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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
An eligibility notice letter will arrive in the mail within 10 business days.
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" 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!
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.
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.
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.
On line Registration (rSchool)
REQUIRED FORMS (Under Resources) Click here for MSHSL Eligibility, Parent Health Questionnaire and Sports Physical Exam Form
Click here for Emergency Contact and MPS Eligibility Information (REQUIRED)
MPS Transportation Waiver (REQUIRED if not using District Transportation)
Online Participation Fee Directions
Online payment of Athletic Participation Fee
Antony M. Fisher, CMAA District Director of Athletics 1250 West Broadway Minneapolis, MN 55411 (612) 668-0603 antony.fisher@mpls.k12.mn.us
Check out the latest info via the Minneapolis City Conferece.
Student/Parent Athletic Manual
MPS Coaches Manual
Athletic Director Manual (working document)
Minnesota State High School League website
NCAA website
Planning to Play College Athletics Presentation