Episcopal congratulates 2018 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee April Brown ʼ95! April was named to the Hall of Fame at the annual sports banquet at the end of the school year. Hall of Fame honorees are selected each year based on their outstanding contributions to Episcopal during their time as a student or later on as a graduate. April truly left her mark on Episcopal athletics, participating in basketball, volleyball, and track and field. She was the recipient of the Annslee Laura Phillips Female Athlete of the Year award and named the Advocate Athlete of the Year. In addition to lettering in multiple sports, April was a well-rounded student participating in activities including choir, French Club and Science Club. After graduation, she attended Division I DePaul University where she was a member of the women’s basketball team. Congratulations April!
Nominations for the Episcopal Athletic Hall of Fame are accepted each spring. Previous honorees include Van Hiles ʼ93, Meghan O’Leary ʼ03 and Jimmy Williams ʼ97.
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 While the first bell of the 2018/2019 school year won’t officially ring until Friday, August 10th, there’s one group of students who are already gearing up for the new year. Episcopal athletes and coaches are in summer prep mode with summer league competition, team camps and sports camps. Members of the baseball, basketball, soccer, volleyball, and football teams are currently participating in city-wide summer league games with other area schools. Brenna Allphin-Smith Perez, Episcopal’s Head Girls Soccer Coach and Athletic Administrator, says summer league play is an especially great opportunity for incoming freshmen to get to know the team. She says coaches also encourage anyone interested in playing during the school year to play during the summer to get that extra preparation and exposure.  June is also traditionally when teams participate in team camps together. The boys basketball team recently spent time together at Birmingham Southern and the boys soccer team traveled to Southern Miss. Meanwhile, the girls soccer team trained at the Extreme Performance Team Camp in Bay St. Louis and the girls basketball team hosted a team camp at Episcopal. Team camps help athletes get to know their teammates and cultivate the relationships needed to succeed, in addition to boosting their overall skills.
Strength and conditioning work is a big part of summer sports prep. Students work out on campus three times a week throughout the break. In addition, on any given day you can find members of the Episcopal athletic staff on campus hosting summer sports camps for students of all ages. The camps are a great way to introduce students to a new sport or to help them fine tune existing skills.
While the start of a new school year may seem like a long time from now, student athletes will be suiting up and hitting the field, court, track and pool before you know it. We’re looking forward to another great year of Episcopal athletics! Want to relive all of the best moments from the 2017/2018 season? Click here for a look back. Go Knights! The 2017/2018 Episcopal athletic teams did not disappoint. The players and coaches gave it their all and put up impressive results. Thanks to everyone who supported the teams and cheered them on. Here’s a look back at a great year of Episcopal athletics.  Photo provided by Knightpix Football: The team fought hard all season and advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Team members Caden Dickinson and Cam Dumas were honored with the WBRZ Fan’s Choice Award for their performances on the field. The entire squad was recognized by Cumulus media group as the Team of the Week. Multiple team members will be playing collegiate football for their respective colleges next fall.  Volleyball: The volleyball squad had a tremendous year, finishing the regular season 20 and 13 and earning a first round bye in the postseason. Gracie Veillon was named to the All-Metro team and Emily Mendoza earned Honorable Mention. Cross Country: The cross country runners continued their dominance in the sport with another state championship season. Head Coach Claney Duplechin was named the 2017 US Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association Coach of the Year, the 2017 Metro Cross Country Coach of the Year and a finalist for the National High School Athletic Coaches Association National Cross Country Coach of the Year.  Photo provided by Knightpix Swimming: The swim team truly stepped up this fall. The boys’ team finished second place at the annual state meet in Sulphur. Head Swim Coach Stephen Anderson was also named the All-Metro Boys Coach of the Year. Swimmers Sara Be, Lilli Pellegrin, Ben Levine and Ben Naquin were also named to the All-Metro Team.  Photo provided by KnightPix. Basketball: What a season the basketball teams delivered! The girls’ team advanced to the quarterfinals after a successful regular season. Senior Tera Snell reached Episcopal’s 1000 point club and was named to the LHSAA All Star Team. She has signed to play for the Loyola New Orleans Wolf Pack. The boys’ team had a tremendous regular season and easily advanced to the playoffs. After taking down nationally ranked Riverside Academy the team finished the year as state runner up with an overall record of 33-4. Team leader Cam Dumas was recognized with All State honors and was a member of the LHSAA All Star Team and the Marsh Madness Tournament Team.  