Suffern Athletics

All students who try out for a high school or middle school sport must follow the procedures below: 

• A parent or legal guardian must complete and sign the online registration packet. 
• To participate in sports, all students must have a current (within the last year) physical on file, or uploaded upon registration.
  • Families are strongly encouraged to schedule a physical with their child's private physician before the season begins.
  • Using your own doctor ensures your child is prepared and avoids delays in certification. 
• Students will then be certified and cleared by the school nurse. The athletic office will notify families of office hours for certification.
• Middle school athletes trying out for a high school sport must have their parents/guardians indicate it in the online sports packet. Additional requirements include a signed parental permission form, a recent tanner rating (done by either private MD or school health care provider), and an agility test.

Dual Participation

Students may simultaneously participate on a school team and a community team. However, in the event of a scheduling conflict, the school team commitment must come first.

Practice

To be competitive, interscholastic teams may practice as much as six days per week.  Practice may be scheduled on weekends and during school holidays.

Schedules

Sport seasons are established by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and do not necessarily follow the Ramapo Central School District calendar. Fall sports begin in August, winter in November, and spring in February. Some practice locations are not limited to the school campus.

Sports Physicals

Students are required to have a sports physical on file at his/her school before tryouts begin.

Teams

• Varsity (V) teams are the highest level of interscholastic competition.  Teams are open to all high school grade levels, subject to local school policy.
• Junior Varsity (JV) teams are competitive developmental teams. Teams are open to freshmen and sophomores. A junior may be selected o play JV according to the coach’s discretion.
• Freshman (Fr.) teams are competitive developmental teams. These teams are only open to freshmen unless a 7th or 8th grade student is selectively classified and requested by the sport’s coach.
• Modified (Mod.) teams are developmental teams open to 7th or 8th grade students only.

Transportation

Every effort will be made to provide school transportation to off-site locations, but, on occasions, private transportation may be required.

Tryouts

Interscholastic sports are competitive by nature. Team sizes are limited, so a selection process is necessary. Prospective players will be judged according to clear criteria that will be communicated to them at the start of the tryout process.