2023-2024 AIS-Salzburg Team Sports Summary
May 2, 2024
The AIS-Salzburg Lions had an eventful year highlighted by two championship trophies and a record number of students participating on the various fall and winter teams.
Fall Season
In the fall season, we fielded two girls’ volleyball teams, a boys’ soccer team, and a boys’ volleyball team.
In girls’ volleyball, we had one of our most talented teams ever and had high hopes to bring home the DVAC Varsity Championship gold. Unfortunately, the girls ran into some of the toughest competition DVAC has produced since its inception in 2009, just falling short of their goal after losing two close matches at the year-end tournament which were decided in the final moments.
The girls’ junior varsity team had a total of 10 girls on the team, all of whom played their first season of volleyball ever. The JV girls competed at both DVAC tournaments and despite losing all of their matches, gained valuable experience and confidence going into the next season.
Photo: The varsity girls’ volleyball team poses for a photo after just falling at the DVAC championship, hence the lack of smiles.
The boys’ soccer team had another successful season! New talent blended with a strong group of returners set the Lions up for success. Playing with very aggressive tactics, the boys put everything together for the DVAC junior varsity tournament and came away with their second straight tournament championship win!
The Lions featured a young squad, with goalkeeper Ilias Schneider being the only 12th-grader on the roster. Every single player showed up to training looking to improve their game, and much progress was made! The future looks bright for R.A. Matt’s team.
Photo: The boys’ soccer team took home their second straight DVAC Junior Varsity Championship trophy this year.
We were very fortunate to have a strong boys volleyball team for the third year in a row after not having a boys team for a very long time at AIS-Salzburg. The season was full of improvement, some incredible plays and real potential. While we were successful and competitive all season, unfortunately, we fell short in the final DVAC junior varsity tournament at the end of the season. This season was a great lesson for the boys on many different levels. Coach Nick looks forward to a fresh start and a new chance for success next year.
Photo: The boys’ volleyball team was one of the more successful teams at the DVAC Junior Varsity events this year.
| Winter Season |
The girls’ basketball team had a total of 16 girls on the team this year with a mixture of beginners and experienced players. Coach Burns entered teams into both DVAC junior varsity and varsity tournaments to provide all girls with the opportunity to compete and test their skills.
The highlight of the season was when the girls won the AIS-Salzburg Basketball Jamboree championship after defeating their season nemesis, the International Christian School of Vienna in a close back-and-forth battle. ICSV had defeated the Lions in double overtime just one week earlier at the DVAC varsity championship, which made this win even sweeter!
Photo: The girls’ basketball team won the AIS-Salzburg Jamboree tournament for the second time in three years.
According to coach Nick DeWitt, he has never had the chance to coach a team with so much individual talent and potential as this year’s boys basketball team.
“This season was truly a pleasure for me as I saw brief glimpses of what our basketball program could become. Unfortunately, we were not able to put all of our talent together as a team in our final tournament but I am not discouraged at all. With the direction that we are heading and the young core that we have, I am very excited to see what our boys are capable of in the coming years.”
Photo: With 30 boys playing on the basketball team, coaches Nick and Tom Henry fielded a middle school, junior varsity, and varsity team this year.
We want to thank all of the following graduating players for their contribution to the sports program and we wish them all the best in sports and life after AIS-Salzburg: Milo, Leo, Ilias, Tim P., Paul, Jade, Marija, Julia, Valentina, Milla, and Nikol I.