Every athlete on campus must complete a clearance process, an online system designed so students can prove themselves physically qualified for whichever sport they are enrolled in. Previously, students had to fill out their personal and parent/guardian information, medical history and upload a physical online to be athletically cleared.

However, starting this year, the campus is adding one major step in the process to increase efficiency. This change may seem small, but it is one that makes the process run much smoother to prevent any problems that arose in the past two years.

“Previously, the physical can be dated whenever it was dated, and you would just have to get a new physical during the year,” office assistant Patricia Pippen said. “Now, everyone has to do their physical in the month of May, so that everyone would be cleared at the same time.”

Athletes are still required to follow the same steps: upload the physical, answer all the questions and bring the confirmation page with parent signature to the athletic office. The only difference is that all athletes are required to have a physical that is dated between the beginning of May and June 8. This process is being carried out by setting up a day for each specific sport throughout this time period.

This process ensures that each student receives a physical. Problems regarding not meeting deadlines, forgetting to submit their physical, and filling out the forms incorrectly can be easily avoided.

“The idea would be that all athletes are cleared for the entire school year,” athletic director Katherine Levensailor said. “They never become uncleared mid-season, and never run the risk of having to be benched or accidentally playing uncleared.”

Also, with the new change, students will not take the risk of forfeiting any matches because some athletes are not cleared. During previous years, most students that became uncleared were due to their physical expiring.

“I think it will be frustrating in the beginning, trying to get everyone to understand the vision, but moving forward it will be so much simpler and easier for the coaches and the athletes,” Pippen said.