Consistent with New York State Education Department regulations, the district adopted an Athletic Placement Process (APP), effective with the 2015-16 school year. This takes the place of the former Selective Classification Process and is the mechanism to provide for students in grades 7-12 to safely participate at an appropriate level of competition based upon readiness rather than age and grade. This includes certain middle school students who qualify to participate at a higher level.
Middle school students often participate in the modified sports program. More information on that program is provided below.
The Athletic Placement Process was designed to address concerns and research about physical fitness and maturity in a comprehensive manner and help school districts ensure that students have the physiological maturity, physical fitness, and skill level in relationship to other students at the desired level of competition.
The Athletic Placement Process
Beginning in the fall season of 2015, the Athletic Placement Process (APP) will be used to advance students to the high school athletic program. Students in 7th grade will be evaluated through the APP. Students in 8th grade who have not been Selectively Classified for a sport in the previous year will be processed through the APP. Students in 8th grade who had been advanced to a higher level through the Selection Classification process in the previous year will not need to be re-evaluated if they remain at the same level of athletic competition in the same sport. If a student changes levels of the sport, the APP will be followed.
There are no waivers. If a student does not meet the maturation or physical fitness test, the process stops; the student cannot go any further. The athletic administrator should confirm that the student would participate in at least 50% of the games, is performing at or above grade level academically, and has the emotional readiness to socialize with high school-aged students. If the student is not academically or socially ready, the student should not proceed through APP.
The district medical director will determine a student’s physical maturity level and compare the physical size of the student in relation to that of the students against whom the student wishes to compete. If the student is determined to have attained the appropriate physical maturity level and comparable physical size for the desired sport and level, the student may proceed to the next step. The President’s Physical Fitness Test has been selected as the test for this process, and the student must meet the 85th percentile level for their age in 4 out of 5 test components. If the student does not meet 4 of the 5, the student cannot proceed in the process.
Modified Program Philosophy
This program is available to all students in the seventh, eighth and ninth grades between the ages of 12 to 15. A student reaching age 16 during a sports season many complete that season and must play freshmen, junior varsity or varsity the next sports season. Sport activities offered are determined by the existence of leagues, student interest, and the relationship to the high school program. At this level, the focus is on learning athletic skills and game rules, fundamentals of team play, socio-emotional growth, physiologically appropriate demands on the adolescent body and healthy competition.
The modified program is designed to offer students the opportunity to engage in a more highly organized competitive experience than what is found in intramural/extramural programs but not as involved as those found in varsity and junior varsity interscholastic competition. It is expected that a competitive program such as this will not always guarantee each member equal participation in contests. At the same time, each student who is eligible to play must play in each contest.
If you have any questions, please call Director of Physical Education and Athletics Larry Gillooley at (518) 382-2511, ext. 21760.