Marengo Community High School District 154 Athletic Handbook for Parents

Marengo Community High School District 154

Athletic Handbook for Parents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. 
   District Athletic Philosophy (p. 3)
   

2. 
   Athletic Department Mission Statement (p. 3)
   

3. 
   Athletic Department Goals and Objectives (p. 3)
   

4. 
   Overall Athletic Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines (p. 4-5)
   

5. 
   Parent Helpfuls (p. 5-6)
   

6. 
   Parent Guide to Dealing With Coaches (p. 6-7)
   

7. 
   General Athletic Code of Ethics (p. 7-8)
   

8. 
   Extracurricular Code of Conduct (p. 8-14)
   
   1. 
      Due Process
      
   2. 
      Expectations of Participants
      
   3. 
      Major Rule Infractions
      
   4. 
      Disciplinary Action for Major Rule Infractions
      
   5. 
      Actions to Reduce Consequences
      
   6. 
      Minor Rule Infractions
      
   7. 
      Requirements for Participation
      
   8. 
      Scheduling Conflicts
      
   9. 
      Theft/Vandalism/Destruction
      
   10. 
       Warning of Risk
       
   11. 
       Athlete’s Only
       

9. 
   Marengo Fight Song (p. 14)
   

DISTRICT ATHLETIC PHILOSOPHY

ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT MISSION STATEMENT

ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

• 
  To provide student athletes with an enjoyable and satisfying experience
  
• 
  To provide the teaching of fundamentals appropriate to the various age groups
  
• 
  To develop sportsmanship and an appreciation for good sportsmanship
  
• 
  To develop a sense of self-worth, character and purpose in each athlete
  
• 
  To promote high standards of achievement
  
• 
  To promote and provide high ethical standards
  
• 
  To provide leadership of the highest quality by the coaching staff
  
• 
  To provide opportunities for as many students as possible to compete on athletic teams
  
• 
  To emphasize academic excellence for all students
  
• 
  To provide athletes with a broad variety of sports opportunities
  
• 
  To provide athletes with freedom of choice in selecting their sports
  
• 
  To consider the safety of each participant to be of paramount importance
  

OVERALL ATHLETIC POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND GUIDELINES

At the beginning of each season, the athletic department will host a pre-season meeting for parents and athletes. This meeting is mandatory for all coaches, parents, and athletes. The first part of the meeting will be a general session in which the athletic director will address common issues related to athletic participation. The second session will be individual teams and coaches discussing expectations and rules that apply to the specific sport. Coaches, athletes, and parents must attend one general session during the school year and must attend all team meetings before each sport.

Players are students first and athletes second. Players must be passing 4 core subjects on a week-to-week basis in order to be eligible. Players that are ruled ineligible will practice with the team but will not dress for games/matches/events during that week. Ineligible players must show up to all home and away events as deemed necessary by each individual coach.

Player must be in attendance prior to the start of 4^th hour to participate in practices or games. Players must be in attendance 4^th through 7^th hours to participate. The coaches expect all athletes to show up to school on time on days of games and days after games unless due to an illness. Doctor visits and other scheduled appointments do not affect this policy.

Excused absences: Players who miss a practice or contest for an illness, a required school related function, or a family emergency will be excused. It is the player’s responsibility to contact their coach as soon as possible prior to the absence, if possible.

Players who are disciplined by the school for breaking school rules will be subject to the school disciplinary process and any athletic disciplinary actions that may apply. Players are expected to conduct themselves in a way that shows their commitment to represent themselves, their families, their school and the athletic program with pride, dignity, and respect. Athletes need to learn to take care of themselves and not become guilty by association. They must learn to remove themselves from situations that can jeopardize their academics and/or their athletic eligibility.

Players will not have equal playing time nor is playing time guaranteed. Playing time will not be discussed. A meeting (on a non-game day) can be setup with the coach(s), parent(s), and athlete to discuss ways for the player to improve. If necessary a follow-up meeting may be setup with the coach(s), parent(s), athlete, and athletic director to further discuss any issue.

Athletes must make sure to bring all required materials on game days. Athletes are also expected to bring practice clothing/gear in case of a game cancellation.

