Holy Family Catholic Parish
ATHLETIC
PROGRAM
Handbook
The CRUSADERS…Striving to be more Christ-like in all
that we do.
“The advancement of the Gospel mission of Catholic education is the
best reason for athletic programs.
Athletic programs that successfully integrate the Gospel message into
athletics produce individuals who are faith-filled, have respect for others,
value human life, and are willing to sacrifice for those in need."
Brian
Vaccaro, “Athletics and the Gospel
Athletic Department
Mrs. Michelle Keffer,
Athletic Director
Athletics Office: 815 398-9407
ext. 149
Athletics Cell: 815 558-4408
fax: 815 398-5902
athletics@holyfamilyrockford.org
website: holyfamilyrockford.org/School
Mrs. Becky Schmitt, Principal
815 398-5331
fax: 815 398-5902
bschmitt@holyfamilyrockford.org
website: holyfamilyrockford.org/School
ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES
AVAILABLE TO REGISTERED/ACTIVE
HOLY
FAMILY PARISH STUDENTS
Through
the
|
SPORT |
GENDER |
GRADE |
SEASON |
|
Basketball |
Boys/Girls |
5-8 |
Fall/Winter |
|
Cheerleading |
Girls |
7-8 |
Starts summer, runs through winter |
|
Football ( |
Boys |
7-8 |
Fall |
|
Soccer |
Coed Teams |
5-8 |
Fall |
|
Volleyball |
Coed Teams |
5-8 |
Spring |
PARTICIPATION IS A PRIVILEGE
Playing
sports is a privilege rather than a right.
Athletic program administrators have a duty to hold athletes to
personal, academic, and disciplinary standards.
Since the athlete represents our parish, every effort will be taken to
ensure that student athletes are worthy representatives; those who fail to meet
academic or disciplinary expectations will not be allowed to play sports, at
least until the prescribed penalty or academic improvement has taken place.
RESERVATION
OF RIGHT TO AMEND
The
school reserves the right to revise
the policies and
procedures contained within this handbook.
Dear Parents and Students:
Just as the school and
Religious Education program are ministries of the parish, so too the athletic
program is a ministry of our parish. It is part of a whole and not a
stand-alone piece. As with all parish
ministries, our mission is to grow in the Catholic teachings and the living of
our faith--yes, even through athletics!
All students, parents, and
coaches must "buy into" our parish philosophy and procedures (printed
in this handbook) as well as the larger parochial league policies.
OURS IS A PARTICIPATION BASED ATHLETIC PROGRAM. At the elementary school age level (through
eighth grade) we stress skill development and participation over
competition. If competition is
"your thing" then our program is not for you.
Emphasis is placed on Catholic
values, teamwork, honesty, cooperation, self-sacrifice, dedication, obedience,
hard work, goal setting, respect, self-discipline and mutual
encouragement. All of these are more
important than winning!
Parent volunteerism is
necessary for our athletic program to be successful. Our athletic program
functions through parent volunteerism. Please fulfill your volunteer commitment
if your child is involved in our athletic program.
Please take the time to read
this handbook--it's your responsibility; by registering in our athletic program
you agree to abide by these policies and procedures.
Our program is self-policing;
that is, we depend on our parents to provide us with feedback on whether our
volunteer coaches and parents are following these policies and procedures. Please communicate your concerns to our
athletic director or to me.
Most importantly, keep our
athletic program, the coaches and players and spectators, in your prayers. Ask God to send His Spirit to guide our
participants to be appropriate Catholic role models to others while enjoying
the social opportunities athletics offers.
Sincerely yours,
Becky Schmitt
Principal
Fr. Max Striedl
Loving Father:
You have given us the gift of sport
To help us grow in body and mind.
Send your Holy Spirit
To watch over us today.
Keep us from injury.
Bless us, our fans, our coaches
and officials with good sportsmanship.
May our game be marked by hard play,
Fairness, fun, respect and love.
May all we do bring you greater glory.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord
AMEN.
