Activities and Sport Weekly Update - Jan. 9

Five Years in the Making: Concordia Swim Team Shines at ACAMIS
On December 5–6, Concordia’s Swim Team competed at the ACAMIS China–Mongolia International Schools League meet hosted by Wellington College International School Shanghai—and the results told a powerful story of growth, resilience, and long-term commitment.

This was not an overnight success. The Concordia Swim Team has been intentionally built over the past five years, and today that foundation is beginning to reveal its strength. With 12-year-olds stepping up into higher competition and 14-year-olds approaching the next stage of their athletic journey, the team finds itself in a meaningful moment of transition—one shaped by countless early mornings, hard sets, and perseverance through setbacks. Every step forward has been earned through sweat, discipline, and determination.

Among the standout performances was the 13–14 girls’ team, who finished second overall—a result that caught even the coaches by surprise. Heading into the awards ceremony, simply holding onto third place felt like a fitting milestone. When third place was announced and Concordia’s name wasn’t called, there was a brief moment of disbelief—followed by an even greater surprise. Second place arrived like a gift, leaving the girls—many of whom are not frequent podium finishers—momentarily speechless. It was a reminder that growth often comes when expectations are quietly exceeded.

Competing against 32 international schools from across China and Mongolia, including teams from Hong Kong, Concordia’s 29 student-athletes aged 13 and above demonstrated what passion and perseverance truly look like in action. The team earned one gold, one silver, and one bronze medal in individual events, along with two silver medals in relay races, and numerous finals appearances and top-six finishes.

This success was not about luck. It was about accumulation—the steady layering of effort, experience, and belief over time.

When the final standings were announced, Concordia finished sixth overall, a result that reflects both how far the program has come and how much potential lies ahead. This moment marks not a peak, but a beginning.

As the team continues to mature over the next five years, the future looks bright. The lessons learned in the pool—resilience, teamwork, and persistence—will continue to shape these athletes long after the season ends.

As the saying goes: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. For the Concordia Swim Team, this journey is only just getting started.

 

SISAC Soccer
The Middle School soccer teams enjoyed a season finale of matches played at Dulwich Pudong and SAS Pudong on Saturday, December 6. With the opportunity to play five matches against other schools from across Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Suzhou, the Concordia teams had fun and developed their skills, character and teamwork both on and off the field. Friendly rivalries are beginning to develop as our Middle School soccer teams are exposed to more competition against other schools in the region. 

 

Concordia Athletics Recognized on the Global Stage
This December, Concordia International School Shanghai was honored with the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) Quality Program Award - Exemplary Level, a rare distinction recognizing excellence in school athletics programs. Concordia is the first international school in Asia to receive this honor, joining only two other international schools worldwide and fewer than one percent of U.S. high schools to earn this recognition since the award was introduced.

The NIAAA Quality Program Award celebrates schools that demonstrate exceptional commitment to leadership, student well-being, professional learning, ethical conduct, and program quality. For Concordia, this recognition reflects the hard work of our coaches, student-athletes, administration, Board, and parent community, all of whom contribute to building a program that prioritizes character, growth, and positive student experiences through sport.

We are deeply grateful for the support of our community and look forward to continuing to strengthen and grow Phoenix Athletics in the years ahead. Special thank you to Concordia's QPA committee for volunteering your time to gather and upload evidence:

  • Joseph Hebert
  • Dazhu Yang
  • Billy Gray
  • Kiko Marti Balsells
  • Dr. Chris Mizel
  • Clayton Baker
  • Matt Macinnes

Concordia Director of Activities and Sport, Matt Macinnes, received the plaque and banner at the Awards Ceremony held during the NIAAA Conference in Tampa, Florida, over the Christmas break. 

Go Phoenix! 

 

The 15th annual session of Concordia International School Shanghai Model United Nations (CISSMUN) is going to welcome 47 schools with 600 student participants from across Asia on campus next week from Jan. 16th – 18th. The goal of CISSMUN is to provide a United Nations simulation in which students of diverse backgrounds can hone their research, public speaking, and negotiation skills while cultivating the virtues of active global citizenship and principle-centered leadership.

During the conference, students role-play as delegates of assigned member states in the various committees of the United Nations and work together in a formal setting to posit solutions to some of the economic, social, and political problems confronting the international community.

This is a signature program of our school which younger students can look forward to participating in the event in the years to come.