Passionate, caring, sportsmanlike demeanor and a drive to excel are all values demonstrated by longtime coach, Athletic Director, and Dean of Students Mary Lou Jones of Saint Mary’s School. It’s no coincidence when the Triangle Independent Schools Athletic Conference (TISAC) was born in 1998, the founding schools attached her name and thus her character to the Prestige Cup.
The Cup is awarded to the top boys and girls programs at the end of the school year that demonstrated athletic success among 17 varsity teams at the end of the regular season.
Cary Academy is admired for its excellent academic program and tremendous fine arts program. How about athletics? Will your eyebrows peak when I tell you that our girls athletic program has won the Prestige Cup the past three years and that our boys have held rights to The Cup four of the past seven years?
Not mine.
The athletic programs at Cary Academy are flourishing. Last year, over 650 students in grades 7-12 participated in at least one competitive team at Cary Academy and helped secure three state championships, three state runners-up, and six TISAC titles. This fall, Cary Academy grabbed three more state runners-up honors, and won two conference titles. For the first time in the school’s history, every fall team placed high enough in the state ranking to host a home playoff game. Each of those teams followed that advantage with a win!
How did this happen? When did Cary Academy become “good” at sports? The evolution has taken place right under our noses.
The hiring and retention of quality coaches and a spirited student and parent network linked with X-Factor and Charger Club can be attributed to Cary Academy’s athletic success. Additionally, the development of student athletes in our Athletic Leadership Academy are creating leaders for life. Our coaches are invested in their players and their character while our support groups have created the championship and festive atmosphere from theme days, tailgating, hot dog giveaways, fan buses, crowded bleachers and even faces on a stick.
It’s become fun to root for the Chargers!
As we move forward, the Cary Academy Athletic Department will continue to strive for excellence in our sports program and will continue to dedicate ourselves to developing all our student athletes on and off the playing field.
Mary Lou Jones embodied the principles for the Prestige Cup. Cary Academy’s athletes have taken ownership of the ideals that she espoused. We encourage you to come to an athletic event so see our athletes’ passion, sportsmanship, and excellence in action. You won’t be disappointed.