Holy Family Pride:
Making
Our Every Thought, Word and Action Pleasing To God
Table of Contents
Diocesan Philosophy,
Goals, Rules and Regulations
ROCKFORD AREA PAROCHIAL
LEAGUE
Parish Athletic
Department Philosophy
STUDENT REQUIREMENTS FOR
PARTICIPATION
ELIGIBILITY: SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
SUPERVISION OF CHILDREN,
PARENTAL
SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT,
PURCHASING
REVISED: May 6, 2004
ARTICLE I – BELIEFS
The athletic programs
of the Elementary Schools of the Diocese of Rockford are founded on these
beliefs:
·
the existence
of God
·
the dignity
and worth of the human person
·
the
collegiality of people
·
the right of
God’s people to mature in society and in the Church
·
the
responsibility of parents in transmitting these beliefs to their children
ARTICLE II – PHILOSOPHY AND
PURPOSE
The
athletic programs of the elementary schools of the Diocese of Rockford exist to
promote the spiritual, moral, social and physical development of students
guided by the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Such programs shall serve the following purposes:
·
develop a healthy response to God and society
·
show the goodness of God alive in our world
·
deepen self-knowledge
·
promote growth in social skills and moral development
·
promote physical
development and increase potential for improvement in sports
·
experience God-given talents with fellow athletes
·
develop within each student a philosophy of teamwork and
fair play
·
develop common goals
·
create a spirit of camaraderie
·
recognize personal responsibility based on truth and justice
·
afford athletes the opportunity to participate and earn the
respect and companionship of their peers
·
discover and improve individual skills in each person
·
promote self-confidence and poise as team members
·
promote excellence through participation and learning while
competing with other teams
·
teach good fundamentals, team spirit and sportsmanship
·
promote understanding and knowledge in healthy living and
sound physical development
·
improve the ability to respond to the needs of others
ARTICLE III – ADMINISTRATION
In
accord with Rockford Diocesan Policy 6200 “All elementary and high school
athletic programs associated with Catholic schools in the Diocese of Rockford
shall be under the jurisdiction of the local school principal. The athletic director will be accountable to
the principal.” The Superintendents
Council of the Diocese shall serve as the Board of Directors for diocesan
elementary school athletics. This
Council shall make decisions on matters that are not resolved by the local
school principal and/or the local conference of Catholic schools.
ARTICLE IV – ATHLETIC
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Section
1. A candidate for an athletic team may not
practice or play in a game until s/he has filed with the school a certificate
of physical fitness issued by a licensed medical doctor for the current school
year and a proof of insurance waiver signed by the parent/guardian.
Section
2. Lower grade (through 6th)
programs shall have as their primary emphasis instruction and
participation. Upper grade (7th
and 8th) shall emphasize instruction, participation, and
competition. At the lower grades
(through 6th) in order to emphasize instruction and participation,
playing time in a given contest is to be equitable among all athletes on a
team.
Section
3. Coaches and athletic directors must
cooperate in teaching methods, styles of play, etc. so as to provide the best
opportunity for athletes to develop proficiency and character
Section
4. It shall be the responsibility of the host
school to lead those assembled in a public prayer and the recitation of the
pledge of allegiance or playing/singing of the national anthem.
Section
5. It is mandatory that all team members who
are listed in the official scorebook for each contest be given playing
time. Playing time at the lower grades
(through 6th) is defined in Section 2 of this article above. In the upper grades (7th and 8th)
every member listed in the book must enter and play in the game/match/contest
before it ends. Likewise, it is
mandatory that all team members who are listed in the official scorebook sit
out a portion of each contest.
Exception: When the number of team
members is equal to the number of athletes necessary to field a team. The head coach of each team is responsible
for implementing this rule.
Section
6. Host schools are responsible for having a
designated person in charge of the game facility at all times. Such person will notify visiting coaches of
his/her role.
Section
7. Each school shall establish, implement and
communicate scholastic eligibility requirements for its students. Such scholastic eligibility requirements are
to be included in the school’s handbook which is distributed to families each
school year.
Section
8. Each school shall establish, implement and
communicate conduct eligibility requirements for its students. Such conduct eligibility requirements are to
be included in the school’s handbook which is distributed to families each
school year.
Section
9. Religious activities take precedence over
all athletic activities.
Section 10. Any Invitational
Tournament sponsored by a Diocesan school must follow Diocesan rules and
regulations. (See Article VII, Section
4.) Diocesan schools that participate in
contests/tournaments with non-Diocesan schools or sponsored by non-Diocesan
schools must compete in such contests following these Diocesan rules and
regulations.
Section
11. A properly equipped first aid kit must be
available to coaches at all practices and contests.
Section
12. Club teams, AAU teams, etc. (those operating
independently from school/parish teams) must not be sanctioned by the
elementary schools. In addition, to
minimize confusion, such teams are not to be allowed to practice or play games
in Diocesan elementary school facilities.
Section
13. Consequences for violations of these Diocesan
Rules and Regulations are to be developed and determined at the local level by
the school principal. However, at a
minimum, for violations of Article IV, Section 5; Article V – Requirements for
Coaches and Athletic Directors; and Article VII – Sport Limitations and
Specifics, the school in violation shall be required to forfeit the contest in
which the violation occurred and the next contest scheduled after the contest
in which the violation occurred.
