2025-26 Winter Sports: What you need to know

The upcoming winter sports season will be here before we know it!

Interscholastic sports are open to students in grades 7-12 and the winter offerings for the middle school and high school students are listed below along with pre-season workouts to prepare for the season.

The first official practice date for the 2025-26 winter sports season is Friday, Nov. 14. The official start dates for each team could vary at the middle school level.

Student physical forms and required paperwork to compete is collected online via Healthy Roster. All parents must create a Healthy Roster account and upload all required documentation. For complete instructions and a list of what’s required, click here. Section 6 is not required to participate in pre-season conditioning but it must be completed and uploaded by Nov. 14 to participate in in-season activities.

In addition to Healthy Roster, Baseline Concussion Testing is necessary for any student-athlete who has never had a baseline concession test or entering grades 7, 9, or 11 and participating in basketball, diving and/or wrestling.

If you have questions about Healthy Roster, physicals or concussion testing, contact our athletic trainers, Eric Cardwell or Scott Frowen.

All NHSD sports teams use sportsYou for team-specific communication including practice and games schedules. All student-athletes and parents/guardians should join their team's sportsYou page. A code to join is shared by the coach each season.

Middle School (Grades 7-8)

In winter at the middle school, North Hills sponsors boys’ basketball, girls’ basketball and wrestling (junior high). Students must be in 7th or 8th grade to participate in middle school sports at NHSD, per the PIAA. Ninth grade students are also permitted to participate on teams designated as junior high.

Coaches and pre-season workouts are listed below:

Boys' Basketball
Vince Curtin (7th Grade), vcurtin3@yahoo.com
Steve Berger (8th Grade), coachsberger@yahoo.com
Thursday, Nov. 6, 3-5 PM
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 3-5 PM
Thursday, Nov. 13, 3-5 PM
Location: NHMS Dungeon Gym

Girls’ Basketball
Morgan Johnson, morganjohnson2020@gmail.com
Eric Schott, schotte@shalerarea.org
Monday, Nov. 3, 3-5 PM
Wednesday, Nov. 5, 3-5 PM
Monday, Nov. 10, 3-5 PM
Wednesday, Nov. 12, 3-5 PM
Location: NHMS Dungeon Gym

Wrestling (Junior High)
Zane Watson, watsonz@nhsd.net
Workouts TBA

High School (Grades 9-12)

In winter at the high school, North Hills sponsors boys' basketball, girls' basketball, gymnastics, indoor track, swimming & diving, wrestling, and unified bocce in the winter.

Coaches and pre-season workouts are listed below:

Boys’ Basketball (JV & Varsity)
Buzz Gabos, gabosc@nhsd.net
Monday, Nov. 3 (5-7 PM)
Wednesday, Nov. 5 (5-7 PM)
Thursday, Nov. 6 (5-7 PM)
Location: NHMS Annex Gym

Boys’ Basketball (Freshman)
Coach and workouts TBA

Girls’ Basketball (JV & Varsity)
Jason Pirring, jasonpirring@gmail.com
Monday, Nov. 3, 3-5 PM
Wednesday, Nov. 5, 3-5 PM
Thursday, Nov. 6, 3-5 PM
Location: NHMS Annex Gym

Gymnastics
Nicole Bova, ndrane8@gmail.com
Workouts TBA

Indoor Track
Wade Endress, northhillstfxc@gmail.com
Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2:15-3:45 PM
Location: HS Dance Room

Swimming & Diving
Allison Ahl, ahlaf@nhsd.net
Workouts TBA

Wrestling
Vertus Jones, jonesv@nhsd.net
Monday, Nov. 3, 2-3:30 PM
Thursday, Nov. 6, 2-3:30 PM
Location: HS Wrestling Room

Unified Bocce
Lisa Towers, towersm@nhsd.net
Workouts TBA

When available, all schedule and roster information is posted at www.northhillsathletics.org. Athletics news and updates can be found at athletics.nhsd.net.

Winter Sports Community Pep Rally

Save the date for North Hills’ annual Winter Sports Community Pep Rally on Monday, November 24 at 7 p.m. in the middle school Annex gym. High school student-athletes from each team are introduced before participating in friendly games and friendly competitions. All are welcome to come out and support our winter student-athletes!