Guidelines for massanutten middle school athletics

REVISED: June 17, 2014

GUIDELINES FOR MASSANUTTEN MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETICS

Rockingham County Public Schools

Harrisonburg City Schools

2014-2015
Approved by Middle School Principals:

These guidelines are intended to provide general guidance for athletic competitions among the middle schools. The National Federation of State High Schools (NFHS) and its rules provide the guidelines for middle school athletics unless otherwise noted in this document.

A. General Guidelines for All Athletic Competition

1. 
   Like any extra-curricular activity, interscholastic athletics invite students to feel "connected" to their respective schools. Whether the student is a participant or a spectator, his or her sense of belonging, is enhanced by a quality sports program. Above all else, middle school interscholastic athletic programs in Rockingham County and Harrisonburg City seek to promote student participation and sportsmanship. Sportsmanship must be emphasized extensively by coaches, teachers, and administrators.
   

2. 
   At the discretion of school administrators and or coaches, students may not be permitted to participate in athletic events for disciplinary reasons.
   

3. 
   Daily attendance is an important part of student success.  Student athletes shall be in attendance at least one half of the school day in order to participate in events or practice.  Any exception must be approved by the school principal or designee.
   

4. 
   Eighth graders may tryout for the junior varsity team at the high school. If they make the junior varsity team they will be prohibited from playing on the 8^th grade team. If, however, a student gets cut from the junior varsity team he/she must tryout for the 8^th grade team in order to make the 8^th grade team. It is recommended that eighth graders play on the 8^th grade team instead of the junior varsity team at the high schools. Seventh graders must play on the 7^th grade team. Only 7^th and 8^th grade students are eligible to participate in volleyball and basketball unless teams cannot be filled otherwise. Restrictions regarding participation by sixth and seventh graders are contained in each subsection of these guidelines. It is recommended that managers come from the grade level of the team.
   

5. 
   Limitations on athletic practices:
   

1. 
   There will be no more than one practice per day.
   
2. 
   Practices will be limited to two hours.
   
3. 
   Practices will not be held on weekends.
   
4. 
   No more than three voluntary practices will be held during winter vacation and spring break.
   
5. 
   Practices will be canceled in the event that school is dismissed early for inclement weather.
   
6. 
   Student athletes will participate in practices for at least 8 days prior to their first regular-season contest.
   
7. 
   An administrator will be on site during athletic contests.
   

6. 
   Middle school teams should seek to minimize travel time when establishing their respective team schedules.
   

7. 
   Visiting teams should not arrive at the site of the competition prior to 3:20 p.m. Athletic events will begin as scheduled or as soon as possible thereafter as determined by the host school.
   

8. 
   Admission charges for athletic events shall be $2.00 for adults and students. Parents of participating athletes from the home team are allowed free admission to events. All county or city employees with a RCPS or HCPS badge are allowed free admission.
   

9. 
   Final responsibility for establishing sports schedules rests with the school principal or designee. It is recommended that schedules be kept the same for a two-year period, with the second year switching the "homes" and "aways". The master schedule rotation among the four county schools is
   

1. 
   2013-2015 – Wilbur S. Pence Middle School
   
2. 
   2015-2017 – Elkton Middle School
   
3. 
   2017-2019 – J. Frank Hillyard Middle School
   
4. 
   2019-2021 – Montevideo Middle School
   

10. 
    Athletic events can only be scheduled on the last day of semester exams.
    

11. 
    It is the coach’s responsibility to verify each student’s eligibility to participate in any middle school athletic program.
    

All middle school students in the sixth grade are eligible first semester. To be eligible for the second semester a middle school student in the sixth grade must have passed three (3) core subjects the immediately preceding semester. The core subjects are social studies, science, language arts/reading, and mathematics.

