Athlos charter school teaches athletes

 

 

SAN ANTONIO – The Athlos Leadership Academy’s motto is “Healthy Body, Prepared Mind” because the school is devoted to physical fitness and athletics.

Principal Israel Rios said the 12 1/2-acre campus on Chandler Road campus has had a positive impact on the neighborhood and on the children who are lucky enough to gain enrollment there.

“We are encouraging our students to be better students holistically, not just in one certain aspect,” he said.

The students are still getting book learning, but the $20 million, state-of-the-art instruction and fitness campus brings with it a completely different approach to building leaders.

Lead performance coach Peter Verdin said the school has partnered with a fitness company to provide a curriculum that teaches movement, agility and health, which is then translated into sports.

“This class is really challenging them to change their expectations of what they do in physical education. We actually don’t even call it physical education because we wanted to change that mindset. We call it athletic conditioning,” Verdin said.

The school has a 40-yard turf field, a regulation-sized basketball court, a baseball diamond, playground and a gym, so that no matter the weather, the students are working their bodies.

“Learning about integrity and grit (has) helped me to become a better student,” student Alyin Hernandez said.

“I’m still not the best athlete, but I know I have improved and excelled in my athletics,” student Andrew Nunzio said.

The charter school is open to any child from first grade through 12th grade and is tuition-freel. For more information, visit www.athlossanantonio.org.