Coupeville Sports

Barbi Ford (right), here hanging out with Sylvia Arnold, is one of your go-to people for athletic paperwork. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

You only need to get poked and prodded every other year.

District 1, which includes Coupeville, has opted to move to requiring high school and middle school athletes get a new physical every two years.

Previously, a new one was needed every year.

“If you got a physical last year and participated in athletics, either at the middle or high school, it will be good again this year,” said CHS/CMS Athletic Director Willie Smith.

With the change, Wolf athletes and parents need to stay on top of their paperwork.

“That is also why it’s VERY IMPORTANT that you sign up on the form I sent (athletes), as well as get your paperwork in,” Smith said. “We can then reference and crosscheck the status of your physical and let you know whether or not you need a new one.

“We did this for a few reasons. The first is we didn’t know how difficult it would be for students to get into the doctors office/clinic to get a physical this year with all that’s going on.

“The shortness of time between the announcement of the start of our season is very tight, and lastly, the WIAA allows for a two-year physical and this aligns us with both South Whidbey and Oak Harbor.”

With everything topsy-turvy thanks to the pandemic, Smith stressed the importance of everyone responding, quickly, to emails sent out by school officials.

If a parent or guardian didn’t receive an athletic packet and signature forms last week, they can obtain one by emailing Barbi Ford (bford@coupeville.k12.wa.us) or Lisa Yoder (lyoder@coupeville.k12.wa.us).

Athletes also need to return the form sent out asking which sports they intend to play this school year, if COVID allows games to happen.

“As much as we need the paperwork from your parents/guardians, we also need this information (from athletes) for our planning purposes as well as the coaches planning purposes,” Smith said.

Last, but not least, stay on top of your grades, even at a time when most are doing school work online.

“We are holding our students to the same standard of attendance and academics as we would in a regular year,” Smith said.

“With the start of the second semester beginning next week, it is extremely important that if your planning on participating in athletics you get started off on the right foot and stay up to date and on top of your grades.

“We have systems in place to assist those students that may need help with grades, as we have always done, but it really is important that students start and maintain strong attendance and grades the remainder of the year.”