RCS athletic director reviews winter season, proposes Unified Bowling and program expansions

Jen Murphy, the district athletic director, presented a review of the winter sports season and outlined program proposals for 2025–26.

Murphy told the Board that 201 student athletes participated this winter across six sports and 17 teams. “I apologize. My voice is a little deep tonight, but I’ll do my best,” Murphy said at the start of her report. She highlighted individual and team accomplishments, including the wrestling team earning the Colonial Council League championship, 13 wrestlers qualifying for sectionals and sophomore Jaden Acum advancing to the state tournament two years in a row. She also cited school-record performances in indoor track and a sectional champion in swimming, and listed multiple All-Star recognitions for athletes across sports.

Murphy described program proposals and changes for the coming school year. The administration has proposed adding a Unified Bowling team—bringing together students with special needs and general education partners—recognized by Section 2 and treated as a varsity sport. She said the Unified Bowling season would run roughly mid-February to mid-March and that staff and peers are being recruited to serve as partners.

Murphy said Unified Physical Education, an approved high-school PE course, will continue to be promoted and that staff are piloting strategies this spring to build capacity by pairing general-education students with adapted-PE classes during ninth period. She reported positive student response and cross-grade social benefits from the pilot.

On the aquatics program, Murphy reviewed the recent merger with Greenville for boys swimming and diving and said the Greenville board has approved a similar merger for girls swimming and diving; she thanked Greenville AD Denise Wickham and noted shared branding efforts led by Coach Carney.

Murphy said the district is tracking community interest in girls flag football and exploring ways to introduce the activity through PE curriculum and intramurals, while evaluating impacts on existing spring sports such as softball.

Murphy also updated the Board on the Athletic Code of Conduct review committee, which has met twice and is preparing a third meeting on April 24 to finalize processes around discipline incidents, attendance, academic eligibility and students leaving teams. She said the committee has begun collecting data that the district had not previously compiled and that a draft document with proposed processes has been circulated to coaches for feedback.

The presentation concluded with Murphy thanking coaches, families and communications staff for supporting winter athletics and asking the Board if there were questions.