ARTICLE V – REQUIREMENTS FOR
COACHES AND ATHLETIC DIRECTORS
Section
1. Head coaches must be at least 21 years of age. An assistant coach may be under 21 provided
an adult is at every game and practice when the head coach is unavailable.
Section
2. At least one adult female must be in
attendance at all girls' team practices and contests. At least one adult male must be in attendance
at all boys’ team practices and contests.
Section
3. All coaches or other adults involved in
student supervision must complete all diocesan requirements – Protecting God’s
Children training, criminal background checks, sexual misconduct norms receipt,
Pastoral Code of Conduct, bloodborne pathogens training, and any other
requirements that currently or in the future may exist or be implemented.
Section
4. Coaches shall display good sportsmanship to
instill in each student a sense of responsibility for being good examples to
one another. Coaches are always to be
positive in coaching and encouraging a good attitude towards officials.
Sportsmanship covers not running up the score on another team. Obscene language and behavior will not be
tolerated. Coaches are not to incite the
fans toward opposing coaches, players or officials. Athletic Directors are instructed to caution
coaches and remind them of their responsibilities and accountability in this
regard.
Section
5. All coaches will answer directly to their
Athletic Director who will in turn answer to his/her Principal. The local school principal is responsible for
implementing the requirements for coaches and for determining and applying appropriate
consequences for any violations that may occur.
Section
6. Diocesan rules governing sportsmanship
and coaches shall apply in all cases.
ARTICLE VI –
SPECTATOR GUIDELINES AND EXPECTATIONS
Section
1. All spectators are expected to exhibit
acceptable conduct at all times and may be removed by the game officials or
authorized personnel of the host school.
A)
Fans are
expected to be courteous and respectful of the host school facility and those
in authority
B)
Obscene
language and behavior will not be tolerated
C)
Kicking and
stomping on bleachers is unacceptable
D)
Local host
rules regarding food and drink in gyms must be observed
Section
2. All student spectators must be accompanied
by a responsible adult.
Section
3. Diocesan rules governing sportsmanship
and spectators shall apply in all cases.
ARTICLE VII—SPORT LIMITATIONS AND SPECIFICS
The Diocese enacts
the following sport limitations and specifics:
Section
1. If
a school has many students at a particular grade level, there are to be
multiple teams at that level so as to encourage greater participation. There is to be no cutting of players in the
athletic program.
Section
2. Any contests and practices scheduled on
Sundays shall begin at 1:00 P.M. or later.
Section
3. Playing/Practice Time for Diocesan
Schools
Each school team shall have a
maximum of four days of practices/contests in a given week – Sunday through
Saturday.
Section
4. Diocesan athletic rules provide
guidelines as to limitations on the number of contests (every interscholastic
competition/scrimmage shall be considered a contest):
Football
The total
number of regular season contests may not exceed nine
Soccer
The total
number of regular season matches may not exceed seventeen
Volleyball
(7th and 8th Grade Levels)
The
total number of regular season contests may not exceed:
a) Twenty-one matches and no tournaments; or
b) Nineteen matches plus one tournament; or
c) Eighteen matches plus two tournaments; or
d) Sixteen matches plus three tournaments; or
e) Fifteen matches plus four tournaments
No
volleyball team shall play in more than five different matches during any given
tournament.
Volleyball
(5th and 6th Grade Levels)
The
total number of regular season contest may not exceed:
a) Eighteen matches and no tournaments; or
b) Sixteen matches plus one tournament; or
c) Fourteen matches plus two tournaments.
No
volleyball team shall play in more than five different matches during any given
tournament.
Basketball
(7th and 8th Grade Levels)
a) Twenty-one games and no tournaments; or
b) Nineteen games plus one tournament; or
c) Eighteen games plus two tournaments; or
d) Sixteen games plus three tournaments.
No
team shall play in more than five different games during any given tournament.
Basketball
(5th and 6th Grade Levels)
The
total number of regular season contest may not exceed:
a) Eighteen games and no tournaments; or
b) Sixteen games plus one tournament; or
c) Fourteen games plus two tournaments.
No
basketball team shall play in more than five different games during any given
tournament.
Cheerleading
and Pompons
Regular
season contests plus two cheerleader competitions per squad per year
Track
& Field and Cross Country
Established
school teams should engage in at least three interscholastic contests, however,
for the purpose of these rules and regulations, no diocesan school team shall
compete in more than eight interscholastic meets/contests.
(
2. Coaches must evaluate officials
using the appropriate form. Coaches must
evaluate the officials of each game regardless whether the evaluation is
positivie or negative. Forms are to be
forwarded to the Athletic Director, who will in turn forward necessary forms to
the Principal. The Principal will
forward forms to the scheduler.
