Festival Sports FAQs

All middle school students can participate in the festival program.

Exceptions: Be aware of the No Pass, No Play policy.

There are no cuts. Athletes will be placed on teams based on their experience and ability. They will play against teams of their similar ability level and from the other middle schools within the district.

The participation forms and money, $75, are due on the first day of practice. Tax Credit is a payment option.

Click HERE for Sports Festival calendar

Students will need to dress out for practice in T-shirts and comfortable shorts or sweatpants depending and the season and the weather. The athletes will need to wear black shorts and gold festival shirts (provided) during the festival tournament.

Students will be able to store their belongings in a locker and will need to provide their own combination lock. All belongings should be locked in a locker during practice.

Practices run:

• 2:40 to 4:10 p.m. for Desert Shadows Middle, Greenway, Shea, Sunrise, and Vista Verde
• 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. for Pinnacle Peak Preparatory
• 3:40 to 5:10 p.m. for Explorer and Mountain Trail

All athletes must be picked up by 4:15 p.m. or 5:15 p.m. (depending on the end time listed above) on practice days. Ask your coach where this pick-up is located.

Any athlete who will be riding the late bus will get picked up in the back parking lot.

Ask your coach or Athletic Director for details, as late bus drop-off locations differ from regular bus locations.

Shadow Mountain High School 
2902 E. Shea Blvd
Phoenix, AZ 85028

Shea Middle School
2728 E. Shea Blvd.
Phoenix, AZ 85028

It costs $2 to attend Festival as a spectator. Please bring a chair as seating is limited.

Sports Festival dates are all held on a Saturday during the following months: 

• September: Boy’s Basketball and Girl’s Softball
• December: Boy’s and Girl’s Track & Field
• January: Boy’s Football and Girl’s Volleyball
• March: Girl’s Basketball
• May: Boy’s Wrestling

Some of the sports have All-Star seasons that follow the Festival seasons.

Any Festival participant interested in pursuing the All-Star team must be given a grade sheet to be signed by all teachers or share an online grade document with their coach. This grade check must be turned in to the coaches before the Festival to be eligible for All-Star selection.

If a participant has a non-passing grade, they cannot be chosen for the All-Star team.

The fee for the All-Star season is an additional $30. This needs to be paid on the first day of the All-Star practice.

The All-Star Season dates are: 

• Boy’s Basketball and Girl’s Softball last Sept. 23, 2023- Oct. 19, 2023
• Boy’s Football and Girl’s Volleyball lasts Jan. 22, 2024- Feb. 15, 2024
• Girl’s Basketball lasts Mar. 25, 2024- Apr. 11, 2024

• 7th grade All-Star games begin at approximately 4:30 p.m.
• 8th grade All-Star games begin at approximately 5:30 p.m.
• Softball games both start at 4:30 p.m.
• JV and Varsity Wrestling run concurrently.

There are seven all-star games. There are home and away games.

Yes, you can pick up your child from an away game but you must sign them out with the coach. There needs to be an official release form filed at the school for a coach to allow this to happen.

No, you can only sign out your own child.

Your child will ride the bus, with the coaches, back to your home school. You will need to pick him or her up in the parking lot.

While the exact time will vary, we usually return between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Click HERE for the Festival calendar, including practice dates. Occasionally, some practice days will get changed.