2023 Best High Schools for Athletes in the Seattle Area

• Seattle, WA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.04 out of 5  90 reviews

Senior: O'Dea High School is a unique experience and is something that I can say is the best thing that's ever happened to me. You get four things which I value most in one high school and that is, great academics, great sports, brotherhood and opportunity. One exceptional part of O'Dea is the athletic programs. If you're from the state of Washington, the number one thing O'Dea is known for is their success in all sports. The coaches not only set up players for success on the field/court, etc., they set them up for life and the next level. I am so grateful to be apart of two athletic programs at the school. Another factor that makes O'Dea excellent is the brotherhood. Since O'Dea is an all boys school, the time that's spent getting to know one another is unmatched. Everyone is viewed as brothers and treats everyone with respect, in the classroom, out of the classroom, or anywhere else. It's an experience that's truly one of a kind and unique and one that I can say I'm proud to been apart of.... Read 90 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Total number of sports 11

• Bellevue School District, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.94 out of 5  204 reviews

Senior: I found Bellevue High to have many strong characteristics such as a strong sports teams, high achieving peers, and engaging teachers. My experience has been an overall pleasant experience. However, I would like to highlight the slow response the school had to a counselor who was not very engaged with her students: se had often provided inaccurate information to some students which costed them a lot of time and money. Eventually, the problem was dealt with and now the school continues to hold its promises of strongly preparing its students for college, sparking interests in students, and just being an overall inclusive school.... Read 204 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Total number of sports 26

• Seattle, WA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.21 out of 5  260 reviews

Parent: My daughter grew from a fourth grader wanting to attend Holy Names Academy because its building looked like Hogwarts, to a rising ninth grader wanting to attend for the all-girls academic excellence, to now a high school senior with a nuanced understanding of an all-girls high school experience. Her confidence and sense of self as a young woman has grown impressively. The faculty and staff transitioned to 100% online during the pandemic without skipping a beat, and bent over backwards to accommodate the students during the many months of online school. Our experience has been wonderful!... Read 260 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Total number of sports 17

• Kent School District, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.88 out of 5  333 reviews

Senior: My time at Kentwood were cut short with COVID, but the few moment spent there were ones that have affected me forever. I am a senior now, and haven't been on the Kentwood campus for academic related activity since January of my freshman year. However, over the past three years I have played varsity volleyball for them, as well as attend other sporting events, and the school spirit is unmatched. Throughout the Kent School District, we are known to have the most school spirit out of the highs chool's, one small fact that I take great pride in as I am a big attendee. Besides school spirit, Kentwood offers a large amount of diversity and culture, not just in nationality and origin, but in personality, style, art, and much more. Many are excited to leave high school, move onto bigger and better things, and although this may be me, I hope bigger and better things have the same attributes of Kentwood High School.... Read 333 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A+

• Total number of sports 23

• Tacoma School District, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.02 out of 5  288 reviews

Sophomore: I love how I feel like they will do anything to help students succeed. I believe I can go to my teachers, knowing that I have someone looking out for me. I'm a student that my teacher knows about, it feels good knowing that my teachers can watch my progress, and embrace it! And just overall Lincoln High School is different in my ways, my schools brings something really special to contribute to the all their the Lincoln family, which makes it so unique.... Read 288 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade A+

• Total number of sports 23

• Fife School District, WA•

• 10-12

• •
  Rating 3.88 out of 5  224 reviews

Alum: Fife was an amazing community. I moved to the Fife community when I was in 5th grade. At this point, kids have made friends since kindergarten. However, the community welcomed me with open arms! I made lasting friends quickly and a great school spirit. The only thing I would change is the acceptance of the LGBTQA+ community. It was a bit harder to be out but my friends were there to support.... Read 224 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A+

• Total number of sports 20

• Puyallup School District, WA•

• 10-12

• •
  Rating 3.71 out of 5  407 reviews

Alum: Being a student-athlete at Puyallup High School was a great experience. There are several opportunities for students to get involved. PHS offers several great options of clubs, athletic programs, and programs to explore your career interests. While there are plenty of well-run courses, many peers of mine gave great accolades to all of the music, business, and medical-based classes. Teachers were kind, supportive, and helped greatly in my preparation for college. I always felt safe and strong sense of belonging and I personally really enjoyed the that the hallways were always bright and buzzing! Evaluating PHS from my new perspective of being in college, I think it has made me well-rounded and a step ahead compared to many other incoming freshmen I've met. I would recommend Puyallup High School to anyone considering it!... Read 407 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A+

• Total number of sports 22

• Sammamish, WA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 3.87 out of 5  139 reviews

Freshman: Eastside Catholic is a very welcoming school. I found the teachers very helpful, funny and kind. I understood concepts well and I enjoyed every day at school! The course selection is amazing and includes an array of subjects. I like the college readiness classes such as the UWHS classes. I found many classmates who were sweet and accepting of everyone. I liked Health class as it taught us many helpful strategies to tackle addiction, mental health, and improve overall wellbeing. I liked the fact that there were posters in the bathroom and on the walls which gave students information about mental health and how to seek help. I love school assemblies because they are filled with school spirit and fun games. I greatly appreciate the service opportunities given by Eastside Catholic because it really helps me find volunteer activities that I enjoy and love doing. I also appreciate how easy it is to talk to counselors and the staff at Student Services for whatever questions I might have.... Read 139 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Total number of sports 17