Wrestling: Episcopal’s Griffin Dynes placed third in the state wrestling championships after fighting back from the consolation bracket with a 9-1 win. This season Fox Garon secured his first varsity win over Hahnville and William Guffey won his first freshman tournament of the season against Zachary High School. Powerlifting: Celia Kiesel and John Pojman both placed third in the LHSAA regional powerlifting meet. Kolin Bilbrew placed first in the same event. Nicholas Miller earned the title of Best Male Lifter and Savannah York earned the title of Best Female Lifter.  Photo provided by KnightPix. Soccer: After a tremendous season, the boys’ squad finished as district champions. The team ultimately advanced to the state semifinals to cap off the year. Head Coach Kiran Booluck also earned District IV Coach of the Year honors. The girls’ soccer team was district runner up and was awarded the Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award by the United Soccer Coaches. Skylar Yegge also earned the United Soccer Coaches Senior Excellence Award and All Metro honors. Caroline Glynn, Grace Moraes, and Sarah Whisnant were named 1st Team All District. Both the boys’ and girls’ teams earned the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award.  Photo provided by KnightPix. Track & Field: The boys’ indoor and outdoor track and field teams both came home state champions. The girls’ outdoor team finished state runner up. Coach Claney Duplechin was named the 2017 Metro Coach of the Year and the US Track and Field Coaches Association Coach of the Year.  Photo provided by KnightPix. Golf: The boys’ team finished as regional champions, shooting a 322. John Hayden Wood shot an even par 72 and earned the Regional Individual Champion title. At the state tournament the team finished third with John Hayden Wood earning the Individual State Runner Up title. The girls’ team finished second overall in the regional tournament with Riely Heaslip shooting a 76 to earn the Regional Individual Runner Up title. The girls also finished first in the Baton Rouge Metro League Championship tournament. Riely Heaslip and Caroline Glynn shot a combined score of 201 to earn the Metro Team Champion title. Heaslip also put up the best score in the field earning her the Metro Individual Champion title. Athletic Director and Coach Randy Richard was named the Girls Golf Metro Coach of the Year.  Photo provided by KnightPix. Tennis: The boys’ team won the LHSAA regional tournament in Baton Rouge with several singles and doubles groups from both the boys’ and girls’ teams moving on to the state tournament in Monroe. Team members Edward Staib, Femke Maassen-Veeters, Elli SIm, and Casey Rigby earned All Metro honors.  Photo provided by KnightPix. Baseball: Several members of the baseball team were selected to the 8-AA All-District Team. Congratulations to the following:
 Photo provided by KnightPix. Softball: The softball squad put together a tremendous season, earning the district championship title! Corinne Talbot, Annslee Bourgeois, Bailey Bourgeois, Emily Mendoza, Sydney Summerville, and Savannah York all earned 1st Team All District honors. Congratulations to the 2018 Episcopal Female and Male Athletes of the Year!
We look forward to seeing everyone on the sidelines next year. A special thanks to the cheerleaders and drum corps for their support this year. Go Knights!
Go Knights! Episcopal athletes and their supporters gathered around the oak on the deck to celebrate members of the Class of 2018 who plan to continue playing sports at the collegiate level. Congratulations to the following Knights.  Caden Dickinson | Rhodes College Football  Cam Dumas | Loyola New Orleans Basketball  Graham Frazier | University of Chicago Cross Country/Track  Christopher Hatzis | Mississippi College Football and Track  Kelli Hu | University of Chicago Tennis  Kenny Schafer | Oberlin Music Conservatory Cross Country  John Hayden Wood | Colgate
Golf Congratulations to our winter sports athletes who had a tremendous season!Indoor Track and Field: Congratulations to the boys’ indoor track and field team who are the 2017 State Champs! This is the third year in a row that the Knights’ team has finished on top. In addition to earning the title, several members also broke school records at the state meet. Congratulations to the following: Caden Dickinson leaped for a time of 8.43 seconds in the 60 meter hurdles. Kenny Schafer came in under the 10 minute mark in the 3200 meter run with a 9:49.07. The 4X4 team of Trevor Babcock (52.0), Graham Frazier (52.4), Todd McInnis (54.6) and Caden Dickinson (51.0) broke the previous school record by 4 seconds with a 3:30.96. The combined team score of 86 also topped the previous high point state meet score of 78.5. Wrestling Photo Credit: KnightPix
Soccer Photo Credit: KnightPix After earning a district title, the boys’ soccer team reached the semi-finals where they were defeated in double overtime. Keeper Anders Melton had 16 saves in the match and Eliott Reimann and Logan Robertson both put it in the net. The squad put together a great season and we are proud of their efforts!
