AACPS Fall Sports Tryouts To Take Place Starting Feb. 16

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — Spring and fall sports tryouts will happen at Anne Arundel County Public Schools starting Feb. 16. Student-athletes will have four weeks of competitive seasons under a plan unveiled by AACPS Superintendent George Arlotto.

Fall sports will kick off with tryouts and practices on Feb. 16. Spring sports practices will begin April 17. The seasons will progress as follows:

• Feb. 16 through March 20: Fall sports practices and tryouts (where needed), with activities occurring no more than three times per week over the first three weeks to ensure field equity. Teams must have three practices before any cuts are made.
• Feb. 27: First date that football teams may begin outfitting student-athletes in helmets and pads.
• March 22 through April 17: Competition weeks for fall sports (approximate number of contests: football, 4; soccer, 5-6; field hockey, 5-6; volleyball, 5-6; cross country, 2-4; and golf, 2-4).
• April 17 through May 8: Spring sports practices and tryouts (where needed). Teams must have three practices before any cuts are made.
• May 10 through June 5: Competition weeks for spring sports (approximate number of contests: baseball, 10-12; softball, 10-12; lacrosse, 5-6; outdoor track and field, 2-4; and tennis, 5-7). Spring competition may be followed by postseason contests.

Unified Sports opportunities, specifically tennis in the fall season and bocce in the spring season, will be scheduled. Cheerleaders will not take part in county-sponsored competitions but will have the opportunity for in-person practices, school officials noted.

AACPS will maintain its academic eligibility standards during both seasons. However, to maximize opportunities for fall student-athletes, the recovery period for those fall student-athletes who are ineligible at the outset of the season will be extended from 16 days to one month.