Middle School Athletic Eligibility Requirements

Scholastic Requirements

A. To be eligible to participate in interscholastic athletics, a student must be in good academic standing. A student shall be deemed to be in good academic standing under the following circumstances:

i. The student attended at least 85 percent of the total number of instructional days in the PSU during the previous semester.

ii. The student passed at least 70 percent of the courses taken in the preceding semester; Meaning a student has to pass 5 out of 6 classes to be eligible to participate in a middle school sport.

iii. The student is making sufficient progress toward meeting the academic and curricular requirements of the PSU and the State Board of Education to be promoted to the next grade level or to graduate within the next calendar year.

B. Within eight days (excluding Saturday and Sunday) of the last day of the first semester, a principal shall verify the grades of all students participating in interscholastic athletics. If a student meets all local and State Board academic eligibility requirements at the end of the semester, the student may resume participation in interscholastic athletics for the following semester.

C. For the purpose of determining good academic standing during the fall semester, a student may count any course that the student passed in a summer school session toward the total number of courses passed in the preceding spring semester. The summer school course shall not affect the total number of courses attempted in the preceding spring semester.

D. A student who is promoted from Grade 5 to Grade 6 shall be deemed to have satisfied the requirements set forth in this Paragraph to participate in the first semester of Grade 6.

E. It is the responsibility of the school principal to check the academic status of each student/athlete enrolled in school at the beginning and close of a semester.

F. A student that is "academically eligible” or "academically ineligible” at the beginning of any semester, that status is retained throughout the full semester.

G. It is recommended the student be in school the day of a contest.

3.1.7 Age Requirements

A. Each PSU shall determine the age of a student participating in interscholastic athletics based on a preponderance of the evidence known to the PSU.

B. A student who is ineligible to participate at one grade level due to age shall be eligible to participate at the next higher grade level only, provided that a student:

i. Shall be eligible to participate at the high school level for no more than eight consecutive semesters, beginning with the student's initial entry into Grade 9. 2025-2026 Middle/Junior High School Athletic Manual 11

ii. Shall not participate on a middle school team if the student becomes 15 years of age before August 31 of that school year.

iii. Shall not participate on a junior high school team if the student becomes 16 years of age on or before August 31 of that school year.

iv. Shall not participate on a high school team if the student becomes 19 years of age on or before August 31 of that school year.

C. A student in the 6th Grade shall not participate in any middle school sport for Onslow County School System.