Track & Field |
Updated 11/17/2017.
The Basics:
Eligibility. Homeschooled junior high (7th-8th grades) and high school (10th-12th grades). 9th graders must contact us at least one week in advance of the registration deadline to determine possible eligibility.
"Homeschooled students" are those who submit an annual Initial Report or Letter of Intent to their school district (example here). (Students age 17+ enrolled in PSEO but not reporting to your district: contact us for instructions.) Please report your student's grade based on expected graduation year, regardless of schoolwork level in any subject, as there are participation limits. See Team Handbook or ask us for details. P.S. We LOVE new athletes! No experience necessary; there's a place on this team for everyone--from beginners to state qualifiers and everything in between.
Activity Fees (due at team registration meeting January 15). $150 7th-8th grades; $200 10th-12th grades. See limited refund policy at bottom of page. Due to MSHSL policies, late high school registrations are not guaranteed a spot on the team. Late junior high may register up to the first day of practice with a late fee of $35 per family. (Families registering 3+ athletes: please see coaches *in advance* about possible sibling discount.) Activity fees are used to offset the costs of uniforms, race fees, league dues, insurance, equipment, supplies, maintenance, incentives and awards, coach training, and other team events. Coaches volunteer their time.
Sports Physical. You must provide a copy of a current (within 3 years) Sports Qualifying Physical Exam Clearance Form in order to participate. If you have participated in Nighthawk Athletics any time since 2015, we have yours on file. Call early to make your appointments. If all else fails, try a Minute Clinic or similar. These are retained in NHAC files but not sent to the League. Due before participation. You may register for the team before your physical is done, but you must have your appointment before you can run with us.
Important notes:
- There are a lot of forms--not something you can easily skim and sign on registration day. Plan to spend some time on these before the meeting. Download and print the forms, carefully fill out all fields, and let us know if you have questions. Thanks for your cooperation!
- If your 9th grader is the oldest student in your home school this year, you must contact us at least one week before the team meeting to work out league membership details.
[Coming soon: Download 2018 Track & Field registration forms here.]
High school participants must also read the following and be prepared to sign at the team meeting on January 15:
- SAMPLE application for Cooperative Sponsorship (There will be separate applications for boys and girls.)
- SAMPLE cooperative Sponsorship Agreement (There will be one agreement for the boys' team and one for the girls' team, to form athletic teams among homeschool high schools with students in grades 10-12. Note: MSHSL requires two-year agreements. This agreement is for track & field only. This does not mean your students have to participate on the track team next year, it just means that they cannot bounce from one track team to another each year. The same applies to public/private school kids.)
- Fine print: (1) MSHSL homeschool membership rights, fees, and MN State Statutes; (2) general MSHSL homeschool info; (3) membership responsibilities (including deadlines and penalties); and of course (4) the MSHSL Handbook and (5) website. Athletic Director/Coach Jennifer will be your eligibility representative at the annual Area Meeting. We and the MSHSL will do everything we can to alert you to deadlines, but ultimately you are responsible to keep your membership and your student-athlete's eligibility in good standing.
All this paperwork is the same as if you were to participate in sports at a non-district high school; we're just organizing as an all-homeschool team instead of cooperatively sponsoring with a public/private school. All League membership forms & fees will be submitted by the team as a whole.
Refund policy: MSHSL membership dues and activity fees (included in NHAC activity fees) are non refundable after the team meeting. These are $190-$280 per family depending on how many boys and/or girls you have. No refunds after the first week of practice. Late fees are non refundable.
As always, let us know if you have any questions. We're looking forward to running with you!