Athletic trainers are here to prevent, evaluate, treat, and rehabilitate all athletic injuries. If an athlete is injured at any time they must report it to our MCHS athletic trainer. If an athlete sees a physician, for any reason, it must be reported to the athletic trainer along with a note from the doctor either holding them out of competition or releasing them for competition. Without a note from the doctor, the athlete will not be allowed to return to their competitive practice, game, and/or event.

Violation(s) of the guidelines set in place by each individual coach may have the following consequences depending on the severity of the action and of previous violation(s):

1. 
   Extra Conditioning
   
2. 
   Loss of Playing Time
   
3. 
   Parent / Athlete / Coach Meeting
   
4. 
   Removal from the team
   

PARENT HELPFULS

• 
  Remind your child to “give 100%, never give up, and have fun
  
• 
  Make a commitment to honor the competition in action and language no matter what others may do
  

• 
  Don’t add to your athlete’s confusion by coaching from the stands, this may also erode an athlete’s confidence. Let the coach(es) correct player mistakes.
  
• 
  Cheer and acknowledge good plays/moves by both teams
  
• 
  Mention good calls, but please refrain from commenting on athletes mistakes or on others’ bad calls
  
• 
  Don’t do anything in the heat of the moment that you’ll regret after the competition
  
• 
  Do not criticize the opponents, their parents, coaches, or referees/umpires
  
• 
  Have fun and enjoy the competition
  

• 
  Thank the site director for doing a difficult job
  
• 
  Thank the coach(es) for their time and efforts. Understand that after a competition is not the best time to question a coach and/or official
  
• 
  Congratulate your opponents for a good competition
  
• 
  Congratulate all athletes involved for their efforts; regardless of the result
  
• 
  Compliment individual athletes for their standout performance(s) and display(s) of sportsmanship during the competition
  
• 
  Don’t give too much advice. Instead, ask your athlete what they thought about the competition and be a good listener
  

• 
  Point out a good play, either athletic or sportsmanlike, that your athlete made during the competition
  
• 
  Do not criticize your athlete on any part of their game
  
  • 
    Leave this to the coaches
    
  • 
    If your athlete asks for your input, please direct them to ask their coaches, as your ideas may contradict what the coach is trying to teach
    
• 
  Do not criticize your athletes coach to your child or other parents, if you are unhappy with the coach you should raise the issue with the coach
  
• 
  Ask open-ended questions about how the competition was played. Examples:
  
  • 
    What were the strengths of your opponent?
    
  • 
    Highs and lows of the competition?
    
  • 
    How did the rest of the team perform?
    
• 
  Help your athlete to focus on the performance and not the result of the competition
  
• 
  Accept the results of each game. Encourage your athlete to be gracious in victory, and to turn defeat into victory by working towards improvement
  
• 
  Remember your child is involved in organized sports for their enjoyment not yours
  

PARENT GUIDE TO DEALING WITH COACHES

• 
  The basic requirements such as school and team policies, procedures, and expectations
  
• 
  Off-season, in-season, and camp schedules
  
• 
  When and where practices and competitions will take place
  
• 
  Advanced notice of schedule changes
  
• 
  What the coach will do if your athlete gets injured
  

• 
  Advance notice of any schedule conflicts
  
• 
  Concerns about your athlete and/or the coach, expressed at the proper time and place
  

• 
  How your athlete may improve
  
• 
  Your athlete’s behavior
  
• 
  The mental and physical treatment of your athlete
  

• 
  Overall team strategy
  
• 
  Individual and/or team line-ups and playing time
  
• 
  Situations dealing with other athletes
  
• 
  Coaching advice for an athlete and/or team during competition
  

• 
  Contact the coach and arrange an appointment
  
• 
  Think about what you can reasonably achieve with the discussion. Try to put yourself in the coach’s position
  
• 
  At the meeting, stick to discussing the facts, as you understand them
  
• 
  Do not confront the coach before, during, or after a practice or competition. These can be emotional times for both the parent and coach. Such confrontations rarely resolve the situation, and often worsen it.
  

