Athletics

UCDS Varsity Prep Ice Hockey

Upland is not a "hockey school." Rather, it is a school that allows a unique opportunity for students with an interest and talent in hockey, to cultivate an academic and athletic edge on the way to learning and playing at the next level. 

Our challenging and engaging curriculum, combined with an ice hockey program that features high-level instruction, ample and accessible ice time, and a distinctive, on-campus facility creates a program rich in tradition that caters to serious students and serious athletes. All of this occurs in an environment that is warm-hearted, personalized and sets high expectations for effort, character and leadership.

Curriculum

The hallmark of Upland’s Upper School curriculum (grade 6-9) is the Harkness Method. Often found in prestigious independent schools and on college campuses, Harkness includes discussion-based seminar classes that make learning extraordinarily active and interactive. Upland is one of only a handful of schools nation-wide that implements this method for middle school students. 

In addition, Upland’s program runs through the ninth grade year. This year represents a critical time for growth - academically, socially and athletically. While most 9th graders are relegated to the “bottom of the heap” in high school, ours flourish, growing in leadership and maturity, while exposed to life-changing experiences and building lifelong memories and relationships. 

Meet the Coaches

List of 5 items.

  • Ben Weston

    Ben received a B.S. in History and International Business from West Chester University. He has deep roots in high-level hockey, both locally and nationally. He played Tier I youth hockey with clubs in the Philadelphia area before playing at the prep school, junior, and college levels. As a coach, he has worked with several of the premier programs in the Mid-Atlantic regions, including the Philadelphia Junior Flyers and New Jersey Devils Youth programs. In addition to coaching, and his Assistant AD work, Ben has roles in teaching and advising.
  • Court Dunn

    Boys’ Varsity Head Coach Court Dunn, has coached hockey at Upland for over forty years. In his decades behind the bench at Upland, Dunn has coached scores of Upland hockey players who have gone on to compete at prestigious prep school programs like Avon Old Farms, Canterbury School, Cushing Academy, and the Hill School, and at the NCAA level including the University of Connecticut College, Hobart College, UMass-Boston, the University of Maine, New England College, and The Ohio State University. His players have also matriculated locally to Tier I programs like the Little Flyers, Jr. Flyers, and Team Comcast.
  • Taylor Swarter

    Taylor Swarter works with all Upland hockey teams as Director of Skill Development in addition to his duties as Athletic Director and Mathematics Teacher on the Upland faculty. Swarter played NCAA hockey and lacrosse at Castleton State University in Vermont, and has quickly gained a reputation as one of the region’s preeminent power skating and skill instructors.
  • Brady Kramer

    Coach Brady Kramer was born in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, and lives in Berwyn with his wife Pauline. Coach Kramer attended The Haverford School where he lettered in soccer, ice hockey and tennis. He is also a member of Haverford’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Upon graduation from Haverford, he received a full athletic scholarship (ice hockey) to attend Providence College. At Providence he is a member of the 100 point club (141) and was captain in his senior year. He was a member of the U.S. World Junior National Hockey Team in 1993 and was a participant in the U.S. Olympic Hockey Festival. 
    Coach Kramer was drafted out of high school in 1991 by the Montreal Canadiens in the 7th round and signed with the club in 1995.
  • Judson Morris

    Judson Morris has over 25 years of hockey coaching experience, working with all ages and skill levels. At Upland, he acts as the Girls Varsity Prep Assistant Coach as well as Upper School History teacher. Coach Morris grew up in Massachusetts, where he played Division 1 High School Hockey at St. John's before playing ACHA hockey at Duquesne University. Coach Morris focuses primarily on working with Girls Varsity Prep's defense and goaltending.

John M. Cleveland Ice Rink

Named in honor of Upland’s Head of School from 1963-1981, the John M. Cleveland Hockey Rink is located on the lower portion of our 23 acre campus, just a short walk down the hill from our academic buildings. In addition to an NHL size sheet of ice, the rink includes locker room facilities for our boys’ and girls’ programs, as well as for visiting teams, a warm room, and snack bar. The rink is home to daily practices and games, multi-state invitational tournaments as well as the Chester County Skate Club.

Alumni Testimonials

List of 6 items.

  • Charlie Gebron '95

    The Lawrenceville School
    Hobart College
    Attorney & Partner - MacElree Harvey Ltd.
     
    Upland Country Day School is the sine qua non of whatever modest academic, artistic, athletic, or professional achievements or successes I may have had later in life. It was in Upland classrooms that I fell in love with learning, on the Upland stage that I learned to take risks and the importance of preparation, and on the Upland ice that I learned the values teamwork, impulse control, commitment, goal-setting, sportsmanship, and handling both victory and defeat with grace and humility. My Upland hockey experience prepared me not only for the rigors of prep school and college hockey but for life itself.
     
