Athletics Forms and FAQs

Students can begin participating on school sports teams at the beginning of their 7th grade year.

Football, volleyball, cheerleading, basketball (boys and girls) and soccer (boys and girls)

Middle school students who reside within Richland School District Two are eligible to participate in allowable high school sports at the high school for which they are zoned to attend.

If a middle school student has a sibling who is approved to attend a high school other than their zoned school, a Richland Two Sports Waiver (see links below) may be completed to request eligibility at that school.

Beginning with the 2025–2026 school year, middle school students are entitled to one penalty-free transfer during the eighth-grade year following their initial (seventh-grade) enrollment, provided that the transfer occurs on or before the Start-of-Practice Date of the sports season in which the transfer occurs.

Any subsequent transfer or any transfer that occurs after the Start-of-Practice Date without a bona fide change of residence—as defined by the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL)—will result in a 30-calendar-day period of ineligibility or one-half of the maximum number of contests, whichever is less.

Transfers occurring after the Competition Start Date will result in ineligibility for postseason competition in that sport.

Middle school students who live within the district are allowed to participate on allowable high school sports teams at the high school for which they are zoned to attend.

Yes, there is a maximum age requirement for participation on both middle school and high school teams. A student who becomes 15 years of age prior to July 1 of the current school year will not be eligible to compete on any middle school teams during that school year. A student who becomes 19 years of age prior to July 1 of the current school year will not be eligible to compete on any high school teams during that school year. Note: Should a student become too old to participate on a middle school team, he or she may be considered as enrolled in the 9th grade for eligibility purposes.

Beginning with the 2025–2026 school year, middle school students are entitled to one penalty-free transfer during the eighth-grade year following their initial (seventh-grade) enrollment, provided that the transfer occurs on or before the Start-of-Practice Date of the sports season in which the transfer occurs.

Any subsequent transfer or any transfer that occurs after the Start-of-Practice Date without a bona fide change of residence—as defined by the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL)—will result in a 30-calendar-day period of ineligibility or one-half of the maximum number of contests, whichever is less.

Transfers occurring after the Competition Start Date will result in ineligibility for postseason competition in that sport.

Yes. A student must be eligible to represent his/her middle school in order to be able to participate on allowable high school sport teams.

Q: If my child plays on a sport team(s) at his or her zoned high school while in middle school and then attends another high school within our district through one of the district’s choice options as a 9th grader, will my child be eligible to play immediately?

A: Yes, provided the student was academically promoted and his/her family lives in the school district.

Q: Are rising 9th graders (current 8th graders) allowed to participate in spring practice/activities held at the high schools once they have been accepted for a choice option and then registered at the choice school?

A: Yes. However, if the student participates in an athletic activity (cheerleading tryouts, spring practice, weight-lifting, summer practice, summer team camps, etc.) at this school beginning in the spring and continuing throughout the summer may lose one (1) calendar year of athletic eligibility if he/she changes schools in the future without a bona fide change of residence.

General Eligibility

Student-athletes establish their athletic eligibility at the school where they first enroll in 7th or 9th grade. The following rules apply to transfers that occur after a student’s initial eligibility is established.

1. First Transfer (Penalty-Free)

• A student is entitled to one penalty-free transfer during the first six semesters after their initial high school enrollment, provided the transfer occurs on or before the Start-of-Practice Date of the sport’s season in which the transfer occurs.
• If these conditions are met, the student will be immediately eligible for participation at the receiving school.

2. Transfers After the Start-of-Practice Date

• Students who transfer after the Start-of-Practice Date will be subject to a period of ineligibility lasting 30 calendar days or ½ of the Maximum Number of Contests, whichever is less.

3. Transfers After the Competition Start Date

• In addition to the 30-day or ½-contest restriction above, any student who transfers after the Competition Start Date will be ineligible for SCHSL postseason competition in that sport.

4. Senior Transfers

• Senior transfers are subject to a period of 22 calendar days of ineligibility or ⅓ of the Maximum Number of Contests, whichever is less, in the sport in which the student participated during the 12 months preceding the transfer.
  Exception for 2025–26: For the 2025–2026 school year, seniors will be given the same eligibility status as students using their first-time transfer (as described in Sections 1–3).

5. Second or Subsequent Transfers

• A student who transfers a second or subsequent time will be subject to 30 calendar days of ineligibility or ½ the Maximum Number of Contests, whichever is less.
• These students will also be ineligible for all SCHSL postseason competition in any sport in which they participated during the 12 months preceding the transfer.

General Eligibility

Student-athletes establish their athletic eligibility at the school where they first enroll in 7th or 9th grade. The following rules apply to transfers that occur after a student’s initial eligibility is established.

1. First Transfer (Penalty-Free)

• A student is entitled to one penalty-free transfer during the first six semesters after their initial high school enrollment, provided the transfer occurs on or before the Start-of-Practice Date of the sport’s season in which the transfer occurs.
• If these conditions are met, the student will be immediately eligible for participation at the receiving school.

2. Transfers After the Start-of-Practice Date

• Students who transfer after the Start-of-Practice Date will be subject to a period of ineligibility lasting 30 calendar days or ½ of the Maximum Number of Contests, whichever is less.

3. Transfers After the Competition Start Date

• In addition to the 30-day or ½-contest restriction above, any student who transfers after the Competition Start Date will be ineligible for SCHSL postseason competition in that sport.

4. Senior Transfers

• Senior transfers are subject to a period of 22 calendar days of ineligibility or ⅓ of the Maximum Number of Contests, whichever is less, in the sport in which the student participated during the 12 months preceding the transfer.
  Exception for 2025–26: For the 2025–2026 school year, seniors will be given the same eligibility status as students using their first-time transfer (as described in Sections 1–3).

5. Second or Subsequent Transfers

• A student who transfers a second or subsequent time will be subject to 30 calendar days of ineligibility or ½ the Maximum Number of Contests, whichever is less.
• These students will also be ineligible for all SCHSL postseason competition in any sport in which they participated during the 12 months preceding the transfer.