HISTORY

Twelve metropolitan area independent schools announced on April 17, 1985 the formation of a new athletic league for competition in girls’ sports.  The twelve original schools were:  Bullis, Calverton, Connelly School of the Holy Child, Foxcroft, Georgetown Day, Georgetown Visitation, Holton-Arms, Immaculata College High School, Maret, National Cathedral, St. Agnes, and Sidwell Friends.  Competition took place in ten sports:  Soccer, field hockey, volleyball, fall tennis, cross country, basketball, softball, lacrosse, track and field and spring tennis.

The League was organized by Gary Blackman, Athletic Director at Sidwell Friends School.  Gary, with the aid of Anne Renninger, wrote the bylaws and chaired meetings for the revision and final adoption of the first set of bylaws.  All member schools of the Independent School Athletic Association (ISAA) were invited to attend these meetings and join the League.

The ISAA (originally ISPEA) was an organization that started in the early seventies to give more structure to girls' athletics for private schools in the area.  It sponsored end of the season tournaments but did not govern seasonal play.  The ISAA continued governing postseason tournaments up until 1989 when the League assumed that role.

The fifteen current members of the ISL are Bullis School, Connelly School of the Holy Child, Episcopal High School, Flint Hill School, Georgetown Day School, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, The Holton-Arms School, The Madeira School, The Maret School, National Cathedral School, The Potomac School. St. Andrew's Episcopal School, The Sidwell Friends School, St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School and Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart. Competition currently takes place in ten sports: cross country, field hockey, soccer, tennis, volleyball, basketball, swimming & diving, lacrosse and softball.