Editing Phillips Academy (section)

===History===
[[File:Andover Boys Crew.jpg|thumb|An Andover crew races on the [[Merrimack River]].]]

Athletic competition has long been a part of the Phillips Academy tradition. As early as 1805, some form of "football" was being played on campus; that year, [[Eliphalet Pearson]]'s son Henry wrote that "I cannot write a long letter as I am very tired after having played at football all this afternoon."<ref>Henry Pearson to Eliphalet Pearson, Andover, October 26, 1805, in the Pearson Papers, Phillips Academy Archives.</ref> (The first game of what is now known as [[American football]] was [[1869 Princeton vs. Rutgers football game|played in 1869]], and resembled association football more than gridiron football.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1869 - First Ever College Soccer Football Game |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/football-history/history-of-football/1869-1939/1869-first-ever-college-soccer-football-game/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227085218/https://www.profootballhof.com/football-history/history-of-football/1869-1939/1869-first-ever-college-soccer-football-game/ |archive-date=2021-12-27 |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=Pro Football Hall of Fame}}</ref>) Andover participated in the first-ever high school football game, playing [[Adams Academy]] in 1875.<ref>Quinby, ''Phillips Academy, Andover on Diamond, Track, and Field'' (Andover, Mass.: The Andover Press, 1920), 10.</ref> The school organized an athletics department in 1903 with the objective of "Athletics for All".<ref name="harrison">Harrison, Fred H., ''Athletics for All: Physical Education and Athletics at Phillips Academy, Andover, 1778–1978'' (Andover, Ma.: 1983)</ref>[[File:Andover football team in 1883 posing for group photo in Phillipian.jpg|thumb|Andover football team posing for the school newspaper in 1883.]]Today, Andover is an athletic powerhouse among New England private schools. Andover athletes have won over 110 New England championships in the last three decades.{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}} Some teams have even competed internationally; for example, the boys' crew has competed at England's [[Henley Royal Regatta]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Forsberg |first=Chris |url=https://www.boston.com/sports/other_sports/articles/2006/07/20/pulling_together/ |title=Andover crew reaches semifinals in Henley regatta - The Boston Globe |work=Boston.com |date=July 20, 2006 |access-date=March 22, 2010}}</ref>

Andover is not part of any formal athletic conference, but through its membership of the Eight Schools Association, it participates in certain ESA-specific athletic contests.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nedgallagher.com/journal/archives/003158.html |title=Drive Time Radio (Sort Of) (As Far As You Know) |work=Nedgallagher.com |date=May 2, 2010 |access-date=March 28, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Ned on |url=http://www.nedgallagher.com/journal/archives/002489.html |title=A Lawrenceville Story (As Far As You Know) |work=Nedgallagher.com |date=May 3, 2009 |access-date=March 28, 2012}}</ref> In postseason play, Andover's teams compete in playoffs organized by the [[New England Preparatory School Athletic Council]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=NEPSAC Member Schools |url=https://nepsac.org/about/nepsac-member-schools/ |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=New England Preparatory School Athletic Council}}</ref>