MHS and MSMS Athletic Information for the 2025-26 Winter Season
Sports we offer
At the HS
Boys’ JV/V Basketball
Girls’ JV/V Basketball
Nordic Ski (all genders)
Gymnastics
Ice Hockey for B/G at U-32
At the MS
Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball (7th and 8th grade)
Nordic Ski (5-8th all genders)
Gymnastics
Athletic Department
Athletic Director: Matt Link
Email: MatthewL@mpsvt.org
Phone: 802-225-8019
MHS Athletic Trainer/Assistant AD
: Bri Mackay
Email: Briannamackay@mpsvt.org
Phone: 802-225-8018
Guidelines/Info for 2025 MHS/MSMS
Winter Season
MHS Quick notes
MHS Meet the Coaches Night!
On MONDAY 11/17 at 6pm please come to Montpelier High School to meet your or your child’s HS coach for the season!
While here, each program will meet in a different spot in the school where the coach will introduce themselves and will share their background/expectations for the season/policies/team rules etc., with everyone in the program.
These meetings are for both the PARENT and the PLAYER!
MSMS Meet the Coaches Night
On MONDAY 11/17 at 5 please come to Montpelier High School to meet your or your child’s coach for the season!
While here, each program will meet in a different spot in the school where the coach will introduce themselves and will share their background/expectations for the season/policies/team rules etc., with everyone in the program.
These meetings are for both the PARENT and the PLAYER!
OPEN COACHING POSITIONS
We are still currently looking for the following positions to be filled!
Varsity Girls’ Basketball Coach
Athletic Training Room
Registering for sports
https://montpelierroxburypublicschools.rankonesport.com/New/NewInstructionsPage.aspx
1. Visit the site and create an account
2. When you start the registration process you will be asked to "claim" your student from the MRPS student list. Enter your student's date of birth, first and last name to link your student to your account.
3. Fill out the forms/enter student information and agree to required paperwork
You can sign up and register on the site as well by downloading the Rank One app. This app will also be how you get notifications of changes and team updates. So please make sure you download the app!
Physicals
Physicals are required every two years.
For the HS if your physical is 2 years past the exam date, it is expired and you will need a new one. Incoming 9th graders should get a new physical coming into the HS.
Athletic Team Schedules
All team game schedules will be uploaded (up now) on the online calendar. Montpelierschools.tandem.co
In order to just see your or your child’s team events on the calendar go to “Reports” on the left hand column. Then select your child’s team, put in the dates you wish to search between and click “Generate”
The schedule should pop up!
Athletic Handbook Highlights
You can find the HS handbook by going to https://sites.google.com/mpsvt.org/mhs-athletics/home and scrolling down until you see the link.
For the MSMS informational forms go to https://sites.google.com/a/mpsvt.org/msms-athletics/MSMS-Sport-FormsHandbook
Attendance
You must attend your designated time to go to school. If you are absent from that, you cannot practice that day without an excused absence
Athletic Handbook Highlights
MHS Academic Policy
The athletic director will check grades every two weeks (every other Friday), starting on the first date to practice (first fall sports check will be two weeks after the first day of school) for all in-season student athletes. The grades will be based off of the current semester; average grades of lower than 2.5 in any given course within the preparedness category, during the semester, will result in a documented warning. The warning will be communicated to the student, parents/guardians, coach, and given teacher. After one warning, if a student is still below the threshold at any following grade checks (2.5) in that same class they will be suspended for one game. A third infraction will result in a 2 game suspension and additional measures (meeting with the teacher and student to make a plan) will be put into place.
Athletic Handbook Highlights
MSMS Academic Policy: The Athletic Director check grades every two weeks throughout the season. The first eligibility check will occur two weeks into the season and will take place every two weeks thereafter. If a student is not performing well academically in any personal development standard (score of “2.4” or below), they will not participate in games until all personal development standard scores improve to “2.5” or higher. Participation in practice will still be expected of the student.
On the next eligibility date, if there are no scores of “2.4” or below, then the student is back to full participation. If the student receives a “2.4” or below in any personal development standard during the second eligibility period, the student is removed from the team for two weeks, including practices until the next eligibility check.
On the third eligibility date, if there are no scores of “2.4” or below, then the student is back to full participation. If the student receives a “2.4” or below in any personal development standard during this eligibility period, the student will be removed from the team for the remainder of the season.
Athletic Handbook Highlights
Substance Abuse Policy
Athletic Handbook Highlights
MSMS Substance Abuse Policy
A student/athlete is expected to abstain from the use of tobacco (including snuff and chewing tobacco), alcohol, and all non-prescribed drugs beginning with the team's first practice and ending with its last practice or contest. The consequence for non-compliance is the immediate suspension from competition for two weeks. An individual suspended under these circumstances will be allowed to practice with the team but will not be able to play, suit up, be on the bench, go on the bus, or otherwise be at games. The athletic council (principal, assistant principal, guidance counselor, athletic director, and coach and/or teacher) will establish an intervention program. This intervention program may include the school resource officer, drug and alcohol counseling, academic counseling, community service and/or any additional conditions that the council may propose. Until satisfactory completion of the intervention program is met, the student athlete will not be allowed to join any other team. A second infraction of the training rules during a student’s middle school career will result in removal from the team for the balance of that season and the loss of athletic eligibility for the next season. An athlete will not be allowed to join a team after the second infraction until satisfactory compliance with the intervention program is met.
