RAPID CITY - Since Rapid City Christian High School last fielded a varsity football team during the 2005 season, the athletic scene has seemed relatively quiet at the school. However, according the school's vice principal and activities director Roy Roberts that will soon change.

"A well-balanced student benefits greatly from the experiences learned while participating in extracurricular activities," Roberts said. "There are life's lessons that cannot be learned in the classroom. Activities give young people an opportunity to actually put into practice those values we teach and hold dear. For that reason, activities are, and will remain, very important to us."

Roberts said the sports programs' hiatus can be traced to the school moving to Hart Ranch in 2007.

"Our enrollment really dropped," said Roberts. "People wanted certainty and stability, so I think a lot of people waited to see where we were headed. Apparently they like what we are now doing since enrollment went up 18 percent last year."

The school has 91 students enrolled in grades six through 12 with the numbers split almost equally between the middle and high schools.

Roberts points out that the majority of the new students are sixth- and seventh-graders, and for that reason the school's activities are being tailored to meet those needs. Initially, emphasis will be directed toward developing middle school and junior varsity programs, wich will then expand into varsity level competition in the future.

"This year we have our own volleyball team, both middle school and high school. We also had a middle school girls basketball team and high school boys and girls JV teams," Roberts said. "We also have track teams competing this spring at both the high school and middle school levels."

The school will also field a golf team this year - four boys and four girls are out for the team. And this fall, Christian will once again be on the gridiron with the appearance of a JV football squad. In addition to the programs mentioned, Christian will continue to co-op with St. Thomas More in soccer and tennis.

"We will look at the programs each year and check our progress before committing to a full program," Roberts said. "We just don't want these kids to get into a varsity level and play and get discouraged. That's not what we are all about here."

Playing facilities are being improved as well. The school is in the process of building a new football field complete with a running track and has contracted with National American University to play basketball and volleyball games in the NAU gym.

"We are a smaller school and for many kids this is an opportunity for younger kids to actually get a chance to play, which may not always be the case at the larger schools in Rapid City," Roberts said. "At Rapid City Christian, the kids get a chance to come in at the ground level and grow with the school, while at the same time developing their skills. That is really a drawing card for us. To be able to live in Rapid City and also be able to participate in sports at the high-school level is a wonderful opportunity that we can provide."