Metcalf Activities | Get Involved!

*Activity fees vary based on the needs of the program

NOTE: These dates will be updated as sponsors decide when they will start their club/activity. Below is a general guideline based on past practice, but please know that it may vary. 

Chess Club

Begins:  October

Ends: December

Grades: K-1* 

*If a student already knows how to play chess, they can join the Chess Team.

Click to view & subscribe to the Chess Club calendar!

Chess Team

Begins:  October

Ends: March

Grades: 2-8*

*If a student does not know how to play chess, they will start in Chess Club.

Click to view & subscribe to the Chess Team calendar!

Circus

Begins: October

Ends: March

Grades: 3-8

Website: Click here

Click to view & subscribe to the Circus calendar!

Culture Club

Begins: October 

Ends: May

Grades: 1-4 (30 student Max)

Click to view & subscribe to the Culture Club calendar!

Esports

Begins: October

Ends: May

Grades: 5-8 

Website: Click here

Click to view & subscribe to the Esports calendar!

Fall Play

Begins: September

Ends: October

Grades: 5-8

Website: Click Here

Game Club

Begins: October

Ends: May

Grades: 5-8 

Website: Click here

Click to view & subscribe to the Game Club calendar!

Musical (Spring)

Begins: November

Ends: February

Grades: 4-8 (cast), 5-8 (crew)

Auditions: TBD

Website: Click Here

Orffcats

Begins: October

Ends: May 

Grades: 3-8

More Info: Flyer (2025-2026)

Click to view & subscribe to the Orffcats calendar!

Scholastic Bowl

Begins: January

Ends: May

Grades: 6-8

Click to view & subscribe to the Scholastic Bowl calendar!

Sign Club

Begins: January

Ends: May

Grades: K-8

Click to view & subscribe to the Sign Club calendar!

Speech

Begins: August

Ends: September

Grades: 5-8

Website: Click Here

Metcalf Athletics | Join a Team!

*All sports have a $60 fee for participation*

SUMMER / FALL 2026

Softball

Practice:  May begin July 27

Season:  August 5 - September 19

Grades: 5-8

Click to view & subscribe to the Softball calendar!

Baseball

Practice:  May begin August 3

Season:  August 12 - October 3

Grades: 6-8

Click to view & subscribe to the Baseball calendar!

Cross Country

Practice:  May begin August 3

Season:  August 15 - October 17

Grades: 5-8

Click to view & subscribe to the Cross Country calendar!

Golf

Practice: On your own!

Sectional: Sept 9 (Boys) & 10 (Girls)

State: Sept 17 (Girls) & 18 (Boys)

Grades: 6-8

WINTER 2026-2027

7/8 Girls Basketball

Practice:  May begin September 14

Season:  September 26 - December 17

Grades: 7-8

Click to view & subscribe to the (7/8) Girls Basketball calendar!

5/6 Girls Basketball

Practice:  May begin September 21

Season:  October 1 - November 24

Grades: 5-6

Click to view & subscribe to the (5/6) Girls Basketball calendar!

7/8 Boys Basketball

Practice: May begin October 19

Season: October 31 - February 11

Grades: 7-8

Click to view & subscribe to the (7/8) Boys Basketball calendar!

5/6 Boys Basketball

Practice: May begin November 9

Season: December 1 - February 13

Grades: 5-6

Click to view & subscribe to the (5/6) Boys Basketball calendar!

Cheer

Practices: May begin in August

Season: October - February

Grades: 5-8

Click to view & subscribe to the Cheer calendar! 

7/8 Volleyball

Practices: May begin December 7

Season:  January 4 - March 20

Grades: 7-8

Click to view & subscribe to the (7/8) Volleyball calendar!

5/6 Volleyball

Practices: May begin December 7

Season:  January 4 - February 23

Grades: 5-6

Click to view & subscribe to the (5/6) Volleyball calendar!  

SPRING 2027

Track & Field

Practice: May begin March 15

Season: March 27 - May 15

Grades: 5-8

Click to view & subscribe to the Track & Field calendar!

Snap! Manage

Our new registration platform, Snap! Manage is now live. Please click here to begin registration. 

Requirements to Participate

Students must have the following checklist completed PRIOR to attendance or participation in any practice, game, or event. 

• Registration

• Physical (Athletics only)

Students who are not in compliance with the above policy may be withheld from participation, and a family member may be contacted to pick them up from the sport/activity. Coaches should not admit students to their team/club if these requirements are not met. Students should not try to attend if these requirements are not met. NEW in 2026-2027: Payment will come at a later date, once rosters are finalized! 

