Our Program
Welcome to FWCD Athletics!
FWCD has an athletic requirement for students in grades 7-11. Please see the drop-down menu below for information about options to satisfy the requirement.
In our Middle School athletic program, our aim is for student-athletes to play meaningful minutes over the course of the season. Playing time may not be equal among all players, but every effort is made to have each MS student on the roster appear in each game. MS teams will work with our Strength and Conditioning Coordinator one session each week. Practices and games typically are not held for MS teams on non-school days.
Playing time is not guaranteed on Upper School teams, though for jv teams, we generally do try to find playing time for all team members each game. US teams typically have 2 workout sessions with our Strength and Conditioning Coordinator each week; teams will often practice or play on Saturdays and on school holidays or breaks.
Summer participation is not required, but many of our sports will have summer skills sessions or league play, and all student-athletes will have opportunities to work out in the FWCD Fitness Center during the summer.
Our goal is to offer quality programming for every student-athlete. In some programs, we will limit the number of teams we field, based on facility constraints, available competition, and other factors.
2025-26 Registration forms: MS registration | US registration | Sport Change Request
Athletic Training
Upper School (US)
Students interested in the field of sports medicine can assist FWCD Athletic Trainers at practices and games by joining the team of athletic training aides. This is a two or three season commitment. Athletic training aides assist with practices after school every day, as well as facilitating game setup and coverage. Athletic training aides rotate coverage for evening, Saturday, and out of town contests and tournaments.
Baseball
Middle School (MS)
The MS baseball team roster typically consists of around 16-18 players. The players are divided into three groups, and the groups will combine for different rosters over the course of the season – each player will play in 10-12 games. The team practices on the varsity baseball field and batting cages on campus during the MS athletic period.
Upper School (US)
US baseball typically fields one jv and one varsity team. Practices are held on campus, after school. The JV team plays 16-18 games, with occasional Saturday games. Varsity will play around two dozen games, including some Saturday match-ups. Varsity typically plays several games over the spring break holiday and will travel to an out of town tournament or two early in the season. The season culminates in the SPC Tournament, hosted at sites either in Houston or the DFW area.
Basketball (Boys)
Middle School (MS)
The MS program will have an A and a B team, with a mix of 7th and 8th graders on each team (placement is based on skill level). Practices are held during the MS Athletic period in the Square Gym, and both the A and B teams will play between 10-14 games during the season, possibly with a Saturday tournament.
Upper School (US)
Boys basketball typically has one varsity and two jv teams. US boys basketball practices after school on campus. The varsity team will typically have a few Saturday games during the season and most likely will have tournament games during Thanksgiving and/or Winter breaks. The season culminates in the SPC Tournament, hosted at sites either in Houston or the DFW area.
Basketball (Girls)
Middle School (MS)
The MS program will have an A and a B team, with a mix of 7th and 8th graders on each team (placement is based on skill level). Practices are held during the MS Athletic period in the Round Gym, and both the A and B teams will play between 10-14 games during the season, possibly with a Saturday tournament.
Upper School (US)
If numbers allow, girls basketball will field one jv team and one varsity team. If numbers are low, every effort will be made to offer a modified jv schedule so that all players on the roster may get opportunities to play over the course of the season. US girls basketball practices after school on campus. The varsity team will typically have a few Saturday games during the season and most likely will have tournament games during Thanksgiving and/or Winter breaks. The season culminates in the SPC Tournament, hosted at sites either in Houston or the DFW area.
Cheerleading
Middle School (MS)
Only 8th grade students may participate in MS cheer, which is considered a club sport, not a school-sponsored sport. Students involved in cheer will earn their athletic credit playing another sport and will practice on Mondays after the athletic period. Typically in the fall, the team will perform at 3-4 home MS football games, and in winter they’ll perform at 4-5 home basketball games.
Upper School (US)
US cheer will have tryouts in spring for the fall and winter squads. Student-athletes who cheer will attend a camp in the beginning of August to kick off the season. The cheer team practices Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday and will have weight room workouts Tuesday mornings. In the fall, based on the size of the squad, it’s possible that not every cheerleader will travel to away games, and some cheerleaders may be asked to perform at home jv football games. In the winter, the cheerleaders will only perform at home games. We’ll often have a split squad in winter, with each team performing at 4-5 varsity basketball games, and the whole squad performing at 3-4 additional games. Student-athletes will indicate when they try out if they’d like to be on the fall team, the winter team, or both.
Cross Country
Middle School (MS)
MS cross country practices during the MS athletic period each day. The team will have 4-6 meets during the season, with one or two during the week but most on Saturday mornings. If 7th-8th participation is low, we may reach out to 5th and 6th graders to offer participation in meets. MS cross country practices begin the first full day of classes in the fall.
