Built to develop
the complete athlete.
At Cardo, athletics is structurally fused into every school day, from the movement curriculum that sharpens young minds in PreK to the elite training that develops high school athletes as the program grows through 12th grade. Every student here is both an athlete and a scholar.
What we believe about athletic development
Three convictions that shape everything, from how a 4-year-old learns to move to how a 17-year-old prepares for a college roster.
Movement and learning work as one. Movement is the force that deepens learning. A child who moves well thinks well, so we design every school day around that, from PreK through 12th grade.
We believe students train better inside the school day, when they're fresh and focused, than at the end of an exhausting one. That's why we built training into the schedule.
The complete athlete is physically accomplished and emotionally mature. Character development and athletic development happen together, as the same work.
Movement every day.
From the very first week.
The Cardo Discovery movement curriculum was developed with input from professional athletes and health professionals. Every stage of physical development is intentional, with clear progressions and defined outcomes from PreK through 5th grade.
Discovery students don't specialize in soccer. Early specialization raises the risk of burnout and overuse injury, so the Discovery movement curriculum builds broad physical literacy and a lifelong love of movement. Every student arrives at the Preparatory Academy with a strong, well-rounded athletic foundation ready for any path.
Body control, balance, flexibility, and foundational strength, taught mostly through games with balls of every size, plus obstacle courses and age-appropriate yoga. Children build physical confidence in a fun, pressure-free environment.
Activities are matched to each developmental stage. A 5-year-old focuses on hopping, throwing, and spatial awareness. A 10-year-old works on agility ladders and modified strength exercises. Skills are introduced only when a child is ready.
Even the youngest students learn the importance of rest, proper stretching, and mental focus. Short mindfulness sessions and breathing exercises build habits that serve children in both classroom and competitive settings for life.
One standard. Two ways to train.
Beginning in 6th grade, every Preparatory student chooses an athletic track.
Daily training with licensed coaches, twice a day from grade 9. Periodized curriculum, sports science integration, and collegiate recruitment support, with a pathway to our own Pre-ECNL and ECNL teams from Year 4, subject to league admission.
A well-rounded fitness education grounded in functional strength, movement quality, and long-term athletic health. For students who specialize in a sport outside of school, training is tailored to their specific athletic demands, with nutrition education built in, so their programming fits alongside outside competition.
Tracks are flexible. Students may switch annually as their interests and goals evolve, and both tracks are held to the same standard of physical excellence and intentional development.
Elite training. Inside the school day.
The Soccer Elite Track is designed for students targeting high-level competitive soccer. Training is built directly into the school day, once a day from grade 6 and twice a day from grade 9, when athletes are fresh and ready to perform. The integrated schedule is a performance advantage, built into the architecture of every school day.
An elite approach to health and long-term athletic development.
The General Athlete Track meets students where they are. Some want a comprehensive wellness education with no sport attachment. Others compete seriously in a sport outside of school and need programming that supports those demands specifically. Both are welcome here, and both are taken seriously.
Data-driven training. Applied in the classroom.
Every Cardo Preparatory athlete trains with sports science woven into the program. Performance data captured on the field becomes material for math and science class, where students analyze their own training. At the Discovery level, the same evidence-based principles guide the movement curriculum, with intentional progressions and recovery habits that start in PreK. The field and the classroom work as one system.
A journey from foundation to future.
The Cardo athletic program is designed to grow with every student from PreK through graduation. Cardo opens in Fall 2027 with PreK through 6th grade, adding a grade each year through 12th.
What this actually looks like
Here's what a Preparatory Academy day looks like for a 12th grader on the Soccer Elite track.
She arrives at 7:15, grabs breakfast, and is in English Deep Immersion by 7:45. Today her class is workshopping college essays, three hours on one subject with two short Active Breaks to reset. By 11:00 her draft has been through two rounds of peer critique, and it's stronger for it.
From there she heads to the field to work set pieces. She takes the corners, and her in-swingers have been dropping short all week. After another one falls short, she stops and takes a breath. Last Tuesday's Physics immersion covered how spin curves a ball in flight, so she works it through. The ball needs more spin and a later dip. A slight adjustment, and soon they're landing at the near post.
After lunch, advisory checks in on her week, and a world language check-in keeps her conversation skills sharp. Then the afternoon opens into her sports business elective. Today her class runs mock endorsement negotiations, half business class and half theatre.
Her second session is lighter. Wednesday is recovery day, so she works on mobility and finishes with a short mental performance session. By 6:15 she walks out the door. Her schoolwork is finished, and so is training. The evening is hers.
In a traditional model, she'd be starting practice at 6:30pm and opening her laptop at 10. At Cardo, the whole day is the design.
Be part of the founding class.
Our first Preparatory class starts with 6th grade, and Discovery opens with PreK through 5th. Founding families get priority enrollment and early invitations to information sessions.
Join the Founding List