Advanced Placement

For Middle School Students Trying Out for a JV/Varsity Sport

The Athletic Placement Process (APP) is a program for evaluating students who want to participate in sports at higher or lower levels, as approved by the Board of Regents as a part of the school eligibility rules in 1980, and is aligned with Learning Standards 1 and 2. Commissioner’s Regulation Section 135.4(c)(7)(ii)(a)(4)states: A Board of Education may permit pupils in grades no lower than seventh to compete on any senior high school team, or permit senior high pupils to compete on any teams in grades no lower than seventh, provided the pupils are placed at levels of competition appropriate to their physiological maturity, physical fitness, and skills in relationship to other pupils on those teams in accordance with standards established by the Commissioner. These standards state that students will have the necessary knowledge and skills to establish and maintain physical fitness, participate in physical activity, maintain personal health, and acquire both the knowledge and ability to create and maintain a safe and healthy environment.

To begin the Advanced Placement Process, the student athlete must first be invited by the Varsity coach. Information regarding the APP will then be emailed to the parent/guardian from Athletics.
The student athlete must be registered on FamilyID for the sport that they are trying out for.
A parent permission form must be completed, signed and returned to the Athletic Department Office. Even if an athlete played on a JV or Varsity team last year or during another season this past year, a new permission form must be completed for each season. A permission form is available on the Athletic Dept. website. The parent permission form will also be emailed to the parent/guardian of the student athlete who is invited to tryout by Athletics in the notification email.
Once the permission form has been submitted to the Athletic Department, please call the nurse’s office (ext 1212) to schedule an appointment to see the school doctor for a maturation physical.
The student will also need to pass a fitness test which will be scheduled before tryouts begin. The dates and times will be emailed to the parent/guardian.
Parents/guardians will be notified if the student has passed or did not pass the APP. Passing the APP and FamilyID approval allows the student to then try-out for the indicated sport. Passing the APP does not guarantee Varsity or JV team play.
If cleared all athletes must be in attendance the first day of the season in order to try out for a JV or Varsity sport.

Please note that students eligibility for high school sports starts when a middle school student plays on a high school team. For a 7th grader, they will have 6 years of eligibility and for an 8th grader, 5 years of total eligibility.

Physical Maturity Chart

Recommended Tanner Scores for the Athletic Placement Process

Males

Approved Sport	Freshman	JV	Varsity
Archery	2	2	2
Badminton	2	2	2
Baseball	2	3	3
Basketball	2	3	4
Bowling	2	2	2
Competitive Cheerleading	2	3	4
Cross Country	2	3	3
Fencing	2	2	2
Field Hockey	2	3	4
Football	2	3	4
Golf	2	2	2
Gymnastics	2	3	3
Ice Hockey	2	3	4
Lacrosse	2	3	4
Rifle	2	2	2
Skiing (Downhill)	2	3	4
Soccer	2	3	4
Softball	2	3	3
Swim/Diving	2	3	3
Tennis	2	3	3
Track & Field	2	3	3
Volleyball	2	3	3
Wrestling	2	3	4

Females

Approved Sport	Freshman	JV	Varsity
Archery	2	2	2
Badminton	2	2	2
Baseball	3	4	4
Basketball	3	4	5
Bowling	2	2	2
Competitive Cheerleading	3	4	5
Cross Country	3	4	4
Fencing	2	2	2
Field Hockey	3	4	5
Football	3	4	5
Golf	2	2	2
Gymnastics	3	4	4
Ice Hockey	3	4	5
Lacrosse	3	4	5
Rifle	2	2	2
Skiing (Downhill)	3	4	5
Soccer	3	4	5
Softball	3	4	4
Swim/Diving	3	4	4
Tennis	3	4	4
Track & Field	3	4	4
Volleyball	3	4	4
Wrestling	3	4	5

Physical Fitness Test Instructions

1. Curl Ups

This activity measures abdominal strength and endurance.

Curl-ups Testing

Here’s what you do:

Have the student lie on a cushioned, clean surface with knees flexed and feet about 12 inches from buttocks. A partner holds the feet.
Make sure the arms are crossed with hands placed on opposite shoulders and elbows held close to chest.
Keeping this arm position, the student raises the trunk, curling up to touch elbows to thighs, and then lowers the back to the floor so that the scapulas (shoulder blades) touch the floor, for one curl-up.
To start, a timer calls out the signal “ Ready? Go!” and begins timing the student for one minute. The student stops on the word “Stop.

Curl-ups Tip

Instruct helpers to count aloud the number of repetitions.

Curl-ups Scoring

“Bouncing” off the floor is not permitted. The curl-up should be counted only if performed correctly.

2. Shuttle Run

This activity measures speed and agility.

Testing

Here’s what you do:

Mark two parallel lines 30 feet apart and place two blocks of wood or similar objects behind one of the lines.
Student starts behind the opposite line. On the signal “Ready? Go!” the student runs to the blocks, picks one up, runs back to the starting line, places the block behind the line, runs back and picks up the second block, and runs back across the starting line.

Tips

Be sure the participants understand the importance of running through the finish line. Participants should perform this activity on a gym floor or other appropriate surface.

Scoring

Blocks should not be thrown across the lines. Scores are recorded to the nearest tenth of second.

3. One Mile Run/Walk

This activity measures heart/lung endurance.

Testing

Here’s what you do:

On a safe, one-mile distance, students begin running on the count “Ready? Go!”
Walking may be interspersed with running. However, the students should be encouraged to cover the distance in as short a time as possible.

