Athletics

The Whatcom County Middle School League includes Blaine Middle School, Lynden Middle School, Nooksack Middle School, Lynden Christian Middle School, Meridian Middle School, Vista Middle School, Horizon Middle School, Mount Baker Junior High, Lummi Nation, Franklin Academy, and Assumption.

Only 7th and 8th grade students are eligible for competing in the Whatcom County Middle School League. Please note that we will be offering intramural basketball to our Vista and Horizon 6th grade students.

Season 1 (Registration Deadline: August 22, 2025)

• 8/25-10/17: Cross-Country, Boys Soccer, and Girls Softball
• 8/25-10/30: Football
• 9/8-10/18: 6th Grade Girls Basketball – Intramural (Vista/Horizon) Monday through Wednesday

Season 2 (Registration Deadline: October 17, 2025)

• 10/20-12/5: Girls Basketball
• 12/1-1/30 : Boys Basketball

Season 3 (Registration Deadline: January 30, 2026)

• 2/2-3/20: Girls Volleyball and Wrestling

Season 4 (Registration Deadlines: Track - March 20, 2026
​​​​​​​Girls Soccer and 6th Grade Basketball - April 3, 2026)

• 3/23-5/15: Track
• 4/13-5/29: Girls Soccer
• 4/13-5/29: 6th Grade Boys Basketball – Intramural (Vista/Horizon) Monday through Wednesday

• Ferndale FinalForms Parent Playbook
• Ferndale FinalForms Parent Playbook - Spanish

Registration
If your student is already registered on FinalForms and you have completed the annual eligibility requirements, please make sure you have gone into your account to have selected the sports your student plans to participate in for the 2025-2026 school year as well as updating any new information you have.   

To be eligible to participate in practice and competition, a parent/guardian must create a Final Forms account as well as provide information and consent  to meet  annual student eligibility requirements to participate. If you haven't started a Final Forms account yet,  Please see the attached FinalForms Parent Playbook to assist you with creating an account and read below to see specifics on what information is needed to meet annual eligibility requirements. To start or access your FinalForms account and register your student for athletics, click the link below.

Final Forms Registration Link:

Ferndale School District

Questions or Assistance with Final Forms Registration

Horizon Middle School Athletic Administrative Assistant:

Kerri Draper, 360-383-9854 or Kerri.Draper@ferndalesd.org

The Horizon and Vista main offices are open daily Monday-Friday from 7:30 am-4:00 pm.

Our middle school main offices will be closed for the Summer beginning Thursday, June 18, 2025 and will reopen on Monday, August 18, 2025.

Registration Eligibility Requirements

Physical Exam on File All students must have a current physical exam on file with their school’s main office to participate in practice and competition. It is important that you make an appointment with your primary medical provider far in advance, so it is complete before the season starts.  Another good option is to go to the PeaceHealth Same-Day Clinic at Cordata Main at 4545 Cordata Parkway in Bellingham, 360-788-8180; they offer sports physicals on a walk-in basis for $75.
The Ferndale School District is offering a Vaccination Clinic from 4:00-7:00 pm, and a Physical Exam Clinic from 6:00–8:00 pm on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at Ferndale High School.

Purchase an Annual Associated Student Body Card for $20 at your school’s main office. If your family's financial situation makes it difficult to pay for an ASB card, please see a staff in the main office.

Have current health insurance for your student. Please contact your school’s office if you need to purchase school insurance. (FinalForms)

Read concussion and cardiac arrest information. (FinalForms)

Read and sign the co-curricular code. (Final Forms)

Sign-off on risk statement forms and sport-specific safety guidelines. (FinalForms)

Complete Required Vaccinations, Immunizations, Medication Orders. (School Main Office)

To have your student prepared to start school on time and be eligible for athletics, school nurses recommend parents make an appointment with your student’s Health Care Provider NOW to complete and address the following:

