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 St. Richard's School provides a comprehensive athletic program designed to develop healthy bodies, provide a lifelong love of sports, develop sportsmanship amongst its players, and produce athletes capable of playing team sports in high school and beyond, whether for enjoyment or for competition. The Dragons and Lady Dragons compete in soccer, volleyball, lacrosse, basketball, tennis, and track including students from the 5th through the 8th grade. All traveling teams are co-ed with the exception of volleyball and lacrosse. Consistent with the Indianapolis Independent School League (IISL), St. Richard's coaches separate girls and boy's basketball teams.
Prior to 5th grade, St. Richard's School offers intramural team sports for basketball and soccer, both co-educational. Coaches for these teams are frequently parents who volunteer for the opportunity. This enables young children to learn the sport in a supportive environment.
St. Richard's School competes athletically within the Indianapolis Independent School League (IISL). The twelve schools within this League are as follows:
St. Richard's School
Orchard Country Day School
Park Tudor School
International School
Sycamore School
Indiana Deaf School
Heritage Christian Academy
Bethesda Christian School
Kingsway Christian School
Trader's Point Christian Academy
Hasten Hebrew Academy *
Oaks Academy *
* These two schools combine players to compete as one.
When it is feasible, the Dragons also play games outside the IISL.
The seasons for traveling team sports are as follows:
August through October
- Tennis (co-ed)
- Soccer (co-ed)
- Girls' Volleyball
October through February
December through March
March through May
- Track and Field (co-ed)
- Lacrosse
Intramural Program (Kindergarten through 5th Grade)
February through March
April through May
Learning to Give through community service
- Jump Rope for Heart 1st-5th Grades
Since 1992, St. Richard's School has contributed over $25,000 to the American Heart Association through Jump Rope for Heart. Students in the first through fifth grades obtain sponsors for the project. The curriculum includes teaching various skills of jump roping, including team jumping, as well as heart-healthy life skills. At the end of the training, the students "Jump Rope for Heart" and contribute their pledges to the American Heart Association to fund research for curing heart disease.
- Hoops for Heart 6th-8th Grades
St. Richard's School began the program "Hoops for Heart" in 2004. Similar to Jump Rope for Heart, middle school students learn the skills of basketball and free throw shooting prior to obtaining pledges for the number of successful baskets they shoot. During a class period, students are allowed to shoot continuously. Once tallied and collected, pledges are sent to the American Heart Association. The curriculum also includes instruction for healthy hearts and lifestyles.
- Muscular Dystrophy 3, 4, and 5 year olds
The little ones at St. Richard's School are joyous about contributing to Community Service. They are taught about Muscular Dystrophy as a disease, as well as respect for those physically challenged. They also collect pledges from friends and family and participate in a "Hop-A-Thon." After a class period of hopping, all donations are forwarded to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
- Komen's Race for the Cure
The St. Richard's School family has supported Komen Foundation's Race for the Cure emotionally and financially for many years. Karen Rhodes, a former SRS parent and Assistant to the Director of Admission, was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 1997. Following her death in the spring of 1998, St. Richard's students, parents, alumni, faculty and staff have participated in the Race for the Cure in memory of Karen Rhodes and others in their lives touched by cancer.
Recent Accomplishments of the St. Richard's School Dragons
 Tennis:
2002 undefeated season.
Soccer:
1987 5&6th Grade I.I.S.L. Runner Up
1988 5&6th Grade Champions, Park Tudor Invitational
2002 5&6th Grade I.I.S.L. Champions
2002 5&6th Grade I.I.S.L. 1st place in the League
2004 7&8th Grade I.I.S.L. Champions
2004 7&8th Grade I.I.S.L 1st place in the League
Boys Basketball:
2002 5th&6th Grade State Champions
2002 7&8th Grade I.I.S.L. Runner Up
2004 7&8th Grade I.I.S.L. Runner Up
2004 5&6th Grade Regional Champions
2004 5th&6th I.I.S.L. Runner Up
2004 5&6th Grade State Runner Up
2005 7&8th Grade State Champions
2005 5&6th Grade State Champions
2006 7&8th Grade State Champions
Girls Basketball:
1992 5&6th Grade I.I.S.L. Runner Up
1999 5&6th Grade I.I.S.L. Runner Up
2001 7&8th Grade I.I.S.L. Runner Up
2006 7&8th Grade I.I.S.L. Champions ?Mighty Eight?
