Policy 621-R Interscholastic Athletics Regulations

A. The interscholastic athletics program in the Wayzata School District shall provide a well-rounded, well-directed, and supervised program of athletic activities on a competitive basis at all levels.

B. The District shall conduct its various interscholastic athletic activities in full compliance with the rules of the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL), the Lake Conference, and the District 284 Extracurricular and Cocurricular Student Behavior Regulations (524) which shall be provided annually to all student-athletes.

C. The District will strive for excellence in pursuit of producing successful interscholastic athletes and teams.

D. The District is committed to providing qualified coaches within the school staff whenever possible and to provide the necessary program funding within the resources available.

E. The District is committed to providing safe and modern equipment and facilities, and maintaining them at a high level.

F. While participation in high school students in interscholastic athletics is strongly encouraged, varsity and junior varsity teams will be comprised of the most highly skilled athletes in Grades 9-12.

G. For programs with more than two (2) levels of competition, students in Grades 9 and 10 who are identified as highly-skilled athletes may be moved to the varsity or junior varsity teams under the following conditions:

1. A pre-tryout meeting between the District’s Athletic/Activities Director or designee and varsity
head coach will be conducted to identify:

• Total number of participants in program;
• Number of teams;
• A skill position that needs to be filled on a particular team; and
• Circumstance surrounding the tryout of ninth and tenth grade athletes on the varsity and junior varsity teams.

2. Ninth and tenth grade students must have a tryout period of a minimum of five (5) days to be considered for membership on the varsity or junior varsity teams.

3. After the conclusion of the tryout process, if the varsity coach desires to include ninth or tenth grade students on either team, a post-tryout conference will be held between the varsity head coach and the District’s Athletic/Activities Director or designee. After the conference the District’s Athletic/Activities Director or designee will then decide whether to approve membership on those teams. No announcement of any team selections may be made to anyone until after the decision of the District’s Athletic/Activities Director or designee.

H. Participation in the interscholastic athletic program of Wayzata High School is primarily for the benefit of students in Grades 9-12. A seventh or eighth grade student-athlete may be considered as a possible participant at the varsity level in a given sport after meeting the following conditions:

1. The student is identified by a middle school coach and or varsity coach as a possible participant;

2. All members of the eligibility committee, composed of the District’s Athletic/Activities Director or designee, the student’s middle school principal, high school principal or designee and the varsity coach, agree that the move will be beneficial to the student;

3. A committee representative contacts the student’s parents/guardians to advise them of the potential pros and cons of permitting the student to participate at the varsity level;

4. The parent/guardians and the student agree that the participation at the varsity level would be beneficial to the student-athlete; and

5. The “REQUEST FOR AN INDIVIDUAL MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETE TO PARTICIPATE AT HIGH SCHOOL VARSITY LEVEL” form must be completed and approved four (4) weeks prior to each season.

6. All middle school athletes who receive approval from the District Athletic/Activities Director for varsity participation shall undergo a tryout period in which the varsity coach evaluates the athlete's physical, psychological, social, and emotional readiness for competition at the varsity level. This tryout period shall be a minimum of five (5) days and shall not exceed two (2) weeks. At the onclusion of the tryout, the varsity coach will meet with the student-athlete and discuss the anticipated role of the young the student-athlete for the season.

I. Students in Grades 7 and 8 may be considered for participation in a high school program, designated for Grades 9-12, at the non-varsity level if there is full compliance with Paragraph 8; there are positions available on the non-varsity team; and there is adequate coaching staff to accommodate an increased number of participants. This determination will be made by the District’s Athletic/Activities Director or designee.

J. Transportation in special situations is the responsibility of parents. Seventh and eighth grade students must realize that their school obligations and responsibilities cannot be neglected because of membership on high school teams. No dismissal from the school schedule will be allowed for regular
participation in a high school sport. Early dismissals will be allowed, but limited to game days when travel time is needed.

K. Seventh and eighth grade students will compete in their respective schools. If the activity is not offered at their school, they may compete at another middle school provided there is space and adequate coaching personnel.

• Adopted: April 27, 1990
• Amended: July 1, 1992
• Amended: May 8, 1995
• Amended: September 14, 1998
• Amended: August 31, 1999
• Amended: September 13, 2004
• Amended: April 8, 2019
• Last Reviewed: April 8, 2019

• Policy 621 - Interscholastic Athletics