For more than 30 years, Sutter Health, the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF), and local healthcare providers have come together to offer free youth sports physicals across Santa Cruz County. This year, the annual Pre-Participation Evaluation (PPE) events will be held at Harbor High School (May 14), Watsonville High School (May 16), and—new this year—San Lorenzo Valley High School (May 19), serving North, Mid, and South County students.
The PPEs began in 1989 as a small initiative led by Matt Ryan, Program Manager Sports Medicine PAMF Sutter Health Santa Cruz. Then an athletic trainer for Harbor High School and employee of PAMF, this annual event has evolved into a full-scale collaboration between local health systems and school districts. Last year alone, nearly 700 students were seen at the events, which now include cardiac screening through EKGs and other resources from Santa Cruz County’s broader healthcare community.
“This is more than just a sports physical—it’s a gateway to care for some of these kids,” Ryan said. “Many of them don’t have a regular doctor. Some have never seen a provider at all. This helps change that as all kids should have larger scale annual physicals with pediatricians as well as follow ups for health issues throughout the year.”
The PPEs are recommended by both the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine and the National Federation of State High School Associations and required by state athletic associations to participate in high school sports. Each evaluation consists of four stations: a vitals and vision check by school nurses and Cabrillo College MA students; orthopedic assessment by athletic trainers and physical therapists; full provider exam and health questionnaire review; and finally, cardiac screening led by PAMF’s cardiology team.
Free Youth Sports Physicals – 2025 ScheduleOpen to all Santa Cruz County students entering grades 9–12
Wednesday, May 14
Harbor High School 300 La Fonda Ave, Santa Cruz, CA
Start time: 2 p.m. (Incoming 9th graders), 3 p.m. (Returning high schoolers)
Friday, May 16
Watsonville High School 250 E Beach St, Watsonville, CA
Start time: 2 p.m. (Incoming 9th graders), 3 p.m. (Returning high schoolers)
Monday, May 19
San Lorenzo Valley High School 7105 Hwy 9, Felton, CA
Start time: 2 p.m. (Incoming 9th graders), 3 p.m. (Returning high schoolers)
Students may attend any location regardless of school or district.
“Last year at Harbor, we caught a serious cardiac anomaly—Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome—during one of the EKGs,” Ryan said. “That’s the kind of thing that saves lives. That alone makes this worth every minute.”
The evaluations are entirely volunteer run by physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Cardiac screening is also volunteer based with PAMF cardiologist reading the EKGs and (if necessary) ECHOs while PAMF cardiac techs run the tests. They are all joined in the effort by the school district athletic trainers (and PAMF physical therapists) running the ortho station and nurses running vitals station, making the PPE a joint effort between the PAMF medical providers and school district providers. This year, additional partnerships with Dignity Health, Salúd Para La Gente, Santa Cruz Community Health, and the Santa Cruz County Office of Education will add even more value. Outside each school’s gym, students will pass through a health fair with booths on everything from fentanyl education and Narcan distribution to nutritional and mental health support.
“We’re blanketing the county. Any student from any school can go to any of the events,” Ryan said. “It’s a community effort like no other—schools, providers, nonprofits, and families coming together to keep our kids safe and healthy.”
All incoming 9th to 12th grade students are welcome, regardless of their current healthcare provider or insurance status. Students must bring a completed health questionnaire signed by a parent or guardian.
