Athletics

MSHSL Athletic Programs

TCA is a member of the Eastern Minnesota Athletic Conference and a Minnesota State High School League recognized school. We co-op all athletics with The Great River School. Visit the homepage of the Eastern Minnesota Athletic Conference (EMAC) to check schedules for each team. Search Twin Cities Academy/Great River Tigers at EMAC Conference Website.

MSHSL Website with details of all Varsity start and end dates.

TCA/GRS Tigers teams are competitive and open to grades 7-12. To register, you must complete the forms via computer during the registration window prior to each season; you cannot complete them on a phone. See the charts below for a summary of each sport and details. All students participating in our high school athletic offerings are required to have a sports physical every three years, and a copy of that physical must be on file in our main office. Please see the Tigers Academic Policy at the bottom of the page.

FAQ

How do I register for MSHSL sports?

Watch this website and school newsletters for the specific registration information. Registration occurs during the windows below.

• Fall: Open in May and due early August
  *Window is open the first 2 weeks of the season for fall only.
• Winter Registration: Open mid-October through early November
• Spring Registration: Open late January through early March

For any registration questions, contact Athletic Director Victor Vondracek. You can contact him at vvondracek@twincitiesacademy.org.

Should my student-athlete participate in the List League or MSHSL sports?

If your athlete is new to sports with minimal experience, List League is the way to go, as it highlights beginning athletes who are new to sports and those not looking for extreme competition.

If your athlete has multiple years of experience, is further along in skill development, and wants higher competition, MSHSL teams would be a good fit.

If your sport isn’t offered in the List League (for example, Nordic skiing), please reach out to our Athletic Director, as some sports have more entry-level options.

Who do I contact with questions about MSHSL sports?

High school sports (grades 7-12) are run by our High School Athletic Director, Coach Victor Vondracek. You can contact him at vvondracek@twincitiesacademy.org or call 651-205-4797 for any questions and registration information.

What do 7-12 high school athletics cost?

For the 2025-26 school year, the athletic fee for all sports is $185, unless you qualify for F/R lunch, which is reduced by 50%. Second Sport/Sibling: $165; Third Sport/Sibling: $165; Third Sport/Sibling: $145. Please submit payment to GRS. For softball, baseball, and boys hockey, fees are TBD as we partner with other high schools who determine fee costs.

What communication will I receive about practice schedules and games?

Once you register, you will be signed up for communication from our Athletic Director and coaches. Watch for email communication the week before practices begin. The MSHSL Website has sports-specific details of all Varsity start and end dates.

Can 7th or 8th graders participate in MSHSL?

In some sports, we offer 3 levels of competition, and an experienced 7th or 8th grade student-athlete may be a great fit for MSHSL. Please contact Athletic Director Victor Vondracek at vvondracek@twincitiesacademy.org with any questions about a specific sport.

How often do MSHSL grades 7-12 eligible sports practice?

MSHSL sports practice daily and have weekly games during the regular season. This is different from the 7th-8th grade List League, which practices fewer days a week.

What is the activity bus (GRS athletes)?

Students participating in high school 7-12 sports may ride the GRS activity bus after school to TCA or other sports locations. The activity bus is only for MSHSL sports.

Fall Sports

Season runs August through October or early November

Winter Sports

Registration mid-October, due early November. Season runs March through early June

Spring Sports

Registration mid-February, due early March. Season runs March through early June

Tigers Athletics Academic Eligibility – Grade Requirements

The Tigers believe all our students deserve the opportunity to participate in our athletic offerings. We also believe that student athletes need to place academics as their top priority. To encourage student athletes to maintain good standing in all their classes, we developed the following Athletic Eligibility Policy:

• The Athletics Department will run grade reports every other week.
• If a student athlete has ANY D and/or Fs on a regularly scheduled grade report, they are put on Athletic Probation. C- is passing.
• Athletic Probation means that:
  • Student athlete must turn in a completed Teacher Form every Friday (see attached Teacher Form).
  • Students must ask teachers to complete the form on Thursdays and/or Fridays.
  • Forms ask teachers to evaluate:
    • Attendance
    • Student athlete on time to class?
    • Student athlete handing in work on time?
    • Any assignments missing?
    • Student athletes taking tests on time?
    • Failing any tests?
    • Behavior/attitude
• Student athletes remain on Athletic Probation until the next regularly scheduled grade report shows no Ds or Fs.
• Teacher forms can ONLY be signed on Thursdays/Fridays.
  • Forms are available through the Coach or the AD.
  • Failure to get teacher signature is the student athlete’s responsibility. If you don’t get the signatures, you are not eligible for games the following week.
  • Teacher signature forms MUST be turned in to the coach on Friday. Failure to turn it in means the student athlete is not eligible for games the following week.
• If a student athlete has any D’s/F’s, they are ineligible to play in games until they no longer have any D’s/F’s.
  • The grade must be changed by the teacher in Infinite Campus to make the student athlete eligible again.
• Captains are held to a higher standard:
  • If a captain is placed on Athletic Probation more than once in a season, the student athlete will no longer be a captain for the remainder of the season.

All student athletes wanting to join a Tigers team and their parent/guardian(s) must sign this form to indicate they understand and will follow the policy.

Rules of Ineligibility

1. One Failing Grade – Ineligible to compete in the next event or until the student regains eligibility. Student may practice. A failing grade is defined as a D+ and/or below. A passing grade is defined as a C- and/or above.

2. More Than One Failing Grade – Ineligible to compete in the next two (2) events or until the student regains eligibility. Students may not practice with more than one (1) failing grade.

3. Detention & Behavior Infractions – If a student receives detention, and that detention is to be served on a practice or game day, the student will not be allowed to participate in either the practice and/or game. The student will not be allowed to switch the detention date.

If a student-athlete skips a scheduled detention without written permission from a legal guardian, they will be suspended for the next scheduled event (game/match), as well as another detention added to make up.

In-school suspension (ISS) will be treated as no participation in that day’s events (practice and/or game), but the student may be in the facility starting on the day of suspension. Out-of-school suspension (OSS) will be treated as no participation in that day’s events (practice and/or game), and the student may not be on the school grounds of the respective team’s event starting on the day of the suspension.

Other offenses that can lead to student ineligibility on a day-to-day basis

(Day-to-day meaning actions or violations occurring that day)

• Detention for excessive tardies (sit out that day’s practice or game)
• Skipping class (sit out that day’s practice or game)
• Behavior / Office Referral (sit out that day’s practice or game)

*It will be at the coach’s discretion if they must still attend the game/practice.*

*All extracurricular activities, including sports but not limited to sports, will be required to follow and uphold the standards above for eligibility.*

Tiger Athletes Now Playing at the Next Level