  • Philip Young '10

    University of New England (Lacrosse)
    Cushing Academy 
     
    Upland as a whole and its hockey program are rich with tradition. Tradition that remains timeless through generations of hard-working, dedicated teachers, students and staff.  The hockey program has always been a driving force in teaching students the many life lessons necessary to take the next steps in life. Upland hockey provides a unique opportunity for players to quickly mature and put themselves in a position to succeed in their future hockey endeavors. Without the experience of playing hockey at Upland, I would not be who I am today
  • Michael Patterson '04

    Boys' Varsity Assistant Coach '15-'20
    Head of Lower School, UCDS
     
    Upland Hockey is more than the game. It is a community of character, teamwork, and dedication on and off the ice. My time as a player gave me an incredible head start in the game I love, and serving now as a coach within the program offers the opportunity to provide these same values to the next Upland Hockey player.
  • Matt Goeller '04

    Boys’ Varsity Assistant Coach ’11-’14
    Attorney - K & L Gates
     
    The Upland hockey program elevates what some might see as “middle school sports” to something much more.  But that’s not to say the program simply emphasizes winning or joyless rigor.  It does not. Rather, the Upland hockey program allows students to understand and adhere to a unique set of values. Among them are: sportsmanship, tradition, and camaraderie. It is hard to describe, but I am unaware of any other program providing this opportunity for kids that age.  It is not surprising that students keep their Upland jerseys on wooden hangers or clean the locker room without being asked to do so. When they are in it, they know they are a part of something special.  When they graduate, they come back to campus, every year, to reconnect with the program.
  • Curran Forgue '07

    South Kent School
    Lake Forest College

    Tradition at Upland is like nothing else. If I had the opportunity to go back and play hockey at Upland again, I would not hesitate. The atmosphere in the locker room before every game, Paint It Black over the speakers for warmups, and the lifetime friendships I have made are incomparable. I wouldn’t trade my experience at Upland for the world.
  • Keith Campbell '07

    The Lawrenceville School
    Tufts University
     
    There is a certain magic about the Upland hockey experience. I believe this is created through the life long friendships, moments, history, and special traditions that are born inside the walls of the barn ice rink. No matter where hockey takes you in life or what level you reach, Upland hockey has the unique ability to produce a lasting impression that no other hockey experience is able to replicate. 

List of 3 items.

  • Taylor Cullen '15

    Neumann University '22
  • Phoebe Fisher '19

    Holderness School '22
  • Jared Treat '20

    The Hill School '23

Week in my Skates as Upland Hockey Player

List of 2 items.

  • FALL SEASON

    Monday
    6:30-7:30 am Morning Skate with Open Ice and Individual Skill Instruction 
    2:30-4:20 Team Practice - Power-skating and Overspeed Training 

    Tuesday
    6:30-7:30 am Morning Skate with Open Ice and Individual Skill Instruction
    2:30-4:20 Team Practice - Team Concepts and Hockey IQ 

    Wednesday 
    6:30-7:30 am Morning Skate with Open Ice and Individual Skill Instruction
    2:30-4:20 Team Practice - Game situation Skill Development and Creativity 

    Thursday 
    6:30-7:30 am Morning Skate with Open Ice and Individual Skill Instruction
    2:30-4:20 Team Practice - Team Concepts and Hockey IQ 

    Friday
    6:30-7:30 am Morning Skate with Open Ice and Individual Skill Instruction
    2:30-4:20 Team Practice - Competition to Utilize Skills and concepts from the week. 
    OR
    Game Slot 6:15 “Friday Night LIghts” 

    Last Week of the Fall
    Boarding School Trip (Tour schools and play vs JV team) 
  • WINTER SEASON

    Monday
    3:00-4:20 Team Practice 

    Tuesday
    3:00-4:20 Team Practice 

    Wednesday
    Off-Ice Flexibility/Plyo-training/Film Review

    Thursday
    6:30-7:45 Team Practice Individual Skills 

    Friday
    3:00 dismissal 
    6:15pm HOME Game

    Saturday
    AWAY Game 

    Sunday
    Off 

Finnish Friends

Upland enjoys a unique relationship with the country of Finland. Since 1978, Upland has welcomed Finnish exchange students to spend the ninth grade year. In addition to many cultural benefits, our Finnish students often bring unique ice hockey talent, sharing their skills and international experience with our teams. As part of an extended European travel experience in the spring of their 8th or 9th grade year, our students travel to Turku, Finland, and often play hockey with our Scandinavian companions.