Athletics

The process to get athletes cleared will be online this year. Visit www.athleticclearance.com and create a profile. There you will find forms that need to be read and signed and you MUST upload your completed physical before being officially cleared.

All athletes must complete the Athletic Clearance packet and the Pre-participation Physical Evaluation Form prior to being allowed to try out!

Athletic Clearance website

Pre-participation Physical Evaluation form

The SCUSD physical form must be filled out by a doctor. If you do it through your regular insurance provider, please be sure to schedule early. The clearance is good for one year after completion.

Paper Packets

If you are unable to complete the athletic clearance requirements online, please contact Athletic Directors Brittney Codera (brcodera@scusd.net) or Gil Vasquez (givasquez@scusd.net) to arrange a paper packet.

1.What recruiters look for on the court/field/track:

• Skill and fundamentals: Consistency in executing the basics of your sport.
• Game IQ: Understanding strategy, reading plays, and making smart decisions.
• Work ethic: Visible effort, hustle, and resilience during competition and practice.
• Coachability: Willingness to listen, take feedback, and make adjustments.
• Competitiveness: A desire to win, but with respect and composure.
• Versatility: Ability to adapt to different positions or roles when needed.

2. Physical Preparedness

• Emphasize strength, conditioning, and injury prevention.
• Colleges value athletes who take care of their nutrition, recovery, and training routines.

3. Academics Matter

• Grades and course rigor show discipline, time management, and responsibility.
• Recruiters want athletes who are academically eligible and capable of thriving in college coursework.
• Strong academics can open doors to scholarships and make an athlete stand out in competitive recruiting classes

4. Character and Leadership

• Integrity and attitude: How do you handle winning and losing?
• Team-first mindset: Colleges notice athletes who uplift others, not just themselves.
• Respect and maturity: How you treat coaches, officials, teammates, and opponents matters.

5. Social Media Presence

• Recruiters check online profiles.
• They look for positive engagement, not negativity or drama.
• A good rule: If you wouldn’t want your coach, family, or future employer to see it — don’t post it

6. Commitment and Follow-Through

• College sports require discipline, sacrifice, and time management.
• Recruiters look for consistency — showing up to practices, games, and classes even when it’s hard.
• They value multi-sport athletes for their adaptability and competitiveness, but also look for commitment to developing their primary sport

7. Communication and Initiative

• Respond to coaches and recruiters promptly and professionally.
• Be honest about your goals, interests, and availability.
• Ask good questions about team culture, academics, and expectations.
• Be proactive in creating your athletic resume or highlight reel

8. Culture Fit

• Recruiters want to see if you’ll fit their team’s values and environment.
• They evaluate attitude, energy, and personality during visits and conversations.

9. Long-Term Mindset

• Focus on being a student-athlete, not just an athlete.
• Think about how your sport can help you grow into a leader, teammate, and professional.
• Recruiters value athletes who show growth potential — not just current talent

10. Final Takeaways for Students

• Talent gets you noticed, but character gets you recruited.
• Demonstrate consistency in attitude, effort, and academics.
• Be authentic — show who you are both on and off the court.

To be eligible to play a sport at MacDonald High School an athlete must:

1. Be physically cleared to play
2. Be passing a minimum of four classes
3. Maintain good behavioral standing as outlined in our student handbook
4. For the previous grading period, the student athletes must have been enrolled in 20 units and received a 2.0 GPA. If they received a 1.5-1.99 GPA they may apply for  academic probation. If you are in this situation, please discuss the matter with your coach. 
5. Student athletes must not have turned 19 prior to June 15th of the preceding year.
6. If a student athlete ever attended a different high school, it must be determined whether or not CCS transfer paperwork should be filled out. Please speak to your coach or an athletic director to determine what steps need to be taken. 

This is not a comprehensive list of requirements, but rather a few other reminders of some of the requirements to be eligible to play a sport. 

Tryouts

Some sports are try out based, where individuals are given three days to try out for a sport, and a coach will make the decisions on who they keep. Others are no cut sports that require the athletes to meet eligibility standards, participate fully, and maintain a positive attitude. 

No cut sports include Cross Country, Football, Wrestling, Track and Field, Badminton and Swimming. Girl's and Boy's Tennis will most likely be no cut as well. Some sports listed below may be cut (depending on numbers). 

Sports that we are hoping to get as soon as possible (based on numbers) are Boy's/Girl's Water Polo, Girl's Flag Football, and Boy's/Girl's Golf.

Proposing a New Sport

In SCUSD, we’re always excited to explore new athletic opportunities that enhance our student experience and promote school spirit, teamwork, and wellness. Community members, students, and families who are interested in starting a new sport on our campus, whether it be a club or CIF sport, should follow the steps below to ensure the proposal aligns with district guidelines, CIF regulations, and available resources.

Steps to Propose a New Sport

1. Contact your school's Vice Principal overseeing Athletics and schedule a time to meet and discuss your idea.

2. A minimum number of students expressing consistent interest is required to consider forming a team. Please include a list of interested students (grades and contact information) as part of your proposal, as well as other sports that might be impacted by the creation of a new sport or club on campus.

Important Notes

• Not all proposed sports can be immediately implemented due to facility, budget, or staffing constraints.

• Community partnerships, booster support, and sustainable student interest are key factors in approval.