Tips

Use a large enough running area so that no more than eight laps are necessary to complete a mile. Help participants learn proper pacing for the mile by having them run at the mile pace for short distances during warm-up time.

Scoring

Always review students’ health status before administering this test. Give students ample instruction on how to pace themselves. Allow them to practice running this distance against time, as well as sufficient time for warming up and cooling down before and after the test. Times are recorded in minutes and seconds.

4. Pull-ups

This activity measures upper body strength and endurance.

Pull-ups Testing

Here’s what you do:

The student hangs from a horizontal bar at a height the student can hang from with arms fully extended and feet free from the floor, using either an overhand grip (palms facing away from body) or underhand grip (palms facing toward body). Small students may be lifted to the starting position.
The student raises his/her body until chin clears the bar and then lowers his/her body to the full-hang starting position. The student performs as many correct pull-ups as possible.

Pull-ups Tips

Spend as little time hanging from the bar beforehand as possible because the extra time on the bar mayreduce the number of pull-ups performed. Discourage any leg kicking or body swinging, as this may also decrease the number of repetitions.

Pull-ups should be done in a smooth rather than jerky motion. Kicking or bending the legs is not permitted and the body must not swing during the movement.

5. V-sit Reach

This activity measures flexibility of the lower back and hamstrings.

V-sit Reach Testing

Here’s what you do:

A straight line two feet long is marked on the floor as the baseline.
A measuring line four feet long is drawn perpendicular to the midpoint of the baseline, extending two feet on each side and marked off in half-inches. The point where the baseline and measuring line intersect is the “0” point.
Student removes his/her shoes and sits on floor with measuring line between his/her legs and the soles of his/her feet placed directly behind the baseline, with the heels 8-12 inches apart.
With hands on top of each other, palms down, the student places them on measuring line.
With the legs held flat by a partner, the student slowly reaches forward as far as possible, keeping fingers on the measuring line and feet flexed.
After three practice tries, the student holds the fourth reach for three seconds while that distance is recorded.

V-sit Reach Tip

Participants are most flexible after a warm-up run. Best results may occur immediately after performing the endurance run.

V-sit Reach Rules

Legs must remain straight with soles of feet held perpendicular to the floor (feet flexed). Students should be encouraged to reach slowly rather than “bounce” while stretching. Scores, recorded to the nearest half inch, are read as plus scores for reaches beyond baseline, minus scores for reaches behind baseline.

Sit and Reach Testing

Here’s what you do:

You’ll need a specially constructed box with a measuring scale marked in centimeters, with 23 centimeters at the level of the feet.

Scores

Required for the Athletic Placement Process

*Choose one score from V-sit Reach and Sit & Reach, as well as one score from 1 mile walk/run and Pull-ups.

Males

Age	Curl-Ups # in one minute	Shuttle Run Seconds	V-sit Reach* Inches	Sit & Reach* Centimeters	1 Mile-Walk/Run* min/sec	Pull-Ups* # completed	Right Angle Push-ups # every 3 secs.
11	47	10.0	4.0	31	7:32	6	26
12	50	9.8	4.0	31	7:11	7	30
13	53	9.5	3.5	31	6:50	7	35
14	56	9.1	4.5	33	6:26	10	37
15	57	9.0	5.0	36	6:20	11	40

Females

Age	Curl-Ups # in one minute	Shuttle Run Seconds	V-sit Reach* Inches	Sit & Reach* Centimeters	1 Mile-Walk/Run* min/sec	Pull-Ups* # completed	Right Angle Push-ups # every 3 secs.
11	42	10.5	6.5	34	9:02	3	19
12	45	10.4	7.0	36	8:23	2	20
13	46	10.2	7.0	38	8:13	2	21
14	47	10.1	8.0	40	7:59	2	20
15	48	10.0	8.0	43	8:08	2	20

Permission Letter

There is a New York State Education Department (NYSED) program that permits physically and emotionally appropriate students to try out for an athletic team that is outside of their grade placement. It is called the Athletic Placement Process (APP).

Your child (name):_____________, (Grade): ____________ may be eligible to participate in the sport of outside of his or 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/does not accept Tanner ratings from private medical providers. The district does/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:

5. participation during five consecutive seasons in the approved sport after entry into the eighth grade; or

6. 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 me 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 my office.

Parent/Guardian Statement

I have read the attached letter and I understand the purpose and eligibility implications of the Athletic Placement Process.

My son/daughter (name): ____________________ has my permission to undergo the evaluation process and to participate in this program. I understand that the determination of physical maturity is a private examination involving inspection of breasts and genitals and will be done by a licensed school health professional, and I give my permission for the examination. Upon passing the medical clearance, he/she may proceed to the physical fitness and skill assessments. I understand that passing the evaluation process does not guarantee my child a position on a team, but only permits them to try out.

Click the preview below to download the parent permission form for Advanced Placement in Athletics/

PermissionForm-AdvancedPlacementAthletics (PDF)

In This Section

Advanced Placement

For Middle School Students Trying Out for a JV/Varsity Sport

Physical Maturity Chart

Males

Females

Physical Fitness Test Instructions

1. Curl Ups

Curl-ups Testing

Curl-ups Tip

Curl-ups Scoring

2. Shuttle Run

Testing

Tips

Scoring

3. One Mile Run/Walk

Testing

Tips

Scoring

4. Pull-ups

Pull-ups Testing

Pull-ups Tips

5. V-sit Reach

V-sit Reach Testing

V-sit Reach Tip

V-sit Reach Rules

Sit and Reach Testing

Scores

Males

Females

Permission Letter

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Links & Resources