Athletics

Interscholastic Competition

Saint Andrew School Athletic Program offers a variety of engaging, developmental, and competitive athletic opportunities for elementary students grades 4-8.

Roughly 94% of those eligible participate in some athletics.

Saint Andrew is a founding member of the Chicago Catholic Youth League.

Teams play all home games in one of the largest and most historic gymnasiums in Chicago.

Go Bulldogs!

2026 Cross Country Meet Schedule

Sep 12 - DePaul Ram Invite/Catholic Cup
Sept 20 - Redhawk Runoff at Lovelace Park (Evanston)
Sep 25 - 2026 Loyola Academy Junior High Flight Night
Sep 30 - LTAC XC Invite and 4K Fun Run
Oct 5 - Cricket Hill Meet - (3-8 grade)
Oct 8 - LT Rising Runners Invite
Oct 10 - IESA State Sectional 
Oct 17 -  State Championships 

Fall Season

Flag Football - grades 6-8
Cross Country - grades 4-8
Girls Volleyball - grades 4-8

Winter Season

Girls Basketball - grades 4-8
Boys Basketball - grades 4-8

Spring Season

Boys Volleyball - grades 5-8
Girls Volleyball - grades 4-8
Track and Field - grades 4-8

Family Athletic Season Pass 

Now Available for the 2026-2027 Athletic Season

Skip the hassle of carrying cash and enjoy quick entry with a Family Athletic Season Pass. For just $50, you get access to all Saint Andrew Athletic home events. It's fast, easy, and the best way to support our teams all year long.  Passes will be emailed soon after purchase, but please keep your receipt. Buy yours now!

Sports Council

Advisory Committee to the Athletic program
  • School administration and Director of Athletics
  • School board
  • Coaches
  • Parents
  • Saint Andrew community members

Our Athletic Teams

Basketball

Basketball is available to all students in grades 4 through 8.
Saint Andrew participates in competitive league and tournament play.  The basketball program annually consists of 12 to 15 teams and are lucky to work with trained, professional coaches!
Visit CCYL​​​​​​​ for all information regarding our basketball league and for game schedules.​​​​​​​
Congratulations to our recent CCYL Championship Teams:
-  2022 8th Grade Boys
-  2022 7th and 8th Grade Girls
-  2023 8th Grade Girls
-  2026 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Boys

Track & Field

Saint Andrew participates in local track and field meets as well as the IESA state championships. The teams are coached by professionals who have coached and trained at the highest levels! We renewed the team program in spring 2025

-  Congratulations to our 2026 State Qualifiers! -

Cross Country

Cross Country is offered competitively to students in grades 4 through 8.  Saint Andrew competes in local meets, the CCYL championships, and the IESA state championships.
Saint Andrew has qualified teams or runners to send down state every year since 2010 with the girls team taking 3rd in Illinois in 2015.  In 2023 and 2024 both the boys and girls teams qualified for the state championships.  2025 and 2026 saw more runners qualify!
The team is coached by the best, most experienced coaches in Chicago.  Saint Andrew runners have excelled in the sports top levels!

"Saint Andrew School is the best! We have been proud members of this community for over 15 years, and it truly is a special place with a strong, close-knit community, excellent education, and a deep commitment to faith. Our children—now ranging from college to 6th grade—have grown up here and built a solid foundation for their future, thanks to the support, care, and values they’ve received at Saint Andrew School."

Alli D.

Flag Football

Flag Football is held in the Fall and is open to students in grades 6 through 8. Games are played at Sheridan Park in the Little Italy neighborhood of Chicago. 
Two time league champions and league runner up in 2024.
Saint Andrew participates competitively in the CCYL .​​​​​​​  Schedule​​​​​​​ can be found on the league website.

Volleyball

Saint Andrew participates in girls volleyball in the fall and spring in grades 4-8.  Boys volleyball in the spring, grades 6-8.
Teams are coached by highly skilled coaches, many of which having coached and played at the highest levels of the sport!
 
Congratulations to our recent league champions:
 
-  2022 8th Grade Boys
-  2024 7th Grade Boys
-  2024 & 2025 7th Grade Girls
​​​​​​​-  2025 8th Grade Boys
-  2025 8th Grade Girls
-  2026 8th Grade Boys

 

Girls teams grades 7th and 8th are members of the St. Viator Spring League and St Viator Invite Spring League (schedule attached below).  ​​​​

​​​​​​​Girls teams grades 4th-6th participate in the Spring League Schedule ​​​​​​​and  

Boys teams grades 6th-8th compete at Queen of Angels in the Spring League.

Mr. Matthew Pope

Director of Athletics

Mr. Pope joined the Saint Andrew staff in 2007. He earned his BA from John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio and his Masters in Educational Leadership from DePaul University in Chicago. He is a partner and instructor with the University of Notre Dame's Play Like A Champion Today program.

He is a partner and instructor with the University of Notre Dame's Play Like A Champion Today program.

L

When she's not teaching, Ms. Strickland loves all things movies and space. Her special interests are watching movies and geeking out over NASA's Space Race. She is a mom to a tuxedo longhaired cat named Gus. A fun fact is Ms. Strickland has lived in a total of seven different states.

Ms. Strickland is the music teacher and director of Encore Jr.

Coaching Opportunities

Individuals interested in coaching at Saint Andrew should contact Director of Athletics Mr. Pope:
matthewpope@gosaintandrew.com
​​​​​​​Coaching Requirements
  • Resume
  • Background check 
  • Virtus trained through Archdiocese of Chicago
  • Concussion course certification
  • Complete coaching education through the Play Like A Champion Today program for coaches.  (Saint Andrew parents and fans receive sports professional development through the PLACT program.)