FAQ

1. When do they begin Athletics?

Athletics does not begin until the 7th grade school year by UIL guidelines. Practices will begin the first or second day of school. There will not be any early start during the summer.

2. Is it required?

No. Students in 7th grade are required to take a fitness course of some sort and may choose between Physical Education or Athletics. For 8th grade students, it is strictly an elective course.

3. What sports are there to participate in?

Volleyball is the only sport that is gender specific and limited to females. All other sports are open to both males and females. These sports are Football, Basketball, Cross Country, Track, and Tennis.

4. What about soccer?

Soccer is an intramural only sport. It is not a part of Athletics and it is strictly after school. It is open to any and all 7th and 8th grade students.

5. When are the different seasons?

Football / Volleyball August – November

Cross Country November – January

Basketball November – February

Track / Tennis February – April

6. When are the tryouts?

Tryouts for each sport happen at the very beginning of each season. For example, football and volleyball tryouts will begin the first week of school. Basketball tryouts will begin after the conclusion of the previous seasons.

7. How many people make each team?

This varies based upon each sport.

8. What do they do if they are not in a certain sport?

If the girls do not make the volleyball traveling team, they can participate in the Player Development League (PDL) and will work on volleyball skills or they can choose to participate in the off-season conditioning workouts. Students who are not on the basketball team will automatically take part in Cross Country. During Track season, all students will participate in the track workouts until they tryout and make the tennis team. Everyone participates in track until tennis.

9. Are there before/after school practices?

Yes. If the student makes a travel squad, they will be required to practice outside of the normal class times. 7th grade teams begin practices before school and may start as early as 6:30 and 8th grade teams begin practice during the last period and may stay as late as 5:00. This may change due to COVID this year and available space.

10. What nights are the games?

Schedules vary by sport and are determined by the Athletic Directors of the school districts in which we compete.

11. How many sports do they have to participate in?

Every student must participate in a minimum of two sports and will be given the opportunity to do so for credit. A fall sport (volleyball, basketball, or cross country) and a spring sport (track/tennis). Due to low numbers this year, we are encouraging girls to tryout and do as many sports as possible.

12. Can they just take one semester of Athletics?

No. Athletics is a two-semester course. Students may not drop out of Athletics at any time throughout the school year.

13. What if they are in band/choir/dance/cheer?

Other school related activities will not be affected by participation in Athletics and your role in Athletics will not be affected by them. As coaches, we work closely with the sponsors of these other groups in order to make sure students can participate in all activities that they would like to experience and to be able to benefit from each one.

14. Do they run every day?

Yes. Students will be expected to run every day. This may be in the form of distance runs or sport-specific sprints and conditioning.

15. Do they have to be a good athlete?

No. They simply must be willing to participate and work hard every day. As middle school coaches, we are here to teach the athletes the skills and sports to prepare them for high school and future athletic endeavors.

16. When do they get a physical?

Every student in Athletics must have a physical on file before being allowed to participate in any practice or tryout. They are good for up to one year from the date they are given the physical. We recommend no earlier than May 15th.

There is a specific physical form that must be signed by he physician and may be found here: 2020 Physical Form. These may be submitted before the end of this school year or you may bring them with you to registration day in August.

17. What do they need to wear?

The website has multiple options of clothing for purchase, but ONLY THE SHORT SLEEVE RED SHIRT IS REQUIRED FROM THE WEBSITE. Everything else in the store is OPTIONAL. You may order the women’s cut or the other model of red shirt. It does not matter and is based on preference. Our new uniforms are the red shirt and gray shorts. This is where it can get a bit confusing-for you to be in uniform we require the RED SHIRT and GRAY SHORTS, but the GRAY SHORTS DO NOT HAVE TO BE PURCHASED FROM THE WEBSITE. If you already have solid gray shorts at home, and do not want to spend extra money on the gray shorts in the online store, you may wear your own solid gray shorts to athletics as long as there are no crazy designs on the side. Shorts also need to be longer than your fingertips when hands are at your side. If not in uniform, you will lose points and if this is a consistent offense, it could be the basis for your removal from the athletic program. If you have ordered a uniform and are waiting for it to be shipped, wear athletic gear you already own until your shipment has arrived. You will not lose any points if I can see the receipt on the online store. Athletic shoes (no sandals or boots) are required for athletics as well.

Proper shoes with support and laces are a must. Jewelry is not permitted during practices. We recommend that the girls bring a container to keep in their locker to keep their jewelry in during practice time.

Hair is also expected to be pulled back during all practices and games.

We have a new link to purchase uniforms. The previous store was a bit cheaper, but took a long time to get our orders in. (Some are still not in!). This store is much quicker and everything should be here before Valentine’s Day. The store is open from now until February 1^st. at 8:00 am. Please make sure you scroll down to the “Ladies Section” for the purchase. If you already have a uniform, you do not not need to purchase a new one. Remember our uniforms are the red shirt and gray shorts. If you already have gray shorts, you may wear those instead. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Store Link

https://gmsathleticsclass.itemorder.com/sale

Flyer

GMS GIRLS ATHLETICS FLYER