Important Note:

The policies below were implemented starting in the 2025-2026 School Year:

• Using scores on individual standards (not an average score of multiple standards) to determine eligibility

• Removal of "Academic Probation" which allowed a student to fully participate the first time they were found to be ineligible

• A student who is declared eligible is limited in participation effective immediately, rather than waiting until the following Monday

• A student may return to full participation once scores improve/adequate progress is made rather than serving a week-long consequence, regardless of their improvement. 

Eligibility

Students registered for Athletics or Activities must meet the minimum requirements for academics, attendance, and behavior in order to be eligible for participation. No out-of-season requirements shall be made a prerequisite to participation in Metcalf clubs or teams. All exceptions to the policies stated below must be approved by the Director of Athletics & Activities. 

Academics

Each week, the main office will run an eligibility report that will generate a list of 5th-8th grade students with a score of 1 or below on any individual standard. A student with two or more scores of 1 or below will be considered ineligible for any extracurricular game or performance effective immediately. The student will remain ineligible until the score improves or adequate progress is made as determined by the teacher and athletic/activities director. The student may continue to participate in practices and attend games/performances at the discretion of their coach/sponsor, but cannot dress in their uniform/costume. 

Attendance

Students must attend at least 4 hours of the school day to participate in any extracurricular practice or event. This would require a student to arrive no later than 11:00am. Students leaving for an appointment in the middle of the school day must return to satisfy the 4-hour requirement. Any unavoidable or unusual circumstances causing a student to miss part/all of the last half of a school day must be approved directly with a school administrator prior to the absence. Students who leave school due to illness or injury or obtain a PE excuse for illness/injury will be ineligible to participate in any extracurricular activities for the remainder of that day.

Behavior

Students must conduct themselves appropriately throughout the school day, and especially while representing our school in before/after school activities & interscholastic competitions. Failure to do so may result in limited participation or removal from the extracurricular program. 

• Must be submitted to the school BEFORE attending a practice, tryout, or game

• Valid for 395 days (Ex: physical on 8/1/26 is valid through 9/1/27)

• 6th-grade physical counts toward a sports physical

• Hard Copies are preferred, but if you can submit a high-quality scan, emails are also acceptable. Please do not attempt to upload on Snap at this time; their system does not allow for the file size needed for most physicals to be uploaded. 

• If emailing, please send information to BOTH the school nurse and athletic director. 

  • Nurse - Shelly Thomas: slarmst5@ilstu.edu

  • AD - Jon Haws: jmhaws@ilstu.edu 

(Required for Athletics only, not Activities)

• Athletics = $60 per sport

• Activities = Variable Costs (amount determined by sponsors, administration)

• Paid through Infinite Campus! (coaches/sponsors do not collect payment)

• Free / Reduced fees are available for those who qualify

• Fees for clubs/activities are directly deposited into individual club accounts for their operating costs

• Fees for athletics are deposited into a central fund to equitably operate all athletics programs and comply with Title IX requirements.

**NEW in 2026-2027: Fees will be added to your child's Infinite Campus account after rosters are finalized for each sport/activity. 

Concern with a Coach or Sponsor

Please reach out to the coach or activity sponsor with any concerns. If a meeting is necessary, it's best to have parent and student present for the meeting with the coach/sponsor to get on the same page. If you need further assistance after you've had a meeting, feel free to reach out to Mr. Haws, athletics/activities director for next steps--(jmhaws@ilstu.edu)   

24-Hour Rule

Please do not approach a coach or activity sponsor immediately following a performance or contest. Emotions can be heightened in the moment, and it's best to sleep on it and send an email in the morning.  This will ensure that both sides are able to articulate thoughts clearly and after having time to reflect. 

Athletics Admissions

Admission is charged at HOME games for the following sports: Girls Basketball, Boys Basketball, Volleyball

$3 - Adults

$1 - Seniors & Non-Metcalf Students (K-12)

🐾 FREE admission for Metalf Staff & Students 🐾

Special Events

IESA Postseason events and Conference Showcase events may have different admission fee structures. 

***Buy a family pass for $60***

• Covers all HOME games for immediate family members

• Does not include AWAY games or IESA Postseason Contests

• Does not include other Metcalf activities (see below)

• Payment through TouchNet

• No need to carry a card; your name will be on the pass

Activities Admissions

Tickets are pre-sold for Circus, Fall Play, and Allied Arts (Musical) performances. Those will be made available closer to the time of the event. Family passes are not accepted for these events. 

Metcalf is a member of the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) for Athletics. Each sport is sanctioned to encourage safe and fair opportunities for its participants and member schools. Most activities include a regular season schedule and a postseason schedule known as the IESA State Series.  Postseason contests are often determined by regular season success and the class designation (size of school).

