Delta Charter School Athletics Handbook 2015-2016 The primary purpose of the athletic program is to promote the physical, mental, social, emotional, and moral well-being of the participants. It is our desire that athletics will be a positive force in preparing youth for an enriching and vital role in American life. The athletic program is an important and integral part of the total school program and is open to participation by all students regardless of individual differences. Through voluntary participation, the athlete gives time, energy, and loyalty to the program. He/She also accepts the training, rules, regulations, and responsibilities, which are unique to an athletic program. In order to contribute to the welfare of the group and to meet the goals and objectives set for each sport, the athlete must willingly assume these obligations as the role demands and must keep in mind that the athlete must make sacrifices not required of others. Forward This material is presented to you because your son or daughter has indicated a desire to participate in interscholastic athletics, and you have expressed your willingness to permit him/her to compete. Your family interest in this phase of our school program is gratifying. We believe that participation in sports provides a wealth of opportunities and experiences, which assist students in positive personal adjustments. It is the right of the Department of Athletics to make rules that govern the spirit of competition for the community. These rules need a broad basis of community support, which is achieved only through communication to the parent. It is our hope to accomplish this objective through this athletic handbook for the student and parent. THE RULES CONTAINED IN THIS HANDBOOK ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE PUNITIVE, AND PENALTIES WILL BE IMPOSED ONLY AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION. THE INTENT OF THESE RULES IS TO ENCOURAGE ALL TO BE RESPONSIBLE IN THEIR ACTIONS AND TO COMMUNICATE IN AN ADULT MANNER. 1 STUDENT/ATHLETE & PARENT/COACH COMMUNICATIONS Both parenting and coaching are extremely challenging vocations. By establishing an understanding of each position, we are better able to accept the actions of the other and provide greater benefit to students. COMMUNICATIONS YOU SHOULD EXPECT FROM YOUR STUDENT’S COACH: 1. Coaching philosophy and team rules. 2. Expectations the coach has for your student. 3. Location and times of all practices and games. 4. Team requirements, i.e., practices, special equipment, out of season training. 5. Transportation requirements. 6. Procedures to follow should your student be injured during participation. 7. Discipline that may result in the denial of your student’s participation. COMMUNICATIONS THAT COACHES EXPECT FROM PARENTS: 1. Concerns expressed directly to the coach 2. Specific concerns with regard to the coaches’ philosophy and/or expectations. 3. Notification of any illness or injury or missed practices. APPROPRIATE CONCERNS TO DISCUSS WITH THE COACHES: 1. Treatment of your student, mentally and physically. 2. Ways to help your student improve. 3. Concerns about your student’s behavior. It is very difficult to accept your student not playing as much as you may hope. Coaches are teachers. They make judgmentdecisions based on what they believe to be the best for all students involved. As you have seen from the above list, certain things can and should be discussed with the coach. Other things, such as the ones listed below, must be left to the professional judgment of the coach. 2 ISSUES NOT APPROPRIATE TO DISCUSS WITH THE COACH: 1. Playing time. 2. Team Strategy. 3. Play Calling. 4. Other student-athletes. There are often situations that may require a conference between the coach and the parents. The student/athlete will attend and be involved in these meetings. To resolve the problem, we must have everyone’s help and involvement. These meetings are encouraged. The student should be excluded only if the meeting is about personal issues not pertaining to his/her involvement with the team. IF THERE IS A PROBLEM: 1. Have your student-athlete talk to the coach one on one. (It is part of growing up.) IF THIS DOES NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, THE PARENTS SHOULD: 1. Call the school and request a return call or a face-to-face meeting with the coach. 2. Coaches will make time available in their day to meet with students and parents. PARENTS MUST NOT: 1. Confront the coach before or after practice. 2. Confront the coach before or after a game. Coaches are teachers. A parent would not walk into a classroom during class time and yell at the teacher about a poor grade, so please do not confront the coach in public. There are proper ways to communicate and have your concerns addressed. Practices and games are highly emotional times for everyone involved; players, coaches, and parents. Meetings and concerns DO NOT get resolved during emotional times. WHAT TO DO IF THE MEETING WITH THE COACH DID NOT PROVIDE A SATIFACTORY RESOLUTION: Call the Athletic Director who will attempt to mediate a resolution. We hope this information helps make your child’s and your experience with the athletic program less stressful and more enjoyable. 