Athletic Handbook Highlights
Definition of Hazing:
Hazing is defined as any willful act perpetrated by a student toward another student, individually or in concert with others, which subjects that student to humiliation, intimidation, physical abuse or threats of abuse, social or other ostracism, shame, or disgrace for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, being affiliated with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any School District sponsored organization whose members are or include other students.
Athletic Handbook Highlights
Hazing and Harassment
Zero Tolerance Policy
If there is a report of hazing or harassment on the team, a investigation will commence. If it is proven to have happened. The violator will be removed from the team. Depending on how severe it is and how many students are involved, cancellation of the season could occur.
Athletic Handbook Highlights
Hazing includes but is not limited to:
*any type of physical brutality
*any type of extreme physical activity such as, but not limited to, sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, calisthenics unrelated to approved training, or sexualized acts
*any consumption activity involving ingestion of a food, liquid, or other substance that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm; or the ingestion of an alcoholic beverage, liquor, or drug; or in using the reasonable person standard, that adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of the student
*any activity that induces, causes, or requires the student to perform an activity or task that involves a violation of school rules, District policy, or law
Athletic Handbook Highlights
NCAA AND COLLEGIATE ELIGIBILITY
Students may wish to participate in intercollegiate athletic activities upon completion of high school. In order to be academically eligible, the NCAA requires certain minimums on high school core courses and the SAT/ACT test scores. It is also necessary for high school students who wish to compete in Division I or II collegiate athletics to register with the NCAA Clearinghouse. For forms and/or more information on eligibility standards, please contact the Athletic Director or Guidance Office.
GO TO: https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/ for more information
Athletic Handbook Highlights
PARENT/COACH COMMUNICATION PLAN
Communication parents can expect from their child’s coach:
a) Philosophy of the coach and criteria for the team selection process
b) Expectations the coach has for their child as well as all the players on the squad
c) Locations and times of all practices and contests
d) Team requirements - practices, special equipment, out of season responsibilities
e) Procedure followed should their child become injured during participation
f) Discipline that may result in the suspension/removal of their child from the squad
g) Specific ways to improve upon their child’s athletic ability
Athletic Handbook Highlights
Communication coaches expect from parents:
a) Notification of any schedule conflicts well in advance
b) Specific concerns with regard to a coach’s philosophy and/or expectations
c) Concerns regarding their child’s special needs, behavior or performance
d) Specific information that would be of value to the coach to help him/her coach their child
e) Concerns that their child feels threatened or uncomfortable in any way due to actions of teammates or coach(es)
Athletic Handbook Highlights
Issues not appropriate to discuss with the coach:
a) Playing time
b) Team strategy
c) Play calling
d) Other student-athletes
Athletic Handbook Highlights
If you have a concern to discuss with a coach, please follow the procedure listed below:
a) Encourage your son or daughter to approach the coach to discuss the issue.
b) If not resolved, call the coach to set up an appointment.
c) If you cannot reach the coach directly, call the Athletic Director. The message will be forwarded to the coach.
d) Do not attempt to confront a coach before or after a contest or practice. These can be emotional times for both the parent and the coach. Meetings of this nature rarely promote resolution.
e) If the meeting with the coach did not provide a satisfactory resolution, please call and set up an appointment with the Athletic Director (225-8019) to discuss the situation.
Athletic Handbook Highlights
Playing time
Athletic Handbook Highlights
Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Learner-Athletes: MHS and MSMS allows participation for all learners regardless of their gender identity or expression. All learners are encouraged to participate in co-curricular athletics, and we strive to create a competitive and friendly environment, free of discrimination. Fundamental fairness, as well as most local, state and federal rules and regulations, requires schools to provide intersex, transgender, and gender nonconforming learner-athletes with equal opportunities to participate in athletics. Accordingly, transgender learner -athletes will participate on teams aligning with their identified (not biological) gender. Gender nonconforming learner-athletes will choose (if necessary) which sports teams they are most comfortable participating on.
Athletic Handbook Highlights
To view the entire handbook to see more information regarding our sports go to….
https://sites.google.com/mpsvt.org/mhs-athletics/home
Scroll down until you see “Athletics Handbook”
For the MSMS sport info forms go to https://sites.google.com/a/mpsvt.org/msms-athletics/MSMS-Sport-FormsHandbook
Online Calendar
You can view all of our MS and HS events (practices and games) by going to:
Subscribe to your child’s sport to be able to get alerts as soon as something changes!
You can also filter by just the sport you want to see by going to “Reports” on the left hand side bar and following the prompts.
Additional Links/Resources
By going to one of either the MRPS Athletics Home Page you will be able to find more information regarding the season, including:
Return to play protocol following a concussion
VPA Heat Policy that goes over our restrictions when dealing with above average temperatures
Download the Scorebook Live app to follow Montpelier HS sports!
Additional Links/Resources
VPAonline.org : Vermont Principals’ Association where you can find all sports related policies.
Scorebooklive.com: The VT home for sports scores and rankings
MRPSVT.org: Montpelier Roxbury Public Schools website
https://twitter.com/MHS_Solons: Twitter account MHS sports. Gives updates on games and any changes that may occur!
https://www.facebook.com/MontpelierHighSchoolAthletics: Facebook account for MHS Athletics.