Exciting things continue to happen on
campus, and I am pleased to let you
know that starting in the 2016-17 academic year, our school will rejoin TAPPS. Both the Allen Academy Board of Trustees and the TAPPS Board approved the change in athletic conference affiliation late last week.
This decision comes after months of careful thought and discussion with our students, alumni, coaches, faculty, and the Board. In the end, the school has concluded that TAPPS offers a great match with our strategic plans for Allen's future. Being a part of TAPPS allows our students to compete with excellent, like-minded schools across our state in both academics and athletics. The level of competition will provide the challenge necessary for our students to grow, and they will undoubtedly meet that challenge with the vigor that typifies all we do at Allen.
As many of you may know, Allen Academy was an original member of TAPPS from 1978-2010 before joining TCAL in the 2010-11 school year.
TAPPS Executive Director Bryan Bunselmeyer will formally announce the return of Allen Academy to TAPPS in October. In the interim, he shared his excitement, saying, "Allen Academy's role in the formation of our organization indicates the alignment of the mission for both the school and the organization. The return of the school affirms our collective vision to provide opportunities for all students to participate in extracurricular activities as desired by the member schools of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools."
Clay Stanton, chair of Allen Academy's Board of Trustees, is thrilled with the conference change. "Allen has a proud history of athletic success and we are excited to rejoin our friends in TAPPS," Stanton said. "This is an important next step in confirming Allen's position as an exceptional school in both our region and our state."
Allen will make the move to TAPPS after six years of success in the Texas Christian Athletic League. In its first five years of TCAL, Allen has won 15 state titles, finished as state runner-up eight times, had 224 players garner all-state recognition, and was TCAL School of the Year in both 2014 and 2015. Eight Allen student-athletes have also earned TCAL Player of the Year recognition in their sport, while four different Allen head coaches have earned Coach of the Year honors. In five complete years of TCAL, eight Allen graduates have gone on to compete at the collegiate level in football, basketball, golf, swimming, and track.
Allen is proud of its affiliation with TCAL, and we value the friendships we have forged with the member institutions and with the Commissioner, Pastor Darryl Crain. The TCAL era has positioned Allen for continued growth in athletics, and we are grateful for the opportunities our student-athletes have received through competition in TCAL.
Interim Athletic Director Jason Jolly is excited, sharing "TAPPS will provide the next great challenge in the growth of Allen Academy athletics. By emphasizing continuous improvement with our student-athletes and coaches, Allen has risen to a position of strength in TCAL competition. Rejoining TAPPS is a great fit at a very exciting time at Allen Academy."
The school community is also looking forward to both continuing existing athletic rivalries and to building new ones, especially with TAPPS members in both the Brazos Valley and north Houston area. We look forward to continuing competition with TCAL member schools, but also to renew a regular schedule with competition against some of our long-time rivals.
Founded in 1978, TAPPS began with 20 schools. TAPPS has since grown to a membership of over 230 schools with a combined enrollment of more than 40,000 students. Schools are presently aligned in five classifications with districts across the state of Texas.
Headquartered in Salado, TX, TAPPS serves to organize, stimulate, encourage and promote the academic, athletic, and fine arts programs in an effort to foster a spirit of fair play, good fellowship, true sportsmanship and wholesome competition for students.