To be eligible for the first semester a middle school student in the seventh or eighth grade must have passed three (3) core subjects the immediately preceding year. The core subjects are social studies, science, language arts/reading, and mathematics.
To be eligible for the second semester a middle school student in the seventh or eighth grade must have passed three (3) core subjects the immediately preceding semester. The core subjects are social studies, science, language arts/reading, and mathematics.
In addition to the above academic guidelines, coaches can establish academic and/or behavior standards for their team with the approval of the principal.

12. 
    Students will be eligible to play a maximum of three (3) years or seasons in any middle school sport. In addition, students who are retained in their current grade level will not be eligible to participate for that school year.
    

13. 
    No 16-year-old student will participate on middle school athletic teams. Waivers to this rule must be approved by a unanimous vote of all middle school principals.
    

14. 
    Students should participate on only one athletic team per season. For example, students should not participate in volleyball and cross country in the fall season.
    

15. 
    The host school is responsible for providing Virginia High School League sanctioned officials for all regularly scheduled contests.
    

16. 
    The administrator of the offending school will correct any violation of these rules. The administrator will provide a written summary of the violation along with the corrective measures taken. Copies will be sent to the other middle school principals, the middle level supervisor, and the assistant superintendent for instruction.
    

17. 
    These guidelines shall be reviewed by middle school assistant principals/athletic directors annually and shall be amended as deemed appropriate. The guidelines are to be reviewed annually by building principals.
    

18. 
    The availability of all programs is contingent upon the availability of funds.
    

19. 
    Prior to the first practice/tryouts of any sport, a completed VHSL physical form needs to be turned in. Athletic physicals must be current, having been completed after May 1 of the current year. An athletic physical will be effective through June 30 of that academic year.
    

20. 
    Coaches of individual sports are responsible for reviewing and implementing guidelines specific to their sport.
    

21. 
    At the start of each sporting event, a sportsmanship guideline statement will be read to the spectators in order to promote a positive environment during the event.
    

B. Specific Guidelines Governing Cheerleaders

1. 
   Middle school students are not eligible to participate on high school cheerleading squads.
   
2. 
   Cheer squads will cheer for ALL games, home and away, if the coach and the school agree. Rockingham County cheerleaders will cheer for ALL county away games in addition to their home games. Cheerleaders will change PRIOR to boarding the bus for an away game. The home cheer squad will perform the halftime “show” or cheer. The home school will decide the order for the visiting squad to cheer and which gym the visiting squad will cheer if the school has two gyms. Cheer squads are to be present in the gym during the entire basketball game for which they are cheering. It is recommended that members of the cheer squad sit in the front of the bus and the players sit in the back of the bus when traveling to and from away games.
   

3. 
   The use of "pep buses" to carry large numbers of students to away games is not
   

permitted.

4. 
   7^th grade students will comprise the cheer squad for the 7^th grade basketball season and 8^th grade students will comprise the cheer squad for the 8^th grade basketball season. If interest among the designated grade level is limited, schools may consider allowing a squad of mixed grade levels.
   

5. 
   Standing or sitting on shoulders or weight bearing stunts above shoulder level are prohibited. No student’s feet will ever be at or higher than shoulder level.
   

6. 
   The following stunt moves are not allowed:
   

1. 
   extensions (extended stunts)
   
2. 
   drops
   
3. 
   pendulums with high pops
   
4. 
   pyramids
   
5. 
   basket tosses and pitches
   

7. 
   Stunts require sponsor supervision. Stunts may not be done without mats at practice and the use of mats is encouraged at games, depending on the stunt.
   

8. 
   All stunts must have spotters.
   

C. Specific Guidelines Governing Girls’ Volleyball

1. 
   7^th and 8^th grade girls are eligible to participate on the volleyball team.
   

2. 
   Girls’ volleyball practice may start no earlier than August 11, 2014. Each participant will practice at least 8 days prior to the first regular season game. Coaches should be flexible in working with parents’ late-summer vacation plans. All girls’ volleyball schedules should be completed no later than the beginning of October.
   