• Any required Vaccinations – Per WA State law, students are required to be up to date with all required immunizations on or before the first day of school attendance.
• Sign up for MyIR (My Immunization Record) to access your and your family’s immunization records through the Washington State immunization system.
• Complete Life-Threatening Condition and/or Medication Order Requirements.
  • If your student has a life-threatening or serious health condition which requires them to have emergency medication at school, your student WILL NOT BE CLEARED to participate in school activities or sports until their emergency medication orders and current unexpired medication has been delivered to your school’s main office. 
  • Medication/Inhaler/EpiPen forms must be completed by parents and signed off by your medical provider to be taken or to have available at school. Note, new orders are required every school year.
  • Provide any emergency treatment plans your student requires for Asthma, Diabetes, Life Threatening Allergies, Seizures and other life-threatening conditions. 
  • If your student is followed by Seattle Children’s Hospital for their health condition (ex: diabetes) and you do not have a scheduled appointment between now and the start of school to update school orders, they have instructed schools to encourage families to contact Children’s as soon as possible - don’t wait until August.  By using MyChart parents can request the required school orders for 2025-2026 school year.

Practice and Game Details  
Practice Schedule When school is in session, practices are four days a week, Monday through Thursday, 2:30 pm-4:30 pm as well as the first Friday of the season.  Typically, we do not hold practices on early release days or Fridays.

Games League schedules are typically published the beginning of the second week of each athletic season.

Bus Transportation for Athletics

An activity bus is available to transport student-athletes home after practice Monday through at approximately 4:30 pm.  Students will be provided bus transportation to away games and transport them back to their home school. Note, parent/guardians are responsible for picking their students up after all games at the site of the contest or at their home school. Also note, the activity bus does not run on FSD Wednesday Early Release days and Fridays.

Co-Curricular Code—Key Highlights

Scholarship (WIAA 18.8.0.)  To maintain eligibility to participate in competitions, a student must be attending school full-time and maintain passing grades in at least 5 of their 6 classes.   Students with more than 1 failing grade may continue to participate in practice as long as they attend at least one weekly study session after school and make progress with raising grades.  Grade checks will be done at the beginning of the the season and approximately every 9 school days.

Suspensions

Student placed on suspension are not eligible to compete or attend practice while on suspension. Students who incur a drug and alcohol violation, will be placed on athletic suspension for a minimum of 15 days.

Absences

Students who are unexcused absent or absent from school for more than the majority of the day, may not practice or participate in competition on that day.  Students who have a contagious illness or are injured may not participate in practice or competition.

Students who have appointments that are less than half the day, may practice and participate in competition.

Practice Schedule When school is in session, practices are four days a week, Monday through Thursday, 2:30 pm-4:30 pm as well as Fridays the first two weeks of the season.

Practice location and times on August 28 and 29, the two days before school starts, will be published at the end of June. School starts Wednesday, August 27, 2025.

Team Formation and Practice Locations

Football Vista and Horizon will combine and play as Ferndale MS Football. We plan to field a full 7th and 8th-grade team between the two schools. Ferndale MS Football will practice at Horizon and/or Vista. Stay Tuned.

Cross Country Vista and Horizon will have their own Cross-Country teams. Horizon Cross-Country team will begin and end practices at HMS. Vista Cross-Country team will begin and end practices at VMS.

Girls Softball Vista and Horizon will combine and play as Ferndale MS Softball. We plan to field a full 7th and 8th grade team between the two schools. Ferndale MS Softball will practice at Ferndale High School softball fields.

Boys Soccer Vista and Horizon Boys Soccer will have their own teams. Vista Boys Soccer will practice at VMS. Horizon Boys Soccer will practice at HMS.

Bus Transportation  
When school is in session, beginning Wednesday August 27, Ferndale School District bus transportation will transport students to their practice locations if the practice is at a different location than their home school. An activity bus is available to transport students home after practice Monday through Thursday.  A bus will transport students to away games and transport them back to their home schools. Note, parents are responsible for picking their students up after games at the site of the contest or at their home school.