• 
  Call the athletic director to set up a meeting with the athletic director, coach, and parent. At this meeting, an appropriate next step can be determined, if necessary
  

GENERAL ATHLETIC CODE OF ETHICS

• 
  To emphasize the proper ideals of sportsmanship, ethical conduct, and fair play
  
• 
  To eliminate all possibilities which tend to destroy the best values of the game
  
• 
  To stress the values derived from playing the game fairly
  
• 
  To show cordiality to visiting teams and officials
  
• 
  To establish a cordial relationship between visitors and hosts
  
• 
  To respect the integrity and judgment of sports officials
  
• 
  To achieve a thorough understanding and acceptance of the rules of the game and the standard of eligibility
  
• 
  To encourage leadership, initiative, and good judgment by the players on the team
  
• 
  To recognize that the purpose of athletics is to promote the physical, mental, moral, social, and emotional well being of the individual players
  
• 
  To remember that an athletic contest is only a game, not a matter of life or death for players, coaches, fans, or the school
  
• 
  To avoid unfavorable criticism of other coaches or school officials except that which is formally presented to proper authorities
  
• 
  To treat secretarial members, maintenance, and custodial staff members with the dignity and respect afforded them as vital support personnel to the athletic programs
  

EXTRA-CURRICULAR CODE OF CONDUCT

AFS

Class Officers

Colorguard/Danceline

Drama Club/Play/Musicals

HOSA

Jazz Band

Media Club

National Honor Society

Snowball

WYSE

The following due process procedure shall be used in cases of suspension or dismissal in all athletic/cheerleading programs.

1. 
   The Athletic Director (AD) or Asst. Principal will meet with the student to inform him/her of the allegations. Parents/guardians will be informed of the allegations by the AD or Asst. Principal. If no disciplinary action is to be taken, due process ends.
   
2. 
   The AD or Asst. Principal will request a conference with the parent/guardian and participant to discuss the allegations and disciplinary action.
   
3. 
   The AD or Asst. Principal will determine the consequences as stated in this document and inform the participant, as well as the parent/guardian.
   

Expectations of Participants

Students must be in school prior to the start of 4^th hour to participate in practices, games, or activities. Students must be in attendance 4^th through 7^th hours to participate.

The school will issue specific equipment, which the participant must care for or replace at cost.

Participants will be financially responsible for equipment lost, stolen or damaged outside of regular use.

There should be no horseplay in areas of participation. Any inappropriate language or actions, as well as careless use of facilities will be dealt with severely.

All students attending MCHS are potential participants of extra-curricular activities. Therefore, the code of conduct applies to students when they begin school at MCHS. The behavior code is in effect twelve months of the year, seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day, in and out of season, and on and off school grounds until the end of the spring sport playoff season of a student’s senior year.

-Use or possession of any form of tobacco

-Major unsportsmanlike conduct

-Attendance at activities involving the illegal consumption of alcohol or any illegal substance. Arrest or ticketing by police, a report by a staff member, and a report by the parent or admission by the student shall constitute notice for this infraction. Students are responsible for being aware of their surroundings and if illegal consumption is taking place they must take immediate steps to leave the activity safely (or if hosting an activity, take immediate steps to have the offending individual(s) leave safely).

-Commission of a criminal act defined as a Felony.

-Any level IV (as listed below) misconduct or activities

-Level IV offenses are very serious acts. Many of these actions will involve the police. Level IV violations include but are not limited to the following:

1. Continuation of Level III offense (as listed in student handbook

2. Fighting

3. Use or possession of alcohol, or having the odor of alcohol

4. Use or possession of drugs or look-alike drugs, or having the odor of drugs

5. Possession of a weapon

6. Threats involving the safety of students or staff (Bomb threats, etc.)

7. Setting off false fire alarm

8. Activating a 911 call button falsely

9. Assault to staff member or student

10. Stealing school property (including tests, etc.)

11. Gang-related items (clothing, signs, signals, etc.)

-Possible school consequences for Level IV offenses:

1. OSS

3. Alternative placement

4. Recommend for expulsion

5. Police notification

When evidence of a violation of the behavior code occurs, disciplinary action will be taken in consecutive order for each offense throughout the individual’s high school career by the athletic director, principal or his designee. Written parent contact will be made. If the individual and/or parent wishes to appeal the decision; that appeal can be made in writing to the high school principal within five school days of written notification.

Suspension for 22% of the regular season dates scheduled for that activity. If the number of suspended dates is a fraction, that number will be rounded to the next whole number. The participant is expected to attend all practices, follow all of the coach’s rules, and attend but not dress for all of the competitions. In the case of a student not fulfilling the 22% of the season’s dates because of the season coming to an end, the remaining percentage will be used in the next activity they participate in. (Example: a student has a major rule infraction just before the last football game. With just one game remaining, only 11% of the required 22% suspension is served. The remaining 11% would have to carry over to the next activity. If the activity was basketball, this student would then miss 11% of the basketball schedule.)