Basketball
 Episcopal Athletic Hall of Fame: Know of a former Episcopal athlete who has excelled since leaving high school? Show them how much they’re appreciated by nominating them for the Episcopal Athletic Hall of Fame. Nominations can be submitted by clicking here or by going to episcopalbr.org under the Athletic Hall of Fame tab. The deadline to submit a nomination is March 25.
Nominees may fall under one of four categories: 1. Athlete
 “Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” Vince Lombardi
Fitness The physical benefits of sports seem obvious. Sports allow children to be active in a world that makes it easy to remain inactive. Playing sports can boost motor development and encourages an interest in overall healthy habits. However, the skills and benefits an athlete obtains from playing sports go well beyond the physical. As Coach Lombardi references, the lessons learned from playing sports are things an athlete can take with them for the rest of their lives. These benefits far exceed the circle of sport. Balance Because sports provide structure, many athletes develop time management skills early on. For example, in practice, athletes have set times to run drills, brush up on offensive or defensive skills, or work on set pieces that are scenario specific. Students absorb this and use the structure and time management skills developed in practice to manage their academic load. They learn to balance their classes with sports and social obligations with their own personal “practice plan”. Trust As a team member who is fully committed to the team and its members, athletes learn trust. They must trust that their teammates are working just as hard as they are and even hold them accountable if they aren’t. They also develop a sense of personal accountability knowing that everyone has a role and a task, and they must perform their own assignment for the team to be successful.
Community Playing a sport, even an individual sport, also helps athletes develop socially. Athletes learn to interact with others and they have the opportunity to meet people they might not otherwise have known. I’ve often said to athletes I’ve coached that they don’t have to be best friends, but if it has to do with the team, each teammate is priority one. We’ve had athletes here that join a team and end up finding their place at the school or even a surrogate family. Resilience Athletes learn to handle adversity. It comes in the form of injuries or a particularly bad flu season that runs throughout the entire team. They learn to lose and win with respect for others and they learn to lose and win together. All of this teaches them to be flexible in a range of situations, including unplanned events that often occur. In addition, athletes learn that not everyone can play at the same time or on the same level. Even in the NFL there is a practice squad comprised of athletes more elite than most, whose full-time job is only to practice. Many of them not elite enough to ever see Sunday playing time. Goal Setting is a byproduct of this resilience that serves competitors well throughout life. Whether the goal is to score in soccer or be captain of the team, the concept of setting goals helps students learn to think long term about what they want to accomplish. They also learn that to achieve these goals they will have to commit and work through both successes and failures. This requires patience and persistence. We see examples of this in both present Episcopal students and our Episcopal alums daily; from Oliver Jack working on his jump shot before most students get to school and Lili Pellegrin placing in the 100 breaststroke in State to Olympian Meghan O’Leary competing for a spot in the 2020 Olympics and Todd Graves’ Raising Cane’s successes. Four people Four paths. The core of their goals list, I bet very similar.