3 CIF – DELTA CHARTER SCHOOL CODE of CONDUCT for INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETES Interscholastic athletic competition should demonstrate high standards of ethics and sportsmanship and promote development of good character and other important life skills. The highest potential is achieved when participants are committed to pursuing victory with honor according to six principles: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and good citizenship (the “Six Pillars of Character”). This Code applies to all student-athletes involved in interscholastic sports in California. I understand that, in order to participate in high school athletics, I must act in accord with the following: TRUSTWORTHINESS Trustworthiness – be worthy of trust in all I do. Integrity – live up to high ideals of ethics and sportsmanship and always pursue victory with honor; do what is right even when it is unpopular or personally costly. Honesty – live and compete honorably; do not lie, cheat, steal, or engage in any other dishonest un-sportsmanlike conduct. Reliability – fulfill commitments; do what I say I will do; be on time to practices and games. Loyalty – be loyal to my school and team; put the team above personal glory. RESPECT Respect – treat all people with respect all the time and require the same of other student-athletes. Class – live and play with class; be a good sport; be gracious in victory and accept defeat with dignity; give fallen opponents help, compliment extraordinary performance, show sincere respect in pre- and post- game rituals. Disrespectful Conduct – do not engage in disrespectful conduct of any sort including profanity, obscene gestures, and offensive remarks of a sexual or racial nature, trash talking, taunting, boastful celebrations, or other actions that demean individuals or the sport. Respect Officials – treat contest officials with respect; do not complain about or argue with official calls or decisions during or after and athletic event. RESPONSIBILITY Importance of Education – be a student first and commit to getting the best education I can. Be honest with myself about the likelihood of getting an athletic scholarship or playing on a professional level and remember that many universities will not recruit student-athletes that do not have a serious commitment to their education, the ability to succeed academically or the character to represent their institution honorably. Role Modeling – Remember, participation in sports is a privilege, not a right and that I am expected to represent my school, coach, and teammates with honor, on and off the field. Consistently exhibit good character and conduct yourself as a positive role model. Suspensions or termination of the participation privilege is within the sole discretion of the coach and school administration. Self-Control – exercise self-control; do not fight or show excessive displays of anger or frustration; have the strength to overcome the temptation to retaliate. Healthy Lifestyle – safeguard your health; do not use any illegal or unhealthy substances including alcohol, tobacco, and drugs and engage in any unhealthy techniques to gain, lose or maintain weight. Integrity of the Game – to protect the integrity of the game; do not gamble. Play the game according to the rules. 4 FAIRNESS Be fair – live up to high standards of fair play; be open-minded; always be willing to listen and learn. CARING Concern for others – demonstrate concern for others; never intentionally injure any player or engage in reckless behavior that might cause injury to others or myself. Teammates – help promote the well-being of teammates by positive counseling and encouragement or by reporting any unhealthy or dangerous conduct to coaches. CITIZENSHIP Play by the Rules – maintain a thorough knowledge of and abide by all applicable game and competition rules. Spirit of Rules – honor the spirit and the letter of rules; avoid temptations to gain competitive advantage through improper sportsmanship techniques that violate the highest traditions of sportsmanship. PURSUING VICTORY WITH HONOR THE OPERATING PRINCIPLES of the CIF: 1. Participation in school sports programs is a privilege, not a right. To earn that privilege, student-athletes must abide by the rules and they must conduct themselves, on and off the field, as positive role models who exemplify good character. 2. All participants in high school sports must consistently demonstrate and demand scrupulous integrity and observe and enforce the spirit as well as the letter of the rules. 3. The importance of character, ethics, and sportsmanship should be emphasized in all communications directed to studentathletes and their parents. 4. School Boards, superintendents, school administrators, parents and school sports leadership must ensure that the first priority of their student-athletes is a serious commitment to getting an education and developing the academic skills and character to succeed. 