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) 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 for the JV or Varsity level. 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 (7 and 8 grade) 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 (7 and 8 grade) who participate on a high school team are not permitted to return to the modified level of that sport. 

If your child is a mature and exceptional athlete, they may be invited to try out for a JV or Varsity team.  This process begins when a Head Varsity Coach recommends a standout student-athlete, which then allows the Athletic Director to officially extend a tryout invitation. To help you navigate what comes next, please review the steps and process timeline outlined below.

1. Invitation: based on the recommendation of the Head Coach, the Athletic Director will send an invitation to register for the JV/Varsity sport.
2. Register for JV/Varsity sport (Arbiter)
3. Parent/Guardian permission form: 7th and 8th grade students invited to tryout for a JV/V team must submit a signed parent/guardian permission form to the Athletic Office. Click here for parent/guardian permission form.
4. The student-athlete participates in the try outs – the selection criteria/process will be applied consistently to all participants.

If the student-athlete is not selected for the JV or Varsity team they are eligible for tryout/participation at the modified level.

Under normal circumstances, a student is eligible for high school athletic competition in a sport for only four consecutive seasons, beginning with the student’s entry into 9th grade. However, by meeting the APP process requirements, established ny NYSED, your child’s eligibility can be extended to permit:

• Participation during five consecutive seasons in the approved sport after entry into the 8th grade; or
• Participation during six consecutive seasons in the approved sport after entry into 7th grade.

It is important for you and your child to understand that, once the requirements are met and if the student-athlete is accepted as a member of the team, they 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 the APP process