We want them to do their best, have fun and learn a few things along the way. The majority of us won’t go on to be a Vince Lombardi, a Tom Brady or a Nick Foles; and that is okay. That said, sports can provide each one of us regular folks, no matter the path we choose, with the same skills those guys use to achieve their successes. For exciting news on the future of Episcopal athletics, visit the Spirit Mind Body Campaign page by clicking the button below.   Randy RichardRandy is in his second year as Athletic Director at Episcopal School of Baton Rouge. Randy is from Baton Rouge and attended Catholic High School before moving to Ruston to earn a degree in education from Louisiana Tech University. Since joining Episcopal in 2002, Randy has served in many capacities including Dean of Students, the Physical Education Department Chair, teacher, and coach for a variety of boy’s and girl’s upper school athletic teams.  Photo credit: KnightPix For Episcopal’s Chris Beckman the answer is easy - academics, of course. For 22 years now and with more than 580 wins, Chris has been at the helm of the Knights’ boys basketball team. Chris is a believer in Episcopal, but not just Knights athletics. He is a proponent of the school’s academic rigor, the small class sizes and the opportunities made available for all students. So much a proponent that his oldest son is an Episcopal grad and his youngest son is currently in the fifth grade. Chris' stature seems more befitting a baseball guy than what you’d expect on the hardwood. In fact, he says he was a good baseball player, but his heart was committed to basketball as soon as he began dribbling and shooting as a young child. “I was horrible at first,” he says, while seated in an office showcasing newspaper clippings written about his influence on the sport. However, Chris says he just kept trying and eventually fell in love with the sound of the ball going through the net. (Swoosh.) That love of the “swoosh” led Chris to play for St. Martin’s in New Orleans and later Millsaps College. Fortunately for the Knights his path eventually led him to his current role on Woodland Ridge. Looking back, he remembers proudly that by his second year with Episcopal, the team had a winning season. “People said we couldn’t win and I took that as a challenge,” he says. A challenge he still enjoys even to this day.  Photo credit KnightPix Chris says athletics are an extra bonus at Episcopal. In a school boasting a design studio, integrated arts programs and abundant project-based learning units, having a winning basketball team is remarkable. Chris is a realist when it comes to the demands on his players. He knows that they are involved in multiple sports and activities, in addition to the high academic expectations. As a result, he says he keeps it simple. Less Me - More We is the Knights’ basketball team motto. “If you’re going to work hard and be committed, I’m going to find a spot for you,” says Chris. He says the team is not a place for a loan superstar, but a place where students can be a part of a group and simply enjoy playing basketball. Thanks to Episcopal’s PreK-3 through Upper School structure, Chris has the opportunity to get to know students and families early on. He enjoys working with students who have attended Episcopal since childhood. Like a proud dad he revels in seeing students grow and develop over the years. He says as players improve every year he’s watched less talented students improve and eventually become starters on good teams by their senior year. Chris says working with the students who have attended Episcopal for so many years makes the entire experience even more meaningful.
 Photo credit KnightPix For Chris, winning is actually a by-product, a bonus, similar to his philosophy on athletics in general. When looking back on his own athletic experience Chris says in the end you don’t remember every win and every opponent. What you do remember is hanging out with your teammates, singing and dancing on the bus ride home or seeing your non-basketball-playing friends cheering you on in the stands with their faces painted in school colors. This is the feeling Chris hopes his players remember. His philosophy of creating athletes with students who have attended and been engaged in the school since childhood is sure to contribute to that feeling.
Don’t miss the Knights basketball team in action this season. Mark your calendar for these upcoming games: Friday, January 19th – JV and Varsity at West Feliciana Monday, January, 22nd – Freshmen at Woodlawn Tuesday, January, 23rd – JV and Varsity at Jehoveh Jireh Wednesday, January, 24th –Freshmen versus Woodlawn *Home Game Friday, January, 26th –JV and Varsity versus Northeast PINK KNIGHT *Home Game Saturday, January, 27th – JV at St. Michael’s  Want to get out of the house after several days inside? Make plans to attend these upcoming athletic events. Check out the Episcopal athletics calendar online at https://www.episcopalbr.org/athletics.html. Episcopal Athletics Schedule.
Episcopal Student Heads to Washington
Episcopal senior Scott Wicker was accepted to the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium at the LSU Cook Hotel. He presented his research on "Driving Catalytic Reactions with Non-Traditional Heating", competing for the opportunity to attend the national symposium later this year. Good luck Scott!
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 Photo credits: Knightpix | Congratulations to Episcopal Swim Coach and Math Department Chair Stephen Anderson who was named the All-Metro Boys Coach of the Year! The boys swim team put up an impressive second place finish this year. Several swimmers were also named to the All-Metro Team, including Sara Be, Lilli Pellegrin, Ben Levine and Ben Naquin. |
Congratulations to defensive back Cam Dumas for being selected to the 2-A All-State football team. Caden Dickinson also earned Honorable Mention. Punter Russ St. Romain was selected to the 2-A team as well as being named to the @theadvocatebr All-Metro Team, along with offensive lineman Hootie Freeman.
Congratulations to volleyball athletes Gracie Veillon on being named to the All Metro team and Emily Mendoza for earning Honorable Mention.
