PLATTSBURGH HIGH SCHOOL VARSITY BASEBALL CONTRACT
This document is a binding, written agreement, involving the player, coach, team, and
parent/guardian. This contract is a promise by solemn agreement requiring players, coaches, and
families to take responsibility for their actions.
This document entails sections on EXPECTATIONS, ACADEMICS AND
CITIZENSHIP, VALUES; EXCELLENCE, TEAM MOTTO, SYNERGY, LAW OF
AVERAGE, MOTIVATION, LOYALTIES AND RESPONSIBILITY, FEAR AND FAILURE.
1. EXPECTATIONS
A. Attendance at all meetings, practices and games is required. If a player must be absent
he must let the coach know beforehand. No unexcused absences.
1.Students will be removed from the team after three unexcused absences occur.
Unexcused absences include reasons like work; hair appointment’s; after school
detention; not informing coach beforehand of any absence, any absence without a
valid excuse. Valid excuses could include medical appointments, family
emergencies, and educational conflicts. 1st unexcused absence=game suspension
/ 2nd unexcused absence=2 game suspension / 3rd unexcused absence=
Dismissal from team
2. The Spring Recess is a critical time for us. Family vacations are considered an
excused absence. Individuals vacationing with friends, or others is going to be
considered an unexcused absence with a one game penalty applied per absence
over the vacation.
3. If you have a job, the only day you can really count on to work would be
Sunday. Playing baseball and maintaining a work schedule is impossible during
the season, not to mention your studies. Leaving early from a practice for your
job will not be allowed. Baseball or a job? You cannot do both successfully.
B. Be prepared and on time for all meetings, practices, and games. Lateness will not be
tolerated. Three lates = 1 Unexcused absence.
C. Give 100% effort in everything we do.
D. If players are not participating in a winter sport they should be preparing for baseball
season by attending open gym and working out.
E. Remember a PHS baseball player is a role model. Behave honorably, respecting all
opponents, coaches, and umpires.
F. Every player is expected to help set up for practices and games and pick up
afterwards, including field maintenance.
G. CODE OF CONDUCT EXPECTATIONS
Attending school, being on time, staying out of the ISS room, and representing PHS
properly are all part of our Code of Conduct and are not hard to uphold. Misuse of the
most important part of this code can have severe consequences. Breaking the Code of
Conduct is not just about you! Your teammates will suffer for someone else’s selfish act!
If you don’t quite understand the core of this code, read and understand the
following: 1) use of illegal drugs and alcohol is a violation of our code; 2) attending
parties where either or both are present is a violation. Do not misunderstand this rule!
Consumption does not have to take place. Attendance breaks the code!
If you arrive at a party and find the substances to be there, turn around and leave! If you
are there longer than 15 minutes, it will be considered attending the party! Yes, you have
broken the code!
If you know your teammate may be making plans to attend such an event, be a good
teammate and encourage him to reconsider. You owe it to the team and yourself to
support each other!
2. ACADEMICS AND CITIZENSHIP
A. Be a good student. You attend PHS to get an education. Make the most out your
high school experience. The better you do in school, the more options you will have
upon graduation. Do not alienate others with your behavior off the baseball field.
3. VALUES
A. Being a PHS Baseball Player is something special. Be a good teammate. Positive
thinking lets you do everything better than negative thinking.
B. Profanity will not be tolerated. Don’t swear.
C. Don’t argue with umpires. They are seldom responsible for your success; so don’t
blame them for your failure.
D. Transfer of blame is not accepted in this program. Don’t alibi, or place blame on
others for any lack of success.
E. Attitude is more important than aptitude.
4. EXCELLENCE
A. We must be willing to sacrifice in order to have success.
B. We will have a continuous, relentless, never-ending commitment to improve.
C. Excellence will be achieved as a gradual result of always trying to get better.
D. When looking at yourself as a player, take a critical look. Improve your weaknesses,
and you improve as a ball player.
E. Success is costly. You must exchange something solid in yourself for success. It’s
easy to give up if you have nothing invested.
F. No player ever becomes a success by giving up. Keep trying.
G. We can’t control the outcome of games. We can only be the best player, the best
teammate, the best person we can be.
5. TEAM MOTTO
A. Tradition. PHS Baseball teams have achieved high levels of success in the past.
Everything we do, we do for a good reason. These traditions have proven to be
successful for us in the past. We will continue to do our best to carry on these winning
traditions. (Wearing a baseball hat the right way, all the time; long sleeves under game
jerseys; partner grounders; the way we take B.P.; etc.)
6. SYNERGY
A. We must work together to achieve excellence.
B. Synergism can be defined as: two or more people working together in a way that their
combined power is more than just the sum of their individual effort.
C. We don’t play our 9 best individuals. We play our best 9 together.
7. LAW OF AVERAGE
A. Insurance companies and the casino industry base their profits on this concept. We
will take our chances based on educated guesses and the use of statistics. Pitching,
defense, and making contact at the plate will enable us to be successful. We believe that
LUCK stands for Laboring Under Correct Knowledge. In other words what might be
considered a “gamble” to some is a time tested guess on our part. Stealing home is an
example of L.U.C.K. in our program. Luck is knowing the probability of a situation and
making tiny adjustments to stay on course.
B. We believe that according to this “Law” that we will win most of our games because
the better team does so most of the time.
C. We believe that everything counts. Every clap of the hands, every “high 5”, every
extra round of batting practice, every positive thing we do for each other all season long
can make the little difference in enabling us to overcome the law of average, and give us
a shot at “winning the big one”.
8. MOTIVATION
A. We will hustle on and off the field.
B. In the dugout we will inspire each other through clapping and cheering.
C. We understand that the game of baseball is statistically very challenging. A .300
hitter fails 7 out of 10 times. We will never allow ourselves to display negativity if we
fail. Stay up. No pouting or poor body language.
D. If we strike out we hustle to the bench. If we make an error, we maintain a positive
demeanor. This is a team game and no one of us is bigger than all of us. Remember
everything counts.
E. PHS Baseball players will play with passion and excitement.
9. LOYALTIES AND RESPONSIBILITY
A. We will always remain loyal to our team thinking of our team first.
Team definition - A group of peers who combine their talents and efforts to accomplish a
specific goal or series of goals. Teamwork is what allows us to remember each other 30+
years later.
B. Trust. We understand that trust is a fragile thing and can easily be broken. We will
develop the utmost faith in each other so we can be free to be a true teammate. Like the
“Pledge”, starting with one and ending with all, we will remember that we are in this
together.
C. Every decision we make as individuals affects all of us.
D. Remember we will have no transfer of blame. We will take responsibility for our
own actions.
10. FEAR AND FAILURE
A. F.E.A.R. = False Evidence Appearing Real.
B. Fear is like fire. Under control it provides energy, and it can be our ally. Out of
control, it can burn everything up. At its worst it can send physical and psychological
messages where consequences become exaggerated. We will put fear on our side by
confronting it and turning anxiety into excitement and action.
C. Success is never final; failure is never fatal. What counts is the courage to go on. We
will look at failure as a learning experience, a temporary setback. After a loss we’ll ask
1) what did we do right to get this far? And 2) what can we do differently to get it right
next time?
D. We will be resilient, persistent, and relentless.
We agree to the terms of the Varsity Baseball Contract
Baseball Player______________________Parent/Guardian___________________
Coach_____________________________Date_______________