AthHandbook

APPENDIX B: ATHLETIC HANDBOOK
The St. Mary’s Athletic Board instituted the following handbook
in the Spring of the 2002-2003 school year and revised in Spring 2006.

INTRODUCTION AND PHILOSOPHY
St. Mary’s athletic program is an extra-curricular program sponsored by St. Mary’s School through the work of volunteers. The program is self-supporting through sports fees. It is open to St. Mary’s School students who meet the eligibility criterion set by the school administration. Students in the PRE program are eligible to participate in the PAL and Church Leagues according to the criterion set up by the leagues. The program seeks to instill an enthusiasm and respect for life, positive school spirit, a generous use and development of personal talents, and an enjoyable time for the students. It seeks as well to guide the individual to function as a member of a team working to achieve a common goal. Respect, generosity, honesty, fairness and sportsmanship are necessary virtues for truly successful athletes. Although winning is enjoyable and a goal, it is not the primary focus of St. Mary’s athletic program. The school administration, athletic council, and coaches emphasize this.

St. Mary’s athletic program strives to provide opportunities for each participant to develop and combine physical, spiritual and social needs as young athletes. Appropriate physical fitness is one part of a young boy or girl’s over-all growth as a human person. Acquiring confidence rooted in discipline and perseverance is our main program objective. The instructional program addresses the needs of our youth in an environment of stability and friendship. With appropriate guidance, athletic competition and spiritual growth can be accomplished together as well as formation of Christian character in each of the athletes. St. Paul compares athletic competition to spiritual growth. In both, the person must struggle with work and perseverance to achieve desired results.

The sports program operates in two separate divisions: PAL (Parochial Athletic League) for K-6 basketball and middle school sports in the Jackson-Madison County Public School League and TMSAA (a subsidiary of TSSAA). Participation in sports not offered by St. Mary’s is encouraged through JRPD and JAWS programs. Although students from St. Mary’s School may play on the same team sponsored by these programs, they are not officially representing St. Mary’s School.

St. Mary’s athletic program is structured with the best interest of the children at heart. Basic to the program at St. Mary’s are the following principles:
1. A child entering a sport should receive direction to develop fundamental skills and basic strategies for the sport.
2. Coaches will strive to provide a positive environment, which will facilitate learning, as well as Christian social skills and good sportsmanship.
3. Each student who wishes to take part in a given sport will have the opportunity to become an active participant.
4. Participants will learn to accept defeat with dignity and sportsmanship.
5. The sports program has its proper place among the educational priorities at St. Mary’s School. While participating in athletics, each student’s scholastic efforts as well as attitude and behavior within the school setting must reflect appropriate growth, a growth which the athletic program exists to enhance.

PURPOSE OF ST. MARY'S ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
1. To establish and maintain a St. Mary’s sports program that follows the philosophy and guidelines as set forth by St. Mary’s School.
2. To sponsor and promote athletic activities for the youth of St. Mary’s School.
3. To advise the administration of St. Mary’s School in athletic matters.
4. To provide and establish a program budget each year, which the association maintains.
5. To coordinate activities with the principal and to maintain good communication for the success of the program.

PARENT RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Submit sign up forms, athletic fees, release forms and medical forms on time. The establishment of teams, selection of coaches and entrance into a league, all hinges on the timely receipt of the sign up form. Children will not be able to practice and may be excluded from the sport if the deadlines are not met.
2. Sign and return the form for eligibility in the event your child is not eligible to play during a certain time period due to grades and/or conduct or another reason.
3. Keep uniforms and equipment clean and in good working condition. Return items on time. Lost or damaged items will require replacement by the parent at the parent’s expense. Progress reports and/or report cards will be held until uniforms have been returned or paid for in full.
4. Bring players to practice or game and pickup from practice or game on time to insure transportation has been arranged. If a pattern of leaving students alone early or late at practices and games develops and continues during a season, the student may not be allowed to continue in the athletic program.
5. Inform the coach if a player will not be present for practice or a game.
6. Alert the coach of any medical conditions your son or daughter has prior to first practice. Any player who sustains an injury during a practice or game that requires a doctor’s attention must submit an original letter signed by the doctor to the Coach which states that the player may return to sports activities.
7. Support the team and coach by attending games, helping with home gate or concessions, score keeping and/or cleaning up.
8. Uphold the spirit of St. Mary’s by setting a Christian example and insuring that all players set the same example while representing St. Mary’s. Parents should not approach the referee with problems about the game. Parents should not be disrespectful to referees or coaches, nor should they heckle any players. They should not use profane or offensive language. Parents should control outburst of their emotions during practices, games and athletic events. Parents will be asked to leave a game or event in which they have displayed inappropriate behavior. A parent who violates these rules will be permitted to attend the next game. A parent who consistently violates these rules will be suspended from attending athletic games for the rest of the season. It is important to remember that a parent’s inappropriate behavior not only causes embarrassment to the school, but to the child as well. Children learn best by example, primarily from their parents.

STUDENT ATHLETE RESPONSIBILITIES
1. The student athlete must be at all practices, games and team meetings. Permission from the coach is needed to be absent. If a student misses practices without legitimate excuse, he/she cannot expect to play the following game.
2. The student athlete needs to see that he/she maintains proper care of the body, adequate sleep, and proper warm-up before and after each practice and game.
3. The code of conduct expected at school is also expected at all events related to the sport.
4. The student athlete must be responsible to prepare well for academic classes during the sports season maintaining the eligibility requirements in the Student Handbook. The goal of the athletic program is to enrich the development of the whole child, and should not interfere with the student’s academic success.
5. The student athlete is expected to perform to the best of his/her ability at all times while also extending courtesy to coaches, officials, opponents, team members, spectators, and school employees both during and outside of games.
6. Christian conduct is expected of the student athlete at all events as a participant or as a spectator.
7. Any inappropriate or offensive behavior or language during athletic events will result in suspension from the next game. If a student chooses to repeat the behavior a second time they may be removed from the team for the rest of the season.
8. Uniforms must be cared for and returned to the school on time and in good condition.
9. Students must leave St. Mary’s and other school’s facilities clean and free of damage.

