Athletics
The SWS Athletics program fosters a healthy, supportive environment for student athletes to compete passionately while deepening relationships with peers and learning valuable lessons about commitment, effort, time management, and fair play.
Our athletes take pride in representing the Waves on the court, field, and track. Supporters root on our teams while making connections with friends and family, and witness the transformation taking place in our young people as they strive to achieve. High School and Middle School students have a wide variety of opportunities to participate on our competitive sports teams.
The Sacramento Waldorf School maintains a "no cut" policy, meaning students in good academic standing with a positive attitude and consistent attendance have the opportunity to participate in any sport.
Read about our Athletic Director, Dean Stark, a Sacramento Waldorf School legend featured in The Sacramento Bee most recently in February 2023, when he achieved the Sac-Joaquin Section record for coaching victories, with 660 wins. Coach Stark is also profiled in Down By the River, a documentary by two SWS alum that features Stark’s history with the school beginning in the mid-1980s, as told by former players and colleagues. The documentary captures what playing basketball for Coach Stark meant to former students and the impact the experience had on their lives after basketball. The story is close to the filmmakers’ hearts as both played sports for Coach Stark during their High School years. A preview of the documentary is available here.
With Coach Dean Stark’s guidance, we have been able to cultivate a strong culture of coaching that nurtures and supports our students’ love of sport and healthy competition. The 2024-25 sports season was one for the ages. For the first time in Central Valley California League history, the same school (Sacramento Waldorf School), took home conference titles in boys soccer, girls volleyball, and boys and girls varsity basketball in the same year. The playoffs were also a big success. Our boys soccer squad reached the CIF championship game, girls volleyball advanced to the section final 4, boys basketball set a school record with 22 consecutive wins, reached the section final, and advanced to NorCal Final 8, and girls basketball reached the section final 4. What an amazing run! 2025 also saw our boys volleyball team advance to the playoffs for the first time in its 2 year history and even won their first playoff game. Waves athletics are flying high!
Currently, first year coaches Joel Burgess (alum 89’) and Rich Shaw have the boys soccer team sitting at the top of their league as does first year girls volleyball coach Alex Fritsch. Great job Waves!
Basketball season is right around the corner with Coach Stark leading the boys varsity team. Melissa Rainsford (alum 95’) will be at the helm for our girls varsity team. Our JV squads will be directed by first year coach Cameron Rainsford (alum 2025’) for the boys, and Prin Magadia will be back for a second year with the girls.
Middle school coaching staff includes Prin Magadia (Cross Country), Ken Schumann (Mountain Biking), Nae Bellamy (8th grade volleyball), Becca Brown and Milan Schwarzinger (7th grade volleyball), Prin Magadia (6th grade volleyball), Melissa Rainsford (8th grade girls basketball), Mariah LeVangie (7th grade girls basketball), 6th grade basketball (TBA), Adrian Cowham (8th grade boys basketball), Cameron Rainsford (7th grade boys basketball), Jayden Palmer Anthony and Phaedon Quinn (6th grade boys basketball).
Providing invaluable support for school sports is the dynamic Booster Club, a parent-led group which supports SWS athletes and the Athletic program through logistics and fundraising.
Come join us for another incredible season!
