Each year, the Zeeland athletic training staff plan a pre-participation physical exam (PPE) event open to Zeeland student-athletes entering grades 6-12. This event serves as an affordable option for student-athletes to receive their annual pre-participation physical exam that is required by the school and MHSAA prior to athletic participation. Please note that this PPE is not intended to replace a more thorough annual physical (well-child care exam) provided by your primary-care physician for medical and insurance purposes. The PPE is only intended to provide student-athletes an affordable option to meet the requirements for athletic participation.

The 2020 Zeeland Pre-participation Physical Exam (PPE) Night was held on April 21st. The event was a huge success with 372 Zeeland student-athletes attending the night. All funds raised from the event assist in purchasing athletic training supplies and equipment at Zeeland East and West high schools.

Nights such as these are very much a community effort. Almost 70 members of our community volunteered their time to help at the 2019 event. The Zeeland Athletic Training staff would like to thank each one of these incredible individuals, and the community organizations they represent, for their support of Zeeland Public Schools and the health and wellbeing of our student-athletes. Please, if you see these community members, thank them for their support of our student-athletes.

Frequently asked questions:
Do I or my child have to attend this night to play sports? 
No. You do not need to attend, however every student-athlete is required to have a pre-participation physical exam every year dated on or after April 15 of the previous year in order to participate in athletics. For example: to participate in the 2018-2019 athletic year, a valid physical would have to have been performed on or after April 15, 2018.

Can athletes attend without parents? 
Yes. In fact, we ask that parents do not accompany their child through the line in order to cut down on excessive traffic that can congest the building and slow down the overall process. If a previously unknown condition is discovered during the physical, the parent will be notified and the condition explained in detail. The parent will also have the ability to speak with the provider to ask further questions. We in no way want to keep a concerned parent out of the loop, but we do try to keep the process as streamlined as possible.

What form do I need to bring to the physical night? 
Please print the MHSAA PPE physical form from the FinalForms website by clicking on the +PPE Medical button next to your child's name from your parent profile. If you are not yet on FinalForms, please follow the link below for more information on how to sign up.
Click here for FinalForms information!

Who is involved in the PPE process? 
The following people are involved in the Pre-participation Physical Exams:

• Athletic Trainers
• School Administrators
• Coaches
• Physical Therapists
• Nurses
• Medical Assistants
• Physicians
• Nurse Practitioners
• Physician Assistants
• Healthcare Administrators

Do the people working at the event get paid?
No. Everyone that is working at the Zeeland PPE night is a volunteer. In fact, most of our volunteer have already worked a full work day and are still willing to volunteer their time to help insure that our student-athletes are safe to participate in sports.

Does going to this mean I don’t need to see my physician for an annual exam?
The PPE is intended to screen student-athletes for athletic participation and will catch most major issues. However, if you or your child are already aware of an ongoing illness or medical condition, you should be seeing your primary-care physician for care and clearance. It is also recommended that you maintain your annual well-child care visit with your primary-care physician as they know you and your family health history better than we do and will be sure that immunizations and other preventative medical procedures are up-to-date.

If I attend this night and do not get cleared will I get my money back? 
Unfortunately we cannot provide refunds due to you not being cleared. By the time you have seen the provider that recognized a condition they did not feel comfortable clearing you from, you have completed nearly the entire process and therefore no refund can be given.

Where is this money used? 
This money is used to support Zeeland Athletic Training services at the high school level.

If I am interested in volunteering or have general questions about the PPE night, who should I contact? 
Please contact your school’s athletic trainer.
ZE: Jason Burgess, 616-748-3129, jburgess@zps.org
ZW: Diana Albers, 616-748-4543, dablers@zps.org