Potsdam Central School District Athletic Placement Process

Step 1: Parental Consent

Parents or guardians must first provide written consent, acknowledging that they understand the physical and emotional demands of participating in high school sports. This is a necessary step before any evaluations can take place.

Step 2: Physical Fitness Evaluation

The student undergoes a physical fitness assessment, typically conducted by the school’s Athletic Director or Physical Education Teacher. This assessment includes tests to evaluate strength, flexibility, and overall physical readiness for high school athletics.

The goal is to determine whether the student is physically mature enough to safely participate in high school sports.

Step 3: Skill Evaluation

The student’s athletic skills are evaluated by the coaching staff for the specific sport. Coaches assess the student’s ability to perform at a level required for high school competition. This includes assessing technical skills, game understanding, and overall performance in practice or tryouts.

Step 4: Academic Evaluation

The student must also meet certain academic standards to ensure they can manage the demands of both school and sports. This typically involves reviewing the student’s current grades and academic record.

Step 5: Committee Review

After the physical fitness and skill evaluations, the school forms a committee to review all the results. This committee typically includes the athletic director, coaches, school administrators, and possibly medical personnel.

The committee will assess the student’s readiness for high school-level sports based on the evaluations and determine if the student can safely and competently participate.

Step 6: Approval by the Sectional Athletic Association

Once the school committee approves the student, the decision is forwarded to the Sectional Athletic Association (governing body for sports in the region). The Sectional Association will review the decision and provide final approval.

If approved, the student is officially eligible to participate in high school sports.

Step 7: Participation

If the student receives final approval, they can join the high school team and participate in practices, games, and competitions, just like any other high school athlete.