From Disney Marathon To Tennis Court Dedication, The Schleifer Family Stands Out…
BY: ANDREW COLTON | Editor and Publisher | DELRAY BEACH, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2026 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — January has been quite a month for the Schleifer family — a family whose commitment to athletics and American Heritage School in Delray Beach turned into a month of standout moments.
The month started with American Heritage School graduate Emmy Schleifer, 21, finishing 20th overall in the Disney Marathon. It’s a race that draws tens of thousands of runners from around the world. Schleifer completed the marathon in 3 hours and 16 minutes, a Boston Marathon qualifying time, after a rigorous 21-week training block.
“It honestly ended up being one of the best days ever,” Schleifer said, describing the experience of racing through Walt Disney World with her family cheering her on. “I really didn’t have many expectations other than giving it my absolute best effort.”
Emmy is a former Division I soccer player now enrolled in an accelerated nursing program. She said endurance sports felt like a natural next step after her collegiate soccer career ended. She credited both her competitive drive and her family’s athletic background for pushing her forward.
“So much of running is mental,” she said. “You really learn how strong you are when it’s just you and your thoughts for over three hours.” She added that running the Disney Marathon was especially meaningful because of its atmosphere, calling the energy along the course “unlike anything you can find at any other race.”
Watching from the finish line was her grandfather, Jeffrey Phipps, himself a longtime runner, who also once took part in the Disney Marathon He said the moment carried deep personal significance.
“That was so special,” Phipps said, noting that his granddaughter even beat his own New York Marathon time.
While Emmy was making headlines on the marathon course, her father, Brian Schleifer, was being honored this week on campus at American Heritage, where he has served as the school’s tennis coach for 30 years. The school dedicated its tennis courts in his name, recognizing a career that includes more than 500 match wins, 43 district titles, 22 combined state championships, and a 2023 national championship.
“It is a privilege and an honor to have spent the last 30 years at American Heritage directing the tennis program,” Brian Schleifer said. “I am so thankful for this incredible recognition.”
The Schleifer family’s impact extends beyond competition. Brian’s wife and Emma’s mom, Sally Schleifer — an athlete herself — is the assistant director of the exceptionally popular summer camp programs at American Heritage. She praised both her husband’s coaching philosophy and their daughter’s determination.
“We are all so proud of our Emmy and her driven, competitive spirit,” she said, adding that American Heritage has always provided the family’s children with “a powerful connection to sports and unforgettable teammates and coaches.”
American Heritage School, with campuses in Delray Beach and Plantation, is routinely ranked the top private school in Florida.
