Mattoon Middle School Athletics Update for the 21-22 School Year
Athletic registration will open July 1 for all MMS athletic activities. By registering early, we are able to directly communicate any tryout information and updates with you before the season begins. It also helps us plan accordingly for the tryout process. We close the registrations after rosters are set for each athletic team.
Our 8to18 MMS athletics webpage is located at: https://il.8to18.com/MattoonMS/
REMEMBER! - When you register, if you don’t see Blue and Gold, double check which website you are on. MHS uses 8to18 as well, but their site is Green and Gold. If you register on the wrong site, we have to contact you, delete the improper registration, and have you complete the process on the correct website.
(You can also access our 8to18 website by going to the district webpage and looking for MMS Sports Information on the right-hand side of your screen.)
Exciting News for sixth-graders - We are opening ALL athletic tryouts to sixth-graders again this year! During the 20-21 school year, many plans had to change due to the pandemic, and we allowed for sixth-graders to try out across all of our athletic programs. It meant changing some old processes, but we felt the expansion of opportunities was a good thing to keep from this past year.
Moreover - even more exciting news for sixth, seventh, and eighth-graders who play basketball or volleyball - Anyone cut during the tryout process from girls basketball, boys basketball, or volleyball is automatically eligible for our Athletic Skills Academy. This will be a separate program of skill development, fun competitions, scrimmages, and the learning of practice routines to better prepare athletes for future try out opportunities at MMS and beyond. The Athletic Skills Academy will meet for 20 contact days. Participants in the Athletic Skills Academy will also receive free admission to home athletic events for their respective sport!
The Academy Programs will be staffed by our Sixth Gade/B-program coaches at MMS who assist our competitive squad coaches at IESA sanctioned athletic events. We hope this program thrives and expands the number of opportunities for students at MMS, possibly even to include non-IESA athletics or partnerships with other organizations down the road.
Spectators at Athletic Events for 21-22… We are waiting to see how events unfold and restrictions are loosened over time by ISBE and IDPH, but we do hope to get back closer to normal occupancy at our MMS home athletic events. When we do, we will begin charging gate, or entry fees, again. The admission fees for regular season home MMS athletic events will be $2 for adults and high school students; $1 for K-8 students and seniors.
Along with Spectators… And along with a hopeful return to normal occupancy at home athletic events, we hope to reopen our concession stand, but it will initially remain of the grab-and-go variety of offerings - soda, water, Powerade, candy. As our situation in Illinois continues to improve and ISBE and IDPH update guidance, we are hopeful to add popcorn back into our offerings - as well and allow for food and drink in the gymnasium. So stay tuned!
And last… there will not be any district fees for participation in MMS athletics for the 21-22 school year! Each team may request that you purchase certain items or equipment as part of being a member of that team. We do have funds established to help anyone in need of financial assistance when it comes to the purchase of those items, BUT again, there will not be any district fees for participation.