Athletic Placement Process for Interschool Athletic Program

Parent/Guardian Information
 

The Pine Bush Central School District is subject to the New York State Education Department’s Athletic Placement Process (APP), previously known as the Selection Classification Process, for athletics. The APP is intended only for those students who are truly at a level of physical and emotional maturity, comparable physical size, fitness and sport skill that is appropriate with the level they wish to pursue. The intent of the APP is to provide for students in grades 7 through 12 an instrument that allows them to participate safely at an appropriate level of competition based upon readiness, rather than age and grade. Students do not mature at the same rate and there can be a tremendous range of development differences between students of the same age. The APP is not used to fill positions on teams, provide additional experience, provide a place for junior high students when no modified program is offered, or to reward a student. Instead, it is aimed at the few selected students who can benefit from such placement because of their grade level of readiness. Middle school students who participate on a high school team are not permitted to return to the modified level of that sport.

If your child is mature and an exceptional athlete and is interested in trying out for a high school sport team, please review the steps and process timeline for this program:

1. Parent/Guardian Permission: All students who are to be evaluated must first obtain written parent/guardian permission before any evaluation may begin. The students can obtain the permission form here or from their building nurse.
2. Coaching Recommendation: Request consideration from the sport’s head varsity coach for a signed letter of recommendation. If you are unsure of the head coach, please call the athletic office to obtain their name and email address. The coach may wish to include your child’s physical education teacher in this process if he/she is not familiar with your child. If this recommendation is not obtained, or the coach determines that your child should stay at the modified level, the process stops.
3. Medical Clearance: Once the parent/guardian permission form and the coaching recommendation form are returned, the District Medical Director or the student’s primary care provider will determine the 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. Contact the middle school nurse’s office to find out when physicals are being held at your child’s school. If the student is determined to have attained the appropriate physical maturity level and comparable size for the desired sport and level, the student may proceed to the next step. If the student is determined to not have attained an appropriate physical maturity level for the desired sport and level, the process stops.
4. Physical Fitness Testing: Once all forms (parent/guardian permission form, medical director’s form and the coaching recommendation form) are received by the Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics, a phone call from the athletic office will be made to make an appointment for the physical fitness testing. The President’s Physical Fitness test will be administered to the child, the student must meet the threshold set forth by the NYS Education Department (see chart below for test details). If the student does not meet the requirements of this test based on their age, the process stops. 
5. Qualifications Determination/Try Outs: Only students that have passed all areas of the APP are permitted to try out for a high school team. The students will try out for the sport and level requested. Students who do not make the team, or decide not to complete the tryout session, must return to the modified level of competition.

Sex	Age	Curl Ups (# in one minute)	Shuttle Run (in seconds)	Sit & Reach (in centimeters)	One-mile run (min/sec)	Pull Ups (# completed)	Right Angle Push Ups Every 3 seconds
Males	11	47	10.0	31	7:32	6	26
	12	50	9.8	31	7:11	7	30
	13	53	9.5	31	6:50	7	35
	14	56	9.1	33	6:26	10	37
	15	57	9.0	36	6:20	11	40
Females	11	42	10.5	34	9:02	3	19
	12	45	10.4	36	8:23	2	20
	13	46	10.2	38	8:13	2	21
	14	47	10.1	40	7:59	2	20
	15	48	10.0	43	8:08	2	20

 

Your  child may  be  eligible  to  participate  in a sport outside of his/her  normal  grade  level.  In order to establish  the appropriate eligibility, we must have your permission to begin the APP.

This evaluation is a comprehensive evaluation of your child’s emotional and physical maturity (including height and weight); as well as athletic abilities, physical fitness, and sport-specific athletic skill in relationship to other student athletes at that level.

Physical maturity is determined by the district medical director during a physical exam, using the Tanner Scale. The Tanner Scale requires the inspection of the entire body, including the breasts and genitals. The district does accept Tanner ratings from primary care providers. If your child is evaluated by a primary care provider, please have the provider fill out the attached Physical Maturity Form and return it to the Athletic Director. The district does not accept a history of menarche for girls in place of a physical examination. Upon passing the medical clearance, the student may proceed to the physical fitness and skill assessments. Students must pass all levels in order to meet the requirements of the APP.

If your child successfully meets the requirements of the APP, he/she will be allowed to try out for competitive high school athletics during 7th and/or 8th grade(s), or compete at the modified level if in grades 9-12. Under normal circumstances, a student is eligible for senior high school athletic competition in a sport for only four consecutive seasons, beginning with the student’s entry into the ninth grade. However, by meeting the Athletic Placement Process requirements established by NYSED, your child’s eligibility can be extended to permit:

• Participation during five consecutive seasons in the approved sport after entry into the eighth grade; or
• Participation during six consecutive seasons in the approved sport after entry into the seventh grade.

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.

Please feel free to contact Jennifer Evans, director of Physical Education, Health and Athletics, regarding this program or to discuss any aspect of your child’s athletic placement. If you agree to allow your child’s participation in this program, please sign and return the parental permission form to his office in Pine Bush High School.