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Eligibility Requirements

Students interested in participating in middle and high school athletics, as well as their parents, should familiarize themselves with these eligibility requirements.

  • A student must be a resident of the school administrative unit in which he or she is assigned.
  • Students must be promoted to the next grade and meet previous semester guidelines to be eligible for fall/winter seasons. Promotion is defined by the N.C. Board of Education as "progressing to the next grade."
  • A student must be an amateur in order to be eligible to participate.
  • A student must not be guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct.
  • If a student is suspended from school, that player will be removed from that team, for that season.
  • The student must receive a medical examination each year (365 days) by a duly licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant, subject to provisions of G.S. 90-9, 90-18.1, and 90-18.2.

Middle School

  • A student shall not participate on a 7th or 8th grade team if he/she becomes 15 years of age on or before August 31st of said school year.
  • A student, upon first entering grade 7, is academically eligible for competition on the 7th and 8th grade middle school interscholastic athletic team during his/her first semester. Students must meet all academic and attendance requirements during the fall semester to be eligible for athletic participation the spring semester.
  • A middle school student who is overage for middle school play shall be eligible for high school participation as long as he/she meets eligibility requirements.
  • Middle school students must pass all courses to maintain eligibility.

High School

  • A student, upon first entering grade nine (9), is academically eligible for competition on high school teams. All requirements must be met the first semester (fall) in order for this student to be eligible for athletic participation the second semester (spring).
  • A student must pass Language Arts and Math, plus two other subjects, one of which must be Science or Social Studies. One unit of electives is equal to two semesters.
     

North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) Requirements


The NCHSAA has established guidelines for athletic participation. Several eligibility rules are listed below. Any student athlete who has questions concerning his/her eligibility for participating in high school sports should check with the Athletic Director or one of the coaches.

Attendance – A player must have been in attendance for at least 85 percent of the previous semester at an approved high school, or in the case of a first-year high school student, at an approved middle school.

Scholastic Requirements – A student must have passed a minimum load of work during the preceding semester to be eligible at any time during the present semester. A minimum load is defined as three courses for school on the block format. All students must also meet local promotion standards.

Eight Semester Rule – No student may participate at the high school level for a period lasting longer than eight consecutive semesters, beginning with the student’s first entry into grade nine or participation on a high school team, whichever occurs first.

Age of Player – For the 2020 - 2021 school year, a student will not be approved for any athletic contest if his or her 19th birthday comes on or before August 31, 2020; (i.e., the student’s date of birth was on or before August 31, 2001). 

Felony Policy – Any student who is convicted of a crime classified as a felony under North Carolina or federal law, or is adjudicated delinquent for an offense that would be a felony if committed by an adult, is not eligible to participate in the NCHSAA sports program.