Rebecca Elliott brings nearly two decades of experience as a coach, educator and athletics program leader to her new role as Viewpoint’s Assistant Director of Athletics for Grades 4-8. Most recently, she served as Head Field Hockey Coach and Physical Education Teacher at St. John’s School in Houston, where she led a field hockey program for more than 100 student-athletes and guided her varsity teams to back-to-back conference championships and national rankings.

As she begins this newly created leadership role at Viewpoint, we recently sat down with Elliott to learn more about what drew her to Viewpoint School, what she hopes to accomplish in her first year and why she believes athletics can play such an important role in helping students grow.

Katerina: What drew you to Viewpoint and the new Assistant Director of Athletics for Grades 4-8 role?

Rebecca: After teaching and coaching for roughly two decades, I was ready to take my experience into a leadership role. This beautiful school in the canyon, back in my home state of California, seemed like the perfect place for me. My values are right in line with those of Viewpoint’s “Love, Honor, Excellence, Imagination and Optimism,” making for a perfect professional relationship.

Katerina: What are you most excited to develop or accomplish during your first year at Viewpoint?

Rebecca: I am excited to cultivate and grow relationships across divisions, with students and parents, around all things athletics at the Lower and Middle School levels. I am looking forward to learning more about athletics at Viewpoint and finding ways to bring what I’ve learned through my experiences to continue developing and progressing the vision of the Athletic Department.

Katerina: What do you believe makes an athletics experience meaningful and positive for younger student-athletes?

Rebecca: I believe that when student-athletes are challenged and inspired by their peers, teammates and coaches, the impossible seems achievable. I also believe that when they are having fun, the tireless hours they are putting in don’t seem so long. Instead, they are ready for more.

I am definitely a believer in the journey, not the end result, and in helping student-athletes have the best adventure possible along the way through sports.

Katerina: What values or life skills do you hope students develop through participating in athletics?

Rebecca: I always hope that student-athletes learn what it means to be part of a team: finding something more than self and helping make others successful. I love to see student-athletes set individual and team goals and watch them achieve and exceed those goals with the help of teammates and amazing coaches.

I always like to see student-athletes face and overcome adversity, whether it’s a skill they never thought they could master or a game against a tough opponent they didn’t believe they could beat. I love seeing when they realize that success and failure are not defined by a dictionary definition, but through tangible experiences they have overcome or achieved, either as individuals or as a team.

Athletics and being part of a team help you see life and things through a different lens, and I have always loved that.

Katerina: What has stood out to you most about the Viewpoint community since starting?

Rebecca: The warm and welcoming atmosphere is evident the moment you step on campus. I have yet to come across someone who isn’t willing to answer a question, help you find your way or just lend an ear to listen. It feels like people really want you to not only succeed here but continue to grow in your craft.