3. It is the duty of the
officials to control games. Coaches are
responsible for teaching players to respect the calls of the official.
5. If a coach receives 2
technical fouls in one game it will result
in an ejection from the game. The coach
will not be permitted to coach the next game.
The Principal will determine if further sanctions are warranted due to
circumstances.
10. In basketball, if a school is big enough to field two teams.
Then they are to have multiple 8th grade teams at the varsity
level. If there are more 8th
graders than can fit on one team, but not enough for 2 teams, then the
remaining 8th graders should be distributed ot the 7th
grade/JV teams as long as the number of 8th graders does not exceed
the number of 7th graders.
13. Mercy Rule: If a team is 25 points ahead at the beginning
of the 4th quarter, the clock will continue to run out until the end
of the quarter even though the score changes.
Official time outs will continue.
18. There will be a no press rule
for 5th grade boys and girls basketball
teams.
23. In soccer, at least at the JV level, the teams will play with the
number of players they have. A team
should not be penalized because another team is short of players. Coaches may mutually agree to play with fewer
players.
The
Athletic Department of Holy Family Parish is sponsored by Holy Family Parish
and is to reflect the Catholic faith and the faith values of Holy Family Parish
and of the Roman Catholic Church. These
faith values will be reflected in decisions we make, in the approaches that we
take to the children in our program and in everything about our Athletic
Program as well as every other area of our parish life.
Although
the Athletic Program is open to all children of Holy Family Parish, both
those in our religious education program and those in our parish grade school,
our history of the program shows that for the most part, they will be children
from our parish grade school. Our
Athletic Program is regarded as an extension of our grade school and
religious education program -- that is, the values and philosophy that is
conveyed by the coaches and staff of the program must be seen as a continuation
of, a furthering of what our children are taught by way of Catholic Christian
values in our school and religious education program.
The
Athletic Program of Holy Family Parish exists in its own right and is not seen
simply as the "feeder program" or a preparatory program for any other
school or system in our area.
All
children should play. Each sport shall
have a defined minimum participation time, such as number of quarters, number
of innings, etc.
All
children who go out for a team should be able to find a place on the team. No one should be denied a place except for
serious health reasons.
The
number of games and number of practices per season should be carefully
monitored so that our grade school children also have significant time
to be with their families. Practice
times should also be monitored closely so that our young grade school children
are home on school nights at an appropriate hour to get adequate rest for the
next day of school.
Values
of Christian sportsmanship should be reflected at all times within our program.
*ACADEMIC: HFCS students may participate as long as they
maintain passing grades in all subjects.
Religious
Education (CCD) students must maintain 80% attendance to all classes throughout
the year.
The
principal and/or Religious Education Director shall consider exceptions on an
individual basis.
*ATTENDANCE: A student must be in attendance the entire
day in order to be eligible for any practices, games or tournaments that day.
*BEHAVIOR: HFCS students remain eligible as long as
their cumulative demerits remain at or below 15.
Religious
Education students must exhibit appropriate behavior during class.
The
principal and/or Religious Education Director shall consider exceptions on an
individual basis.
*ELIGIBILITY: All athletic program participants must be
students currently enrolled and actively participating in either Holy Family
Catholic School (HFCS) or the Parish Religious Education Program (CCD).
*INSURANCE: Each student who participates in the Parish
Athletic Program is required to be covered by a health insurance plan, either a
supplemental plan or as a dependent on a parent's plan.
*PHYSICAL EXAMINATION:
Participants must submit a sports physical issued by a licensed medical doctor
for the current school year. The
physical must be on file in the school office prior to the first practice, game
or tournament. (Fifth grade physicals
are acceptable as long as the physician addresses the athletic participation
question).
EACH OF THESE REQUIREMENTS IS DEFINED
IN DETAIL ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES.
The
Committee's purpose is to be an advisory policy/procedure-recommending body
dealing with policy/procedures for the athletic program in accordance with the
pastor's defined athletic program philosophy.
The committee also serves as a sounding board for problems/issues within
the athletic program. The committee periodically
meets with the principal and/or athletic director on an as needed basis.
When school is
closed due to inclement weather (announcement will be on WROK radio and will be
similar to "
The school and
athletic department answering machines will carry a message conveying this
information in the event of school closure.
A. Parents,
coaches and athletes may identify a problem or area of concern by using the
communication process form available from the school office and/or coaches.
B. Complete
the form and return to the school office, to the attention of the Athletic
Director.
C. The
Athletic Director and/or Principal will either meet for clarification purposes
or bring the matter before the Athletic Advisory committee for discussion and
recommendation.
D. The
concerned parties will be informed of any rulings.
