Welcome to PCSD Athletics

Thank you for your interest in the Phoenix School District athletic program. To provide quality coaches for secondary school athletes, New York State has established standards required of all coaches, volunteer and paid.  All costs associated with obtaining coaching certifications are the responsibility of the coach.

Non-certified teacher (must complete the following to coach in New York state)

• Fingerprinting processed through MorphTrust with clearance through NYS Education Department.
• Current first aid certification (valid for 2 or 3 years)
• Current CPR/AED (valid for 1 or 2 years) 
• Child Abuse Course. Available through NYS Office of Child & Family Services.
• Violence Prevention & Intervention (SAVE) workshop. Available through NYS workshops.
• Concussion Awareness & Management CDC certification. (biennial basis - no cost)
• Dignity for All Students Certification (DASA)
• Completed Temporary Coaches license. Done through NYS TEACH. Renewed annually. 
• Within 2 years of initial appointment, completion of:  
  • Fundamentals of Coaching (NYS Specific)
  • First Aid, Health and Safety For Coaches
  • Concussion in Sports
  • One sport-specific course of your choice.
• Within 5 years of initial appointment, completion of:
  • Bullying, Hazing and Inappropriate Behaviors
  • Strength and Conditioning
  • Teaching and Modeling Behavior
  • Engaging Effectively with Parents
  • Sportsmanship
  • Sports Nutrition
  • Heat Illness Prevention

Teacher Coaches (excluding Physical Education) must complete the following to coach in New York state:

• Fingerprinting processed through MorphTrust with clearance through NYS Education Department.  
• Current first aid certification (valid for 2 or 3 years)
• Current CPR/AED (valid for 1 or 2 years) 
• Concussion Awareness & Management CDC certification. (biennial basis - no cost)
• Within 2 years of initial appointment, completion of:  
  • Fundamentals of Coaching (NYS Specific)
  • First Aid, Health and Safety For Coaches
  • Concussion in Sports
  • One sport-specific course of your choice. 

• Within 5 years of initial appointment, completion of:
  • Bullying, Hazing and Inappropriate Behaviors
  • Strength and Conditioning
  • Teaching and Modeling Behavior
  • Engaging Effectively with Parents
  • Sportsmanship
  • Sports Nutrition
  • Heat Illness Prevention

Certification Resources:

• Accepted First Aid and CPR Course Requirements
• Apply for a License
• Coaching Pathway
• PCSD Coaching Application
• Section III
• Volunteer Coaching Form

The Athletic Placement Process Program is a voluntary program designed to afford the exceptional seventh or eighth grade student-athlete the opportunity to participate at the high school level on either the junior varsity or varsity team. An exceptional athlete should have specific talents and conditioning well above the level of athletes of a similar age. This program is not designed to fill positions on a team, provide additional experiences and practices, provide a place for a seventh or eighth grade student when no modified program is offered, or to reward a student.

In most instances, seventh or eighth grade students should participate in a full modified season to afford our staff an opportunity to assess skills and ability along with evaluating how the athlete can handle interscholastic athletics and academics. Parents are cautioned that even though an athlete may be physically ready, it does not mean that he/she may be emotionally or socially ready to handle the normal stress of increased competition, or have the ability to interact with older students.

There is great diversity among student athletes throughout New York State. The APP is aimed at the few, select students who are physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially ready to compete at a level higher than modified. Only seventh or eighth grade students are eligible to go through the process and may only do so if there are no cuts from the high school team.

Steps

The following steps must successfully be completed to make the student-athlete eligible to try out for the team. Passing the APP does not guarantee a student athlete a spot on the team:

• Recommendation from a coach or physical education teacher
• Parental Consent
• Administrative Approval
• Maturity Test (Tanner Scale performed by school physician only). This is solely at the medical director’s discretion, and all decisions are final.
• Upon district medical director’s approval the student must participate in physical fitness testing and earn a rating in the 85th percentile for their age in 4 of the 5 fitness tests. If the student does not earn a qualifying score on the first try, they will have two more opportunities to earn a qualifying score. If the student does not earn the required score after the third attempt, the process is over, and they will not be offered a tryout.
• Upon the successful completion of the items stated above, the student athlete will be granted an opportunity to try out for the team.

Deadlines

Student-athletes must go through the APP process by specified deadlines. Please contact the Athletic Department for more information.

The Phoenix Central School District has partnered with SOS for the services of a certified athletic trainer. The athletic trainer gives medical coverage for all athletes and collaborates with physicians to provide preventative services, emergency care, evaluation, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions to minimize the loss of competitive time for athletes.

Meet our Athletic Trainer

Meghan Whitmore received a Bachelor of Science in athletic training from Boston University. She then attending California University of Pennsylvania where she received a master of science in exercise science and health promotion rehabilitation Concentration. Whitmore has been working in the athletic training field since 2013 and has many years of experience working with students in grades 7-12.

She currently holds the following certifications:

• BOC Certified Athletic Trainer
• NYS Register Athletic Trainer
• NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist
• Tractical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator
• Emergency Cardiac Care
• Functional Movement Systems

Hours:

• 1:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday