Middle School Eligibility & FAQs

Athletic Eligibility

Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), the governing body for all interscholastic sports, requires students to be passing four major subjects or their equivalent. Eligibility is determined every week. Class standing is defined as the grade or mark in a given subject for all work covered from the beginning of the semester or year to date. 

Eligibility is reported weekly from Power School by the Director of Athletics and Student Activities. Teachers are encouraged to maintain up-to-date grades in PowerSchool. The Director of Athletics & Student Activities and/or their Coach will notify any student athletes who are ineligible. 

In order for a boy/girl to compete in interscholastic athletics and all programs defined as co-curricular he/she must fulfill all the regulations and requirements set forth by the P.I.A.A. and the Pottsgrove School District. The major requirements are as follows for all athletes, and students who participate in co-curricular programs, including but not limited to clubs, theater, dance, musical and service programs: 

A. Must be amateurs

1. Cannot play under an assumed name. 

2. Cannot receive money.

3. Cannot sign a contract to play for a professional team. 

B. Must receive a cumulative passing grade in four credits as per Article X, Section I, PIAA - How to Ascertain Class Standing

1. Scholastic eligibility shall be determined by ascertaining the pupil's class standing in each subject, at intervals of one week, during the current marking period. Class standing is defined as the grade or mark in a given subject for all work covered from the beginning of the marking period to the current week in that marking period date. Weekly marks shall be effective for a period of one week from the date of issue. If the official report ad recorded  on the pupil's report card show that a pupil is ineligibile, he/she shall remain ineligibile until his/her back work has been made up, in conformity with the requirements of this article. 

C. How Academic Ineligibility Affects Participation

A student/athlete must have a minimum of a 65% grade for the current marking period in at least 4.0 credit subjects as per the P.I.A.A. Where required, this curriculum or its equivalent must be approved by and conform to the regulations of the State Board of Education and the Pennsylvania School Code, as well as any local policies established by the local School Board. The student must be passing at least 4.0 credit subjects, or the equivalent, Eligibility is cumulative from the beginning of a grading period, must be reported on a weekly basis, where a student’s cumulative work from the beginning of the grading period does not as of any Friday meet the minimum standards, the student is ineligible from the immediately following Sunday through Saturday immediately following the next Friday as of which the students cumulative work from the beginning of the grading period.

Academic Eligibility 

Should a student become academically ineligible, the following course of action will be taken:

If a student becomes academically ineligible, the following guidelines apply:

• First Week of Ineligibility: Students may attend practices but may not participate in competitions.
• Second Week of Ineligibility: Students may continue attending practices but remain ineligible for competitions. This applies to consecutive or cumulative weeks during the same athletic season.
• Third Week of Ineligibility: Students will be suspended from the team to focus on improving their academic standing. This applies to consecutive or cumulative weeks during the same athletic season.
• Additional Ineligibility: Any additional period of ineligibility during the same athletic season, whether consecutive or cumulative, will result in dismissal from the athletic team.

Participation in Contests During Academic Ineligibility

A student-athlete who is academically ineligible may not participate in contests. The following restrictions also apply:

• Students will not be dismissed early from school to attend contests.
• Students may attend home contests after completing the regular school day and any required academic assistance.
• Students may not wear a game uniform but may wear their team jersey.
• Students may attend away contests by riding the team bus if they completed the regular school day and were not dismissed early for the event.
• Students may not wear a game uniform but may wear their team jersey.
• Students who are academically ineligible may not participate in contests from Sunday through the following Saturday.

D. How Attendance Affects Athletic Eligibility and Participation (Article III, Section II)

Contests: A student who has been absent from school for a total of 20 or more school days during a semester is not eligible to participate in athletic contests until they have attended school for 45 school days following their twentieth day of absence.

• Exceptions may be granted for absences due to the death of an immediate family member or a confining illness or injury. These exceptions may be waived by the PIAA District One Committee at a hearing.

Practices: 

• Students may continue to practice during the period of ineligibility due to excessive absences.
• Students must attend school on the day of a game or practice.
• Any exception requires prior approval from both the Principal and the Director of Athletics.
• Middle school student-athletes must be in school by 8:30 a.m. to participate that day.
• If the school nurse sends a student home, the student may not participate in athletics that day.
• Doctor appointments are acceptable reasons for tardiness; however, appointment documentation must be presented to both the attendance office and the athletic office before the practice or event.

F. Period of Time After 8th Grade, Participation, and Grade Repetition (Article VIII)

A student's athletic eligibility extends only through the end of their fourth consecutive year after completing eighth grade. Students who repeat eighth grade will be ineligible to participate as seniors.

Students may participate in:

• A maximum of six (6) seasons in each sport during grades 7–12.
• A maximum of four (4) seasons in each sport during grades 9–12.
• A maximum of three (3) seasons in each sport during grades 7–9.

G. Student Athlete Behavior Expectations

Behavior unbecoming a participant / athlete, could result in the Athletic Director/Principal revoking the privilege of a student to participate in an athletic event.

Discipline and Athletic Participation

All discipline infractions are subject for review, however the following actions have been agreed upon by the athletic department and building administration:

1. If a student is suspended (OSS/ISS) they may not attend athletics on the days assigned.
2. If a student receives detention, they are not permitted to attend athletics on the day assigned.
3. If a student is sent to the reflection room:
   1. The student may attend athletics for the first 2 offenses during the same season.
   2. After the 3rd offense, and for each subsequent offense, the student will be unable to attend athletics for that day. 
   3. If a student is sent to the reflection room multiple times in the same day (2 or more), they are unable to attend athletics for that day.
   4. Absences from athletics, due to school discipline, will be considered unexcused. 
   5. If a student is attending GROVE Academy, then they will be unable to participate in school-sponsored co-curricular activities until completion is successfully fulfilled.

H. Age Eligibility

If a student turns the age of 19 on or after July 1st, the student shall be eligible to compete in athletics through that school year.

I. Equipment Return

Student-athletes must return all equipment issued for each sport before participating in the next athletic season. For example, football equipment must be returned before a student may participate in wrestling.