Students have the opportunity to participate at a COMPETITIVE level against other public middle schools in the 210 League in San Gabriel Valley. All competitive teams are for 7th and 8th graders only except for Cross Country and Track & Field, which are open to 6th graders.
Try-Outs Expectations and Eligibility
Athletics Handbook (Program Goals and Objectives)
Rules & Expectations
Parent Handbook
Teams & Tryouts 2024-2025
Please do not wear club team gear to tryouts!
Tryouts are closed to spectators.
Early Fall Sports (Aug-Oct)
Coed Flag Football – tryouts week of 8/26
Girls Volleyball – tryouts week of 8/26
Coed Cross Country – first practice week of 9/3 (no tryouts)
Late Fall Sports (Nov-Dec)
Girls Basketball – tryouts week of 10/28
Boys Basketball – tryouts week of 10/28
Coed Tennis – tryouts week of 11/4
Winter Sports (Jan-Mar)
Girls Soccer – tryouts week of 12/16
Boys Soccer – tryouts week of 12/16
Spring Sports (Mar-May)
Boys Volleyball – tryouts week of 3/10
Coed Track & Field – first practice week of 3/17 (no tryouts)
This schedule is preliminary and subject to change. Subscribe to our newsletter and check the Boosters calendar for tryouts schedules as seasons approach. Typically there are two after school tryout dates for each sport and both are mandatory. See the bottom of this page for more information about each sport.
Roster Notification Post-Tryouts
After tryouts, rosters will be posted using Student ID on the AD’s classroom window, so encourage your child to check there. However, we will also follow up with parents who complete the Roster Notification Form. This form is not used for Cross Country and Track & Field since those sports do not have tryouts.
Required Forms for Athletes on Teams
1) Sports Agreement & Permission Form – Complete this form ONLY AFTER you have tried out and been offered a spot on a team OR ONLY AFTER you have decided to join the Cross Country or Track & Field team.
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- You will complete this form EACH SEASON if your child competes in multiple sports.
- Your student will need to sign this form, so make sure he/she is present when you are completing it.
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2) Become a Booster and/or Donate All families involved in competitive sports are strongly encouraged to become a Booster. If you already joined, but have the means to donate more, please do!
Competitive Teams Game Schedules
The 210 League Team schedule is subject to change. We keep the Boosters calendar updated as much as possible, although game schedule changes can sometimes be last-minute. Updates are communicated directly to students at school. Parents can stay up-to- date by reading school communications and subscribing to the Athletic Booster Club newsletter.
Uniforms & Equipment
The Booster club pays for uniforms and equipment for our competitive teams. Athletes must return their washed uniforms and other personal equipment such as helmets to their PE teacher at the end of the season. Lost or damaged uniforms or equipment will incur a replacement fee of $35.
JV/Varsity vs. 7th & 8th Grade Teams
The 210 League does not regulate which grades are allowed to compete on Varsity and JV teams. Each school decides their policy. At SPMS, for most sports, the JV team is for 7th graders and the varsity team is for 8th graders. The only exception is for sports where the 210 League only supports one varsity team (soccer and boys volleyball). Some schools, like La Canada and Oak Ave, follow the same model as SPMS. Other schools allow all students, including 6th graders, to try out for varsity or JV. We recognize that there are pros and cons to both models, but feel that our method provides the best possible experience for as many students as possible each year as they approach high school. Cross Country and Track & Field, which accommodate larger teams, are open to 6th graders.
How Middle School Sports Are Funded & Run
Middle school sports in our area are not funded or staffed at the same level as high school sports. Most programs are primarily funded by volunteer boosters organizations such as ours. Part-time athletic directors staff and run the programs and the 210 League. Some schools in the 210 League do not even have the ability to field teams for all sports every year, and often league schedules (and therefore tryouts schedules) come together last-minute due to many factors beyond our control–such as coach recruiting, coach availability and scheduling, 210 league scheduling, and very little time between seasons, especially during the first half of the year. We ask that parents and athletes approach participating with flexibility and understanding.
About the 210 League
The “210 League” is a collection of San Gabriel Valley schools that have organized themselves to form a league in which middle schools can participate. This league is loosely based on the Rio Hondo League in which SPHS participates. Middle schools are not regulated by the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF).
EAST 210 LEAGUE SCHOOLS:
Clifton Middle School
Foothills Middle School
Dana Middle School
Santa Fe Middle School
First Ave. Middle School
WEST 210 LEAGUE SCHOOLS:
Huntington Middle School
Jefferson Middle School
La Canada Middle School
Oak Ave. Middle School
South Pasadena Middle School
More About Each Sport
Practices for all sports are typically twice a week and depend on the coach and field/gym availability. Not all of the sports and teams we offer at SPMS are official 210 League teams. SPMS strives to provide additional opportunities for students to compete outside of the 210 League. However, we can only offer all of these opportunities if budget and coach availability allow. The additional team opportunities we offer are considered “practice” teams, as games are not guaranteed but are arranged by individual schools and coaches if possible. Learn more below.
Coed Flag Football:
Tryouts will be in late August/early September. Boys and girls in 7th and 8th grade can participate. Season starts early/mid September and runs through the last week of October. About 18 athletes will be chosen for each team.
Girls Volleyball:
Tryouts will be in late August/early September. Girls in 7th and 8th grades can participate. Season starts early/mid September and runs through the last week of October.
Coed Cross Country:
Practices start in early September after Labor Day. Boys and girls in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades can participate. There are no tryouts. Cuts will only be made based on effort and level of commitment if necessary. Several parent volunteers may also be needed to supervise practices since students run on the streets at a wide range of paces. Meets include the Mt. Sac Invitational in mid-October and the League Finals in early/mid November. The competitive races are about 1 or 2 miles.
Boys & Girls Basketball:
Tryouts for girls and boys will be in late October/early November. Boys and girls in 7th and 8th grades can participate. Season begins in mid-November and ends before winter break. The 210 league prefers to complete the season before winter break, which means it needs to begin almost immediately after the early fall sports, leaving very little time for tryouts and practices before games start.
Coed Tennis:
Tryouts will be in late October/early November. Boys and girls in 7th and 8th grades can participate. Since this is not a 210-league sport, games are arranged by individual schools and coaches. We strive to field 2 teams if coaching is available, with one team playing competitively and the other a “practice/JV team.”
Boys & Girls Soccer:
Tryouts will be either immediately before or immediately after winter break depending on coach availability. Boys and girls in 7th and 8th grades can participate. Season will begin in late January and run through early March. The 210 League only supports one (varsity) soccer team. 7th and 8th graders are invited to try out. We strive to field an additional practice (JV) team if coaching is available. Since the Practice (JV) team is not a 210-league sport, games are not guaranteed but are arranged by individual schools and coaches if possible.
Boys Volleyball:
Tryouts will be in early March. Season will begin in mid-march and run through late April. The 210 League only supports one (varsity) boys volleyball team. 7th and 8th graders are invited to try out. We strive to field an additional practice (JV) team if coaching is available. Since the Practice (JV) team is not a 210-league sport, games are not guaranteed but are arranged by individual schools and coaches if possible.
Coed Track & Field:
Practices start in mid-March. Boys and girls in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades can participate. There are no tryouts. Cuts will only be made based on effort and level of commitment if necessary. The season begins in late March and completes in early May.