Welcome to the Athletics Department!

LET"S TALK MPS SPORTS!

The Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) Athletics Department offers 35 high school programs for students in grades 7-12. Students participating in Minneapolis Public School Athletic Programs must be enrolled in a school governed by the Minneapolis Public Schools.  Bring completed Athletic Forms (located in the Register Here! tab) to your high school athletic director prior to participation.  

Minneapolis Public Schools concentrates its athletic resources on MPS students and, as required by law, registered home-schooled students who reside in MPS attendance areas. Effective August 1, 2014, Minneapolis Public Schools will not enter into any new Joint Agreements or Cooperative Sponsorships with schools not affiliated with MPS. 

Fan Expectations:

• Show Respect for everyone. 
• Positive cheers should be used (no booing,  taunting, etc.)
• All Fans MUST stay off the playing surface at all times
• No items should be thrown in the stands or on the playing surface

Language for "Playing Up": Middle School Students Participating on High School Teams:

As you aware, MPS has historically allowed middle school students who have the requisite interest, skills and abilities to try out for, and perhaps join, a high school athletic team.

Prior to the CDD boundary reassignments, the athletic department paired middle schools, and small or specialty high schools, with large comprehensive high schools to allow opportunities for students to play up. It is now necessary to change those pairings to be consistent with CDD values and guidelines regarding prioritizing community schools.

After significant discussion, SLT is recommending that all middle school athletes be informed that they can seek the opportunity to “play up” at their designated community high school based on their home address in our Discovery system. This would be consistently applied even to current 8th graders who may have played up at a different school as 6th or 7th graders. 

   Middle School Students may play at their pathway high school:

                                                Anthony’s pathway is Southwest High School

                                                Andersen’s pathway is South High School

                                                Anwatin’s pathway is North High School

                                                Justice Page’s pathway is Washburn High School

                                                Northeast’s pathway is Edison High School

                                                Olson’s pathway is Henry High School

                                                Sanford’s pathway is Roosevelt High School

**Students attending City Wide Magnet Middle Schools Ella Baker, Franklin and Sullivan may play at their attendance area high school**

The only exceptions would be:

• Middle school students currently attending the dual language program at Andersen Middle would be eligible to try and play up at their pathway school (Roosevelt) if they sign an intent form stating that they plan to attend Roosevelt’s dual language pathway. That form would be filed with the District Athletic office.
• Middle school students currently attending the American Indian program at Sanford or Northeast would be eligible to try and play up at South High school if they sign an intent form stating that they plan to attend South’s All Nations pathway. That form would be filed with the District Athletic office.

In addition, an out-of-district middle school athlete is only eligible to participate in sports at their assigned middle school.

All Middle Schools have spring athletic opportunities in Track and Girl’s Flag Football.

For information regarding Middle School Athletic Programming contact District Assitant Director of Athletics Torrance Hill at torrance.hill@mpls.k12.mn.us.  

Athletic Physicals

All student participants are required to have an up to date athletic physical on file at their school.  Please understand that an athletic physical is different than a well child exam. Minnesota State High School Athletic Physical Forms are located in the Register Here! tab. Athletic participation physicals should be scheduled with the student's primary care physician and may be available at School Based Clinics; contact the school directly for information.  No Cost Physicals are available at TRIA Orthapedic Clinics during the month of August; click here for mor details.  High School Athletic Trainers will provide their services to all registered high school student/athletes as well as optional ImPACT concussion baseline tests.  

Educational Benefits

Families are reminded to complete Educational Benefits Application in order to qualify for reduced athletic participation fees. The Application for Educational Benefits can be completed at SchoolCafé.com.

1. Visit SchoolCafé.com and login with your username and password.
2. Click on Eligibility Benefits, then click on Apply.
3. Follow the instructions to complete your online application.

An eligibility notice letter will arrive in the mail within 10 business days.

Transportation Policy

Transportation is not provided to practices for any student in any grade. Transportation may be provided to away games with pickup and drop off at a MPS high school or predesignated location. The same transportation policy applies to middle school students participating in high school sports.  If parents are not comfortable with their child riding District provided Transportion they must have a completed Transportation Waiver on file at their school and notify their coach that they will not be riding District transportation to away contests.

Winning in the 9th

"Winning in the 9th" was developed in partnership with the Minnesota Twins and outlines the importance of 9th-grade students starting their high school experience with positive academic success!

Are you interested in playing college athletics?

View the Planning to Play College Athletics and visit the NCAA website in the Important Links Tab. Learn more about playing college athletics on the NCAA website. 

Home School Questions

Refer to the Minnespta Department of Education Home School Document (bottom of page 7) for information regarding athletic participation.  Home Schools MUST be recognized by the Minneapolis Public Schools in order to participate in MPS activities.

MPS partners with Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board 

In order to better serve the needs of students, Minneapolis Public Schools have partnered with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) to provide students with more athletic opportunities.