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Please join us for an informational meeting on spring sports on Monday, March 6th at the WHS Lecture hall. We encourage all students, parents, and/or guardians who are interested in participating in spring sports to attend the meeting to discuss changes to our athletic program for both the middle and high school. This will be an excellent opportunity to meet our athletics staff and coaches and ask questions about our spring sports. We will share information regarding rules, code of conduct, regulations, practices, and games.

Watertown High School Lecture Hall, Monday, March 6, 2023 7:00 pm

HIGH SCHOOL – SEASON 03/20/23 – 06/02/23

Baseball - Boys (potential 8th grade waiver)

Lacrosse - Boys
Lacrosse - Girls (potential 8th grade waiver)

Softball - Girls (potential 8th grade waiver)
Tennis - Boys

Tennis - Girls

Track Outdoor - Boys

Track Outdoor- Girls

MIDDLE SCHOOL – SEASON 03/27/23 – 05/26/23

Golf - Coed (This is a practice team at the driving range only. There are no meets.)

Softball - Girls

Track Outdoor - Boys

Track Outdoor - Girls

Volleyball - Girls

WAITING FOR MIDDLE LEVEL WAIVERS:

Baseball (8th grade only)

Softball (8th grade only)

Lacrosse - Girls (8th grade only)

Some high school sports MAY be granted an 8th grade middle level waiver for student athletes in 8th grade in order to participate on the high school JV teams. Any student who feels they are ready to compete on a high school level in these sports may opt in to participate with our JV teams. Any family that makes that choice are responsible for the transportation of their student to the high school JV team practices. Practice locations are TBD. Middle school students that choose this option will pay the middle school sports fee of $50.

ALL STUDENTS INTERESTED IN AN 8TH GRADE MIDDLE LEVEL WAIVER SHOULD REGISTER UNDER THE SECTION FOR MIDDLE LEVEL SPORTS.

NOTE: Due to a lack of field space for this spring, we are deferring middle school baseball for the upcoming spring season. 6th, 7th & 8th grade baseball athletes are encouraged to contact Watertown Youth Baseball at wybb.org. We hope to have an 8th grade waiver but will not know this until Mid March. In the meantime, if your student is in 8th grade and feels they can compete on a high school JV team, you are encouraged to choose the sport under section Middle Level Waiver during registration.

PRACTICES/GAMES

Practice times, locations, and game information will be available after March 17th on our athletic webpage here: WATERTOWN ATHLETICS.

Games can also be found on Arbiter Live here WATERTOWN GAMES

Families/students are responsible to get themselves to all practices. However, all students will receive transportation to all away games.

All high school and middle school students are encouraged to participate in athletics. Studies show students involved in athletics generally have improved academic performance, social relationships, self-esteem, and time management skills. Students also learn leadership skills, teamwork/cooperative skills, positive mentoring skills, and adopt a successful mindset and better lifelong fitness goals.

All students enrolling in a sport must:

1) Have a valid physical

2) Pay their athletic fees

3) Be a student in good academic standing

(DEFINITION: A student in "Good Academic Standing" is a student that is NOT on HOLD due to owing resources, uniforms, fees and meets grade/academic requirements.)

ALL ATHLETIC FEES ARE DUE AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION.

If you are unsure of your family contribution based on the fee structure, please contact the athletic office for clarification. There will be a link to the online payment system at the end of the registration.

H.S. Athletes $200 for 1st sport / $175 for 2nd sport / $0 for 3rd sport

M.S. Athletes $50 per year

FAMILY CAP $750

There are considerations for athletic fee reductions for High School students only. Middle School athletic fees are already reduced to the lowest family contribution and there are no further reductions.

NOTE: UPDATED 08/01/22

As the government has EXTENDED the free meals for ALL students for the upcoming school year, you will need to be either DCR certified or you must submit an application (see link below) to be approved for a reduced athletic fee. If you are NOT presently or not SURE if you are presently under a Free or Reduced Meals Application Plan and feel you are eligible, you should follow the link to the application and submit it IMMEDIATELY.

MEALS APPLICATION

All student-athletes must have a current physical on file. The MIAA (Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association that governs school sports) requires that the student have seen a doctor for an in-person visit within the last 13 months and has a physical form with a section stating the student may participate in school sports with no restrictions (or with the following restrictions). NO STUDENT CAN PARTICIPATE IN ANY PRACTICES OR CONTESTS WITHOUT THIS.

Due to the availability of school nurses, we STRONGLY SUGGEST that ALL registrants attach their current physical even if you thought you have already submitted it. It will allow the school nurses to approve registrations remotely, therefore clearing students to start on the first day of their sport.

If your student's physical has expired and you cannot get an appointment with your pediatrician, CVS MinuteClinic at 189 Watertown St, Watertown, MA 02472 does a low cost student sports physical.

Follow the link here to be directed to the Athletics Registration Form.

LINK: SPRING REGISTRATION

REGISTRATION DEADLINE - Registration deadlines are so that students can be cleared to participate in the first day of practice/tryouts. Registrations submitted after the deadline will take 3 school days to clear to participate in any practice/tryouts.

H.S. – Wednesday, March 15th for first day Monday, March 20, 2023. Middle School students opting for a high school JV team, please follow the high school schedule for registration.

M.S. – Wednesday, March 22nd, for first day Monday, March 27, 2023 M.S. Middle School students opting for a high school JV team, please follow the high school schedule for registration.

NOTE TO PARENTS – Please review your students profile for the following:

1) Please make sure your students name and address are in upper / lower case (i.e., John Doe, 1 Main Street, Watertown). How you enter your students name and address is how it will appear on all awards and mailings.

2) Please make sure the phone number and email address under the participant's information is your STUDENT'S information for their team captains and coaches. There is a place for your contact information. You will receive all communications as the FamilyID registration account holder.

For any questions during registration, please contact Jae Smith. She will be able to assist you in online registration and online payments and can be reached at 617-926-7748 or via email at jsmith@watertown.k12.ma.us.

Ryan Murphy

Athletic Director

ryan.murphy@watertown.k12.ma.us

Jae Smith

Athletic Administrative Assistant

jsmith@watertown.k12.ma.us

MIDDLESEX LEAGUE

Watertown High School is part of the Middlesex League Freedom Division, which is made up of the following twelve towns: Arlington, Belmont, Burlington, Lexington, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, Watertown, Wilmington, Winchester and Woburn. All of these towns and the Middlesex Leagues fall under the state organization for athletics known as the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, (MIAA).

MIDDLESEX LEAGUE MISSION STATEMENT

The Middlesex League’s athletic programs are established to provide students with opportunities to achieve the highest degree of sportsmanship, fair play and excellence in an atmosphere of mutual respect. The league’s athletic programs enrich the educational development of all participants and help prepare students for leadership roles in society