A. All
correspondence will be prepared and distributed by the Athletic
Department. The intent is to have access
to all communications made for athletics, both past and present.
B. Correspondence
includes, but is not limited to, parish athletic activities, general
information concerning the parish athletic ministry, golf playday, camps, etc.
All athletic
program participants must be students currently enrolled and actively
participating in either
All school
account balances must be current, yearly health exam current (5th grade school
exam is also acceptable for athletic exam--completely filled out by physician),
athletic releases signed.
A. Students must maintain passing grades,
a "D" average in each subject.
The "D" average refers to the grade average for the grading
period, not just the week of eligibility notice.
B. Each Monday morning the 5th thru
8th teachers submit to the administrative assistant names of students who have
either a "D" average or are failing.
The grade is a cumulative grade in each subject, not just for the grades
earned for the week.
C. An eligibility warning will be
issued the week before a student becomes ineligible to participate. This warning will be issued even if the
student is earning a failing average in a subject. A warning week must always precede a
week of ineligibility. This warning notice allows the parent and student one
week to do "what is necessary" to achieve a passing grade in all
subjects.
D. A conference will be held with all
students to discuss their warning status.
A written notice is sent home and must be signed by the parents and
returned the following day to the administrative assistant.
E. Students may fully participate in any
activity during the warning week.
F. When a student becomes ineligible, the
focus of his/her time should be on improving the failing grade(s). Students will not be allowed to be present at
or participate in their team's practice, games and/or tournaments. Reasonable attempts will be made to notify
parents by phone and in writing if a student is declared ineligible.
G.
AN INELIGIBILITY BECOMES EFFECTIVE WEDNESDAY
MORNING AND LASTS THROUGH MIDNIGHT TUESDAY OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK.
A. Students must remain at or below
15 demerits to participate.
B.
If a student is ineligible due to demerits, refer to the Student Handbook where
"DEMERIT REMOVAL" is addressed.
Begins each WEDNESDAY
morning and ends the following TUESDAY at midnight. The eligibility periods
cover school-scheduled vacations.
Parents and students should maintain current academic and behavior
information so as to avoid extended ineligibility periods over scheduled
vacations.
A. Students must be in attendance at school the
entire day in order to participate in any athletic activity that day.
B. If a student
is absent due to vacation, illness, suspension, or any other inexcusable
reason, he/she will be ineligible to participate in any athletic activity that
day.
C. Students who do not participate fully in
Physical Education class will not be eligible to participate in any athletic
activity that day.
Each student
participating pays a nonrefundable fee to help defray costs of replacing
worn out uniforms, entry fees for various leagues, costs for officials'
stipends and equipment. If the requested participation fee causes a financial
problem to you, please inform the principal with a written note.
Fees per
student per sport: $35.00 (Football fee
is set by the Boylan Jr. Titan program)
*Family
receives an admission pass for all home, non-tournament league games.
A. Games and
tournaments, in addition to those scheduled by the parochial league, are
scheduled only by the Athletic Director.
B. No game or
tournament should be scheduled before 1:30 on Sunday.
C. There are
specific guidelines for each sport concerning the number of games and
tournaments and participant playing time that will be allowed. Refer to "Team Sports" for a
detailed explanation of game and tournament limits for each sport.
Registered
parishioner's children being home schooled follow the Religious Education (CCD)
requirements.
A. Completed
accident forms must be on file in the school office for any injuries or when
any significant first aid has been administered to any athlete.
B. Forms
are available from the Athletic Director, school office, or coaches.
C. Completed
forms must be returned to the school office.
A. All
students who participate in any athletic activities and practices at
B. Holy
Family Parish/School will not be responsible for any expenses incurred because
of injuries a student might sustain while participating in practices, games, or
related activities.
A. Parents
are required to participate equally with other team parents in the
program. This would include helping
score, keeping official book, working concessions and collecting gate
money.
B. Parents
will be assigned duties for all home games; if unable to work an assignment,
trade with another parent for a different game.
C. The team
parent helps the coach coordinate parent involvement for their team.
D.
An appropriate number of game
suspensions will result when parents/guardians fail to comply with volunteer
assignments.
A. All
students participating in athletics are expected to be in good health and must
submit a copy of examination, LESS THAN ONE YEAR OLD, from a doctor.
Fifth
grade school physicals are acceptable for athletics as long as the sports
participation question is addressed.
B. A sports physical must be on file in the
school office prior to the first game, practice, or tournament in order for a student
to be eligible to participate in any athletic activity. A copy of a current physical must be on file
in school before team placement is made.
C. Parents
are responsible to notify the coach if any changes occur in an athlete's
physical condition. The coach will then
inform the Athletic Director.