Upper School (US)
US Cross Country practices will begin several weeks before the first day of school (usually the first Monday of August). Practice sessions (including weight training days) occur before school each day. The boys and girls teams will compete in 8-10 meets over the course of the season; meets are Saturday mornings (occasionally we’ll have Friday morning meets), and usually the cross country teams travel to 1-2 out of town meets each season. The season culminates in the SPC Tournament, hosted at sites either in Houston or the DFW area.
Field Hockey
Middle School (MS)
Typically we’ll have two teams, if numbers allow, divided either by skill level or by grade. We usually will have 10-12 games for each team, played during the week. MS field hockey practices during the MS athletic period, usually on the FWCD turf field hockey field. MS field hockey practices begin the first full day of classes in the fall.
Upper School (US)
US field hockey will begin several weeks before the first day of school (usually the first Monday of August). JV will typically have a schedule of around a dozen games, and varsity will play around 18, including the end of season SPC tournament. Varsity roster size is limited since playing time is not guaranteed. US field hockey practices after school on campus. Most games are played during the week, but there are occasional Saturday contests or out of town trips. The season culminates in the SPC Tournament, hosted at sites either in Houston or the DFW area.
Football
Middle School (MS)
MS football is typically divided into a 7th grade team and an 8th grade team. Practices are held on campus on Howard Family Field or the surrounding grass fields. Each team usually plays 6-8 games each season. MS football practices, including the heat acclimation process, begin one week before the first day of school.
Upper School (US)
US football will begin several weeks before the first day of school (usually the first Monday of August). For younger or inexperienced players, we will typically schedule 3-5 jv games spread throughout the season, and we may also schedule jamboree scrimmages or joint practices with other schools. The US team will have one scrimmage followed by 9 varsity games. The SPC championship game features the top two 3A teams and is held either in Houston or the DFW area, on an alternating basis.
Golf
Upper School (US)
The US boys and girls varsity golf rosters will be capped at 8 players, and the jv rosters are capped at 5. Players’ average scores will determine roster placement. The teams practice off-campus at area courses and local driving ranges 3-4 days a week. The varsity team will compete in 6-7 tournaments over the course of the spring. Varsity girls and varsity boys will each compete in a 2-day SPC Championship Tournament, which for the past few years has been in Houston.
Lacrosse (Boys)
Middle School (MS)
The boys lacrosse program usually fields one MS team but may field two if there is enough interest and players to create two teams. The MS boys practice on campus during the MS athletic period and will play in around 9-12 games over the course of the spring. The middle school team competes in the Dallas-Fort Worth Youth Lacrosse, DFWL, against other teams in the DFW metroplex.
Upper School (US)
The US program fields a JV and a varsity team if there is enough interest and players, with around 10 games for the jv team and 14 for the varsity. Both teams practice on Howard Family Field or grass practice fields on campus after school. The varsity team may travel to 1-2 out of town trips during the season. Varsity competes both in the SPC and the Texas High School Lacrosse League (THSLL). The lacrosse SPC tournament is typically held in late spring, a few weeks before the rest of spring sports have their tournament. If the varsity team qualifies for the THSLL State Tournament then the team will continue to play though Mother's Day weekend.
Soccer (Boys)
Middle School (MS)
Numbers permitting, the MS program typically will have an A and a B team, with a mix of 7th and 8th graders on each team (placement is based on skill level along with some other factors). Practices are held during the MS Athletic period on Howard Family Field or on surrounding grass fields, and both the A and B teams will play between 10-14 games during the season. The B team may play fewer games.
Upper School (US)
US boys soccer typically fields one jv and one varsity team. Practices are after school on campus. The varsity team may have a small number of Saturday games during the season and will play around 22 games total. JV plays around 12 games. The Varsity season culminates in the SPC Tournament, hosted at sites either in Houston or the DFW area.
Soccer (Girls)
Middle School (MS)
The MS program will have an A and a B team, with a mix of 7th and 8th graders on each team (placement is based on skill level). Practices are held during the MS Athletic period on Howard Family Field or surrounding grass fields, and both the A and B teams will play between 10-14 games during the season.
Upper School (US)
If numbers allow, girls soccer will field one jv team and one varsity team. If numbers are low, every effort will be made to offer a modified jv schedule so that all players on the roster may get opportunities to play over the course of the season. US girls soccer practices after school on campus. The varsity team will typically have a few Saturday games during the season and may travel to an out-of-town tournament. The season culminates in the SPC Tournament, hosted at sites either in Houston or the DFW area.
Softball
Middle School (MS)
MS softball practices on the FWCD varsity field during the MS athletic period. FWCD will field 1 or 2 MS teams based on student-athlete interest. Typically, the softball team will play between 10-12 games over the course of the spring.
Upper School (US)
US softball will field a JV and a varsity team, if numbers allow. If the program consists of just one team, we will often find JV games for the younger and more inexperienced players. Varsity will usually play 18-20 games during the season and may travel to an out of town tournament or two. The season culminates in the SPC Tournament, hosted at sites either in Houston or the DFW area.