3. 
   Officials will enforce all NFHS rules during regular season games.
   

4. 
   A warm up period prior to the game will be a minimum of:
   

1. 
   5 minutes general warm up (both teams)
   
2. 
   4 minutes (visiting team)
   
3. 
   4 minutes (home team)
   
4. 
   2 minutes (serving - both teams)
   

5. 
   Matches shall be three (3) games – with rally scoring being used. The first two games shall be played to 25 points with no cap. The third game will be played to 15 points with no cap. Each team shall be allowed two (2) time outs per game.
   

6. 
   For girls’ volleyball teams, a maximum of 12 games may be scheduled.
   

D. Specific Guidelines Governing Girls’ and Boys’ 7^th Grade Basketball

1. 
   For 7^th grade teams a maximum number of 12 games may be played.
   

2. 
   7^th grade basketball tryouts will begin no earlier than September 29, 2014. Each participant will practice at least 8 days prior to the first regular season game. All 7^th grade basketball schedules should be completed no later than the end of November.
   

3. 
   Officials will enforce all NFHS rules during regular season games.
   

4. 
   For 7^th grade basketball, full-court press is allowed during the last two minutes of the game.
   

6. Quarters will be 6 minutes.

7. 
   Game times for basketball will be determined by the hosting school. Games for the county schools and hosting Harrisonburg schools will begin at 4:00. Games where Harrisonburg travels will begin at 4:30.
   

8. 
   For games where one gym is used, the boys will play first if the game is held on a Tuesday. The girls will play first if the game is held on a Thursday.
   

9. 
   Rescheduling cancelled games will be left up to the schools affected.
   

E. Specific Guidelines Governing Girls’ and Boys’ 8^th Grade Basketball

1. 
   For 8^th grade teams a maximum number of 12 games (not including any end-of-year invitational tournament) may be played plus no more than two pre-season scrimmages. Scrimmages must adhere to the two-hour restriction placed on all practices.
   

2. 
   8^th grade basketball tryouts will begin no earlier than November 21, 2014. Teams will not practice over the Thanksgiving weekend and will resume practice on Monday, December 1^st. Each participant will practice at least 8 days prior to the first regular season game. Voluntary practices over the Winter break should not exceed three days. All 8^th grade basketball schedules should be completed by March 1^st. Schools will have the option to allow 7^th graders to play on the 8^th grade team only if there are not enough 8^th graders trying out. This is not to be used as an option to play only the best players. There should be a minimum of 10 players on the basketball team.
   

3. 
   Officials will enforce all NFHS rules during regular season games.
   

4. 
   Quarters will be 6 minutes.
   

5. 
   Game times for basketball will be determined by the hosting school. Games for the county schools and hosting Harrisonburg schools will begin at 4:00. Games where Harrisonburg travels will begin at 4:30.
   

6. 
   For games where one gym is used, the boys will play first if the game is held on a Tuesday. The girls will play first if the game is held on a Thursday.
   

7. 
   There will be a Saturday tournament at the end of the season held on February 7, 2014, with J. Frank Hillyard hosting the event. Both boys and girls will play on the same day with the times to be determined. No trophy will be awarded.
   

F. Specific Guidelines Governing Wrestling

1. 
   Wrestling practice may begin no earlier than December 1, 2014. All participants will practice at least 8 days prior to their first regular-season match or tournament. All matches and tournaments must be completed by March 1.
   

2. 
   Weight classifications must be sent to respective schools at least one day in advance of a match.
   

3. 
   Actual weigh-ins for each wrestler will be completed at the home school the school day prior to the match. This will allow matches to begin promptly, no later than 4:30 p.m.
   

4. 
   Wrestlers will be paired in accordance with weight classifications that are appropriate for middle school-age students.
   

5. 
   Matches should be organized by weight classes with schools intermingled throughout the match. If each school has more than one wrestler for each weight class, then the respective coaches should provide opportunities for those wrestlers to compete. The layout of the matches should be posted for the athletes, coaches, and spectators. There will be one tri-meet per week.
   