5. School Boards, superintendents, principals, school administrators and everyone involved at any level of governance in the CIF must maintain ultimate responsibility for the quality and integrity of CIF programs. Such individuals must assure that education and character development responsibilities are not compromised to achieve performance goals and that academic, social, emotional, physical, and ethical well-being of student-athletes is placed above desires and pressures to win. 6. Everyone involved in competition including parents, spectators, associated student-body leaders, and all auxiliary groups have a duty to honor the traditions of the sport and to treat other participants with respect. Coaches have a special responsibility to model respectful behavior and the duty to demand that their student-athletes refrain from disrespectful conduct including verbal abuse of opponents and officials, profane or belligerent trash talking, taunting and inappropriate celebrations. 7. To safeguard the health of athletes and the integrity of the sport, school sports programs must actively prohibit the use of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and performance enhancing substances, as well as demand compliance with all laws and regulations, including those related to gambling and the use of drugs. 5 CIF SAC-JOAQUIN SECTION SPORTSMANSHIP RESOLUTION The Sac-Joaquin Section will distribute a contract to each of its member schools requesting that appropriate administrator(s) distribute, review, and discuss the enclosed recommendations of the State CIF Federated Council with all members of each school’s administrative staff, coaching staffs, athletic squads, spirit squads, booster clubs, drill team, marching band, faculty, and any other school entity concerned or involved with interscholastic athletics. CODE OF ETHICS: It is the duty of all concerned with high school athletics: 1. To emphasize the proper ideals of sportsmanship, ethical conduct, and fair play. 2. To eliminate anything which tends to destroy the best values of the game. 3. To stress the values derived from playing the game fairly. 4. To show cordial courtesy to visiting teams and officials. 5. To establish a happy relationship between visitors and hosts. 6. To respect the integrity and judgment of sports officials. 7. To achieve a thorough understanding and acceptance of rules of the game and the standards of eligibility. 8. To encourage leadership, use of initiative, and good judgment by the players on a team. 9. To recognize that the purpose of athletics is to promote the physical, mental, moral, social, and emotional well-being of the individual players. 10. To remember that an athletic contest is only a game – not a matter of life and death for player, coach, school, officials, fan, community, state, or nation. Delta Charter Requirements for Student-Athletes 1. 2. 3. TO BE ACADEMICALLY ELIGIBLE, a student must be enrolled in a minimum of 20 units and be earning a 2.0 grade point average for 20 or more units during the previous grading period i.e. Spring semester to participate in Fall athletics. Athletic Clearance: Every student wishing to participate in a sport must have clearance in order to participate. Clearance should be completed by the first day of practice. In order to be issued a clearance, the student and the student’s parent or guardian must complete the forms in the athletic clearance packet. Packets may be picked up in the front office. The packets are good for the entire school year and only need to be turned in once. These forms include: a) Physical Form (physical exam) b) Consent Form c) Emergency Card d) Medical Insurance Form e) Parent/Student Acknowledgement to the Athletic Handbook Physical Exams: Athletes must have a yearly physical examination from a qualified physician who completes the medical examination report. In order to be accepted for athletics, the physical must be completed prior to participating in a sport. ALL PHYSICALS MUST BE RENEWED FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR BEFORE PARTICIPATION ON AN ATHLETIC TEAM IS ALLOWED. 6 4. Athletes are required to attend all team practices, games, and other activities associated with being a member of a team, unless excused by the coach. The athlete has the responsibility to personally contact the coach if it becomes necessary to miss a scheduled activity. 5. Athletes are responsible for knowing all safety rules governing their sport. 6. Students may not stay after school hours (4:30pm M-Th and 3:30pm Fri) to wait for practice, buses or games without a coach supervising them. DC teachers may not supervise students in between school hours and team times. Arrangements must be made by families to have students on campus at correct team times. The school is not responsible for these arrangements. 