Denver Private School with a Good Athletic Program
Aspen Academy is a private school with a good athletic program because here, athletics are about more than outcomes. Students learn how to compete with discipline and lead with character. That’s because we ask something real of every student athlete.
Middle school students in grades 5–8 compete in basketball, soccer, volleyball, cross country, and track and field with Aspen teams participating in organized league play and the girls' volleyball team earning a 2025 league championship and the girls' basketball team earning a 2026 league championship.
At Aspen, we believe competition teaches what classrooms can't: how to prepare, how to work together as a team, how to perform under pressure, and how to come back after a loss.
Grades 5-8 Athletics at Aspen at a Glance
- Sports: Basketball, soccer, volleyball, cross country, track and field plus seasonal club offerings (tennis, golf)
- Competition: Organized league play
- Focus: Skill development, leadership, and character through athletics
What Sports Does Aspen Offer?
Aspen Academy offers a strong mix of competitive and recreational sports across the school year, giving students multiple ways to participate and improve. For families looking for a private school with a good athletic program, Aspen stands out for its character-focused team culture that acknowledges all students have to learn from competition.
| Sport | Season | Type |
| Basketball (Boys) | Fall | Competitive League |
| Cross Country |
Fall |
Co-ed, Competitive |
| Flag Football (Lower School) | Fall | Co-ed, Recreation League |
| Soccer (Boys) | Fall | Competitive League |
| Tennis | Fall | Co-ed, Recreation League |
| Volleyball (Girls) | Fall | Competitive League |
| Basketball (Girls) | Winter | Competitive League |
| Basketball (Lower School) | Winter | Co-ed, Recreation League |
| Golf | Spring | Recreation League |
| Soccer (Girls) | Spring | Competitive League |
Aspen’s athletics program continues to grow. What started as informal clubs has evolved into structured, competitive teams with regular league play, expanding opportunities, and stronger visibility across campus.
Who Coaches the Teams?
Teams are coached by Aspen parents and staff who volunteer their time and expertise. This isn't outsourced. It's community-driven.
That model is part of what makes Aspen a private school with a good athletic program. Students are coached by adults who know them well. They make ideal mentors because they already understand Aspen’s values and care about every athlete’s growth both on and off the field.
The program is coordinated by Athletic Director Jack Assaf, who also teaches 7th-grade mathematics and coaches student leadership. That overlap matters. At Aspen, athletics are not separate from academics. They are part of the same effort to help students grow into capable, confident human beings.
Why Does Competition Matter?
Competition reveals character. It builds discipline, resilience, and the ability to perform when it counts. These aren't soft skills. They're life skills.
At Aspen Academy, athletics give students the chance to practice those skills in real time. They learn how to prepare for something that matters. You’ll see them learn to manage nerves before a big moment, support their teammates through challenges, and gracefully respond when the outcome does not go their way.
Every practice, game, and season asks something of our students.
The discipline of showing up when you don't feel like it. The teamwork of subordinating your ego for the group. The resilience of losing a game and coming back the next week ready to compete again.
These lessons transfer. To academics. To careers. To life.
How Does Athletics Connect to Aspen's Mission?
Athletics is leadership development in action. Competition teaches students to take care of themselves and contribute to a team. That's Aspen's definition of a leader.
Aspen defines a leader as someone who takes care of themselves and has the capacity and inclination to care for others.
Athletics embodies this.
Athletes must take care of themselves: sleep, nutrition, practice, and preparation. They must also care for their team: encouragement, accountability, and sacrifice for the group.
The volleyball player who stays late to help a teammate improve her serve is demonstrating leadership. The basketball player who keeps his composure after a bad call is demonstrating leadership. The cross country runner who pushes through fatigue is demonstrating leadership.
These moments can't be manufactured in a classroom. They happen in competition.
What Has the Program Achieved?
The Girls Volleyball Team won the 2025 league championship. Then the Girls Basketball Team won the 2026 league championship. The program continues to grow in participation, structure, and visibility.
Results matter. Not because trophies define us, but because they prove the work is paying off.
The basketball and volleyball championships didn't happen by accident. It came from consistent practice.
As Aspen’s private school athletics program grows, so do the opportunities for students to lead, contribute, and succeed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sports does Aspen Academy offer?
Aspen Academy offers basketball, cross country, flag football, soccer, tennis, volleyball, and golf through a mix of competitive and recreational opportunities. Sports vary by season, and teams compete in organized leagues, giving students the chance to develop skills, contribute to a team, and grow through real competition.
What grades can participate in Aspen Academy athletics?
Athletics are primarily available to middle school students in grades 5–8. Some recreation-based offerings, including lower school flag football and lower school basketball, may also be available depending on the season, which gives students more than one way to step into athletics as they build confidence and experience.
Is Aspen Academy's athletics programs competitive or recreational?
Both. Aspen fields competitive teams in sports like basketball, soccer, volleyball, and cross country, while also offering recreation-based opportunities such as lower school flag football, lower school basketball, tennis, and golf.
That range matters. Some students are ready for league competition right away. Others are building skills, confidence, and a love of the game. Aspen makes room for both.
Who coaches Aspen Academy athletic teams?
Aspen teams are coached by parents and staff who volunteer their time and expertise. That community-driven model shapes the experience in important ways: students are coached by adults who know them, understand Aspen’s values, and care about who they are becoming, not just how they perform on game day. The program is coordinated by Athletic Director Jack Assaf, who also teaches 7th grade mathematics and coaches student leadership, reinforcing the connection between athletics, academics, and character.
How does athletics connect to leadership development at Aspen Academy?
At Aspen, athletics are one more place where students learn how to lead. They learn how to prepare, stay steady under pressure, support a team, and respond well when something does not go their way.
Those are not side lessons. They are part of the point. Aspen’s athletics program is designed to build self-awareness, accountability, resilience, and care for others through experiences that ask something real of students.
What makes Aspen Academy’s athletics program stand out?
Aspen’s athletics program stands out because it pairs organized league play with a school culture that takes student growth seriously. The program has grown from informal clubs into structured teams, and that growth is showing up in meaningful ways, including a 2025 girls volleyball league championship. Just as important, students are learning how to compete with discipline, composure, and commitment to one another.
Can students be involved in athletics if they are not playing on a team?
Yes. Students can serve as scorekeepers, team managers, and in other support roles that still make them part of the team experience. Those roles teach responsibility, communication, consistency, and leadership from a different angle. Not every student wants to be on the court or the field, but many still want to contribute to something bigger than themselves. Aspen makes room for that.
How do families sign up for athletics at Aspen Academy?
Athletic registration is available through Aspen’s extracurricular catalog, and families can review current offerings and register through the parent portal in MySchoolApp. Since sports and eligibility can vary by season, the best next step is to check the current athletics schedule alongside registration details.
Ready to See Athletes in Action?
Visit campus. Watch a practice or game. See how competition builds character.
Jack Assaf
7th Grade Instructor, Mathematics, Athletic Director, Student Leadership & Entrepreneurship Coach, Teacher-Leader
Jack graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering. He continued his education in South Bend through the ACE program, where he earned a Master's Degree in Education with a focus on mathematics. He is entering his fourth year at Aspen Academy; he previously taught various high school math, science and engineering courses. Jack enjoys teaching at Aspen Academy because of our willingness to always search for the best way! Outside of school, he loves to play pickup sports, ski, hike, read and watch sports.