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Fall 2024 Cross Country: Eligibility & Registration

Updated 6/11/2024.

Read the General Information & Schedule page here first!

Mandatory team registration & orientation meeting (registration closes; online pre-registration required):
Tuesday, June 11, 2024, at 6:15 P.M. (Hanover City Hall).
This will be a combination of paperwork management and group meeting.
See Team Calendar for details and links.

  • All online and paper forms and fees (including sports physicals) are due at this time.
    Late registrations/paperwork are subject to late fees and not guaranteed participation.
  • All athletes plus at least one parent per family must attend the group meeting.
    If you absolutely cannot attend the meeting, you must meet with the NHAC Athletic Director in person before the meeting to sign the MSHSL group paperwork, but no later than the day before the meeting. 

Eligibility

  • We are a team of homeschooled student-athletes. "Homeschooled students" in the State of Minnesota are those who submit an Initial Report or annual Letter of Intent to their school district (example here).
    Students enrolled in online public/private schools (e.g., Harmony Education, MN Connections Academy, etc.) are ineligible.
  • PSEO students: If you are age 17+ and enrolled in PSEO but not reporting to your district: contact us for instructions.
    The MSHSL restricts participation in extracurricular activities to the high school level. If you are considering college-level sports, fine arts, or other activities, contact us before registering to determine eligibility. See additional information here.
  • New participants must reside within an 18-mile radius (as the crow flies) of Hanover City Hall, 11250 5th St. NE, Hanover, MN, 55341.
  • We LOVE new athletes! :) No experience necessary; there's a place on this team for everyone--from beginners to All-State athletes and everything in between.

Please report your student's grade based on expected graduation year, regardless of schoolwork level in any subject, as there are years-of-participation limits. See Team Handbook or ask us for details.

Fees & Service Requirements
Your payment holds your place on the team. See limited Refund & Late Fee Policy. Fees are used to offset the costs of uniforms, race fees, league dues, insurance, equipment, supplies, maintenance, incentives and awards, coach training, and other team events. This is an entirely volunteer-run program.

Annual Family Registration Fee: $50/family. This must be paid before you can login and roster your student-athletes.
If you are waitlisted and there is not space, then this fee will be refunded.

  • Cross Country Activity Fees.
    • Junior high (7th-8th grades): $225
    • 9th graders: contact us at least one week before the registration deadline to determine eligibility.
    • High school (10th-12th grades; JV/Varsity): $250
  • Service Requirement. Each family is expected to share their gifts/talents/services/occupation to support the team community. See information and descriptions here.

Late Registration (after the team meeting)

  • If space is available, Junior High (middle school) may register up to the first day of practice. JV/Varsity registration closes at the team registration meeting as we immediately begin the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) team application process.
  • Contact us to find out if there are openings. All late registration forms and fees are subject to a $50 late fee per family and must be completed within 48 hours of approval or will be moved to the waiting list.

Sports Physicals
Due at the team registration meeting. See Refund & Late Fee Policy

  • Sports Qualifying Physical Exam Clearance Form must be dated within 3 years of the start of the sport season. Call early to make your appointments. If all else fails, try a Minute Clinic or similar.
  • Medical considerations requiring additional paperwork must be dated within 1 year of the start of the sport season. Also due at the meeting. Example: Asthma Action Plan if you will be using an inhaler--must include doctor's signature releasing use of medication.
  • Exceptions:
    • First-time team families may submit their medical paperwork up to 4 weeks after the team meeting. However, at registration they must provide a sports physical appointment date to avoid waitlists and late fees. Student-athletes may only participate in pre-season (summer, captain's practices, etc.) runs if they have submitted the required medical forms.
  • Medical forms are retained in NHAC files but not sent to the League. You do not have to resubmit unless it is expiring.

Registration is a 3-step process.
All forms and fees are due before the team registration meeting.

  1. Complete your general registration forms--there are online (NHAC) and paper (MSHSL) forms.
  2. Await membership approval by email (this could take 1-2 days--longer for prospective new families).
  3. Login, roster your athletes, and pay your fees.

There are many forms and pages, so please read carefully!
Plan to spend time on these before the meeting. All of this paperwork is the same as if you were to participate in sports at a non-district high school. All MSHSL membership forms & fees will be submitted by the team as a whole--do not send anything directly to the MSHSL.

  • Online Forms (Nighthawks) to complete before the Registration meeting: See instructions below.
  • Printed Forms (MSHSL) to bring to the Registration meeting: The online system will direct you to these during the Registration process.

We (NHAC) and the MSHSL will do everything we can to alert you to deadlines, but ultimately you are responsible to keep your MSHSL membership and your student-athlete's eligibility in good standing.

As always, let us know if you have any questions. We're looking forward to having you on the team!

REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
About those waiting lists... The priority system is meant to be as fair as possible while maintaining the team community from season to season: https://www.homeschool-life.com/2515/faq/. Being granted a slot on the cross country team does not guarantee a spot on the track & field team or vice versa.

  • *Current* team members will be given priority registration beginning Thursday, May 30.
    Use the following link to begin the registration process:
    [INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE EMAILED FOR 2024]
    Membership approvals are a manual process and will open after we clear the track & field database.
    Rostering opens at 8:00 A.M. but requires membership approval.
  • *New* team members will have the opportunity to register beginning Tuesday, June 4, space permitting.
    Contact us to inquire about available space, then use the following link to begin the registration process:
    [CONTACT US - INSTRUCTIONS WILL SENT VIA EMAIL IF THERE IS SPACE IN 2024].
  • Mandatory team registration & orientation meeting (online pre-registration required):
    Tuesday, June 11, 2024, 6:15 P.M.
    See Team Calendar for details.