Middle School Athletic Participation

General Policies

• http://khsaa.org/middle-school-athletics-information/

• Middle school coaches/sponsors are required to complete all coach/sponsor requirements that high school coaches/sponsors complete as outlined above.

• Any volunteer who works in any middle school program must complete CPR/AED training, view the JCPS Sports Safety video, attend Character First training, be fingerprinted, and complete the KHSAA Medical Symposium/Sports Safety course.

• Students must have an up-to-date physical exam and parent permission prior to tryouts.

• Students and at least one parent/guardian must watch the JCPS Sports Safety video and sign off that they have watched the video and understand its content. Parents must see this video one time in middle school. Students must see the video annually.

Students

Each school may adopt policies that determine individual academic requirements. The following apply to all middle school students:

• Once a student enters grade six, he or she may not participate in interscholastic athletics more than one year in a grade. Only students who attend the middle school may participate on its' extracurricular teams. No students below sixth grade are eligible to play up at a middle school.

• A failing student could become eligible upon passing the repeated grade (grades six and seven) and being promoted to the next grade.

• Students may not participate more than three years once entering middle school. Once a student enters sixth grade, the student has 3 consecutive calendar years of participation. No student in his/her fourth year (and beyond) in middle school may participate. This mirrors the KHSAA Bylaw 3 requirement for high schools.

• Each student/athlete must be passing a minimum of four classes the week preceding the contest. If the student does not meet these requirements, he or she may practice but may not participate in any contest the following week.

• Students must be in attendance in school to participate unless absence and participation are approved by the principal.

Middle School Athletic Eligibility Regulations for High School Athletic Participation

JCPS high school principals adopted a policy for middle school students who wish to participate on high school teams. The high school principals, middle school principals, and athletic directors approved the policy.

The established agreement creates a fair and equitable opportunity for all middle school students to participate at the high school level. Students who attend their resides middle school have a chance to play for their resides high school team. Those students and parents who have elected to follow the traditional academic program will be permitted to play for a traditional high school only as determined by the district’s administrative boundaries.

Middle school students may play for their middle school teams as well as the high school team.

Middle school students’ participation on a high school varsity team does not affect the eligibility of any middle school student. A student’s eligibility is established once a student enters the ninth grade and participates on a varsity athletic team.

All middle school participants, whether playing in middle or high school, are required to pay the board-approved insurance fee for participation. All students pay a $5 tryout fee. If students become team members, they are required to pay an additional $15 fee for a total of $20. All students, regardless of family coverage, are required to purchase this insurance policy. This fee is a once-a-year fee regardless of the number of sports a student plays.

KHSAA Bylaw 4, Enrollment Requirements, sets the rules governing all schools in Kentucky regarding participation below grade nine.

JCPS policy regarding participation of students below the ninth grade in high school programs is as follows:

• Middle school students may participate on the high school level in their resides high school area (based on their home address) only as defined by the JCBE. Traditional school students may only play up at the two traditional high schools based on their resides address.

• Middle school students must be approved by the director of Activities and Athletics prior to any participation on the high school level. Application forms are available through the athletic director at your resides high school. The Office of Activities and Athletics will notify the school once approval is granted.

• Middle school students, regardless of whether they have applied and received admission to a high school based on a program or open enrollment, still may play only for their resides high school.