ADMISSION TO GAMES
Entrance fee for home games will be set at the beginning of each school year. Passes will be given to students of St. Mary’s for free admission to home games.

ATTENDANCE
Students who have not attended school during the day may not participate in a St. Mary’s function, including practices and games after school hours. Permission from the principal is necessary for exceptions to this regulation for serious reasons. No exceptions will be made for a person who was sick during the day.

CONCESSIONS
Parents of team members are expected to help with concessions during the season as scheduled.

INJURY
Any injury occurring at a practice, scrimmage, or game must be reported to the Athletic Director who will help you complete the injury report form which must be turned in by the next school day. Neither coaches nor parents should attempt to “fix” an injury. Common sense should be used in determining the course of action in the absence of a parent/guardian.

REQUIRED FORMS AND FEES
All forms and fees for each sport should be sent in to the Athletic Director on time. The participation fee for each sport will be set by the Athletic Council at the end of the school year for the next school year.

UNIFORMS
The Athletic Council will make selection and purchase of uniforms. Each player of the team is responsible for keeping the uniform in good condition. If the uniform is lost or damaged by the player, then the parents of the player are responsible for payment of the replacement. Jewelry of any kind is not permitted, even in the player’s hair.

PAL (PAROCHIAL ATHLETIC LEAGUE) BASKETBALL
This is a non-competitive sports league for kindergarten through sixth grade students. All rules are designated by the PAL rules and regulations.

FORMATION OF TEAMS
The Athletic Director will coordinate the registration and formation of teams for the PAL league. This usually occurs in November.

MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETICS
As a member of TMSSA, St. Mary’s School follows the TMSSA by-laws and regulations for each sport. All those working with the student athletes should be familiar with the regulations that apply to their position.

TEAM SELECTION
The coaches will conduct tryouts for each sport as long as it can be determined by the Principal that they do not have a bias in the selection. Tryouts will not be held for Cheerleading. Specific criteria will be used in the selection process: respect for adults and teammates, cooperation with directions, sportsmanlike conduct, teamwork, skill, and enthusiasm for the sport. To be excused for a missed try out an explanation of extenuating circumstances must be given to the Athletic Director and the Coach who will decide upon the course of action depending upon the situation. Normally, students must be present for all of the tryout days, unless there is illness or extreme circumstances.

SCHEDULE OF PRACTICES AND GAMES
The league and Athletic Director do all schedules for league games with the input of the coaches for each team according to TMSAA regulations. The Athletic Director or the Coach in consultation with the Athletic Director does additional scheduling according to TMSAA regulations. The Coach with the final approval of the Principal makes practice schedules.

DRIVERS TO GAMES
All volunteer drivers if leaving from school to a practice or a game in a carpool must have a completed volunteer driver form on record at the school.

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION AND PARENTAL CONSENT
According to TMSAA sec. 31 “It is required that no student be permitted to participate in practice sessions or in athletic contests until there is on file with the Principal a pre-participation medical evaluation form signed by a properly licensed doctor of medicine that the student has passed a physical examination, not prior to May 1, and that in the opinion of the examining physician, the student is physically fit to participate in interscholastic athletics.”

TUITION
TMSAA requires in Sec. 16 that “Schools shall remove any student from athletic eligibility whose accounts with the school are 60 days overdue.”

INDEPENDENT GAME PARTICIPATION
No player may participate in an independent game, not even a scrimmage, while on the eligibility list to play on a St. Mary’s Middle School team. In basketball, the Church League is an independent team; therefore a student will not be permitted to be on the eligibility list for St. Mary’s Middle School team and play in the Church League.

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS FOR ATHLETES
St. Mary’s is dedicated to the development of the whole child. Athletics has the potential to help each child achieve their best in all they do; for, athletics helps one to be physically healthy, promotes discipline and perseverance in achieving a goal and teaches cooperation with others.

Because academics and athletics go hand-in-hand, a student's academic progress affects his/her eligibility to participate on an athletic team. If a student is failing two or more subjects at the time of tryouts, the student is not eligible to tryout.

If a student is failing one subject at the time of tryouts, the student may try out for the team, but he/she is placed on two-week probation if selected for the team. The student's academic progress will be re-evaluated at the end of the two-week probationary period to determine further eligibility.

When a student is not maintaining a passing grade in every subject and an overall C average with satisfactory conduct, the student will not participate in practices, games and team activities for at least two weeks immediately following the evaluation. (The dates of ineligibility will appear on the Eligibility Form sent home with the student.)

If after two weeks the deficiency is corrected, the student may participate in practices and games.

However, if a student corrects the grade that placed him or her on probation but is now failing another subject then he or she remains on probation until the student has an overall C average and is passing all subjects (this evaluation will occur two weeks following the end date of the original ineligibility. If after this extended two weeks the deficiencies have been corrected the student may play; if the deficiencies have not been corrected by this time, the student will not participate in the sport until after the next formal evaluation (progress reports and report card).

Evaluations will occur each quarter at the times of progress reports and report cards. The same criterion holds for both progress reports and report cards.

REVISIONS TO THE HANDBOOK
St. Mary’s School administration reserves the right to amend the Athletic Handbook at any time, and to promulgate the revision.
30