6.12.1 SCHOOL ATHLETIC HANDBOOK
MISSION
The Assumption BVM School After-School Sports Program enables our students to develop self respect, physical fitness, and the ability to play and work with others as a team in a Christian environment.
PHILOSOPHY
We believe that:
The after school sports program possesses “a unique potential for reaching the hearts, minds, and souls of student athletes because athletic performance engages the entire person by unifying mind, body, and soul toward a single goal.”
“Team sports go a step further by requiring unselfish play and trust in others to achieve success. These spiritual elements of competition are clearly consistent with the Gospel message and provide rich opportunities for teaching young people about life in the church.”
“Any sports team is, in essence, a smaller community within the school-a microcosm church in its own right-in which young people learn what it means to work together toward a common goal in the midst of competition.”
– Rev. J. Beretta, OSFS
GOALS
Therefore, the sports program leads student athletes to develop:
MASCOT
The school mascot is the alligator or gator.
The sports teams are known as the “Assumption BVM School Gators.”
VARSITY SPORTS (A Teams)
CYO Varsity Sports at Assumption BVM School is a competitive level that emphasizes strategies and self-discipline, to prepare students for high school sports.
It is the head coach’s responsibility to use his/her judgment, experience, and discretion to select the team members, assign roles, and decide the game starting roster, playing time, substitutions, and strategies.
At Assumption BVM School it is expected that all students receive playing time.
Varsity Players will consist of students from the 7th and 8th grade only (or qualifying student-athletes).
JUNIOR VARSITY SPORTS (B Teams)
CYO Junior Varsity Sports at Assumption BVM School emphasizes the development of fundamental skills, to prepare students for varsity sports.
At Assumption BVM School coaches are encouraged to have all players participate in every game.
Junior Varsity Players will consist of students from the 4th through 6th grade (or qualifying student-athletes).
NOVICE SPORTS (C Teams)
Available only for Track and Field. CYO Novice Sports at Assumption BVM School emphasizes the development of fundamental skills, to prepare students for junior varsity and varsity sports.
At Assumption BVM School coaches are encouraged to have all players participate in every game
Novice Players will consist of students from 3rd grade.
PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS
Students must:
Uphold the values, philosophy and reputation of Assumption BVM School.
Have satisfactory academic, behavior, and work habits/grades. (A student may be removed from a team if they have not met this criteria). Students must maintain a “C” or above in all core academic subjects to be eligible for sports.
Complete their class work and homework each day.
Attend all games and practices.
Observe all safety rules.
Go to Extended Care after a practice/game if not picked up on time.
Students are ineligible for a practice or game if:
They are assigned to Study Hall or Detention to complete their home/classwork.
They miss school because of illness or an unexcused absence.
Student-Athletes may be suspended or placed on probation from a team for academic or behavioral reasons.
Parents must:
Sign the after school sports contract and sports permission slip.
Pay the sports fee for the season before their child may participate in practice/games.
Pay the uniform deposit, which will be retained if the uniform is not returned in good condition.
Attend any scheduled sport meetings.
Model good sportsmanship at games and practices.
Fulfill their responsibility to transport students and provide snacks for games.
Communicate any questions or concerns to the coach. Anything that is not resolved should then be communicated to the Athletic Director.
Pick up their children on time or pay the Gator Club fees.
Attend a VIRTUS Training Class, and be fingerprinted
“NO CUTS” POLICY
In elementary school the children’s growth and development are best served when all interested students are allowed to participate in sports. To sustain such a policy, parents must be willing to provide additional help so there are sufficient coaches, supervision, and transportation.
At Assumption BVM School we do not have tryouts, but teams may be capped at a certain number per each coach’s discretion. Teams will be filled on the first come, first serve basis.
SPECIAL NEEDS
The principal may, at her discretion, allow a student to participate in after school sports regardless of the participation requirements; if she determines that the benefits to the child justify an exception to the general policy.
SUPERVISION AND TRANSPORTATION OBLIGATION
The Principal, all school staff, volunteer coaches, and parent chaperones/ drivers are responsible for providing adequate supervision of pupils during the entire time they are on school premises or engaged in school-sponsored activities.
Pupils are never to be left unsupervised. Ineffective supervision as well as total lack of supervision may constitute lack of ordinary care required of those responsible.
Pupils are never to be sent on errands outside the school campus. They may leave the grounds or be released from school only at the written request of their parent/s and may be suspended or expelled for leaving campus without this written permission and official release.
Students who participate in after school activities must be picked up on time. If parents are late, children will be sent to extended care and parents will be charged. Students must follow all Gator Club rules.
The parent/guardian is expected to provide transportation to any event taking place outside normal school hours.
All Parent Volunteers, Coaches, and School Staff must complete VIRTUS Training and be fingerprinted before they can assist in supervision.
Student Sign-out
Students must be signed out at the end of the day. Coaches are responsible for supervision from 2:45PM to 4:30PM (or upon return from a game/practice). If a student is not picked up at 4:30PM, the Athletic Director or coach will check the student into Extended Care in Crean Hall. The parents will be charged from the time of return from a game. Coaches may request longer practices, if needed.
Parents may not take their child from the park or game location without informing the coach and signing the child out. Failure to do so may result in the child being excluded from participation in the Sports Program.
