An Interview with Anthony Jones, Lutheran East Athletic Director
CLHSA: Which sports does Lutheran East currently offer each season?
AJ: Our student-athletes compete in football, volleyball, and cheerleading in the fall. During the winter, girls’ and boys’ basketball get underway, our cheerleading squad competes in competitions, and our indoor track season gets going too. During the spring, it’s all track and field at Lutheran East.
CLHSA: How do athletics fit into the overall mission of Lutheran East?
AJ: At Lutheran East we provide our students with college prep education in a Christ-centered environment. There’s a lot of
crossover between those goals and athletics! When kids participate in sports they learn accountability, teamwork, and the value of hard work. Just like the Christian life isn’t only about Sunday mornings, the goals we’re helping our students reach are also beyond the classroom.
CLHSA: How do athletics fit into the student culture at Lutheran East?
AJ: Athletics are a big part of Lutheran East. I’m pleased about that, because athletics have helped me in life and I see them helping our students as well. We have great support from our students at games and our students are excited to be Lutheran East Falcons. I believe that athletics is one of the many reasons for that.
CLHSA: What is the biggest change you’ve seen in Lutheran East Athletics during your time as Athletic Director?
AJ: Lutheran East has such a rich athletic history. During my time at Lutheran East, we’ve started writing a new chapter in that history. Our boys’ basketball team has had a lot of success! I’m just as excited about the growth in our girls’ basketball program, a football team that is gaining momentum, and record numbers of students going out for volleyball. Our track and cheerleading programs have competed at the state level recently. So when we talk about change, we’re really talking about growth. I’m excited to lead that effort.
CLHSA: How are Lutheran East student-athletes serving their school community?
AJ: Our student-athletes are truly ambassadors for the school as a whole. They’re excelling in the classroom, leading in service, and helping in many other ways as well. I think that’s part of the bigger picture of athletics that we’re striving for at Lutheran East.
CLHSA: How does participation in LE athletics translate into collegiate opportunities for student athletes?
AJ: A big challenge in college is balancing time ? our student athletes are learning to do that while in high school: balancing practice, games, homework, and working out. That’s true for all of our student-athletes. For a handful of our student-athletes, the dedication to their sport and to their academics while at Lutheran East can potentially lead to college scholarships and/or the chance to continue their playing careers at the collegiate level.
CLHSA: How can supporters of Lutheran East make an impact on the opportunities provided to student-athletes?
AJ: We have some great supporters of Falcon Athletics! It’s always nice to see our fans in the stands. Often we’re playing against much bigger schools, so it’s encouraging to our athletes, to our coaches, and to me when I see our community supporting our efforts. We’ve made some big improvements to our athletic facilities and have to take this opportunity to say thank you again to our supporters who made that possible.