Advanced Placement Process (APP)
Subscribe to our NewsletterADVANCED PLACEMENT PROCESS
The purpose of the statewide Advanced Placement Process (APP) is to determine the level of physical fitness students have when compared to older athletes that will be competing in high school programs. If your daughter is seeking to be part of a junior varsity or varsity high school team, a fitness test, along with a physical examination, will determine whether the appropriate level of physical development has evolved in relation to similar levels of older students (tanner test). Students must pass all required parts in order to be eligible for a tryout and to ensure the safety of their participation. Note: the school doctor must give the physical examination for this opportunity.
This program is designed for the exceptional athlete in that the specific talent and conditioning level would need to be well above the level of the average for athletes of a similar age. It is not intended to help schools fill out high school rosters or give kids a head start for the sake of early involvement.
Parents can expect students to be asked to complete 4 to 5 parts of the test, depending on the high school team they are seeking to join. Tests include Curl-ups, Shuttle run, V-sit or Sit & Reach, 1 Mile Run, and Pull-ups or Right Angle push-ups. Athletes may be given a second chance at part of the test where they are close enough to achieve the needed score. It is not possible for athletes to be given as many chances as they wish.
Parents are cautioned that even though an athlete may be physically ready, it does not mean that he/she may be emotionally or socially ready to handle the normal stress of competition, or have the ability to mix with older athletes. Even though coaches set the stage for assimilation of younger students into the team structure, the younger athletes must be comfortable within this environment. Should this not be a natural adjustment, it is recommended that the athlete remain at the district's modified level or wait until high school. This decision must be made during the first 3 to 5 days of upper level practice as required by state modified rules.
A parent permission form is required to complete the selective classification process. Both parents and athletes are asked to take the time to read the state and athletic rules before signing.
APP GUIDELINES - FORMS NEED TO BE IN BY FEBRUARY 29
**IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR ALL 7TH AND 8TH GRADE ATHLETES**
The NYS Education Department has instituted the Athletic Placement Process (APP) to determine eligibility for middle school students to participate on any
NYSPHSAA high school sports team.
This process is based primarily on physical maturity and development and does not initially take into account an individual student-athlete’s skill or athleticism, although passing a physical fitness test may be required to complete the process.
If you are planning to try out for a JV or Varsity team at Mercy this school year, please be aware that APP paperwork must filed with the Athletic Director by the following dates:
SPRING Season: March 11th 2024
Follow these steps to complete the new state Athletic Placement Process (APP):
1. Email the Athletic Director with your intent to complete the Athletic Placement Process: ayandek@mercyhs.com. Please be sure to provide name, grade, sport/level for which you wish to tryout.
2. Access the Athletic Placement Process form - SEE BELOW
3. Sign the parent permission form (Part B) and email it to the Athletic Director.
4. Have your daughter’s PCP/MD fill out the maturity form (Part C) and email or fax it to the Athletic Director.
5. Forms will then be submitted to and reviewed by the Penfield District and School Medical Director. The District Medical Director will compare your daughter’s physical maturity numbers to the baseline numbers proscribed by the New York State Educational Department.
6. If approved, the student will then be scheduled to take the APP Physical Fitness test as administered by members of Mercy’s Physical Education Department. She must still clear the current Mercy Health Office physical and immunization standards to participate in TRYOUTS for JV and/or VARSITY.
7. If she passes the APP Physical fitness test, she will then be eligible to try for either JV or Varsity level competition. No guarantee is granted that the athlete will make that Mercy team.
8. If the athlete is not cleared by the District Medical Director or does not pass the Physical Fitness test she will not be permitted to tryout out for a high school level sport. She will still be eligible for modified level participation pending standard approval from the school’s medical director.
9. The process must be repeated for each sports season.
Please note that this process is NOT necessary to participate in any MODIFIED sports and applies only to current 7th and 8th grade student-athletes.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND FORMS
