Table of Contents:

1. Athletics information and contacts
2. Introduction and Philosophy
3. Expectations
4. Participation Forms
5. Physicals
6. Tryouts
7. Sports by Season and Coach Contact Information

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1. Athletics Information and Contacts

Address: 360 Union Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601

Mascot: Comets

Colors: Blue and Gold

Athletic Director:

Gordon Whiting

Hackensack High School

gwhiting@hackensackschools.org

Principal

Dr. Joy-Dorsey Whiting

jdorsey-whiting@hackensackschools.org 

Angel Collado

5th Grade Assistant Principal

acollado@hackensackschools.org 

Dr. Tara Skiba

6th Grade Assistant Principal

tskiba@hackensackschools.org

Johanna Espinal

7th Grade Assistant Principal

jespinal@hackensackschools.org 

Mark Johnson

8th Grade Assistant Principal

mjohnson@hackensackschools.org

School Nurses:

Jeanmarie Shea

jshea@hackensackschools.org 

Yvette Woolridge

ywoolridge@hackensackschools.org  

2. Introduction and Philosophy

This handbook has been put together to help streamline communication and align expectations between Hackensack Middle School parents/guardians, student-athletes, coaches, teachers, and school administrators. Parents/guardians, student-athletes, and coaches are expected to familiarize themselves with the contents of this handbook, including all academic and behavioral expectations. Any questions or concerns may be directed to Dr. Whiting, jdorsey-whiting@hackensackschools.org. Questions regarding specific sports should be directed to the coach of the team that your student is participating on.

Participation in Hackensack Middle School athletics is a privilege. As such, we expect our student-athletes to maintain high standards of performance, behavior, and leadership on the court/field, in the classroom, and in the community. Every athlete representing our school must agree to abide by the rules and regulations that have been developed by our athletic department. These rules and regulations must be read and followed by the student-athlete and his/her parent or guardian. Violations will be dealt with firmly and may result in removal from the team.

At the middle school level, we believe that our athletics department should promote sports-based youth development (SBYD). SBYD is a model that helps to ensure that sports are providing young people with positive experiences centered on learning and developing critical life skills. This includes, providing student-athletes with:

• Physical and psychological safety
• A sense of belonging and community
• Appropriate structure
• Supportive relationships
• Practice and play centered on skill building and active learning
• Opportunities to foster cultural competence
• Opportunities for recognition

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3. Expectations

Participating on a team at Hackensack Middle School is a privilege, not a right. Student athletes should be mindful that academics, attendance, and citizenship come first. Athletes should constantly check in with their teachers for extra help and should ensure that they remain in good academic standing.

See below for additional criteria for eligibility:

1. Academics

1. Student-athletes must be passing all classes during the current or most recent academic marking period with a “D” or better.
2. If a student-athlete has an “F” in one or more classes, they will be put on probation. This means they may attend practices while they attempt to bring up their grade, but they may not participate in games.

2. Attendance

1. Student-athletes must attend school consistently if they wish to participate in the HMS athletics program. Students with excessive absences or excessive tardiness may be placed on probation until attendance improves.
2. Please note that students need to be “present”

3. Behavior

1. Student-athletes are expected to lead with pride, passion, and purpose at all times.
2. Any student-athlete who is issued an intervention must serve the intervention before being reinstated for games/practices.
3. Any student-athlete who is issued a suspension during the season will be placed on probation until behavior improves. They will be issued a daily behavior tracker to track improvement. These student-athletes may attend practices, but they may not participate in games.
4. Any student-athlete who is issued more than one suspension during the school year will be ineligible to participate in Hackensack Middle School athletics.
5. All students participating in middle school sports will be required to follow all sportsmanship protocols (reference District Policy 5570 - SPORTSMANSHIP).

4. Dismissal

1. From dismissal at 2:57pm until the start of practices at 3:05pm, grade 5 students must report to the auditorium.
2. Students in grades 6-8 will receive further direction from their coach as to where they should report at 3:05pm.

5. Trackers

1. All student-athletes will be required to submit weekly trackers to their coach every Friday while in season in order to maintain eligibility.
2. Copies of these trackers will be available in both main offices.

4. Participation Forms

Before trying out for a sport, a student-athlete and their parents/guardians must complete the registration forms listed below.

Copies of these forms will be available in the main offices  throughout the school year.

Online registration link: Family ID/Arbiter MS Sports Registration

5. Physicals

In accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:40-41.7, prior to participation on a school-sponsored interscholastic or intramural sports team or squad and any cheerleading program or activity, all students must receive a medical examination deeming them fit to participate.

Student-athletes are required to submit a completed physical to the middle school nurse. This physical includes a medical history and an examination and must be completed by a physician within 365 days of the start of the sport. The physical examination covers the student for one calendar year.

The Medical Eligibility Form must be completed by your Physician and submitted to the school nurse.

Physical Form:Physical Form for Student Athletes.pdf

6. Tryouts

Hackensack Middle School encourages all students to participate in sports. While boys basketball and girls volleyball participate in competitive, travel-league-based competitions, all other sports are played on an intramural basis and are meant to promote youth development, teamwork, and sportsmanship.

1. Introduction

1. All students that meet academic criteria, attendance criteria, and behavior criteria have the right to try out for a sport that they wish to play. While our hope is that every student will ultimately “make the team,” please note that if roster reduction is necessary, the coach has the final say in selecting the team. The coaching staff will put your child through various workouts to assess your child’s ability level. We understand that this can be a very difficult adjustment for the student-athlete and will seek to support students and families throughout this process.

2. Communication

1. Before tryouts begin, coaches will communicate with students and families about the following:

1. Interest Meeting dates/times
2. Date and time of tryouts
3. Location of tryouts
4. Length of tryouts
5. Practice/game schedules
6. Criteria for selection

2. If a student is unable to attend a tryout for any reason, they should communicate directly with the coach to determine next steps.

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7. Sports by Season and Coach Contact Information

Please refer to the table below for additional information about each sport.

Hackensack Middle School Sports Calendar, 2025-26