7. Athletes are required to travel to athletic contests with their team. The only exception is an injury to a participant or special conditions that would require alternate transportation. a) A student may get signed out with the coach after the contest ends to ride home with a parent/guardian only. 8. Athletic equipment and clothing are loaned to the athlete. Issued equipment will be worn only by the athlete to whom it has been issued and only on game days and/or special occasions as designated by the coach. The athlete assumes the responsibility for the care and the return of all issued equipment and clothing. Issued equipment not returned or that has been damaged beyond normal wear will be paid for by the athlete. Lost or stolen equipment or uniforms, if found in possession of a student, may result in suspension from the team and a referral to the administration for further action. Seniors must be cleared of all bills and fines to participate in graduation. 9. Student/Athletes are expected to exhibit a clean and neat appearance at school and on school-sponsored activities. Hair length must comply with safety and health regulations. 10. General Rules of Sportsmanship: In order to promote fairness in competition, a series of rules governing each sport have been adopted. Good sportsmanship requires that athletes adhere to the rules of the game. Furthermore, it requires that athletes comply with the spirit of those rules, which were written to promote fairness. Athletes must understand that compliance with the standards of good sportsmanship is required at all times. a) On the field, athletes are respectful in actions and language toward their teammates, opponents and officials. They abide by all the rules of the game. They are modest in victory and gracious in defeat. b) On campus, athletes should set an example of good citizenship for their classmates. They should help promote school spirit and be positive leaders in school activities. c) In the classroom, athletes show respect for teachers and for their fellow students. They maintain good attendance, satisfactory academic progress and good citizenship. d) On trips, athletes’ conduct is such that they are positive representatives of their community, school, and team. Athletes are conscious of their appearance and manners at all times 11. Injuries: Athletes are to report injuries to their coach. Injuries requiring medical attention should be reported to the coach before visiting a doctor. The coach will fill out an accident form. 911 calls will be reported to district administration. 12. Lettering and Awards: a) If an athlete quits a team or is dropped from a team by the coach due to an infraction of any section of this contract, he/she will not receive a letter for that sport, and he/she will not be eligible for practice or participation in the next succeeding sport until the previous team has completed its season and playoff schedule. Equipment must be turned in and the athlete cleared of all obligations or the student will be billed for any equipment not turned in. b) Completion of the sports season (season includes all Play Off contests) is required for the student to be eligible for a letter or other team or individual awards unless an injury limits such participation. Awards will not be given to any student suspended for the remainder of the season for athletic code violations. c) Lettering in each sport is left of to the discretion of the coach 7 13. Amateur Standing & Outside Teams: Only students who are amateurs may participate in athletic contests. Students on high school teams become ineligible if they play on “outside” teams, in the same sport during their high school season of the sport. For the purpose of this rule, outside competition is prohibited from the opening contest until the final contest of that sport league, playoff or state competition in which that school is involved, both dates inclusive. The prohibition on playing on “outside” teams applies to school holidays and vacation periods, which occur during the season of the sport. The only exception is for fall/spring soccer and unattached individual competition, in which case you should see your athletic director. 14. Social Media Recommendations: o It is recommended that personal social media accounts are not used to communicate with students or parents. o Remember: anything posted in cyber space i.e. posts, pictures, are now out of your control. They are now open to anyone’s manipulation of that information and may be summoned in a court of law. o Also remember what you post as a student-athlete is a direct reflection on Delta Charter. You are representing our school at all times. Represent well with Dragon Pride. CHANGING SCHOOLS – CIF game play eligibility If you change schools and your parents(s) or legal guardians(s) do not move to the attendance area of your new school and you played a varsity sport in the last 12 months, you could have restricted eligibility for a Sit Out Period (SOP) unless you qualify for a hardship. A hardship is defined as an unforeseeable, unavoidable, or uncorrectable act, condition, or event, which causes the imposition of a severe and non-athletic burden upon the student or his/her family. The three considerations for hardship are: financial considerations, medical considerations, and family circumstances. Always check with your school’s athletic director before you change schools to determine whether it will affect