ATTENDANCE
Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday are the usual sports practice and game days. These practices and games will be directly after school from 2:45 pm until 4:30pm
Weekend Tournaments, and Wednesday/Friday games will happen on rare occasions.
Students must be present at school all day to participate in any after-school practice or game.
CANCELLATION OF GAMES/PRACTICE
Automatic Cancellation Due to Weather Conditions
Practice/games are automatically canceled during:
Phone calls or emails will not be made to notify parents. Parents should assume there will be no sports that day and pick up their child (ren) at dismissal. Cancellations will be posted on the Gradelink calendar as soon as the decision is made.
Unexpected Cancellations
If practice/games are canceled because of intermittent rain, cancellation by the other team, coach’s absence, etc., parents will be notified as soon as possible. If rain is intermittent, the Athletic Director will decide by noon whether to cancel the practice/game.
TRANSPORTATION
Walking to Park: Any student not following safety rules may be suspended from the team immediately.
If the practice/game is held at the local park, players walk to and from the park with at least two adults. Clear safety directions must be given in advance.
Students must walk back to school with their coaches and be picked by their parents at school, unless written permission is on file allowing them to walk or bike home from school.
Driving: The Athletic Director and coaches are responsible for safe transportation of students to practices and games, but will not drive players to games. Parents must drive players to all games/tournaments and must follow the regulations established for field trip drivers (See "Policies and Procedures for Volunteer Drivers" in Appendix).
The coach does not tell a student which car he/she will ride in.
No adult should be alone with a child.
If there are not enough drivers, some students will stay at school.
Drivers/chaperones will stay with the children until a supervisor arrives.
Weekend Events: At weekend events, parents are responsible to transport and supervise their children. The school and its employees will not be responsible for transportation/supervision on weekends. An event should be canceled if there is insufficient transportation or parental supervision.
SPORTS PARTIES
The school does not sponsor sports parties. Such events are independent of the school, and must be arranged and supervised by parents off campus. In special cases, the principal may give permission to the coach to have a party on campus.
STUDENT SPECTATORS
Students staying to watch a home game must:
Stay at Gator Club until the game begins.
Have a walking pass issued from the office in order to stay for games without an adult chaperone (or without being checked into Gator).
Attend the game and go home when the game is over.
Students may not:
Students will be sent to Extended Care and charged the Drop-in Fee if:
GRIEVANCES
Parents may not criticize, upbraid, insult, or undermine the authority of the coach.
Parents may not criticize, insult, or question a referee during a game. Any complaints should be made to the coach or Athletic Director after the game.
If a parent or player has a complaint or concern regarding a coach, he/she should state it in writing and give it to the Sports Coordinator or the PTO representative of the Sports Booster Club.
In any serious matter, the grievance statement should be given directly to the principal.
SPORTS BOOSTER CLUB
The purpose of the Sports Booster Club is to oversee and support the CYO after School Sports and school-wide fitness initiatives at Assumption BVM School. All monies raised from Sports Fees and Sports Booster Fundraisers is what supports our school sports program.
Coaches
Attend CYO Coach class, attend Virtus Training, and be fingerprinted
Model the mission, philosophy, and values of Assumption BVM School.
Follow CYO rules and standards of behavior.
Exhibit good sportsmanship.
Establish realistic goals for each athlete.
Oversee the safe transportation of students to games/practices.
Take the emergency kit to all games and practices.
Return equipment and medical bag used for your sport at the end of each season. If any item is not returned, a fee will be charged for the items missing.
Collect all uniforms at the end of season. Make sure all are washed and in good condition.
Turn in awards form to Athletic Directors for Sports Banquet.
May take a coaching stipend (amount determined by the school) or receive 30 hours of service.
Make sure all athletes are picked up or sent to Gator after each game or practice.
Coaches Policy
Coaches and Assistant Coaches are chosen by the Assumption BVM School Athletic Director and School Administration.
If a coach wants to coach two different sports in the same school year, they will only be able to do so if no one else steps up.
If we have two parents that would like to coach their child, we will give priority to the parent who has a child in the older grade first (8th and 6th).
The number of tournaments each coach can enter is three for Varsity Sports and two for JV Sports per season. All Track teams, Novice, JV and Varsity will compete in two-three track meets, plus CYO finals.
Coaching Service Hours & Payment
A coach has the option to receive the full amount of service hours the school requires or receive a stipend (amount determined by the school).
If a coach takes the service hours, their child will not have to pay the registration fee for that sport. If a coach takes the payment their child will need to pay the registration fee for that sport.
If a coach has multiple children playing the sport they are coaching and is taking the 35 service hours, they will not need to pay the registration fees for any of their children.
If a coach has multiple children playing on the team that they are coaching and they are taking the payment, only one child will only be exempt from paying the registration fee, all others will need to pay the fee.
If a parent is allowed to coach two team sports, he/she will be paid for one sport and receive the full amount of service hours for the second sport.
If we have a coach that is not an Assumption BVM School parent, they will receive a stipend (amount determined by the school) for each team they coach.
Service hours will be offered for an assistant coach under the Athletic Directors approval. This decision will be based upon the head coach and the amount of players on the team.
Service hours may be given for scorer table and refereeing. And must be signed off by the Athletic Director.
