On Wednesday, February 7, Miss Porter's School celebrated National Girls and Women in Sports Day by honoring the inaugural inductees into the Miss Porter’s School Athletics Hall of Fame.
The goal of the Athletics Hall of Fame is to acknowledge the contributions of students, Ancients, and coaches to the world of athletic endeavors, and inspire current and future Ancients to seek the highest level of competition and excellence in sports. The Athletics Hall of Fame will recognize excellence in training, competing, and winning, as well as honor stories of perseverance, innovation, teamwork, and character.
After a welcome by Head of School Kate Windsor and remarks from Co-Director of Athletics Avi Dubnov and Miss Porter's School Alumnae Board member Maura Droney '01, awards were presented to the inductees: golfer Carol Semple Thompson '66 and swimmer Kathrine Fugge McNamara '06.
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"We all need to remember how resilient and strong we are," Ms. McNamara advised students in her remarks. "Instead of focusing on what could go wrong, let the hard work speak for itself." She encouraged students to pursue their dreams, noting, "The key to success is in doing what makes you feel most alive."
Ms. Thompson was unable to attend the event in person, but shared remarks via video, during which she spoke about her experience as an athlete at Miss Porter's School. "I really enjoyed my varsity sports and being involved in all sorts of teams. For me they were important, even more so than academics," she recalls, adding, "[Sports] help women stand on their own. They learn to compete, they learn to win, they learn to lose. Losing and winning are two sides of the same coin; you have to be good at both."
