2026-27 Middle School Athletic Update

At Moravian Academy, we believe that sport is more than competition. It is where students discover resilience, learn to lead, and build the kind of trust in themselves and in each other that lasts far beyond the final whistle. Our athletic programs exist to nurture that growth — and we are committed to giving every student the opportunity to experience it.

This fall, we are taking a meaningful step forward.

Beginning with the 2026–27 school year, we are expanding Middle School athletics in ways we believe will strengthen our community and open new doors for students across both campuses. Building on the success of the combined Swain and Historic Downtown Campus field hockey team, we are combining our soccer programs to create more competitive and connected teams, launching a new co-ed soccer program for students in Grades 5 and 6, and broadening our MAX Sports offerings so that every student, regardless of experience or interest in competitive play, has a meaningful place in our athletic life.

This is the first phase of a three-year journey. Our goal is a fully integrated PS–12 athletic experience, one where a student’s connection to Moravian Academy athletics begins early, grows steadily, and carries them with confidence into Upper School and beyond.

For students in Grades 6-8, Field Hockey, Boys and Girls Soccer, Lacrosse, and Baseball will now draw from both campuses, bringing together a broader, more talented group of student-athletes under shared coaching. Cross Country will continue to practice at SC or MSC, but the team will compete together in the same uniforms. Basketball will continue to run as a campus-specific program.

One of the things we are most excited about is the launch of a co-ed soccer program designed specifically for 5th and 6th grade students. Hosted at the Swain Campus and open to students from both campuses, this program will give younger students their first structured, coached athletic experience within the Moravian Academy community.

Practices will meet three times per week. Transportation will be arranged from the Historic Downtown Campus to the Swain Campus, so that participation is as accessible as possible for all families. A participation fee will cover the full cost of the program: coaching, transportation, league play, officials, and related expenses. It is not designed as a revenue program; it is designed to make participation possible.

A separate message with registration details and the date of a family information session will follow shortly.

Sixth-grade students will have the option to practice alongside the combined Grades 7–8 teams, but will be unable to compete in games due to PIAA regulations or they may practice and compete on the co-ed soccer team.  The option for competitive play is to participate in the 5th-6th grade team.

MAX Sports: Every Student, Every Season

Not every student wants to compete on a traveling team, and that’s completely fine. Our MAX Sports programming for grades 5-8 is designed for students who want to stay active, try something new, and be part of the athletic culture of Moravian Academy.

This year is the beginning of a three-year journey. In 2027–28, we will apply what we learn from the soccer integration to develop a similar model for Basketball, and we will launch a Grades 5–6 Lacrosse program to continue expanding earlier access to our Signature Sports. We will also explore transitioning Cross Country to a combined campus model for Grade 7-8, with a MAX Sports pathway for younger students.

By 2028–29, we aim to have fully integrated Swain and Historic Downtown athletic programming — every middle school program aligned with Upper School pathways, and every student, at every campus, moving through a coherent athletic experience from their earliest years onward. We will share updates on each phase as we go, and we welcome your feedback along the way.

We are deeply grateful for the trust you place in us each year. Athletics is one of the ways our students come to know themselves — what they are capable of, who they want to be, and how they show up for the people around them. We look forward to that journey together.

Go Lions!