Perry Central offers $5 athletic physicals April 21 for student athletes

Perry Central is giving families a low-cost way to clear one of the biggest hurdles for school sports eligibility: a $5 athletic physical night at Perry Central High School’s Fieldhouse for the 2026-27 school year.

The school scheduled the event for April 21, and said any student planning to participate in athletics during the coming school year must already have a physical on file dated after April 1, 2026. That date matters. Without it, a student can be delayed from taking part in practices and games until the paperwork is complete and turned in.

The requirement reaches different grade levels depending on the sport. Students currently in grades 4 and 5 who plan to play football, cross country, volleyball, basketball, golf or track need a physical. Students currently in grades 6 through 11 who plan to participate in any sport, including cheerleading, also need one.

Perry Central said physical papers can be picked up in both the elementary office and the high school office. Families were also asked to keep the paperwork in good condition so it can lay flat for the physician, with the school specifically requesting that forms not be folded, stained or torn.

The physical-night setup lines up with the Indiana High School Athletic Association’s pre-participation physical evaluation process, which uses a multi-page form that requires both student-athlete and parent signatures on multiple pages before it is returned to the school. That April 1 cutoff is a familiar compliance date across Indiana schools, making the Perry Central event a practical way for families to stay ahead of next year’s requirements.

At $5.00, the clinic offered a much cheaper option than arranging a separate doctor’s appointment, and it kept the process local for Perry County families balancing school, work and spring sports schedules. For students hoping to wear a Perry Central uniform in 2026-27, the difference between making the April 21 physical night and missing it could mean the difference between being ready on time or waiting out an eligibility delay.