Virginia High School League (VHSL) Scholarship Rule:

“The student shall be currently enrolled in not fewer than five subjects, or three 4x4 courses, offered for credit and which may be used for graduation and have passed five out of eight OR three out of four 4x4 courses, or their equivalent, offered for credit and which may be used for graduation the immediately preceding year or the immediately preceding semester for schools that certify credit on a yearly basis.”

• Age Rule: Student Athletes born on or before August 1, 2006, shall be ineligible for interscholastic competition in the school year 2025-2026.
• Bona Fide Student Rule: The student shall be a regular bona fide student in good standing of the school which he/she represents.
• Enrollment Rule: The student shall have been regularly enrolled in the school which he/she represents not later than the fifteen school day of the semester.
• Grade Rule: The student shall be enrolled in the last four years of high school.

Norfolk Public School’s 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirements:

High School

1. All incoming first time 9th graders will be eligible to participate in VHSL athletics and activities during 9th grade. Second semester, the student athlete must passed five out of eight OR three out of four 4x4 courses in the preceding semester to remain eligible.

2. GPA will be based on all courses taken for credit.

3. GPA will be based on the following:

• Fall/Winter Student Athletes - year long courses from preceding year.
• Cumulative GPA
• Spring Student Athletes - 1st Semester GPA or cumulative GPA

4. The grading scale shall be the current scale used by NPS, including weighted classes.

5. Summer school shall count two ways:
    a. In the event a student must repeat a course, he/she shall be allowed to take the highest grade and average into yearly grades.
    b. New classes shall be added to yearly grades.

6. Transfer students shall be eligible until the end of the first grading period (9 weeks), at which time, they shall meet the 2.0 GPA required by NPS. If a student is transferring from a school system which has a requirement for participation in place, the student shall meet the NPS requirement from the first day of enrollment and VHSL standards.

7. Students shall have one appeal or probation period during their middle school (8th grade only) and one appeal or probation period during their high school eligibility (10th, 11th or 12th grade only) if they fall below the minimum GPA requirement and meet VHSL standards.

8. Students who are special education classified and other students whose eligibility must be determined according to applicable Federal and State laws, who fall below the 2.0 average, will be examined on an individual basis. Waivers shall only be granted by the superintendent or his designee. Special education students, who request a waiver, must be making standard progress in those courses taken as determined by the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP).

Middle School

1. Academics
All first-time 6th graders are eligible to participate in athletics and activities for fall and the winter 1 season.  At the conclusion of the first semester, they must have a 2.0 or higher GPA.  7th and 8th graders must meet Norfolk Public Schools’ policy that they have a 2.0 or higher GPA for the previous semester and must have passed five out of eight OR three out of four 4x4 courses from the previous year.

2.  8th Grade Participation
All eligible 8^th graders will compete for the Middle School that they attend. 8th graders who are too old (turn 15 before August 1st) for MS sports can participate at their home zoned High School in JV sports. Additionally, 8^th graders may compete in their home zoned High School JV programs in the following sports - 

3. Specialty Schools - Athletic Participation Opportunities for 2025-2026
   Academy of International Studies at Rosemont
   a. Lake Taylor MS: all 6th-8th graders would participate at Lake Taylor School. 
   * Transportation will be provided by Norfolk Public Schools.
   b. Home zoned school: Parent must provide their own transportation to home zoned school.

Southside STEM Academy
   a. Ruffner MS: all 6th-8th graders would participate at Ruffner Academy. 
   * Transportation will be provided by Norfolk Public Schools.
   b. Home zoned school: Parents must provide their own transportation to home zoned school.

Crossroads
   a. Academy for Discovery at Lakewood*
   * Transportation will be provided by Norfolk Public Schools.
   b. Home zoned school: Parents must provide their own transportation to home zoned school.

Ghent Elementary
   a. Blair MS*
   *Transportation will be provided by Norfolk Public Schools.
   b. Home zoned school: Parents must provide their own transportation to home zoned school.

Current Physical Requirement (High School & Middle School)

A current physical form (found here) must be signed by a physician within the past 14 months, clear the student-athlete to participate in athletics, and completed in its entirety. Once the physical expires (14 months from the date of the physician’s signature on page 3), the student-athlete will become ineligible and cannot participate in any capacity until a current physical has been turned in to the Athletic Director or Athletic Trainer.

If a student-athlete’s physical expires in the middle of an athletic season, they will be unable to continue participation until a completed, updated physical is submitted. Therefore, it is strongly encouraged that student-athletes obtain an updated athletic physical annually, prior to the first athletic season in which they participate each school year, to avoid any disruptions to eligibility and participation status.

Visit your family physician or see the NPS Athletic Physical Web page  for dates and locations where the school division will offer physicals. 

Don’t get caught with an expired physical! Please be aware of when your athletic physical is set to expire.

** Rising 9th Graders - If you wish to use the physical submitted to your middle school during your 8th grade year, you must pick up the physical form from your middle school athletic director by May 30th, 2025. 

Pre-Participation Paperwork Requirements (High School & Middle School)

Sudden Cardiac Arrest, Concussion, & Heat Related Illness Education 

All parents and student-athletes must review and sign the sudden cardiac arrest, concussion, and head illness education forms annually, certifying that the information has been reviewed. These preparticipation forms are available through your school’s athletic director or by clicking here.

This letter must be returned to the school's Athletic Director before the student-athlete is allowed to participate.