1-year suspension from all activities covered by the behavior code for one calendar year from the date of the offense. No award will be earned.

Career suspension from all extra-curricular activities from the date of the offense through graduation. No award will be earned.

If a student is involved in simultaneous activities, the suspension will be served concurrently in all of the activities. However, students will not be allowed to join extra-curricular activities already in order to avoid an athletic suspension.

These rules will be distributed at the first extracurricular meeting by the individual coach or sponsor and will only affect that sport or activity. Disciplinary action will be left up to the individual in charge of that activity. If the individual and/or parent wish to appeal the decision, that appeal can be made within 48 hours to the high school athletic director, principal, or assistant principal.

Marengo Community High School believes that each potential participant should make an informed decision to participate in extra-curricular programs. Students shall comply with Board of Education Policy 7:300 regarding participation in extra-curricular activities.

The scheduling of activities often results in conflicts that cannot be resolved. They are beyond the control of the local school. A general guideline is that students will be required to participate in activities as listed in the descending order listed below. The decision is not up to the student, coach or sponsor as to which activity the student will participate in when conflicts occur. The student has a responsibility and commitment to his/her respective organizations and teams.

State individual

Conference tournaments

Conference team

Conference individual events

Previously scheduled events

Rescheduled events
If two events of equal priority are scheduled at the same time, then and only then, will it be the student’s choice to determine the event that he/she will be participating in.
Theft/Vandalism/Destruction

Participants are expected to respect the property and possessions at our school and other schools. In situations involving theft, vandalism, etc., the policy as set forth in the Parent-Student Handbook will be invoked.

Students and parents are to be aware that athletic and activity participation has inherent dangers and risks. Even though participation and practice is within the rules of the activity and students follow the instructions of the coach or sponsor, students may suffer a catastrophic injury. Their injuries may include, but are not limited to, death, serious head, neck or spinal injuries that may result in complete or partial paralysis or brain damage. Serious injury to any of the internal organs, bones, ligaments, muscles, tendons or other aspects of the muscular-skeletal system are possible. The injuries that may occur may affect the student’s future ability to participate in athletics and activities, earn a living, or engage in other business and social activities. To attempt to avoid the possibility of injury, students should follow the coaches’ or sponsors’ instructions regarding techniques, training and team rules at all times, and participate within the rules of the sport and/or activity.

The school shall provide suitable awards for any participant who has earned them. Each sport will set up a system for program award requirements. The coach will give an award to any athlete who has met the requirements and has completed the season in good standing. The head coach may also reward those who are deserving of an award for other reasons they feel warrant appreciation.

1. 
   Each team or activity will have a set of specific rules for its participants.
   
2. 
   The student must show proof of accident insurance coverage either by a policy purchased through the district-approved insurance plan or a parent(s)/guardian(s) written statement that the student is covered under a family insurance plan.
   
3. 
   Student athletes are also subject to IHSA, conference, and district athletic eligibility requirements.
   

Students, participants and spectators are expected to practice the ethics of competition and principles of good sportsmanship whether at home events, events at other schools or in the community. Any person found to be in violation of these ethics and principles may be barred from interscholastic contests either as a participant or as a spectator. The faculty, coaches and administration of MCHS consider good sportsmanship to be one of the important ingredients of healthy competition and athletic success. Nothing less is expected of the fans who attend our contests, the athletes who participate, and the coaches who provide guidance and leadership. We encourage all participants to cheer for our Indians, but in addition, recognize the performance of others, respect the opponent and the efforts of the officials, and enjoy watching the contest. Thank you for demonstrating good sportsmanship the Marengo way!

MARENGO FIGHT SONG
ON MARENGO!

On Marengo, on Marengo

Hold your colors high.

On to Loyalty’s our motto,

Victories our cry.

You rah, rah,

On Marengo, on Marengo

Marching on to fame,

Fight fellow,

Fight, fight, fight to win this game.

You rah, rah, rah, Indians.

You rah, rah, rah, Indians.

You rah, rah, rah, Indians.

Yeah Indians.