Athletic Eligibility
Eligibility for Participation in Middle School Interscholastic Sports is governed by the Florida High School Athletics Association and the School District of Manatee County Board Policies. Each coach will be responsible for checking the rules and regulations, which affect the eligibility of his/her athletes. Each coach must see that his/her squad eligibility list is submitted to the Athletic Director two weeks prior to the first game of the season, at which time the list is due to the Director of Secondary Schools.
All names must be spelled correctly on the eligibility list. Nicknames are not allowed. It is the duty of each coach to see that the names of all athletes on his/her squad are listed on the eligibility form.
To be eligible for participation in interscholastic athletics, the student:
Additional Requirements for Participation:
All names must be spelled correctly on the eligibility list. Nicknames are not allowed. It is the duty of each coach to see that the names of all athletes on his/her squad are listed on the eligibility form.
To be eligible for participation in interscholastic athletics, the student:
- Must be regularly enrolled and in regular attendance at school. A home education student must submit a written declaration of his/her intention to participate in athletics to the school at which the student would be permitted to participate prior to the first day of practice (the public school to which the student would be assigned according to district school attendance area policies or as approved through school choice policies and procedures).
- Must carry a normal class load, maintain satisfactory classroom work (minimum 2.0 grade point average on previous quarter s report card) and maintain a satisfactory conduct record (no more than one 4 in Citizenship on the previous quarter s report card).
- Must be less than 15 years 9 months of age. On the day a student reaches this age, regardless of when that day is, the student becomes ineligible to participate on the middle school level.
- Must obtain signed permission from his/her parents or guardian on a form provided by the school.
- Must undergo a pre-participation physical evaluation and be certified as being physically fit for participation in interscholastic athletics. The physical evaluation is valid for one year from the date that it was administered, after which time the student must successfully undergo another physical evaluation in order to continue participation. The annual physical must be administered by either a licensed physician, a licensed osteopathic physician, a licensed chiropractic physician or a certified advanced registered nurse practitioner, and shall be valid for a period not to exceed one calendar year from the date of the practitioner s signature. Sports physicals should be dated after June 1; otherwise, on the date that the physical expires (one year from the date that it was administered), the student will immediately become ineligible for participation.
- Must fill out School Insurance of Florida paperwork. This can be mailed in or completed online. Students must also pay a $32.00 fee to the School Insurance. Paperwork must be obtained from Coach or Athletic Director at the child's school.
- Must be an amateur. This means that the student must not accept money, gift or donation for participating in a sport, or use a name other than his/her own when participating.
- Must display good sportsmanship and follow the rules of competition before, during and after every contest in which the student participates. If not, the student may be barred from participation for a period of time.
- Must not provide false information to gain eligibility.
Additional Requirements for Participation:
- A student may not participate if serving an out of school suspension the day of competition.
- A student must attend a minimum of one half of a day of school to practice or participate in an athletic contest.
- All participants must have appropriate paperwork (physical form, parent consent form, and Insurance form) on file in the athletic director's office before the beginning of practice. Before a student is permitted to draw equipment, practice or play in an interscholastic contest(s), the student must have a medical examination and parent consent form completed, signed, and on file with the coach, with a copy of each filed in the Athletic Director s office.
- A student transferring into a school must meet eligibility requirements. The student cannot take the spot of an existing team player on the roster.
- Students are selected for the teams at the discretion of the coach.