D. After an
injury a written release is required from a physician so that the athlete may be
allowed to participate again for his/her team.
E. Sports physicals are offered by
hospitals/clinics throughout the summer in
A. During
practices all students must have an equal opportunity to participate in every
activity that is offered.
B. No practices
are scheduled to end after 5pm Saturday; games and practices are discouraged on
Sunday.
C. Practice
content and organization, consistent with the philosophy of the parish athletic
program, are left to the discretion of the coach.
D. There are
specific guidelines for each sport concerning the amount of time that is
allowed for each practice and the number of practices per week. Please refer to Team Sports for a detailed
explanation of practice guidelines for each sport.
Recruiting of
students/players from other schools and parishes is not allowed.
This
section does not apply to
Eligibility
Requirements (CCD)
A. A student must attend the parish school
or be an active participant in the Parish Religious Education program. Active participation entails 80% attendance
in Religious Education programs, as well as appropriate behavior during classes
as determined by the Director of Religious Education and the teachers. Class participation is also necessary on the
part of the participant during all classes.
In addition, Religious Education students must meet all of the above
criteria in order to be eligible for participation for the new school year and
must be registered by August 31.
B. A student must be registered and have
met the academic/conduct requirements in religious education for one full year
before being eligible to register for athletics.
C. Students must attend 80% of classes
throughout the year. Any student who enrolls in Religious Education classes
solely for the purpose of participating in a sport, and drops out at the
conclusion of that sport, shall not be able to participate in that activity the
following year.
D. Weekly assessment of each student
involved in athletics will take place each Thursday. The students will have to fulfill the
following requirements:
1. Attendance for total class time
2. Appropriate behavior for each class
3. Class participation is essential in order
to maintain a positive and healthy classroom atmosphere.
4. A weekly eligibility sheet signed by
each classroom teacher, including Religious Education Teacher, stating that
they are passing class for the week.
This form must be given to the child's coach weekly, then forwarded to
the Athletic Director.
E. If a student involved in athletics is
not willing to comply with the above requirements, they will become ineligible
for athletic activities for that week. A
warning week will be given to any students if behavior/participation during
classes is inappropriate as deemed by the Director of Religious Education.
F. Coaches and parents will be notified by
the Parish Athletic Director if a student becomes ineligible from athletic
events for the week.
G. All Religious Education students will
be required to sign a letter indicating that both parents and students have
read the requirements and are willing to abide by these rules throughout the
year.
H. Religious Education students may not be listed
on/play for both a Holy Family parish team and their school team. Students are
expected to choose one team and commit their loyalty to that team.
A. Coaches
for each team will distribute team practice schedules.
B. Game
schedules are distributed by the Athletic Director.
C. Parents
drop off and pick up their children on time from practices and games.
D. Coaches
and athletes will be notified of any changes in game/practice schedules through
the Athletic Director.
E. Coaches
do not schedule any additional games/tournaments without first receiving
approval from the athletic director/principal.
Sport sign up dates are published on
the school calendar and in the church bulletin.
Parents should review
with their child(ren) what commitment to a sport means…that others rely on them
being present for practice and games.
The signup fee
is non-refundable. This helps us
determine the sincerity of commitment to a sport as decisions are made
impacting the number of students placed on teams which, in turn, impacts
playing time of team members.
A. Holy
Family Parish encourages and expects all spectators to observe and to
demonstrate good sportsmanship at all times, whether at a home or away game.
B. Unsportsmanlike
conduct (coaching from the stands, disagreeing with an official's call,
"booing", seeking preferential treatment for one's child, etc.) has
absolutely no place in the kind of environment desired at all athletic events
in which HFCS participate.
C. A
spectator may be asked to leave the athletic contest by the Athletic Director
or designee/Coach and/or referee if the unsportsmanlike conduct is present.
Children, both
preschool and school age who are not directly participating in an activity,
should be under the direct supervision of an adult whenever attending any
parish function, including after school activities such as athletics.
Direct
supervision means that the parent can see and speak to the child at all times.
A parish
PURCHASE ORDER system exists and is to be used.
All requests for supplies and equipment must be made through the
athletic director who, in turn, will arrange for the ordering/purchasing of items
through the school office.
A. Teams will
be player skill balanced as equally and fairly as possible so that all teams
have similar abilities and talents.
B. Special
requests for students to be placed on a specific team are not honored. Students who are siblings will be placed on
the same team.
C. Once team rosters are posted they are not
changed.
D. Players must be rostered one complete year
at the 7th grade level in order to be eligible for placement on a
varsity team.
