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Athletics play an integral role in the development of young people on a holistic level. We believe school sports should be accessible to all who wish to be involved and place an emphasis on participation and progress rather than results. Ultimately, as a school we use athletics as another tool to educate students beyond the classroom, developing new interests that help them lead a fit and healthy lifestyle. While winning is a great feeling, at DAIS/DHS we place more value on the learning experiences our athletes have in competition, as school sport is something that should be enjoyed by all who take part.
The Athletics department is part of the Athletics and Activities team and uniquely placed in a space where provision is organized for all sections of the school.
Mr. Robinson has 16 years' experience leading Physical Education and Athletics programs in China. During his time in Shenzhen, Mr. Robinson was a founding member of the Shenzhen International Schools Athletic Conference (SISAC) and played a significant role in developing increased opportunities for his previous school in Xi'an within Xi'an International Athletic Conference (XIAC). Mr. Robinson has also overseen the founding of Dongbei International Schools Association (DISA) while in Dalian.
Mr. Flanagan has 23 years of experience in education, including the past 3 years at Dalian American International School. An extremely proud graduate of The University of North Carolina, he also holds a Master's degree in Educational Leadership. He's always had a strong passion for sports, and over the years has coached varsity basketball, track, and soccer, bringing energy and dedication to every team he's worked with.
Mr. Zhao has worked at Dalian American International School for 8 years, supporting the Athletics and Activities Director as well as the Assistant Athletics and Activities Director in managing the school's athletic and after-school activities programs, ensuring their smooth operation and continued development.
At U19 we have male and female teams in what are the core sports of Basketball, Soccer and Volleyball which are tailored towards high-school students. We also compete in invitational sports such as Badminton, Cross-Country, Swimming and Table Tennis.
At U15 level, which is tailored for athletes in Grades 7-9, we have competitive teams in Basketball, Soccer and Volleyball. There have also been opportunities for athletes in this category to compete in Badminton, Cross-Country and Swimming invitationals.
In U12 category, which is tailored for athletes in Grade 5-6, we have competitive teams in Basketball and Soccer. We also offer opportunities for athletes to participate in Badminton practices and swimming invitationals.
The Athletics Calendar is split into seasons based on tournament dates (both core sport and invitational). Only swimming operates for the full year currently. Most of our athletic teams practice 2 days per week during their season. Our 2025/26 calendar will pretty much look like this:
| Fall Season | Winter Season | Spring Season |
|---|---|---|
| U19 Volleyball | U19 Basketball | U19 Soccer |
| U15 Soccer | U15 Volleyball | U19 Badminton |
| U15 Badminton | U12 Badminton | U15 Basketball |
| U12 Basketball | Swimming (Grade 4 and above) | U12 Soccer |
| Swimming (Grade 4 and above) | Swimming (Grade 4 and above) | |
| U19 Table Tennis | ||
| U14/U19 Cross-Country |
As members of ACAMIS our athletes have opportunities to compete in competition with international schools across China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mongolia. For the Core Sports (Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball) the Sea Dragons compete in the Gold Division with 5 other schools, with each school responsible for hosting 1 event every 2 years.
ACAMIS also organizes invitational competitions in Badminton, Cross-Country, Swimming and Table Tennis. Notable achievements from 2024/25 academic year are as follows:
| ACAMIS Awards 2024-25 | |
|---|---|
| Girls Volleyball | Spirit of ACAMIS Award |
| U14 Cross-Country | Lucas Tan - 2nd Place |
| Cross-Country | Multiple Personal Bests |
| U19 Table Tennis | Plate Runners-Up (2nd Place) |
| U19 Boys Soccer | 3rd Place |
| U19 Girls Soccer | 3rd Place |
| U19 Badminton | Plate Runners-Up (2nd Place) |
As founding members of this organization, 2024/25 was the first ever season of DISA competition. The purpose of DISA is to provide competitive opportunities for athletes in the U12 and U15 categories as we develop participatory pathways for them to be more competition-ready when they get to ACAMIS age. DAIS/DHS were proud to host the first ever DISA event in November 2024. The DISA organization also provides opportunities for athletes to experience travel to other nearby cities in the Northeast (Dongbei) region. As this network is currently small it has been possible to take all athletes who wish to participate, which has allowed us to enter 2 teams into competitions.