6. 
   No participant may wrestle more than one match within a 30-minute period.
   

7. 
   No participant may wrestle in weight classifications in excess of one weight class above his own weight classification.
   

8. 
   No participant may wrestle in weight classifications in excess of one weight class below the weight class in which he/she was classified at the first match of the season.
   

9. 
   Coaches may use their discretion in setting time limits or periods within each match in order to facilitate participation by as many wrestlers as possible.
   

10. 
    School teams may participate in Saturday tournaments within the County/City. However, all matches will be limited to weekdays.
    

11. 
    Students/parents/coaches that choose to participate in nonscheduled tournaments do not represent Rockingham County Public Schools or Harrisonburg City Schools.
    

12. 
    Wrestling eligibility is extended to all students in grades 6, 7, and 8 with no quota limitations.
    

13. 
    Officials will enforce all NFHS regulations during regular-season matches and tournaments.
    

14. 
    Each middle school will wrestle each other twice (including Thomas Harrison & Skyline Middle Schools). Maximum number of wrestling matches will be nine.
    

G. Specific Guidelines Governing Middle School Track

1. 
   Track and field practice will begin no earlier than March 16, 2015. The season may consist of up to 8 meets. The final meet should be held no later than May 7.
   

2. 
   Students will practice for at least 8 days prior to the first meet. Any student that has participated in a J.V. meet is ineligible to participate in a middle school meet.
   

3. 
   No student may be cut from middle school track except for poor school standing or for other disciplinary reasons.
   

4. 
   Each school’s team will be co-ed.
   

5. 
   Track participants will not be allowed to wear spikes for any events regardless of the event venue.
   

6. 
   The design of events should be appropriate for middle school students’ abilities. Events should not be patterned after high school events. Emphasis should be placed on 10 events that do not require expensive equipment. Events will include: long jump, shot put, 100 meter run, 200 meter run, 400 meter run, 800 meter run, 1600 meter run, 4 x 100 meter relay, 4 x 400 meter relay. In the 4 x 100 co-ed relay each school may enter up two teams per grade level (6^th, 7^th, 8^th) for a total of six possible teams from each school. A school may enter three (3) teams in any relay in a dual meet. Relay teams are age specific only. Middle school track will not include discus.
   

Meet Event Schedule (tentative)

4:00 p.m. First Call

4:15 p.m. Long jump/shot/triple jump

4:15 p.m. 1600 meter

4:45 p.m. 100 meter

5:30 p.m. 400 meter

5:50 p.m. 4X100 meter relay

6:15 p.m. 800 meter

6:35 p.m. 200 meter

6:50 p.m. 4X400 meter relay

7:00 p.m. Coed

7:10 p.m. Meet ends

7. 
   Participants are limited to participating in 2 field events and 2 running events. If the total number of participants from both teams is more than 250 athletes, accommodations to the number of entries will be decided by the coaches to finish the meet in a timely fashion. NOTE: In the District Meet participation in relay races will not count as a running event in terms of individual student participation. Students will be allowed to run two other running events.
   

8. 
   No team scores will be kept; however, it should be the home team’s responsibility to send the individual results to the participating schools.
   

9. 
   There are unlimited entries for dual/tri meets.
   

10. 
    Award ribbons will only be provided at the 6^th Grade Invitational Meet and District Meet to individual winners (1-3) of each event. Host schools are responsible for providing ribbons.
    

11. 
    Where appropriate, NFHS rules should apply and will govern the process for each meet. Deviations from these rules will be at the discretion of the meet director for the purpose of encouraging age-appropriateness of the various events.
    

12. 
    Host schools are responsible for providing sufficient help. Visiting schools should bring an extra tape measure and a stopwatch to the meet. (Please label all equipment) Entries shall be at the host school 2 days prior to each track meet.
    

