VALLEY FORGE MIDDLE SCHOOL

Colors: Blue and Gold

Mascot: Eagles

Schedule Website: vfms.digitalsports.com

Athletics Office: 610-240-1311

VFMS Athletic Director: Dr. Anthony DiLella

The VFMS interscholastic program emphasizes participation, fun and safety. Our school offers athletic programs which provide for athletic and social developmental needs of our  students. These are open to all 7th and 8th grade students as per the PIAA guidelines. For many of our students, involvement in interscholastic sports is a very important aspect of school life.

Philosophy
The middle school years are a time for exploration. As a student's self-image crystallizes, exposure to a variety of experiences promotes prudent risk-taking along a pathway to a positive self-image. The interscholastic sports program at VFMS emphasizes the values of participation, team play and sportsmanship. As one progresses through the middle school years, this emphasis is augmented with a process of skill development.

Sports by Season

When and how does it start?  Practices for the fall season typically begin during the first full week of school.  Students should listen to the morning announcements for organizational meetings and first practices.  Students can also informally sign up on sheets in the cafeteria during lunch.  Questions about starting times can be directed to the athletic/main office or to the coach.  To be eligible to attend practice, students must have all paperwork completed in the athletic/main office and need to have taken an ImPACT baseline test.

Paperwork and Physicals: All student-athletes in Pennsylvania must complete the PIAA forms to be eligible to participate and/or try out for any sport.  Those forms can be found at piaa.org or at our school website under Athletics – Participation Paperwork.  Sections 1-5 are to be completed by a parent/guardian.  Section 6 must be completed by a physician after June 1 of that school year.  Paperwork can be turned in at the VFMS main office.  If a student-athlete is participating in a second or third sport during a school year, only Section 6, completed by a parent/guardian, is needed. .
 
Team Selection: We encourage all students to participate in any of the sports offered.  However, certain teams select players through a try-out process.  Currently, those teams are boys and girls basketball and boys baseball.  The try-out schedule will be posted on the athletic bulletin board, outside the main office, and on the athletic page on the school website.  They will also be announced on the morning announcements.

Season Schedule: The season schedule of games is available on our school website’s athletics page.  Daily practice and game updates are available on the athletic hotline.  Weekly schedule updates are also posted to our weekly bulletin.  Weather-related updates are posted on the hotline.

ImPACT test:  All student-athletes playing an “impact” sport (all except track and field) must have an ImPACT baseline test completed before participating.  Track and field athletes are permitted but not required to have a baseline test. A baseline test is good for two years, therefore student-athletes typically take one baseline test during their athletic career at VFMS.  Testing dates and times are offered at the beginning of every season.  Those dates are posted on our school calendar and stated on the morning announcements.  More information about the ImPACT test can be found at:

ImPACT test: http://www.impacttest.com

District regulation on student injuries: https://www.tesd.net/cms/lib/PA01001259/Centricity/Domain/14/r5422.pdf

Practices: The coach will give the players information on what they need to bring to practice (attire, equipment, etc.) at the team meeting before the first practice.  Practices typically conclude at 5:00.  Parents are responsible for picking up their student-athletes promptly.

Academic Eligibility
To be eligible for interscholastic athletic sports in grades 7 and 8, a student may not be failing more than one (1) major subject or more than three (3) special areas.
In the case where a student's work in any preceding grading period does not meet the standards provided for in this article, the student shall be ineligible to participate in interscholastic athletics for the first four (4) weeks of the next grading period.

Go Eagles!