Lower School

The Lower School physical education and kinesiology programs promote and foster a lifelong love for physical activity that creates lasting growth in physical skills and fitness.

Students work through a series of athletic activities designed to challenge them as individuals and as a group, while reinforcing both gross and fine motor skill development, teamwork, and age-appropriate problem solving.

In Pre-K through Grade 2, the students:

Practice agility and balance skills with throwing, catching, and dodging
Learn kicking, punting, dribbling, receiving, coordination, and pattern work with a ball
Enjoy CA’s Scooter Highway—an award-winning activity and obstacle course based on the Colorado landscape and its mountain features—to build body control and muscle awareness
Practice basic and intermediate movement patterns
Use giant parachute activities to enhance listening skills and teamwork
Practice swimming in Fall and Spring

Grades 3-5, the instructors:

Introduce students to sports and activity offerings, including racquet sports, soccer, field hockey, volleyball, basketball, tennis, lacrosse, and softball/baseball
Reinforce skill development and problem-solving applications through large group activities
Reinforce basic and intermediate movement patterns
Begin the use of fitness testing
Offer swimming practice in Fall and Spring

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CA Lower School P.E. Faculty

List of 7 items.

Sean Stedeford

Director of Lower School P.E., Coach
View Bio
Metropolitan State College of Denver - BA
At CA Since: 2008

Sean Stedeford is Director of the PE Program. Along with his coaching duties in both the Middle and Upper School, he teaches Lower School kinesiology in Grades 2 through 5, as well as both Grade 5 and 6 physical education. Stedeford is the Varsity Girls Soccer Head Coach, Varsity Boys Soccer Assistant Coach, and he also helps with both the boys and girls Middle School soccer teams. Most recently Stedeford has guided the Varsity Girls Soccer Team to back-to-back 3A state titles in 2014 and 2015, and a runner-up finish in 2016, and the 3A State Championship again in 2019. He also helped the boys win the 2012 and 2013 3A State Championships. Stedeford is very passionate and dedicated to helping the students of Colorado Academy enjoy the benefits of physical activity and providing them a better understanding of the human body in his kinesiology units.
Beth Folsom

Lower & Middle School P.E., Coach
View Bio
Northeast Missouri State University - BS
University of Northern Colorado - MA
At CA Since: 1999

Beth Folsom, a Preceptor, has been a physical education instructor and coach at CA since 1999. Prior to coming to CA, she taught at St. Mary’s Academy. Folsom has been the Upper School boys golf coach since 1999 and has coached the Upper School girls team since 2006. The girls were the 4A state champions in 2007, 2008, and 2019. She also coaches both the boys and girls Middle School golf teams as well as Middle School basketball. Folsom has been named Coach of the Year multiple times by the Metro League, state of Colorado (4A) and the Central Section of the LPGA. She received her MA from the University of Northern Colorado. After competing in golf at the collegiate level, Folsom joined the teaching division of the LPGA and is a Class A Teaching Professional. In addition to golf, she enjoys baseball, being in the mountains, snowboarding, cycling and reading.
Steven Langford

Lower & Middle School P.E., Coach
View Bio
Washington State University - BA
Regis University - MA
At CA Since: 2023

Physical Education instructor Steven Langford is an experienced educator in settings ranging from elementary and secondary schools to backcountry wilderness, and it is his desire to instill a passion for fitness and movement in every student. He most recently taught P.E. in Lakewood and Arvada public schools, and he is a lead backpacking instructor, trainer, course director, and whitewater course instructor for Outward Bound. Langford has also served as a social emotional health specialist in an intermediate school and coached high school golf, baseball, and football.

Langford is credentialed in Colorado for teaching K-12 P.E., holds Wilderness First Responder and Swiftwater Rescue credentials, and earned a BA in Sport Management from Washington State University and an MA in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education from Regis University. He has played and coached adult softball and flag football, runs marathons, and has completed more than 20 ascents of Colorado’s Fourteeners.
Dan Pratt

Lower & Middle School P.E., Coach
View Bio
Syracuse University - BA
At CA Since: 2011

Dan Pratt has been coaching at CA since 2011 and brought a wealth of experience as a lacrosse coach and player to his current position of Lower School PE teacher and coach of Boys Varsity and Boys Middle School Lacrosse. A Varsity defenseman at Syracuse University, he was named All-American in his senior year, and played professional lacrosse with the Detroit Turbos. In addition to coaching many Colorado youth teams and at summer camps, Pratt was also an assistant lacrosse coach at the University of Colorado and Assistant Coach and Defensive Coordinator for the Colorado Mammoth prior to coming to Colorado Academy.
Kaili Purviance

Lower School Athletics Coordinator
Veronica Scott

Lower & Middle School Assistant
View Bio
At CA Since: 2014

Middle & Lower School Assistant, hails from Australia and has been coaching for over 25 years, the last ten years at Colorado Academy. She coached back-to-back State Champion Field Hockey Teams in 2022 and 2023, as well as Middle School Field Hockey. Her approach to coaching and to sport comes from her experiences playing and coaching at different levels in three countries of differing cultures. At CA, she especially enjoys working with her coaching colleagues in the Athletics Department and receives a great deal of satisfaction from mentoring CA’s student-athletes.
Caitlin Simbeck

Lower & Middle School P.E., Coach
View Bio
University of Dubuque - BS
Fort Lewis College - MA

At CA Since: 2022

Caitlin Simbeck came to the CA Athletic Department in fall 2022 as Lower School and Middle School P.E. Instructor. She most recently was Athletic Director at St. Columba Catholic School in Durango, Colo., where she taught P.E. to grades Pre-K through 8 and directed the program for two years. She has teaching experience of P.E. at all levels in public schools, has coached high school and club volleyball, led activities at Boys and Girls Clubs, served as a personal trainer in a YMCA/YWCA setting and as an exercise specialist at a medical center. Simbeck received a BS in Exercise Science from the University of Dubuque and earned an MA in Education from Fort Lewis College in Durango. She holds a variety of specialist endorsements, including CDC Concussion in Sports Training certification, American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED, National Strength and Conditioning Association Personal Trainer certification, and Colorado teaching licensure.