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Montgomery Cougars Athletic Department Forms: Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I know if my child has a current physical on file in the health office? You should keep track of your child’s annual physical date on your calendar and submit the 3 page Pre Participation form once a year immediately after the physical has been completed. Forms are processed all year long. Physicals are considered current 365 days from the date of the examination. If you are not sure if your child has a current physical on file you should send your child into the nurse’s office to inquire. You can also email the nurse that covers your child’s grade. Our email addresses can be found on the health office webpage.
- My child had a sports physical over the summer but it’s on a camp form. Is that okay? No. All sports forms must be submitted on the most recent edition of the NJ Department of Education Annual Athletic Pre-Participation From. This is a NJ state law. Forms can be found on the MHS Athletics page, on the MHS Health Office page and in the MHS Health Office.
- If my child had a physical last year how long is it considered current for? Physicals are current for 365 from the date of the exam. Simply add one year to the date of the physical exam to get the date of expiration. Please note, physicals are considered current from the date of the exam, not the date the paperwork is signed by the doctor.
- What is a health history update form and how do I know if my child needs to hand one in? The health history update form is a snapshot of your child’s health since the last physical exam. Health history update forms are required for each season of sports if a new physical is not being handed in at that time. A new and separate update is required for each season of sports. The form cannot be dated more than 90 days prior to the start of the sport. The health history update form is not required if a new physical is being submitted.
- Does the health history update form need a doctor’s signature? The form has 13 questions. As long as all of the answers are NO, the update form does NOT require an MD signature. If your child has had an injury or significant illness (e.g.: mono, pneumonia) since the last physical then a clearance note from the doctor will need to be attached to the update form.
- Why is the deadline to turn in forms so important? The process to add an athlete to an athletic roster is a lengthy and time consuming one. The school doctor must review and approve each new physical individually. We receive hundreds of physicals each season. The school doctor guarantees that every physical handed in by the deadline will be reviewed prior to the start of the season. Physicals handed in after the deadline will not be cleared prior to the first practice or tryout. The school nurses work with the school physician and athletic office to build rosters prior to the first practice. Forms turned in after the deadline require rosters to changed and updated which impacts the school physician, the school nurses, the athletic secretary and the coach of your child’s team.
- If my child is scheduled for a physical after the deadline what should I do? If your child has an annual physical after the deadline you may have to have your child’s annual physical date reset to accommodate school athletic deadlines and ensure clearance for the first day of practice or tryouts. Some insurance companies will only pay for one physical per year. One popular option is to schedule a one-time walk in appointment at a walk in clinic and pay out of pocket for an exam and completion of the required paperwork (currently $39 at CVS in Montgomery). You would then bring your completed paperwork to the nurse’s office for processing prior to the deadline. A visit to your child’s pediatrician after the start of the season for their annual physical is recommended and will automatically reset the annual physical date to accommodate school deadlines. Be sure to have all physical exams recorded on the NJ Annual Athletic Pre-Participation Form and submit them to the health office after completion.
- Who should the forms be given to? All physical forms and update forms should be given directly to the nurses in the health office. All forms must be completed in their entirety and must be signed, dated and stamped where indicated prior to processing. Please review the directions for each form carefully prior to completion. Incomplete packets will be returned to the athlete until all missing or incomplete items are completed.
- How do I know ahead of time what the sports schedule is and when upcoming due dates are? All information is posted on the MHS Athletics Webpage and the MHS Health Office webpage. Deadlines are also advertised through coach’s communication, on the morning announcements, via Eblasts and school newsletters and on signage outside of the health office.
- How will I know if my child has been cleared for participation? Our school doctor and nursing staff guarantee that all athletes who hand in their completed paperwork prior to the deadline will be reviewed prior the start of the season. All inquiries should be directed to the coaches and athletic office.