Start of Athletic Practice for the Fall Sports Season Approaching
July 14, 2011 - Summer break for Wake County's student athletes will soon be over.
The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) set July 30 as the first day for tryouts and practice for high school students. Middle school athletic teams start practice on Aug. 25.
"July 30 is a Saturday, so some of our high school sports may not start on that day, but students and parents will want to check with their individual schools to make sure," said Bobby Guthrie, senior administrator for athletics for the Wake County Public School System. "The middle schools cannot have official practice or tryouts prior to Aug. 25, but once Aug. 25 hits, their fall sports season is officially underway."
In the fall, high schools offer football, boys' soccer, cross country, cheerleading and girls' volleyball, tennis and golf. At the middle school level, seventh- and eighth-grade students can choose to participate in football, cheerleading, girls' soccer and girls' volleyball.
Coming off a record setting year that saw WCPSS athletic teams win 13 NCHSAA state championships, Guthrie said he is excited about the start of another sports season.
"In addition to those 13, we also won the state championship in gymnastics and won two Cheerleading Coaches Association state championships in cheerleading," he said. "Last year was a phenomenal year, and I can't wait to see what we’ll accomplish this year."
There are no fees for students to participate in any WCPSS athletic activity; however, students must meet all eligibility requirements prior to the first tryout/practice date to be eligible to participate.
One change this year is the date used to determine eligibility based on the athlete's age. In the past, the date was Oct. 16. Now, middle school students who turn 15 and high school students who turn 19 on or before Aug. 31 are not eligible to participate.
Other eligibility requirements include a medical examination and academic and attendance guidelines. Students and parents can find a complete list of the eligibility requirements for both middle school and high school athletes online in the Athletics Resource Center.
As practices get underway this summer, the coaches and athletic trainers will be keeping a close eye on the temperature and humidity levels. WCPSS follows hot weather guidelines developed by the Sports Medicine Commission of the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.
"Safety is very important to us," Guthrie said. "We measure wet bulb temperature – it's a combination of heat and humidity. Every school monitors it every 30 minutes."
The schools use a chart that spells out what precautions must be taken and the hydration schedule for various wet bulb temperature readings.
Along with the hot weather guidelines, the Athletics Resource Center also contains additional information for ways student athletes can deal with the hot weather including recommendations for fluid replacement and signs and symptoms of heat problems.
"When it's hot and humid outside, athletes need to be hydrating before and after exercise – not just during practice," Guthrie said. "They need to constantly be replacing their fluid supply."
Last year WCPSS had approximately 16,000 high school students and 6,000 middle school students participate in interscholastic athletics. Guthrie said the number of student athletes in our district has risen sharply over the past few years – a trend he hopes to see continue.
"Being involved in athletics has so many benefits," he said. "It's a great way to get in shape, and it has been proven that students involved in athletics have higher GPAs and attendance rates. Plus, there’s just something really special about participating for your school. Being a part of a team for your school is so valuable in so many ways."
You can find more details on eligibility, conference data, sports medicine information and other pertinent information for both high school and middle school athletics online at www.wcpss.net/athletics/.