Dear 7th and 8th Grade Families,

To better familiarize you with our Modified Sports Program, Greeley Sports Boosters and the Athletics Department have produced this information guide. Please take the time to read through it and familiarize yourself with the many opportunities available to your child.

MODIFIED SPORTS DEFINED

Modified Sports is the introductory level of the District's Interscholastic Athletics Program. It is open to 7th and 8th grade students and is overseen by the CCSD Athletic Department. All coaches are hired by the District.

All four levels of Greeley Interscholastic Sports (Modified, Freshman, JV, Varsity) are governed by New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) rules. As per the NYSPHSAA map, we are in Section One. Section One dictates game schedules, opponents and also has a set of rules to which we must adhere.

PHILOSOPHY & GOALS OF THE MODIFIED SPORTS LEVEL

Over the past two years we have surveyed parents of our Modified Sports athletes after each season. Based on the valuable feedback received, we have reestablished the goals, philosophy, expectations and operations of our Modified Sports program to better align with the expectations of the upper levels of our District's Interscholastic Athletics Programs. As such, the Modified Sports level emphasizes skill development, commitment, responsibility and respect for being a member of a team.

The Modified Sports program is a bridge to playing at the Freshman or JV level at Greeley. Modified Sports offer an introduction to the dynamics of interscholastic athletics -- learning to prioritize team obligations among other student obligations, training, traveling, and representing the school and community. The Modified Sports level emphasizes attendance (commitment), attitude (positive), and effort (you don’t have to be the best, but you are expected to give your best).

The overall aim of the program is to provide a competitive sports experience while focusing on the fundamentals of the sport, skill-building and team play in an environment that teaches what it means to represent your school and be part of a larger overall Athletics Program. 

MIDDLE SCHOOL MODIFIED SPORTS OFFERINGS & SEASON START DATES
The Modified Sports season is approximately 9 weeks.

(*) Historically a single Bell/Seven Bridges combined team based on interest. 

TEAMS: BELL, SEVEN BRIDGES or COMBINED

Some Modified Sports will have separate Bell and Seven Bridges teams and others will have a single, combined Bell/Seven Bridges team. Those sports marked with an asterisk in the table above have had a single Bell/Seven Bridges combined team in recent years. Further information about combined teams can be found in the Transportation section below.

TEAM ROSTERS

At the modified level, cutting student-athletes is not desirable. A situation may arise, however, where the number of students interested in a team presents safety concerns, issues related to team management or becomes problematic due to other constraints. In this case, reducing team size may be necessary. No-cut teams require the SAME COMMITMENT and are governed by the SAME RULES as teams that have cuts.

PLAYING TIME

Unlike some Youth Sports Leagues that dictate playing time requirements, there are no playing time guarantees in Modified Sports. The athlete's ability, effort, commitment, attitude and sportsmanship earn playing time.

REGISTERING FOR MODIFIED SPORTS

Registration is done online each season and requires a current physical. Registration begins 30 days prior to the start of each season and runs for two weeks. The District will send emails ahead of time detailing the process and deadlines. There is no registration fee. An updated physical (within one year of the time of registration) is required for completing the registration process.

PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

Proper registration is required for all athletes. Once on a team, NYSPHSAA requires athletes to complete a certain number of team practices to be considered eligible for scrimmage and contest participation. This underscores the need for prioritizing Modified Sports over other activities in season.

PRACTICE & GAME DAYS

Practices are held right after school Mondays through Fridays on school days. Depending on the sport, practice may start at 2:45 or 3:15. Games are held after school on school days, and typically start at 4:30. Practices and home games are held at Bell, Seven Bridges and Horace Greeley High School. There is no weekend commitment at the Modified Sports level except for Indoor Track, which participates in one Saturday Meet.

TRANSPORTATION

The district provides bus transportation to and from away games. 

For sports where there is only one combined team (both Bell and 7B students together on the same team) the District will provide transportation to the practice location. The practice location for combined teams will be either at the middle school with the higher number of athletes (Example: If girls lacrosse has 14 students from Seven Bridges and 4 students from Bell, practice and games will be held at Seven Bridges) or at Greeley where all players will be bussed.

COMMUNICATION

Pre-season Announcements & Informational Meetings: Coaches communicate about Modified Sports through SportsYou, school announcements, personal contact, walking around the cafeterias at lunches, emails to returning parents, and pre-preseason meetings.

In-Season Coach, Parent, Player Communication is all done through SportsYou. For information on how to use SportsYou, please click HERE.

GREELEY SPORTS BOOSTERS

Greeley Sports Boosters is the parent support organization for all CCSD interscholastic sports in grades 7-12. They fund capital gifts, programs and services that enhance the student-athlete experience and help improve the district’s overall Athletics Program. 

You can join Greeley Sports Boosters by going to www.greeleysportsboosters.org and click on Membership, or you can sign up when you register your child for sports. Greeley Sports Boosters is a 501c3 organization, memberships and donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE ATHLETICS INFORMATION

• Follow CCSD Athletics on: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter/X 
• Visit CCSD Athletics 
• Visit the Greeley Sports Boosters on Facebook: Greeley Sports Boosters
• Follow the Greeley Sports Boosters on both Twitter and Instagram: @Quaker_Sports 
• Visit the Greeley Sports Boosters website 

• Check out the Middle School Sports section of your school's weekly PTA email for game scores and updates of our Modified teams.
• Sign up to receive the Greeley Sports Boosters Weekly eBlast: Text Greeley to 22828 and follow the prompts.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Are Modified Sports an opportunity to try a sport I've never played before?
YES, the modified level welcomes students of all levels of ability that are committed to being at practice every day, working hard, and being coachable. 

Can I play on modified and travel/club in the same season?
YES, our modified teams practice and play Monday through Friday. We only ask that priority be given to the school team when conflicts arise.

What are the benefits of a modified team vs. travel or town recreational program?
All programs that get children moving are beneficial. Being a part of a school team provides the added benefit of being able to represent your school and community while also playing with your classmates. Our programs are educationally-based with an emphasis on developing the skills, sportsmanship and citizenship of all of our students. 

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

If you have additional questions not answered in this document, please contact Athletic Director, Jamie Block at
238-7201, ext. 2407, or email jablock@chappaquaschools.org