EACH PLAYER
PARTICIPATES IN GAMES AS LONG AS TEAM ATTENDANCE AND BEHAVIOR REQUIREMENTS ARE
MET. EACH PLAYER MUST PARTICIPATE
EQUALLY IN EVERY PRACTICE.
Basketball: Grades 5-8
A. Number of games: refer to Diocesan policy Article VII, Section
IV (yellow pages 4-5).
B. Scrimmages formed within a team will be
deemed as a practice; however, scrimmages formed with students outside of the
team will be counted as 1 of the maximum
games.
C. Practices may not begin before the last Saturday in October and must terminate with
the end-of-year tournament.
D. Practices may not exceed 1 1/2 hours in
length.
E. Practices and/or games may not exceed 4 a
week, with a maximum of 2 school nights (Monday - Thursday).
F. No
player may be listed on more than one basketball roster.
G. Grades
7 & 8: Each player must participate
a minimum of two minutes per game.
H. Grade
6: Each player must participate for one
quarter.
I. Grade 5: Each player participates
equally in every practice, game and in tournament games as long as team
attendance requirements are met.
J.
K.
Religious Education students play for either their
school team or a Holy Family team, but not both.
Cheerleading:
Grades 7-8
A. No more than 3 competitions per squad per
year.
B. Practices may not exceed 1 1/2 hours in
length.
C. Practices and/or cheering at games may not
exceed 4 a week, with a maximum of 2 school nights. (Mon-Thurs.)
D. Cheerleading is the only sport that is dual
participatory.
E. No cheerleader shall be listed on more than
one cheerleading roster.
F. Each cheerleader must participate a minimum
one quarter per game.
Football (Boylan High School Junior Titan Program): boys, city-wide Catholic school team, grades
7-8
Call Boylan (877-0531)for more
information.
Soccer: Coed, grades 5-8
A. A team may play a maximum of 17 games and 1
end-of-year tournament per season.
B. Practices may not begin before August 1st and
terminate prior to the 1st Saturday in November.
C. Practices may not exceed 1 1/2 hours in
length.
D. Practices and/or games are limited to no more
than four (4) school nights (Mon.-Thurs.) and may not exceed 8:30 p.m. on any
night.
E. No player shall be listed on more than one
soccer roster.
F. Grades 7 & 8: Each player must
participate a minimum of 10 minutes per game.
G. Grades 5 & 6: Each planer must participate a minimum of 15
minutes per game.
Volleyball: Coed, grades 5-8
A. Number of matches: refer to Diocesan policy Article VII, Section
IV (yellow pages 4-5).
B. Practices may not begin prior to March 15 and
must terminate prior to the third week in May.
C. Practices may not exceed 1 1/2 hours in
length.
D. Practices and/or games may not exceed 4 a
week, with a maximum of 2 school nights (Mon.-Thurs).
E. No player shall be listed on more than one
roster.
F. Each player must participate a minimum of 1
game per match.
As
a team member a student/student’s family makes a commitment of time for
practices and games. Most teams have
about 4 events (practices and/or games) during a week (weekdays and weekends
inclusive). Teams playing in tournaments
may continue to win resulting in possibly 6 events in a week’s time. Parents should consider this commitment in
light of other family activities and the stresses more activities may put on a
family.
A. All participants will receive a uniform
appropriate for the sport in which he/she is involved.
Teams
representing Holy Family Parish will wear only the uniform issued. Teams do not wear any other similar clothing
that could be perceived as a uniform such as the same shoes, warm-up
jackets/pants, practice shirts with players names, etc.
B. No
participant will be allowed to keep his/her school-issued uniform for any
reason. All uniforms must be returned at
the end of each sport season.
C. Worn out
uniforms will be replaced as needed.
This will be the responsibility of the Athletic Director/Principal.
D. Participants
are responsible for the upkeep of uniforms while in their possession. Should anything other than the natural wear
and tear occur, including loss, reimbursement will be made to the Athletic
Department.
E. All
washing instruction on the uniform tag should be followed. If instructions are
not attached, contact the Athletic Department for instructions.
F. Uniforms are worn at games only. Uniforms or parts of a uniform are not worn
as casual clothing outside of school or for school gym class.
In accordance
with diocesan policy, all volunteers coming into contact with students must
have attended the Protecting God’s Children workshop (sexual abuse prevention),
have completed a mandated reporter form (for reporting suspected physical,
mental, sexual abuse to the state) and an Illinois Police Criminal Background
check (one time during all volunteer years at Holy Family).
Assists the
coach in organizational activities and be responsible for their implementation
as follows:
1. Establish telephone calling tree
2. Submitting and collecting all handouts,
correspondence and required forms.
3. Assigning and supervising parent
volunteers as scorekeeper and timekeeper, gate collector, concession operator
and clean up detail
4. Remind all parents of their volunteer
responsibility for each home game.