• Mercer Island School District, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.77 out of 5  241 reviews

Senior: Extracurricular offerings, including sports, music, and clubs, are great! Would like to see more diversity overall. STEM and science courses aren't as strong as English and history.... Read 241 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Total number of sports 27

• North Kitsap School District, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.4 out of 5  238 reviews

Parent: North Kitsap High School has teachers that are willing to support and encourage the students- even into college. If given the opportunity, the administration will do everything in the power to provide the resources necessary to help the students. Sports programs are great!... Read 238 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A+

• Total number of sports 13

• Seattle Public Schools, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.85 out of 5  96 reviews

Senior: I love the diversity at Rainier Beach High School and we have great teachers who support and understand us. We get outside college readiness support and advice from our teachers and counselors. We also the IB program which looks good on our college resumes.What could improve is the facility itself, It has been renovated in decades. Our administration could improve in terms of being more involved with student feedback.... Read 96 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade A

• Total number of sports 18

• Sumner-Bonney Lake School District, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.81 out of 5  289 reviews

Senior: My experience at Sumner High School has been absolutely amazing! This year (senior year) I came in a new student and I expected to have issues making friends but I have made friends so easily. The staff is absolutely amazing! It is a very welcoming environment and I have had nothing but a positive experience at Sumner!... Read 289 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A

• Total number of sports 23

• Everett, WA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.11 out of 5  94 reviews

Senior: My time at Archbishop Murphy High School was absolutely amazing! I met some of the best teachers and administrators here. When I first stepped onto AMHS's campus, I felt like I was home. The environment is very welcoming; you will never feel like an outsider. Class sizes are small and perfect. The resources I had at my hands were great. If I did not have the Academic Resource Center, I would have felt lost. They truly helped me feel more confident in myself that I could achieve my goals. I will never forget the experience I had at Archbishop Murphy High School.... Read 94 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Total number of sports 18

• Lake Washington School District, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.88 out of 5  488 reviews

Junior: There are many nice teachers and staff members who are willing to give extra help and advice when needed. There are also many students, so many opportunities to make friends and meet new people as well. Because of the number of students, the hallways do get crowded, as well as the parking lots directly before and afterschool. There are a variety of clubs and sports facilitated by the school that give students many activities and extracurriculars to choose from. The school community is welcoming overall and the school is a safe and fulfilling place for education!... Read 488 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Total number of sports 23

• Seattle Public Schools, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.61 out of 5  502 reviews

Senior: Garfield's sports programs overall are very competitive and usually perform well. During my freshman year the girls and boys basketball teams won state, and the girls won state again during my junior year. In the past Garfield's school lunch was terrible, but recently the school lunches have been very good, and school lunch is free for everyone at Garfield. But if you decide you don't want school lunch, there is an Ezelle's directly across the street and a convenience store a block away. Garfield's music programs are also very good. The advanced ensembles and the jazz bands get to go on lots of fun trips. The bathrooms, however, smell horrible. There is also graffiti on almost every single bathroom stall. There are a few bathrooms that are almost always closed for repairs. The field at Garfield used to look nice, but ever since people started eating on the field there has been a ton of garbage covering it, and the garbage attracts crows.... Read 502 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Total number of sports 21

• Northshore School District, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.92 out of 5  342 reviews

Sophomore: The teachers are amazing and super skilled in their respective fields. However, there are a few rules that allow discrimination and bullying to occur. The campus is great and very easy to get around. The clubs and sports are super interesting and help you feel like a part of your community. The school’s spirit is a little low but that’s mainly because of COVID regulations and the ban of assemblies. Overall, I really enjoy going to Woodinville High School and highly recommend it!... Read 342 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Total number of sports 17

• Peninsula School District, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.54 out of 5  352 reviews

Senior: It is a good school. The teachers are all amiable and committed to ensuring you can learn the material. There are many opportunities provided to you to help plan your post-high school plans. For example, they provide a scholarship notebook that has different scholarships you can apply for. They also encourage enrolling in early college dual credit classes or trade school classes. There are several after-school clubs most of them smaller sized and could be advertised better. In addition, there are several different sports that you can play from football to bowling. School spirit is also high and there is always a friendly rivalry that gets everyone excited vs our rival school. There are also lots of festivals and other events that get involvement from the community around it.... Read 352 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A

• Total number of sports 21

• Tacoma, WA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.14 out of 5  207 reviews

