Sport

The Role of Sports at Verbier International School

Verbier International School has built physical activity into its educational model so naturally that it becomes part of students’ daily rhythm. PE classes blend with after-school sessions, ensuring everyone finds their niche among options ranging from team games to individual pursuits—and from classical disciplines to extreme mountain activities. This diversity helps students maintain fitness while developing persistence, teamwork, and resilience that extends far beyond the playing field.

Available Sports:

• Tennis
• Golf
• Mountain biking
• Skateboarding
• Football
• Basketball
• Horseback riding
• Swimming
• Hockey
• Skiing and snowboarding — included in the program

Skiing and Snowboarding

Skiing and snowboarding form the school’s core identity rather than seasonal extras. From preschool onwards, students spend at least six hours weekly on slopes during winter—even those in grades 12-13 maintain three hours of weekly practice. The program offers several pathways: Fun & Improvement for progression, Freeride Academy for backcountry enthusiasts, Race Academy for competitive skiing, and Combi for mixed training. ESSV-certified Swiss instructors lead sessions, while pre-season preparation includes trampoline work and three glacier trips to Saas-Fee and Zermatt.

Summer Activities

When summer arrives, Verbier transforms into a vast outdoor playground where 500 kilometers of hiking trails, via ferrata routes, trail running paths, and ziplines await exploration—with surfing and wakeboarding options nearby. The mountain environment cultivates courage, endurance, and a love for outdoor movement. Meanwhile, the modern Centre Sportif complex near the new Les Trois Cimes campus offers a 600-meter climbing wall, squash and tennis courts, volleyball facilities, a gym, and a pool, making year-round training remarkably accessible.

Approach

Verbier International School has woven sports seamlessly into everyday life through proximity of modern facilities to classrooms, diverse programming from recreational to professional levels, and thoughtful pre-season conditioning. This framework shapes not just athletic skills but a holistic relationship with health and activity. Students learn to set goals, overcome obstacles, and find joy in movement—qualities that remain with them regardless of whether they pursue professional athletics or choose another path.