Geaux, Knights!
Congratulations to volleyball athletes Gracie Veillon on being named to the All Metro team and Emily Mendoza for earning Honorable Mention.
Geaux, Knights!
It’s beginning to look a lot like – winter sports time! Basketball, soccer and wrestling are underway.
Boys’ basketball
Head Coach Chris Beckman says the team has already had a buzzer beater this season with a 48 to 47 win over Holy Cross. The Knights were down by five with two minutes left in the game and rallied back to take the win. He says seniors Cameron Dumas and Brandan Garrido should have a big impact on the team as the entire group looks to improve on ball handling in pressure situations with the hopes of putting up enough victories to make it to a state championship. Look for these exciting match-ups this season:
Boys’ basketball
Head Coach Chris Beckman says the team has already had a buzzer beater this season with a 48 to 47 win over Holy Cross. The Knights were down by five with two minutes left in the game and rallied back to take the win. He says seniors Cameron Dumas and Brandan Garrido should have a big impact on the team as the entire group looks to improve on ball handling in pressure situations with the hopes of putting up enough victories to make it to a state championship. Look for these exciting match-ups this season:
- January 9th - Denham Springs
- January 23rd - Jehoveh-Jireh
- February 2nd - The Church Academy
- February 6th - Port Allen
- February 16th - Dunham
 Tera Snell | Girls’ basketball Taylor Mims Walker’s girls squad started the season on a high note when senior forward Tera Snell officially signed a letter of intent to play for the Loyola University Wolfpack in New Orleans next year. Coach Walker says look for Tera and fellow seniors Shannon Ahmad and Hunter Heaslip to lead the team through a special season this year. Already the girls earned victories in all four games in the Dunham tournament. Mark your calendar for these exciting match ups:
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Boys’ soccer
Coach Kiran Booluck says this year’s team looks to overcome last year’s loss in the finals by working their way back and bringing home the state championship. The team will be led by seniors Chima Mbagwu, Logan Robertson, Frank Poche and sophomore Tochi Mbagwu, and is already off to an exciting start with a recent tie with Dutchtown. Key games to watch include:
Coach Kiran Booluck says this year’s team looks to overcome last year’s loss in the finals by working their way back and bringing home the state championship. The team will be led by seniors Chima Mbagwu, Logan Robertson, Frank Poche and sophomore Tochi Mbagwu, and is already off to an exciting start with a recent tie with Dutchtown. Key games to watch include:
- January 5th and 6th - Elite Showcase Tournament
- January 15th - Denham Springs
- January 17th - Catholic High Pointe Coupee
 | Girls’ soccer What a kick! The girls team came out big during the home opener against Parkview Baptist as Sarah Whisnant scored a direct free kick from 38 yards. Coach Brenna Allphin-Smith Perez says it’s exciting to see the seniors taking such a big leadership role while welcoming and mentoring the younger players. She says look for Sarah and fellow senior Skyler Yegge to have a big impact this year as the team looks to develop the younger players with senior Femke Maassen-Veters bringing valuable competition experience to the pitch. Exciting games to watch include:
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Wrestling
Congratulations to Griffin Dynes, who earned an individual victory at the Central tournament! Congratulations also to freshman William Guffey who came home with his first two varsity wins! Coach Phil Bode says look for Griffin and fellow seniors Henry Stater and William Kennedy to fight hard for the team this year. Key dates include:
Congratulations to Griffin Dynes, who earned an individual victory at the Central tournament! Congratulations also to freshman William Guffey who came home with his first two varsity wins! Coach Phil Bode says look for Griffin and fellow seniors Henry Stater and William Kennedy to fight hard for the team this year. Key dates include:
- January 12th and 13th - Louisiana Classic Wrestling Tournament
- February 2nd and 3rd – Greater Baton Rouge City Wrestling Championships
- February 15th – 17th – LHSAA Division III State Tournament
Randy Richard
Randy is in his second year as Athletic Director at Episcopal School of Baton Rouge. Randy is from Baton Rouge and attended Catholic High School before moving to Ruston to earn a degree in education from Louisiana Tech University. Since joining Episcopal in 2002, Randy has served in many capacities including Dean of Students, the Physical Education Department Chair, teacher, and coach for a variety of boy’s and girl’s upper school athletic teams.
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