Senior: Bellarmine has given me many opportunities I otherwise wouldn't have had at any other school. Despite this, I'm not certain it has been worth the cost. Bellarmine's course catalog is decent, with a fair selection of AP and honors classes. Some important courses are missing, like AP Bio and AP Euro, but altogether a decent selection. Its true strength lies in its co-curricular programs: Model UN, Robotics, and Marine Chemistry. Model UN and Robotics can be had at other schools, but Marine Chem is unique to Bellarmine. The opportunity it provides for high schoolers to get involved in real research is unparalleled, and has opened so many doors for me. Bellarmine's Junior Encounter is fantastic and actually changed my life. Go on Encounter! One more thing: the teachers are a mixed bag. I've had some fantastic teachers during my time here, especially in the English and History departments and others who are either lazy or downright cruel, though COVID was likely the cause of this.... Read 207 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Total number of sports 18

• Lake Washington School District, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.64 out of 5  194 reviews

Senior: I really appreciate the coaches and parents that help make the athletics program so great! I have enjoyed being on the Football and Wrestling Teams. I would love to see more diverse community involvement with the school. It would be very encouraging to see more people of color and cultures volunteering at the school and getting involved with students to build up the community in and out of school.... Read 194 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Total number of sports 22

• Federal Way Public Schools, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.88 out of 5  369 reviews

Senior: Something that I like about Federal Way High School is that you can't miss it. The school is off the side of a highway in the middle of the city of Federal Way. Most of the staff at my school are great advisors and help me achieve opportunities that I didn't think I was capable of. One of the things I love about my school is it's diversity, we hold a lot of cultural clubs such as LatinX, Black Student Union, Pacific Isander club, Asain American club, French Club, Russian-Ukrainian club etc. At the end of the year, the school has a big assembly dedicated to celebrate all cultures by having students choosing to preform their culture by dance/song/speech. It's the one thing everyone looks forward to every year for many years. As for the teachers I had throughout the years, I would say I have good connection with over 70% of them. Even with teachers I never had, they are so easy to talk to.... Read 369 reviews

• grade B

• grade A

• Total number of sports 16

• Clover Park School District, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.61 out of 5  305 reviews

Senior: I liked the advanced placement classes I took at Lakes High School because it was the classroom environment I desired in high school. As a high school student knowing I wanted to advance to college I really wanted to be treated like an adult and to be responsible for my own academic achievements but many teachers and classroom environments were the opposite. We were treated like children even though most of us were just a couple years away from being an adult. I understand that a lot of students in high school aren't ready for that and that if teachers dont establish discipline in the beginning of the year, students use it as an opportunity to be rude and disrespectful. Im also aware that teachers are constantly struggling to keep classrooms under control and that in most cases students must be treated like children to have a class environment where students get to learn.... Read 305 reviews

• grade B

• grade A

• Total number of sports 22

• Issaquah School District, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.87 out of 5  317 reviews

Senior: I enjoy Liberty because I feel there are numerous learning opportunities in various different aspects. Everyone has different interests, but there is something for everyone. Most teachers are fairly accommodating and work well explaining concepts to students. But, there are some teachers who seem to not know what to do if a student does not understand a concept and are not good at handling the fluctuating emotions of teenagers. The school itself makes an effort to keep bullying and social issues to a minimum, but being around teenagers mean that there is always something. Overall, I feel my high school experience has been above adequate and has prepared me for college and my future well.... Read 317 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Total number of sports 15

• Auburn School District, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.81 out of 5  330 reviews

Senior: Auburn Riverside is the best!!! The school environment is so clean and friendly. And their teachers really care about their students and work really hard on the subjects they teach. The school has a wide range of subjects they offer and many languages courses and clubs as well. They even have a small special 8th period that every student has called AR time where students get time in school to do homework or projects or sleep cause sometimes students don't have time when they get home to take care of their siblings or do jobs to support their family. Our school also partakes in school programs like Breaking down the walls and Character strong where it helps bring students together since quarentine and online school messed everyone's social skills. The school has massive school spirit and fun spirt weeks. there are rarely any news of fighting or bullying, etc. And it seems that both the students and teachers have a really great time.... Read 330 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Total number of sports 22

• Peninsula School District, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.87 out of 5  235 reviews

Senior: I like the environment Peninsula High School provides. Everywhere you go, there's always going to be someone to help support you. Whether it's a friend, a teacher, counselor, ect. The people I've met here have positively impacted my life. I've found a group of people that I feel comfortable being around. I can be myself and not have to worry about pretending to be somebody I'm not. Definitely one of the better schools in Washington!... Read 235 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A

• Total number of sports 26

• University Place School District, WA•

• 10-12

• •
  Rating 3.76 out of 5  407 reviews

Senior: Extracurriculars are fun and welcoming. Competition is motivating but our team and connection keeps everything more enjoyable than stressful. My classes are in depth and my teachers ensure we are successful which keeps us from becoming discouraged. Our course catalogue has a wide variety of topics and difficulties so students can set their own pace of learning and explore their own interests. Over my entire high school career I have taken eight advanced placement classes to prepare for higher education and push the potential of my high school experience. We have several enrichment programs including NJROTC, music, and arts. I personally have taken art and NJROTC classes at Curtis, both of which I greatly enjoy. I have only had pleasant experiences with the staff at my school, my teachers have truly worked hard to ensure their students' success. I will be sad to leave Curtis but am excited for the next step in my academic journey.... Read 407 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Total number of sports 5