LHS Athlete Eligibility

Eligibility:  No student shall be eligible to participate in LHS Athletics (at the varsity or sub-varsity level) without meeting the academic eligibility requirements defined by the GHSA Constitution and having an up-to-date physical on file with the Athletic Department (see GHSA Constitution Rule 1.41 and Rule 1.50).  In addition, students must meet the residency/transfer student requirements to participate at the varsity level.  Students determined to be “migrant” may not participate at the varsity level but may be eligible to participate at the sub-varsity level (see GHSA Constitution Rule 1.63).  The Athletic Director will verify the eligibility of all student-athletes, but it is the Head Coach’s responsibility to ensure that all students on the official team roster are eligible to participate and to ensure that these students maintain their eligibility throughout the duration of the competition season (i.e., ensure that students maintain an up-to-date physical on file; ensure that students maintain their academic eligibility at the end of the Fall Semester, etc.).  To be eligible, students must be enrolled in one high school full-time (i.e., taking a course load of at least 2.5 credit hours) and must not have reached their 19th birthday before May 1 preceding the year of participation.  A student has eight consecutive semesters or four consecutive years of eligibility and must meet certain requirements pertaining to residency and academics.

1. Academic Eligibility: Academic eligibility is defined by Rule 1.50 of the GHSA Constitution.  Student eligibility is determined prior to the beginning of the competition season for each sport and is reassessed on the first day of the subsequent semester.  Students must earn a certain number of Carnegie units toward graduation according to the following criteria:

   1. Fourth-Year Students must have accumulated 17 total Carnegie units the first, second, and third years and passed courses carrying at least 2.5 Carnegie units the previous semester.

   2. Third-Year Students must have accumulated 11 total Carnegie units the first and second years and passed courses carrying at least 2.5 Carnegie units the previous semester.

   3. Second-Year Students must have accumulated 5 total Carnegie units the first year and passed courses carrying at least 2.5 Carnegie units the previous semester.

   4. First-Year Students (entering 9th grade) are automatically granted academic eligibility.   The second-semester first-year students must have passed courses carrying at least 2.5 Carnegie units the previous semester.

2. Athletic Physicals: All students must have an up-to-date certificate of an annual physical examination on file with the Athletic Director’s office prior to being eligible to try-out, practice, or compete.  Physical examinations must be completed by an appropriately licensed medical professional on the approved GHSA “Participation Physical Evaluation” form (see form attached below or download the form from https://www.ghsa.net/ghsa-preparticipation-physical-evaluation-forms