Try-Outs and Eligibility

Tryouts

The following is intended to provide both the student athlete and their parents about the expectations for tryouts at SPMS.

    1. Students must meet the eligibility requirements outlined below.
    2. All tryouts are conducted fairly and are subjective. Student athletes will be evaluated by the coaching staff with the use of a scoring rubric based on knowledge of the game, fundamentals/skills of the game, endurance/physical ability, team work, attitude and effort.
    3. Due to the high volume of interested student athletes we try to have as many as three and no less than two days of tryouts that are absolutely mandatory to attend.  If a student is absent from school (more than half the day) they may NOT participate in any school activities and tryouts are considered a school activity.
    4. If an athlete is finishing up a sports season and wants to tryout for the next sport offered, but cannot attend the tryout, they are to contact the Athletic Director within a reasonable time and a special tryout will be accommodated for that athlete only.
    5. Athletic coaches will always do their best to keep to the time scheduled for tryouts, however, when there is a high volume of students interested in trying out it may exceed the posted time frame so we ask for your patience.
    6. Student athletes should come dressed appropriately for the sport they are trying out for.  If tryouts begin at 3:00pm, the student athlete should be dressed and ready to go at 3:00pm.
    7. When tryouts begin, if indoors or outdoors, parents may not be attendance in the gym or on the field.  If tryouts are on the field, we ask that parents remain outside the fence.  If you wish to watch, we discourage any side coaching of your child during the tryout.
    8. If the student athlete is a returning team player from the previous school year, there is no guarantee that he/she will make the team again.  New students do enroll in the school and many other student athletes improve over time.
    9. Student athletes must keep in mind that should they make a sports team at SPMS and they decide to quit, they may not move on or tryout for an upcoming sport.  As a courtesy to the coach and the athletic director, the student should inform both about his or her decision to no longer participate.
    10. At the end of each tryout, we ask that parents’ refrain from speaking to the coach as it can be perceived as potential bias towards other student athletes.
    11. Because the 210 League is a highly competitive middle school league, it is imperative for all parties to understand that playing time for each athlete is a coach’s decision based on the needs or demands of the game.

Athletic Eligibility

All students involved with extracurricular activities must meet the requirements of this policy. Students who are ineligible may not participate in extra-curricular activities in any form beyond the class period. Coaches, sponsors, and advisors are responsible to ensure non-participation of ineligible students. A student who is ineligible is considered to be on probation and may not practice or participate with the team or organization. Students who are ineligible will receive support and intervention. Special consideration and support will be given to students that have educational disabilities.

Below are the requirements for Eligibility. If a student meets any of the below criteria during an academic quarter in a school year, they will be ineligible to participate in extracurricular activities for the following quarter. Students may be deemed ineligible immediately at the discretion of the administration due to discipline or attendance.

      • Students are ineligible if any of the following :
        • One F or Two D’s or more in one academic quarter.
        • 2 or more U’s per quarter in Citizenship in one academic quarter.
        • A suspension, or receiving a behavior probation or attendance probation during a given quarter.
          For example, if a student receives two D’s or an F during quarter 1 of an academic year, they will be ineligible for quarter 2, the next academic quarter.
      • To determine eligibility for fall sports, a grade check will be made from the athlete’s 4th quarter report card from the previous school year.
      • If a sport begins at the start of a new quarter, grades will be checked from the previous quarter.
      • Due to the fact that some grading periods (quarters) end during the season, an athlete can and will be removed from the team if he or she does not meet the academic and behavior eligibility requirements.
      • Grade checks are conducted regularly at the progress report and grading period during the season.
      • If a student is absent from school on the day of a practice, tryout or game that student may not participate in that activity.
      • A student must be at school for at least half the day in order to tryout, practice or play for their school team.
      • All athletes representing SPMS are students first and athletes second!!