Chapin students from Kindergarten through Class 12 attend classes under one roof at 100 East End Avenue. This unique facet of the School fosters friendships across grades and divisions, provides mentorship opportunities for students as young as Class 1, and allows our youngest students to see who they can become and the opportunities that lie ahead of them.

For Chapin siblings, this experience can be even more special. They can see each other in the hallways, spend time with each other during free periods, or even take classes, join clubs or compete on athletic teams together. This year, for example, three sisters play together on our Varsity Lacrosse team and two sister duos play Varsity Soccer. Many other siblings play the same sport but at different levels. 

When asked what it means for students to have their sibling on the same team, one Class 10 student, Natalie, said, “It means that I always have a friend, someone I can always trust and talk to.”

Natalie and her sister, Allison (a senior), play Varsity Volleyball together. “I think my sister is the most empathetic and understanding person I know,” Natalie said. “On Varsity Volleyball, I admire the way she is always so kind to everybody…next year, I’m going to miss playing my favorite sport with my best friend and seeing her as often as I do now.”

Class 9 student Emma plays at the JV and Varsity levels for Basketball and Lacrosse, respectively. Her Class 7 sister, Kate, plays the same sports but on the Class 7 & 8 team. “I want to be a good example for her,” Emma said. “There’s friendly competition; we always push each other to be better. I love playing the same sport as my sister because we can both play in the park together. I can play defense while she works on her stick skills.”

“I’m a younger sibling and I look up to my older sister when it comes to her positivity and sportsmanship,” said Ali, Class 9, who plays Lacrosse with two of her sisters. “It’s a really fun experience and I’m happy that we can all contribute to a team together.”

Mehr, Class 11, is a member of the Varsity Badminton team along with her younger sibling, Amal. Mehr shared, “I love being on the same team as my sister because it gives us something special to bond over. We can support and push each other in a way that no one else really can. Our support for each other is so meaningful because my sister has been with me throughout every part of my life.”

Amal agreed, adding, “I look up to my sister because she is really good at badminton. I admire her ability to smash from anywhere.”

Alice, Class 10, serves as an inspiration for younger sister Maya. “I love being able to practice with my sister outside of school because I can teach her some of my skills and she can also teach me hers,” Alice said. “Even though she's in Middle School and I'm in Upper School, I love being able to bond with her over our sport and experiences on different Chapin soccer teams.”

Layton, who is in Class 7 and runs Track, says her sister, Caris, inspires her “because of how determined she is [and] learns how to be a great leader from her.” Violet, who is also in Class 7, plays Volleyball and is continuously motivated by her sister, Sage, who plays at the Varsity level. 

Maya, also in Class 7, shared, “My older sister, Alice, always helps me practice new skills and ways to play soccer. She is much better at soccer than I am, so she always teaches me how to do complicated tricks and other advanced skills that I one day hope to master.”

Senior Mariam plays softball with her younger sister, Hoda. “To me,” Mariam said, “Having a sibling on my team with me is very comforting. I love being able to discuss our insights unfiltered after a game or scrimmage. It just makes the team feel even more like a family.”

Meanwhile, Hoda looks up to Mariam “because of her confidence, her strength, her leadership, and most of all how she never gives up; giving me motivation to continue moving forward.” Hoda added, “I get to see and interact with her more often than I usually would — especially since it is her senior year, so I’m getting to hang out with her more before she leaves Chapin.”

“It means a lot to be able to play with my sister, Saddiya, on Varsity Volleyball because she is one of the reasons why I started playing in the first place,” explained Class 10 student Halima. “I love being able to cheer her on and have her cheer me on, and I loved getting the chance to be able to set her this year!”

Halima said she pursued Volleyball after watching Saddiya play in Middle School. “Being able to watch her play such a fun sport just inspired me to start,” she said, also noting that spending two years together on the Varsity squad felt “like a full circle moment.” 

“As the younger sibling in Class 8, I cheer my sister on and learn from watching her play,” said Josephine, who is a member of the Varsity Soccer Team with her sister Summer. “We have lots of fun practicing together, and although we have played soccer for a long time, we have never been on the same team until Chapin, which makes it very fun. Also, since it was my first year, I was nervous for preseason and she helped me feel more confident.”

Summer, older by two years, shared that her favorite thing about playing together is “being on the field at the same time.” 

“We have a strong connection during games, which makes playing even more special. I love having Josephine on the team, because she's a great player and I love cheering her on.”