Iowa High School Sports Calendar
When Every Sport Season Runs (2025-2026)
Understanding Iowa's athletic calendar is essential for planning your student's year. This guide covers all four seasons and the significant changes coming in 2025-2026.
2025-2026 Calendar Changes
Major News: Starting August 2025, the IHSAA and IGHSAU are making the biggest calendar change in decades:
| Sport | Old Season | New Season (2025-26) |
|---|---|---|
| Boys' Golf (1A, 2A, 3A) | Spring | Fall |
| Girls' Tennis (All Classes) | Spring | Fall |
Why the Change?
- Spring was overcrowded (Track, Soccer, Golf, Tennis all competing for facilities, buses, and athletes)
- Fall allows golfers to play on courses in peak condition (post-summer) instead of wet April courses
- Separating girls' tennis from boys' tennis (spring) improves court availability
Impact for Athletes: Students must now choose between traditional fall sports (Football/Volleyball) and the newly moved Golf/Tennis, potentially forcing earlier specialization in smaller schools.
Fall Season (August - November)
The fall season is Iowa's cultural anchor — Friday night football and volleyball tournaments define community life.
Key Dates (2025-26)
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| First Practice (Most Sports) | August 11 |
| First Competition | August 28-29 |
| State Cross Country | Late October (Fort Dodge) |
| State Volleyball | Early November (Xtream Arena, Coralville) |
| State Football | Mid-November (UNI-Dome, Cedar Falls) |
Fall Sports
| Sport | Gender | Governance | Classes | State Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Football | Boys | IHSAA | 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A, A, 8-Player | UNI-Dome |
| Volleyball | Girls | IGHSAU | 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A | Xtream Arena |
| Cross Country | Co-Ed | Joint | 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A | Lakeside Golf Course (Fort Dodge) |
| Girls Swimming | Girls | IGHSAU | Single Class | TBD |
| Boys Golf | Boys | IHSAA | 4A + (NEW) 3A, 2A, 1A | Various |
| Girls Tennis | Girls | IGHSAU | All Classes (NEW) | Various |
| Unified Flag Football | Co-Ed | Joint/Special Olympics | Single Class | UNI-Dome |
Winter Season (November - March)
The longest season, defined by gymnasium culture. Wrestling and basketball are the sports that define Iowa's global sporting identity.
Key Dates (2025-26)
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Girls Wrestling First Practice | November 3 |
| Boys Wrestling First Practice | November 17 |
| Basketball First Games | Late November |
| State Wrestling (Boys) | February (Wells Fargo Arena) |
| State Wrestling (Girls) | February (Xtream Arena) |
| State Basketball | March (Wells Fargo Arena) |
Winter Sports
| Sport | Gender | Governance | Classes | State Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wrestling | Boys | IHSAA | 3A, 2A, 1A | Wells Fargo Arena |
| Wrestling | Girls | IGHSAU | All Classes | Xtream Arena |
| Basketball | Boys | IHSAA | 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A | Wells Fargo Arena |
| Basketball | Girls | IGHSAU | 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A | Wells Fargo Arena |
| Boys Swimming | Boys | IHSAA | Single Class | TBD |
| Bowling | Co-Ed | Joint | 3A, 2A, 1A | Various |
Spring Season (March - May)
Historically the most congested season, now less crowded after the golf/tennis migration.
Key Dates (2025-26)
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Track & Field Practice | Late February (Indoor) / March (Outdoor) |
| Soccer First Games | March |
| State Track & Field | May (Drake Stadium - "The Blue Oval") |
| State Soccer | June |
Spring Sports
| Sport | Gender | Governance | Classes | State Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Track & Field | Co-Ed | Joint | 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A | Drake Stadium |
| Soccer | Boys | IHSAA | 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A | Various |
| Soccer | Girls | IGHSAU | 3A, 2A, 1A | Various |
| Boys Tennis | Boys | IHSAA | All Classes | Various |
| Girls Golf | Girls | IGHSAU | All Classes | Various |
Summer Season (May - July): Iowa's Anomaly
Iowa is the only state that plays high school baseball and softball in summer. This allows multi-sport athletes to participate in spring sports AND summer sports.
Key Dates (2026)
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Practice Begins | Mid-May |
| Regular Season | Late May - July |
| State Baseball | Late July (Principal Park, Des Moines) |
| State Softball | Late July (Rogers Park, Fort Dodge) |
Summer Sports
| Sport | Gender | Governance | Classes | State Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseball | Boys | IHSAA | 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A | Principal Park |
| Softball | Girls | IGHSAU | 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A | Rogers Park |
Note: The 2026 softball season start date is moving to Week 46 (mid-May) to align better with baseball and allow more schedule flexibility.
Full Year at a Glance
| Month | Major Activities |
|---|---|
| August | Fall sports practice begins (Aug 11), first games (Aug 28-29) |
| September | Football/Volleyball regular season, Cross Country meets |
| October | State Cross Country, fall playoffs begin |
| November | State Football, State Volleyball, Winter sports begin |
| December | Basketball/Wrestling regular season |
| January | Basketball/Wrestling regular season |
| February | State Wrestling, Basketball postseason begins |
| March | State Basketball, Spring sports begin |
| April | Track meets, Soccer season |
| May | State Track & Field, Summer sports begin |
| June | State Soccer, Baseball/Softball regular season |
| July | State Baseball, State Softball |
What This Means for ISP Families
| Calendar Feature | ISP Advantage |
|---|---|
| Summer baseball/softball | ISP's flexible year-round schedule accommodates the May-July season |
| Fall golf/tennis change | ISP students can adapt their academic schedule to new sport timing |
| Winter tournament travel | Asynchronous learning means no missed schoolwork during state tournaments |
| Multi-sport participation | ISP supports athletes doing 2-3 sports without academic conflicts |
Planning Tip
For multi-sport athletes, map out your year:
- Fall + Winter + Summer = Football → Basketball → Baseball (common combo)
- Fall + Spring + Summer = Volleyball → Soccer → Softball (common girls' combo)
- Fall + Winter + Spring = Cross Country → Wrestling → Track (individual sport focus)
Related Topics
- Iowa Sports Overview — Understanding IHSAA/IGHSAU governance
- Sports Dynasties — Which programs dominate each sport
- Youth Club Sports — How club sports fit around the high school calendar
Last updated: January 2026