Swimming
Upper School (US)
FWCD partners with Sigma Swim for our swim program. US students are placed in practice groups based on skill level. Practices are typically held in the 5:00 - 7:30 pm range at Wilkerson-Greines Aquatic Center, but practice frequency and duration varies from swimmer to swimmer. US swimmers will have 6-7 meets. Some meets are held during the week, but most are on Saturdays. The season culminates in the SPC Meet, Thursday/Friday or Friday/Saturday of SPC Tournament week in either Houston or the DFW area.
Tennis
Middle School (MS)
MS tennis practices on the FWCD tennis courts during the athletic period daily. Because court space and opportunities to compete are limited, the MS tennis rosters are typically capped at around 16 boys and 16 girls. Over the course of the spring, the MS tennis teams will play a mix of home/away matches (usually around 8-10 matches total).
Upper School (US)
US tennis practices on campus on the FWCD tennis courts after school daily during the spring season. Due to limited court space and limited opportunities for sub varsity and exhibition matches throughout the season, the US roster spots are typically held to 12-16 players. The varsity team will play around 10 matches during the spring; the season culminates in the SPC Tournament, hosted at sites either in Houston or the DFW area.
Track & Field
Middle School (MS)
The MS boys and girls track teams practice during the athletic period at Barrett Havran Track During the season, the teams will participate in 4-6 practice meets on Thursdays. The season culminates in a boys/girls 7th grade Championship Meet, followed by an 8th grade Championship Meet. (The final meet for 7th and 8th grade will be held on Saturdays).
Upper School (US)
The US track teams practice after school at Barrett Havran Track. The team will participate in 6-8 meets during the season, usually on Fridays or Saturdays. US track may travel to an out of town meet once or twice during the season. The season culminates in the SPC Meet, hosted at sites either in Houston or the DFW area.
Volleyball (Boys)
Middle School (MS)
If the MS boys program has an A and a B team, team placement will be based on skill level, not grade. Practices are held during the MS Athletic period in the Round Gym, and both the A and B teams will play between 10-14 games during the season, possibly with a Saturday tournament. MS volleyball practices begin the first full day of classes in the fall.
Upper School (US)
US volleyball will begin several weeks before the first day of school (usually the first Monday of August). Boys volleyball will have one jv and one varsity team. US boys volleyball practices after school on campus. Most of the matches are jv/varsity doubleheaders, but there will be some jv only or varsity only matches during the season. The varsity team will typically have a few Saturday games or weekend tournaments during the season. The season culminates in the SPC Tournament, hosted at sites either in Houston or the DFW area.
Volleyball (Girls)
Middle School (MS)
The MS program will have an A and a B team, with a mix of 7th and 8th graders on each team (placement is based on skill level). Practices are held during the MS Athletic period in the Square Gym, and both the A and B teams will play between 10-14 games during the season, possibly with a Saturday tournament. MS volleyball practices begin the first full day of classes in the fall.
Upper School (US)
US volleyball will begin several weeks before the first day of school (usually the first Monday of August). Girls volleyball will have one JV and one varsity team. US girls volleyball practices after school on campus. Most of the matches are jv/varsity doubleheaders, but there will be some jv only or varsity only contests during the season. The varsity team will typically have a few Saturday games or weekend tournaments during the season. The season culminates in the SPC Tournament, hosted at sites either in Houston or the DFW area.
Wrestling
Middle School (MS)
MS boys and girls who participate in wrestling will practice on campus during the MS athletic period in the wrestling room. Over the course of the season, the team will typically attend 5-6 meets and may travel out of town for the MS Prep State Meet.
Upper School (US)
US wrestling practices on campus in the wrestling room after school each day. Wrestlers will attend 10-12 tournaments during the season, typically on Fridays and Saturdays; FWCD hosts 1-2 head-to-head or tri-matches during the year as well. The season culminates in the SPC Tournament, hosted at sites either in Houston or the DFW area.
Other Options
Off-Campus Credit
Students in 7th - 11th grades may apply for off-campus credit one time each year. Once students select off-campus credit as their option, we will share all relevant guidelines and deadlines with them.
Sports Management
US students may select Sports Management for credit. Once they register for this option, they’ll be asked to rank their preferences among Yearbook Sport Photography, Team Manager, and Athletic Department Assistant (keeping clock or book, working concessions, etc). Every effort is made to be sure students get one of their top two options.
Fitness Class
MS fitness will take place during the MS Athletic period, daily. Most days, the students will be working in the weight room, but we will also mix in outdoor and gym activities over the course of the season.
US fitness is offered 3 times a week (typically one day before school and two days after). Students are asked to attend two of the three sessions. The weight training program for US fitness students is designed by our Strength and Conditioning Coordinator. In all fitness classes, we will have roster caps in order to provide the students a positive and safe experience.
