If you have already registered for a sport this winter or are planning to for the upcoming spring, you may have noticed at the meetings that the coaches are not handing out folders with the necessary paperwork.

That is because everything is now online.

“Given the number of students who participate in sports, why waste all that paper?” said Athletic Director Mr. Sousa. “Every year, there is an issue with students either missing paperwork or having expired physicals. This way it is easier to keep everything in order and to contact the parents when there is an issue.”

Under the old paper system, prospective athletes and their parents had to fill out physical forms, athletic contracts, and health questionnaires and turn in the entirety before the first practice. If this failed to happen, the athlete was not able to participate until everything was submitted. With the electronic system, everything still has to be completed, but it is now on file with the athletic department. This consolidation looks to be more consistent and less time consuming.

“Everything the students turned in to the coaches would come to the department office, which would then be sent to the nurse’s office,” said Sousa. “Now, all of that passing of paperwork is consolidated in the system, and all that transfer is eliminated.”

Students are also finding that the electronic system is better.

“It is a lot easier to just log on on to the web site. This method causes less anxiety about forgetting to a sign a certain form,” said senior basketball player Megan Elphick.

Senior wrestler Jake Keating agrees wholeheartedly, saying that “It is easier to access the web site than hand a bunch of papers and worry about them later.”

Even students who have not signed up on the site believe that this will be a better system.

“I haven’t used the system yet, but I would bet that it is better than before because it must be more organized,” said senior baseball player Colin Harrington.

Some coaches, however, aren’t completely sure of the benefit of the web site.

“I’m assuming [the web site] would be better, but I haven’t tried it yet, so I don’t know for sure,” said boys’ lacrosse coach Mr. Landry.

In an age when advancing technology is becoming the standard, this progression is a highly welcomed change.