Helpful Links

IESA Home Page 

IESA Calendar

Metcalf does not provide transportation to most after-school athletic contests. Read below for the general guidelines; Administration will review and approve any exceptions on a case-by-case basis. 

No Bus

• Most Games

• Within 30-miles of Metcalf on a weekday

• Weekends, regardless of distance

One-Way Bus

• Games outside 30-mile radius of school on weekdays

• Metcalf provides transportation to contest ONLY

• Parent/Guardian provides or arranges transportation home from event

• Parent sign-out required

• A player must have written permission to go home with another student's family

Activity Bus

• Coaches may be required to drive an activity bus when school buses are not available. 

• Activity Bus fits a driver and 14 additional occupants (15 total)

• Players can be signed out by a parent in lieu of riding the bus home - Coach's Discretion

• A player must have written permission to go home with another student's family

Fan Bus

• For some events, a fan bus may be considered to provide students with an opportunity to support their fellow Wildcats!

• Typically reserved for State-level events (not regionals/sectionals)

• School pays for the bus to state, but if a group wants a fan bus to sectionals, it must be paid for by family donations. 

Other Requests / Additional Info

• Administration will evaluate busing needs on a case-by-case basis. 

• Coaches may request transportation for any event at any time. 

• It is not the responsibility of Metcalf administration to assume a bus is desired or needed for a contest.

• Reasons why a bus request would be declined include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Bus(es) not available

  • Request not submitted in time for a reservation to take place

  • Number of occupants exceeds the capacity of desired vehicles

  • Funding not available

Each sport/activity may vary in terms of what the school/program provides and what is expected from families. If you have any questions, concerns, please reach out to the coach for an individual sport or Mr. Haws - jmhaws@ilstu.edu

Golf

School: None

Family: Competition shirt/pants, shoes, clubs, etc.

Cheer

School: Uniform top & bottom

Family: Shoes, bow, apparel, and any additional undergarments (long-sleeve shirt, spandex, etc.) 

**The school will provide a link for purchasing the additional items that complete the uniform

XC & Track

School: Jersey Top

Family: Shoes, shorts, water bottle, and any athletic undergarments (long-sleeves, leggings, etc)

Softball

School: Jersey Top

Family: Pants, cleats, socks, belt, fielding mask, bat, glove, and any athletic undergarments (long-sleeve shirt, sliding shorts, etc.)

Baseball

School: Helmets, team bats

Family: Pants, cleats, socks, belt, fielding mask, bat, glove, and any athletic undergarments (long-sleeve shirt, sliding shorts, etc.)

**The school will provide a link for purchasing the additional items that complete the uniform (Hat and "Keeper" Jersey)

Girls & Boys Basketball

7th / 8th - 

School: Jersey top and jersey shorts

Family: Shoes and any athletic undergarments* (shirt, knee pads, arm sleeve, etc.)

** Undergarments are NOT required and may need to be color-specific per IESA rules, so please check with a coach before making a purchase. 

5th / 6th - 

School: "Keeper" jersey that the student does not need to return to the school after the season

Family:  Shoes and any athletic undergarments (shirt, knee pads, arm sleeve, etc.)

Volleyball

7th / 8th - 

School: Jersey top

Family: Shoes, shorts/spandex, and any other athletic undergarments* (shirt, knee pads, leggings, etc.)

** Some undergarments may need to be color-specific per IESA rules, so please check with a coach before making a purchase. 

5th / 6th - 

School: "Keeper" jersey that the student does not need to return to the school after the season

Family:  Shoes and any athletic undergarments (shirt, knee pads, leggings, etc.)

WHAT are keeper jerseys?

Jerseys or other uniform pieces that are issued by the school and do not need to be returned after the season

WHY keeper jerseys?

Jersey replacement is a challenge with so many athletic programs to consider, and some sports have more specific guidelines/rules from IESA, while others do not. We are trying to provide a keeper jersey for all 5th/6th grade sports and baseball (baseball due to wear and tear on jerseys, and we'd like for softball to consider this in the near future when their current jerseys are up for replacement). Having a keeper jersey at the 5th/6th level also gives them something to wear with pride throughout the school year, plus they tend to have lower expenses and fewer games, so we believe it's a good use of athletics funds to  cover this cost. Currently, baseball and cheer have keeper items that are required for purchase, but are not covered by the $60 athletic fee. 

Uniform Rotations

The teams that do not have keeper jerseys are subject to a uniform replacement rotation, assuming the funds are available and that the coach works with the athletic director, business manager, and vendor on time to provide new jerseys for the upcoming season. 

2025-2026

• Girls Basketball

• Boys Basketball

2026-2027

• Volleyball

• Cheer

• Recommend Softball moves to keeper jerseys

**If IESA rules are changed for any sport, uniform replacement may be forced outside of the intended rotation.