playing little role in their education.
Sacred Heart Athletics began to take shape in the early twentieth century. Sacred Heart PE classes paved the way for girls to participate in sports like baseball and field hockey as extracurricular activities, according to Coach Sarah Hill. In 1920, the school also built a swimming pool for recreational use and introduced calisthenics to promote strength and posture. However, due to transportation challenges, interscholastic sports were not popular until the late 1960s. Once available, Sacred Heart teams competed against other local girls schools in basketball, volleyball, field hockey, lacrosse, and softball, marking the beginning of Sacred Heart’s athletic presence.
Sacred Heart Athletics has seen growth, expanding to 31 athletic teams. Since 2003, Sacred Heart teams have attained 27 FAA Championships and 5 NEPSAC Tournament Championships, according to current Sacred Heart Athletic records. This transformation from the early days of limited sports to championship victories reflects Sacred Heart’s commitment to the Goals and Criteria, specifically Goal 5, “commitment to educate to personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom.”
During her time as Sacred Heart’s Athletic Director, Mrs. Laurie Rousseau, has been able to lead and watch Sacred Heart Athletics’ growth. She commented how she is proud to be an integral part of the culture and accomplishments of the athletic teams.
“In recent years we have had great success. Participation in sports has definitely increased over my time heart at Sacred Heart,” Mrs. Rousseau said. “Last year we were so fortunate to have Field Hockey, Basketball, Golf, Soccer and Volleyball all win FAA titles. All of our teams are in a position to compete at the highest level. It’s a real testament to the depth and the strength of our program.”
Mrs. Rousseau emphasized that success at Sacred Heart goes beyond the scoreboard. She discussed how it is about creating an atmosphere that embodies both athletic excellence and personal growth among student-athletes.
“Here at Sacred Heart, excellence is something we strive for, and it does not just come in winning games, but in the culture we promote,” Mrs. Rousseau said. We want to create environments where girls are proud to wear Sacred Heart uniforms, and simultaneously we create a sisterhood.”
Featured Image by Emma Mathews ’27