your eligibility. ITEMS CHECKLIST Physical form from a qualified licensed physician Field trip permission form Emergency contact form Handbook sign-off page CIF Transfer forms if new student 8 Delta Charter Athletic Handbook Acknowledgements Declaration of the Student/Athlete I realize that it is a privilege to participate in athletic activities and represent our school in athletic functions. Accordingly, my signature on my Clearance Card indicates that I agree to follow the regulations established by the Athletic Department, the Administration, and the District policies set by the Board of Trustees and California Interscholastic Federation rules. My signature indicates that I have read the Student/Parent Athletic Handbook and will conform to the following training rules and code of conduct as a participant in our school’s athletic program: 1. I will follow all school, team rules and regulations. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action by the coach and/or administration and possible forfeiture from participation in activities during that period of time. 2. I will follow the Athletic Code of Conduct during the season of sport. All school policies are also in effect for any school related activity. By signing the below statement, both the parent/guardian and the student acknowledge they have read the handbook. They agree to uphold the policies of the Athletic Code of Delta Charter School. In order to be eligible to participate in athletics, both the parent/guardian and student must sign the below statement. Student Name _______________________ Signature______________________ Date__________ Parent/Guardian _____________________ Signature ______________________ Date__________ 9 New Jerusalem Elementary School District 31400 S. Koster Road Tracy, CA. 95304 (209) 830-6363 FAX (209) 830-9707 PARENT CONSENT FOR ATHLETIC FIELD TRIP ATTENDANCE Dear Parent/Guardian: Your child has an opportunity to participate in an athletic field trip _______________________ Date of Trip: Varies according to season and travel time. Check with your coach and/or league schedule for details __________________________________________ Athletic Director I am aware that during any field trip or excursion certain dangers may occur, including but not limited to the hazards of accidents or illness in places without medical facilities, hazards created by the forces of nature, and hazards of travel by air, train, bus, automobile, and other means, including walking. In the event of illness or injury, I do hereby consent to whatever x-ray examination, anesthetic, medical, surgical or dental diagnosis or treatment, and hospital care considered necessary in the best judgment of the attending physician, surgeon, or dentist, and performed by or under the supervision of a member of the medical staff of the hospital or facility furnishing medical or dental services. As stated in California Education Code Section 35330, I understand and do hereby assume all of the above mentioned risks and will hold the New Jerusalem Elementary School District, its officers, agents, and employees, harmless from any and all liability or claims whatsoever, which may arise out of or in connection with a trip or participation in any activities arranged for the participant by the New Jerusalem Elementary School District. The terms thereof shall serve as a release and assumption of risk for my heirs, executor, and administrators, and for all members of my family. I fully understand that participants are to abide by all rules and regulations governing conduct during the trip. Any violation of these rules and regulations may result in that individual being sent home at his/her and/or parents expense. _________________________________ Signature of Parent/Guardian __________________________ Date _____________________________________________________________________________ Home Address Phone Number _________________________________ Signature of Student ___________________________ Date The following information is required in an emergency: ______________________________________________________________________________ Family Medical Insurance Carrier Address Phone Number ______________________________________________________________________________ Group Number Policy Number 10 DELTA CHARTER STUDENT-ATHLETE EMERGENCY FORM Name______________________ DOB: Address_______________________________________________________________ City Zip Home Phone________________ Cell Phone ____________________ EMERGENCY CONTACT INFO First Contact ______________________________Relationship___________________ Home Phone ________________ Work _________________ Cell _______________ Second Contact _______________________________ Relationship _____________ Home Phone ________________ Work _________________ Cell ______________ Family Physician’s Name___________________________ Phone_______________ Please list any known allergies or medical conditions you feed NJSD or medical personnel should be aware of. If you carry an EpiPen or medication that should be administered in the event of an emergency please indicate where it is kept: 11