What Sports Physical Forms Illinois Students Need Before Fall Tryouts

Illinois student athletes need two documents on file before fall tryouts. A completed sports physical, usually on the IHSA Pre-Participation Examination Form, valid for 395 days from the exam date. And a signed IHSA Sports Medicine Acknowledgement and Consent Form, covering concussion education and performance-enhancing substance testing. Most districts add an emergency contact form and an athletic code agreement. All of it has to reach the athletic office before the first tryout. No paperwork means no tryout.

Here is the full list, how long each one lasts, and the mistake that gets packets sent back.

Form	Who signs	Valid for
IHSA Pre-Participation Examination Form (grades 9-12)	Athlete, parent, MD, DO, APN, or PA	395 days
IESA Pre-Participation Physical Form (grades 7-8)	Athlete, parent, provider	395 days
Illinois Certificate of Child Health Examination	Parent and provider	One year
IHSA Sports Medicine Acknowledgement and Consent Form	Athlete and parent	One school year
Emergency contact and athletic code forms	Parent and athlete	One school year

How Long It Stays Valid

The IHSA form approves participation for 395 days. It has to stay current through the last day of the season, so an exam that expires mid-season means a new exam to keep playing.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends booking at least six weeks before the first preseason practice when the exam is not part of a regular checkup. That buffer matters, since a heart murmur or a fainting history can trigger a referral.

A School Physical Is Not a Sports Physical

This trips up incoming 6th and 9th graders every year. Illinois State Board of Education guidance is clear that an IHSA or IESA sports form cannot satisfy the required 6th or 9th grade school exam. It works the other direction, though. The state Certificate of Child Health Examination counts for sports if the provider completes the interscholastic sports statement. Bring both to one appointment.

Final Thoughts

Two forms, signed and dated, in the athletic office before day one. Check every signature line, since a blank parent signature is the most common reason a packet comes back.

Our OB/GYN and primary care practice in Lombard, offers sports physicals to help students get ready for the season. Don’t wait until tryouts, book a sports physical early to secure an appointment that works for your schedule.