5. Assisting in the planning and set-up of
Athletic Banquet.
6. Aid Coach in collecting athlete's
uniforms at completion of season.
·
Adult males are to coach all boys’
sports teams.
·
In the case of a coach being of the
opposite gender of the team players, an adult of the same student gender must
be present for team activities, practices and games.
Name________________________________________________________
Address_____________________________________________________
Phone______________________________
Describe the
problem or situation
Date of
incident___________________________
Your solution
in handling this problem
For Office Use Only:
Recommendations
by Athletic Director/Principal:__________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Recommendations
by Athletic Advisory Committee (if needed):______
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
The Athletic
Director and Principal will either:
A. Meet
with interested people for clarification purposes and input.
B. Bring
the matter before the Athletic Advisory Commission.
C. Make a
decision and inform parties concerned.
VOLUNTEER
At the
beginning of the school year, it will be the responsibility of the
athletic department to submit a questionnaire to all students and parents grades
5-8. This questionnaire will indicate
the following items:
Students' participation interest
Parents' willingness to coach
Parents' participation interest
(team parent).
If at all
possible, the Athletic Advisory Commission will recommend qualified persons to
assume the head coaches' positions for all sports at all levels of play. It is our goal to have non-parents coach JV
and Varsity teams.
In the case
that a parent is coaching his/her own child, we ask that partiality not be
shown toward that child. The parent
coach should not expect more from his/her child than others on the team. The Athletic Director or Principal will see
that all coaches are informed of the potential problems that may arise.
The head coach
may hold a head coach's position for no more than two years. Exceptions may be made based on the
availability of qualified volunteer coaches.
In order to
allow the coach to utilize his/her volunteer time efficiently, each head coach
will develop a staff as follows:
Assistant
Coach(es): Assist the head coach in all
team activities and be responsible for the team activities in his absence.
Team
Parent: Assist the coach in
organizational activities and be responsible for their implementation.
Program
Development:
A. Utilizing
the formats suggested by each individual parish and following the guidelines
established by the Rockford Area Catholic League, each head coach shall develop
his/her own team's participation requirements.
The Athletic Director/Principal must approve these requirements.
B. All
volunteer coaches must sign off verifying that they have read with
understanding the athletic policies and procedures of our athletic program.
Team
Management:
1. Recruit parent and non-parent
volunteers from the parish.
2. With the Athletic Director, arrange and
coordinate the following:
Practice
schedule
Practice
games
League games
Tournaments
3. Distribute uniforms, coordinate road
game transportation and collect uniforms at the end of season.
4. Distribute and process all PPSP forms
and information forms and maintain copies at all games.
5. Review volunteer scheduling with the
team parent.
6. Direct, motivate and manage player
personnel.
7. Submit an accurate roster of team at the
beginning of each season to the athletic director. No changes can be made once a roster is
submitted to the League Commissioner.
Required
Procedural Guidelines:
1. Consciously remember to smile.
2. Attempt to learn and use children's names.
3. Be friendly to children, parents, and staff.
4. Act in a Christian and professional manner at
all times.
5. Prepare for practices ahead of time.
6. Communicate to parents and staff:
-Any
major changes in schedule
-Upcoming
events
-Starting/ending
dates
-Any
handouts (schedule, letters, etc.)
7. Check-in 15 minutes before practice time to
get ready before players arrive.
8. Be at game 30 minutes before scheduled time.
9. Greet players as they arrive for practice,
etc.
10. Conduct practices and games according to
league philosophy and standards.
11. Keep players in designated area at end of
practice.
12. Escort players out of building at the end of
practice.
13. Secure building after players have left.
14. Report any problems to the athletic director.
15. Remember to put safety first in all
activities.
16. Supervise activities closely.
17. Attend all coaches' meetings and training
sessions.
(Attendance
required for each coach, whether experienced or new)
18. Create an atmosphere to make players glad that
they are involved in the athletic program.
19. Any games/tournaments in addition to the
regular league schedule must be first approved by the athletic
director/principal.
20. Do not give students use of keys for
any part of the parish complex at any time.
21. Field teams that wear only Holy Family
parish athletic department issued uniforms.
Coach's Code
of Conduct
All coaches
must uphold all policies and be good Catholic role models for our
students. The AD/principal (under the
recommendation of the Athletic Advisory Committee) may replace coaches not
adhering to the policies.
Depending upon
the degree of seriousness of a situation, the following guidelines may be
followed when program policies and procedures are not followed:
1st situation
results in a verbal/written warning
2nd
situation results in a two game suspension
3rd
situation results in replacement of the coach