Eligibility Requirements

 Athletic Eligibility 

NC DPI 

and

 Pitt County Middle Schools Athletic Conference

Middle/Junior High School Athletic Eligibility

Only students in grades six through eight may participate in middle school (6th , 7th and 8th graders) interscholastic athletic competition. Only students in grades seven through nine may participate in junior high school (7th , 8th and 9th graders) interscholastic athletic competition, provided ninth grade is housed in the same building with seventh and eighth grades. 

Note:   Sixth grade students are ineligible to participate in football. 

Eligibility begins for all students with initial entry into the sixth grade regardless.

In order to qualify for public school participation, a student must meet the following requirements: 

A. All member schools are to abide by the athletic rules and regulation adopted by the State Board of Education.

B. Requirements for Athletic Participation include the following:

1. A student must be a resident of the school administrative unit in which you are assigned or written permission from Pitt County schools to attend the school your child is assigned.

2. A student must attend school and cannot be absent more than 15 days of the previous semester at an approved school. (Your child cannot miss more than 15 days and it includes excused doctor appointments, suspensions, etc).

3. A student must pass 5 out of 6 classes with a 60 or better from the previous semester to participate in the current semester. 

4. A student shall not participate on a ninth grade junior high school team if he/she becomes 16 years of age on or before August 31st of said school year.

5. A student shall not participate on a sixth, seventh or eighth grade team if he/she becomes 15 years of age on or before August 31st of said school year.

6. A middle /junior high school student is over age for middle/junior high school play shall be eligible for senior high school participation.

7. The student must receive a medical examination once every (395 days) by a duly licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant.  This must be turned in to the Athletic Director for your child to attend any work-outs, open gym or the 1st day of try-outs.

8. No student may be eligible to participate at the middle school level for a period lasting longer than six (6) consecutive semesters, beginning with the student’s entry into sixth grade.   The principal shall have evidence of the date of each player’s entry into the sixth grade and monitor the six (6) consecutive semesters.  Example: John Doe begins 6th grade in 2019-20 and is retained in the 6th grade for the 2020-21 school year.  (John Doe has used 4 semesters of their 6 in middle school)  If John Doe meets all required eligibility requirements, he may participate in the 7th grade 2021-22 (This is semester 5 & 6 and he would not be able to play sports in the 8th grade.)

9. A student must be an amateur in order to be eligible to participate.

10. Special Needs Eligibility: A special needs student must meet all of the preceding requirements to be eligible to try-out for athletics.