| DISA Awards 2024-25 | |
|---|---|
| U15 Boys Basketball | A-Team: Runners-Up (2nd Place) |
| B-Team: 3rd Place | |
| U15 Girls 3v3 Basketball | Champions |
| U15 Boys Volleyball | Runners-Up (2nd Place) |
| U15 Girls Volleyball | A-Team: Runners-Up (2nd Place) |
| B-Team: 3rd Place | |
| U15 Girls Soccer | Champions |
| U15 Boys Soccer | Runners-Up (2nd Place) |
| U12 Basketball | 3rd Place |
| U12 Soccer | Runners-Up (2nd Place) |
In 2025/26 DISA will organize an additional tournament for U15 Badminton.
DHS is a founding member of this organization which will provide opportunities for competitive organized sport at U19 and U15 levels. Our intention is to use NESSIC at U19 level as an opportunity for those athletes not selected for ACAMIS to have the opportunity to experience competition and travel to aid their development as athletes. The network will also allow for additional opportunities for U15 athletes to travel.
Sea Dragons have also competed in the Chang'An Cup Basketball tournament in Xi'an and the RockStar Swimming Invitational held in Shanghai.
The success of our programs has created some interest with other high schools in the area. We have created partnerships that in 2025/26 may lead to the development of a High School Friendly league, which will give regular season fixtures for Sea Dragons teams in badminton, basketball, soccer and volleyball. We have also created partnerships with local universities which have given us great support in providing opportunities for friendly fixtures in basketball.
We are also looking to develop relationships with middle schools and elementary schools in the medium to long-term.
2024/25 saw the launch of a new initiative, the Sea Dragons Sports Academy designed with the support and leadership of Mr. Hopkinson, our former Assistant Athletics and Activities Director. As we expanded our sporting program into lower age groups such as U12 and U15, it presented an opportunity for our varsity athletes to serve the school community by assisting with the coaching of teams. This academic year saw 17 varsity athletes assist with coaching in Badminton, Basketball, Soccer, and Volleyball.
The program has provided valuable coaching experience for our varsity athletes, as well as allowing for an increased number of middle school participants in athletics. We are hoping to expand experiences through the Sports Academy with the formation of an Athletics Council and Athletics Media Team for 2025/26.
At DAIS/DHS we believe that all athletes should receive recognition for their service to the school in athletics. To do this we have a tiered awards scheme known as the Sea Dragons Color Awards. The Color Awards and the number of recipients in 2024-25 are shown below:
| Award | Description | Number of recipients 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|
| Sea Dragon Award | Represented Sea Dragons in 1 sport | 150 students |
| Half Blue | Represented Sea Dragons in 2 sports | 36 students |
| Full Blue | Represented Sea Dragons in 3 or more sports | 8 students |
| Honors Award | Members of the Sea Dragons Sports Academy | 17 students |
Each team has their own awards for Player of the Year and a Coach Award that can be awarded by the team coaches for any reason (for example improvement, excellent attitude, good role model to others etc.)
Athletes of the Year 2024-25
We also have the following prestigious awards:
These awards are presented at the end of year, during U15 and U19 Sea Dragons Sports Awards ceremony.
The strength and impact of our athletics program inspires lifelong passion, purpose, and professional ambition in our students. Every year, this leads some of our graduates to pursue academic degrees in Sport Management, Exercise Science, and other sports-related fields.
In conclusion, school sport plays a pivotal role in the holistic educational journey of a young person. Participation in school sport builds confidence, self-esteem, resilience, increases the capacity to deal with setbacks, ability to work as part of a team and creates unforgettable memories that will last for a lifetime. More importantly, school sport can help develop skills that will help students inside the classroom and build foundations for success in their future careers.
Written by: Mr. Paul Robinson
DAIS/Huamei Athletics and Activities Director