13. 
    Students retained for more than one grade level must compete in the next age group (as of March 15). If a child is retained more than once, age takes precedence over grade. Age groups are: 8th grade - 15, 7th grade - 14, and 6th grade - 13.
    

14. 
    Use a 6# shot for girls and an 8# shot for boys (not 4k). (Identify your school’s property by painting the school’s initials on the shot.)
    

15. 
    School teams may participate in Saturday invitational meets within the County/City. However, all school meets will be limited to weekdays.
    

16. 
    Students/parents/coaches that choose to participate in nonscheduled invitational meets do not represent Rockingham County Public Schools or Harrisonburg City Schools.
    

17. 
    Schools hosting 6^th Grade Invitational Meet and District Meet:
    

6^th Grade Invitational Meet District Meet
2013-2014 W.S. Pence Middle School Elkton Middle School

2014-2015 J. Frank Hillyard Middle School Thomas Harrison Middle School

2015-2016 Skyline Middle School Montevideo Middle School

2016-2017 Elkton Middle School W.S. Pence Middle School

2017-2018 Thomas Harrison Middle School J. Frank Hillyard Middle School

2018-2019 Montevideo Middle School Skyline Middle School

18. 
    The 7^th/8^th District Meet will run with 7^th and 8^th grade students competing against one another in mixed groups. The 6^th grade Invitational will remain the same.
    

H. Specific Guidelines Governing Middle School Cross Country
1. Cross country practice will begin no earlier than August 11, 2014. Coaches should be flexible in working with parents’ late-summer vacation plans. The season will end the week prior to the high school district meet and may consist of a maximum of 8 meets with no more than two per week. It is optional for Schools to participate in Saturday invitationals and one may be outside of Rockingham County and Harrisonburg City. It is recommended that those wishing to participate in Saturday Invitationals enter as individuals.
2. Students will practice a minimum of 8 days prior to the first meet. The content of practice sessions should be developmentally appropriate for the middle school student.
3. No student may be cut from middle school cross country except for poor school standing

or for other disciplinary reasons. Track participants will not be allowed to wear spikes for

any events regardless of the event venue.
4. Each school’s team will be co-ed and eligibility is extended to all boys and girls in grades 6, 7, and 8.
5. The distance for cross-country races will be two (2) miles. Girls and boys will run in separate races but all grade levels will run together. There will be unlimited entries for all meets sponsored by participating middle schools and all school meets will be limited to weekdays. The meets will begin no later than 5:00 p.m. and the girl’s race will be first followed by the boy’s race.
6. It will be the host team’s responsibility to provide results to the participating schools.
7. Where appropriate, NFHS rules should apply and will govern the process for each meet including the method used for team scoring.
8. Invitational Tournaments may have entry limitations and the race distance may vary.
9. Students/parents/coaches that choose to participate in nonscheduled invitationals do not represent Rockingham County Public Schools or Harrisonburg City Schools.

It is the policy of the Rockingham County School Board to comply with all applicable state and federal laws regarding non-discrimination in employment and educational programs and services. It is an equal opportunity employer and educational agency.
The Rockingham County School Board will not discriminate in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, referral, and other aspects of employment or in educational programs and services on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), gender, marital or economic status, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status and prohibits retaliation against anyone who files a complaint of discrimination, participates in such a proceeding, or otherwise opposes discrimination.
The Harrisonburg City School Board does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, political affiliation, gender, age, disability or marital status. This attitude will prevail in all of its policies concerning staff, students, educational programs and services, and individuals and entities with whom the Board does business. The Harrisonburg City School Board has designated Mr. Andrew E. Ansoorian, One Court Square,

Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801 [phone] as the Compliance Officer responsible for identifying, preventing, and remedying prohibited harassment. Complaints of harassment may also be made to the Alternate Compliance Officer, Ms. Sandi Thorpe, Director of Exceptional Student Services, One Court Square, Harrisonburg, Virginia, 22801 [phone].