The New York State Education Department and the New York State Public High School Athletic Association endorse an Athletic Placement system whereby middle school students can qualify for high school athletic programs after a screening process to determine physical maturity, fitness and skill.

The Irvington Union Free School District Policy 7412 provides student-athletes in grades 7-12 an opportunity to participate at an appropriate level of competition based on readiness rather than age or grade with certain restrictions listed below.

• No seventh or eighth grade student will be allowed to participate on a high school team if there are high school students being cut from that particular program. However, middle school athletes who passed the APP and made a team in 7th grade are exempt from this rule in 8th grade, pending a successful tryout.
• A seventh grade student will only be allowed to select and classify up to the varsity level in non-contact sports that do not offer a JV program (i.e., swimming, track, golf).
• In contact sports, the seventh grade student may only classify up to the JV level.
• Eighth grade students may select and classify up to either the JV or varsity level upon meeting the State and district criteria. 

The following stages layout the process of the APP. Students must pass each stage of the APP before proceeding to the next stage, and pass all stages in order to meet the requirements of the APP. 

STAGE 1
Parent/Guardian permission is granted by acknowledging the agreements set forward in FamilyID.

STAGE 2
Once permission has been received, students deemed socially/emotionally ready will then be evaluated for physical maturity, including height and weight, in relationship to other student-athletes at that level. Physical maturity is reviewed and determined by the District Medical Director, using Tanner Scale ratings provided by private medical providers. The Tanner Scale requires the inspection of the entire body, including the breasts and genitals.

STAGE 3
A student who has been found to attain the appropriate physical maturity level and comparable physical size for the desired sport and level shall complete; 

(a) a sport skill evaluation conducted by the coach of the team for which the student desires to try out; the evaluation will include, as appropriate, consideration of past observations of the student engaging in that sport, input from the student’s former coaches, and/or observation of the student in physical education class, and 

(b) a completion of a physical fitness test administered by a certified physical education teacher who is not a coach of the sport for which the student will be trying out.  The student’s physical fitness must meet or exceed the requirements set forth in the APP.  

Upon successful completion of all components of these tests, the student-athlete shall be eligible to try-out for the high school interscholastic team for which the student-athlete has been approved, at the level for which he/she has been approved, and in accordance with Policy 7412.

A student-athlete who tries out for a high school team and is not selected may play on the modified team in that sport.

It is important for you and your child to understand that, once the requirements are met and if he/she is accepted as a member of the team, he/she cannot return to a lower-level team (modified) in that sport in that season. Remember, at the higher level of play your child will be exposed to the social atmosphere that is common among older students in a high school environment. Therefore, it is important to take into account your child’s ability to handle the additional demands.

Reminder, in order for your child to be eligible to participate in the sport selected outside of his or her normal grade level, we must have your permission to begin the APP. 

A student-athlete who tries out for a high school team and is not selected may play on the modified team in that sport. As per State and Section I Regulations, the tryout period may not exceed 3 days for middle school athletes. If a middle school athlete participates in a 4th day of practice with a Varsity or JV team they must remain at the High School level for the duration of the season. 

It is important for you and your child to understand that, once the requirements are met and if he/she is accepted as a member of the team, he/she cannot return to a lower-level team (modified) in that sport in that season. Remember, at the higher level of play your child will be exposed to the social atmosphere that is common among older students in a high school environment. Therefore, it is important to take into account your child’s ability to handle the additional demands.

In order for your child to be eligible to participate in the sport selected outside of his or her normal grade level, we must have your permission to begin the APP. If you agree to allow your child’s participation in this program, please click the Register Now Button powered by FamilyID below and register your child.