 Volleyball:
1997 7&8th Grade I.I.S.L. Runner Up
2002 5&6th Grade I.I.S.L. Runner Up
2003 7&8th Grade I.I.S.L. Champions
2003 5&6th Grade I.I.S.L. Runner Up
2003 7&8th Grade I.I.S.L Runner Up
1998, 1999, 2000 Emmaus Lutheran Tournament Runner Up
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 Emmaus Lutheran Tournament
Champions.
Track & Field:
2001 Girls I.I.S.L. Runner Up
Track & Field:
2001 Boys I.I.S.L. Champions
2003 Boys I.I.S.L. Champions
Lacrosse:
2003 State Champions and undefeated season.
Champions of the Westfield Invitational.
St. Richard's School Coaching Staff
The athletic staff at St. Richard's School is a key to the success the school has enjoyed for many years. Led by co-athletic directors Jay Sherrill and Mary Helen Peoni, St. Richard's School has not only significantly expanded its competitive athletic teams but has also led the IISL tournaments in several sports. Because of the mutual love and respect they received at the school, St. Richard's alumni often return to the school to visit Mr. Sherrill and Ms. Peoni.
Jay Sherrill
Co-Athletic Director
The 2006-2007 school year represents Mr. Sherrill's 21st year at St. Richard's School. A native of Noblesville, Jay Sherrill graduated from Noblesville High School and attended Huntington College on a baseball scholarship. He served as the coach for Huntington's girl's softball team his senior year,  and tried out for the Kansas City Royals. Following graduation, Mr. Sherrill ran the athletic program at the Noblesville Boys and Girls Club for three years before St. Richard's School recruited him.
When Mr. Sherrill joined St. Richard's in 1986, the school sports program included kickball and soccer. Twenty years later, St. Richard's School is competitive in soccer, basketball, tennis, lacrosse, and volleyball and conducts intramural sports in basketball and soccer.
Jay Sherrill is a jewel in the crown of St. Richard's School. He models leadership and sets high standards for sportsmanlike behavior for his athletes and students. He says, "I am where I am supposed to be. I love the students, their willingness to participate with sportsmanship and positive attitude, and the parental support at the school is significant. The kids keep me young, especially the Early Childhood children."
Mary Helen Peoni
Co-Athletic Director
Family is the name of the game for Mary Helen Peoni. The youngest of five children, Mary Helen was born in Indianapolis and educated in the Catholic school system including Roncalli High School. While only five feet tall, Ms. Peoni was offered full basketball scholarships to both Indiana Central (now the University of Indianapolis) and Hanover College. Because of her devotion to her family, Mary Helen selected Indiana Central as her college of choice. Mentored by Dawn Patell, Ms. Peoni was encouraged to run track during the basketball off-season, and held several individual records at the school. In doing so, she discovered the love of coaching and the confidence that comes with individual and team success. A significant knee injury ended Ms. Peoni's competitive athletics but not her love of physical fitness and teaching others about healthy life choices.
Following college, Ms. Peoni was the assistant track coach for Roncalli High School and the Head Coach for Cross Country. She worked several entrepreneurial jobs before her sister-in-law asked if she would volunteer to coach basketball at St. Richard's School. Once there, Jay Sherrill encouraged her to pursue a full-time position. Ms. Peoni is now in her 13th year of teaching physical education. She is Co-Athletic Director with Mr. Sherrill.
When asked about St. Richard's School, Ms. Peoni beams, "I love the family atmosphere of St. Richard's. The kids and the parents come together with different ideas and backgrounds and work toward a common goal, excellence in education. While we are a small school, we are quite competitive in athletics, academics, music, and the arts. I love our no-cut policy with regard to athletics. It means that everyone is able to achieve their personal best."
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