Athletics in Duval County: Driven on the Field and in the Classroom
Students looking to "up their game" in sports score big when participating in athletics in Duval County Public Schools. Between our middle and high schools, we offer dozens of fall, winter, and spring sports for boys and girls, and for teams and individuals. Each year, thousands of student-athletes enjoy:
Learning from experienced coaches
Working with quality equipment and facilities
Playing with full-time certified athletic trainers at each high school
Participating with the highest safety standards, equipment, and training
Maintaining a focus on academics, character, and teamwork
A robust district athletics schedule including local and state competitions
Our athletes continually earn millions in scholarships to play for colleges and universities across the nation.
The strong work ethic, time management, and teamwork required for sports naturally complement our students' performance in the classroom. As a result, our student-athletes are known to be high academic achievers and are leaders at their schools.
Keep reading to learn more about the "Duval Difference" in middle and high school athletics!
Eligibility & Participation
Over 14,000 middle and high school students across the district participated in sports last school year.
Who can try out: Any student attending a school offering athletics programs.
Students whose schools don't offer sports and home-education students can try out for sports at their zoned schools.
Age requirements: By July 1 of the year they're participating, middle school students cannot be 15, and high school students cannot be 19.
Eligibility requirements: Students must meet specific criteria including clearance by a physician, signed parent or guardian consent, and insurance verification.
Ongoing requirements: Students who make teams must sign a sportsmanship contract and media release. All participants will be held to a minimum GPA requirement of 2.0. However, some programs may require a higher GPA.
Limited eligibility: High school students are limited to four years of play and middle school students are limited to three.
Middle School Sports
Middle school is an exciting time for young students to transition into interscholastic sports and experience the excitement of joining a school team. We offer 12 individual and team sports at 25 of our middle schools.
Fall Sports: Football and Girls Volleyball
Winter Sports: Boys & Girls Basketball and Boys & Girls Soccer
Spring Sports: Boys & Girls Track, Baseball, Girls Fast Pitch Softball, and Boys & Girls Swimming. Some schools are piloting co-ed golf.
Participating Middle Schools: Arlington, Baldwin, Chafee Trail, Darnell-Cookman, duPont, Fletcher, Fort Caroline, Highlands, James Weldon Johnson, Kernan, Lake Shore, Landmark, Landon, Mandarin, Matthew Gilbert, Mayport, Oceanway, Ribault, Southside, Springfield, Stillwell, Twin Lakes, Westside, Westview, and YMLA/YWLA.
High School Sports
High school athletics programs are where students take their talents to the next level. We offer 36 Junior Varsity (JV) and Varsity (V) level sports at 17 high schools, all governed by the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletics Association).
Fall Sports: Tackle Football (JV & V), Boys & Girls Swimming, Boys & Girls Cross Country, Boys & Girls Golf, and Girls Volleyball (JV & V). Some schools offer Girls Slow Pitch Softball (JV & V).
Winter Sports: Boys & Girls Basketball (JV & V), Boys & Girls Soccer (JV & V), Wrestling, and Girls Weightlifting.
Spring Sports: Boys & Girls Tennis, Boys & Girls Track, Baseball (JV & V), Girls Fast Pitch Softball (JV &V), and Girls Flag Football (JV & V). Some schools offer Boys & Girls Lacrosse.
Participating High Schools: Andrew Jackson, Atlantic Coast, Baldwin, Ed White, Englewood, First Coast, Fletcher, Mandarin, Paxon, Raines, Ribault, Riverside, Sandalwood, Stanton, Terry Parker, Westside, and Wolfson.
Middle & High School Tournaments
We provide opportunities for our middle and high school sports teams from across the district to compete against each other.
City Championship Program – Middle School Playoffs
Through our city championship program, teams from our 25 middle schools with sports go head-to-head in a playoff system. The winner of each playoff is crowned the City Champion for the school year.
The Gateway Conference – High School Tournament
At the high school level, the district hosts the Gateway Conference. Teams from our 17 high schools with sports programs compete for the chance to be named Gateway Conference champions. The Gateway Conference also recognizes students and teams for exceptional academic performance.
Our Sports Safety Standards
Duval County Public Schools adheres to the highest standards in sports safety. Between our experienced personnel and cutting-edge tools, we ensure the safety of our students is a leading priority.
All coaches are certified in First Aid and CPR.
We partner with local doctors, hospitals, and sports medicine groups.
We regularly implement student-athlete safety education such as concussion protocols, hydration, nutrition, and recovery from sports-related injuries.
We use and train with safety equipment such as multiple Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), electrocardiogram (ECG) screening technology in every school, and wet bulb globe thermometers to monitor heat.
Equipment & Facilities
Duval County Public Schools are equipped with the tools, equipment, and facilities to help our student-athletes need to excel at their sport.
At our schools, you can find:
Indoor gyms
Outdoor tracks and fields
Upgraded turf fields
Weight rooms
Tennis courts
Soccer fields
Volleyball courts
Swimming pools
...and more
Thanks to funds made available through the voluntary half-penny sales tax, we are continually improving and expanding our athletics facilities. Whether we're installing new turf fields, upgrading scoreboards, or creating gender-equitable spaces, we are enhancing the student-athlete experience.
Our Community and Business Partners
Our district continually partners with businesses, nonprofits, and organizations that provide priceless opportunities for our athletics programs. Our partners have sponsored tournaments, provided tutoring and mentoring, funded scholarships, held free clinics, remodeled facilities, hosted championships — and so much more.
Local Sports Teams:
Jacksonville Jaguars, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
Local Colleges and Universities:
University of North Florida, Jacksonville University, Edward Waters College
Media Partners:
Action News Sports, Channel 4 News4Jax, First Coast News, 1010 XL, Florida Times Union
Nonprofit Organizations:
Jacksonville Sports Medicine Program, High School 9:12, Dreams Come True, THE PLAYERS, First Tee, Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Local Business Partners:
Chartwells, Bono's Bar B Que, NFL Retired Players
Preparing for Game Day: Protocols and Security
Duval County Public Schools uses a cashless ticketing system to enter our sporting events. Attendees can visit the GoFan website or download the app to their phones.
Users will be prompted to search for their school, select the event, enter an email address, and purchase tickets. Users will receive tickets via email, which they must present upon entry.
We enforce the following protocols to maintain the safety and security of everyone attending our games.
No loitering. All fans are required to remain in the stands while watching games. We also have a strict no re-entry policy.
Park and head to the venue. Gathering or socializing in the parking lot or sitting in cars before, during, or after the game is prohibited.
Prohibited items. Firearms, weapons, outside food and drinks, backpacks, illegal drugs, and alcohol are prohibited at games.
Student pickup. If you plan on picking up your child at the end of a game, we ask that you plan ahead and know what time it ends.