St. Bernard Athletic Club Policy

May 2004

I. PHILOSOPHY

The purpose of athletics at St. Bernard School is to instruct student athletes in the many and varied aspects of competitive sports. The most important goal is to offer a Christian ethical role model for competitive activity. Other aspects include: the instruction of the fundamentals of the athletic activity, the physical skills associated with it, the importance of individual effort, its relationship to and integration with team participation and cooperation, and the development of a sense of justice, fairness and concern for the well being and health of all participants.

It is a known fact that youth develop and mature at different rates and those individuals have varying degrees of talents. The instructional purpose shall be to take each individual athlete at his/her own point of development and allow him/her to improve his/her understanding and skill of the athletic event in question. Each individual shall be afforded the same opportunity, the same degree of coaching, the same degree of positive encouragement and the same degree of participation. In order to achieve this, it is important that all interactions emphasize fun, work and positive ego growth. The goal is to allow each individual child to develop his/her own skills to their maximum potential and to allow each individual child to participate meaningfully in all aspects of the game. This includes practice, competitive events, social activities, instructional sessions, etc.

Winning competitive events is desirable but it is to be emphasized that the object of winning is to be accomplished through meaningful participation of all athletes. It is therefore incumbent on all coaching staff to coach all athletes up to their maximum potential so that this can be achieved. Intrinsic to this policy is a “no cut” policy. A selection process is not to be allowed at any level whether before, during, or after the forming of teams nor by overt or covert means.

Further it is important to understand that the athletic activities at St. Bernard are provided by volunteers. It is therefore necessary that all parts: coaches, faculty, Athletic Club Board, students, Board of Education, and parents function as a team. It is also necessary that all involved volunteer their individual talents to accomplish this.

II. JURISDICTION

The St. Bernard School athletic program falls within the jurisdiction of the Board of Total Catholic Education. The Board shall make all policies relative to athletics. The principal is charged with the responsibility for administration and implementation of the program under the jurisdiction of the Board of Education. If the principal chooses to delegate these responsibilities to an athletic president, that president is responsible to and reports to the principal. The athletic club and coaching staff are also under the Board of Education. The Athletic Club will appoint a member to attend all regular Board of Education meetings. He/she shall report to the board and represent the Athletic Club’s position on relevant issues.

III. ELIGIBILITY:

At this time eligibility for participation in St. Bernard School’s athletic program is open to only to members of the day school. It should be considered a privilege to participate in athletics. Athletics should be secondary to academic effort, attitude, and conduct. Any individual not performing adequately in any of these primary areas should not be allowed to participate in athletic events. At no time should athletic events be performed to the detriment of the three primary factors. (Specific details outlining academic suspension should be referred to in the Parent handbook (The Parent Handbook is printed as part of the school calendar distributed at the beginning of each academic year)).

The faculty is to determine if he/she is working to his/her ability. If it is determined that a student is not working to that level, then he/she shall be excluded from athletic activities until the above requirements are satisfied. For the midterm grading period, beginning with the second quarter, student athletes who do not maintain their studies satisfactorily will serve a minimum of one-week suspension from all athletic activities and miss a minimum of one game. For the quarterly grading period (report card), the student athlete will miss a minimum of the next two weeks of athletic activities and a minimum of the next two games. This includes all games and practices. If the minimum 2 game suspension is not fulfilled in the 2-week period the game suspensions will continue until the 2 game minimum is fulfilled. (Start date of suspension will be specified by the school administration.) If a student is suspended three consecutive grading periods, the 3rd suspension will result in the loss of the privilege to play a sport for one entire season or for the remainder of the school year.
These expectations and consequences will be included in the student’s athletic contract that he/she is to read and sign prior to the participation in an activity. This will include football as well. Coaches will not be allowed to challenge any school suspensions.

IV. PARTICIPATION:

Student athletes should participate in all aspects of the game, specifically practice and competitive events. This should be structured by coaches in such a way that the goal of winning the game can be achieved.

• 5th and 6th grade…
League games- Each child plays a minimum of 50% of regulation time of the event.
Tournament games- Each child plays a minimum of 25% of regulation time of the event
• 7th and 8th grade…
League games-Each child plays a minimum of 25% of regulation time of the event
Tournament games- Each child plays a minimum of 25% of regulation time of the event.
It is not allowed to add a player to a team roster just to enhance that team's chances in tournament play. To qualify for tournament play on a team, the player must participate in ½ of the team's league scheduled games and paid full participation dues along with completing the required physical and have a signed athletic participation contract.
There will be a “no cut” policy to be followed under all circumstances. At no time is it acceptable to pursue a covert cut policy by the exclusion of or otherwise encouragement of individual students to drop out.

Coaches shall be allowed to discipline students by limiting their participation. This may be done for a variety of reasons including lack of participation, behavior, attendance, etc (this will include excused and unexcused practices). It is to be emphasized that this is a measure of last resort and is to be applied fairly to all participating individuals without exception.
Addendum (November 3, 2002): No student may be allowed to participate in more than one Diocesan sanctioned sport at a time. More specifically, a student must choose only one of the following sports sponsored by St. Bernard: soccer, volleyball, football (St. Phillip). The exception to this rule is basketball and cheerleading.

Addendum (November 3, 2002): It is the intent of the Athletic Club to allow as much playing time per player as possible. As a result, number of team participants are intentionally kept low. It is against policy to combine teams for tournament play. Exceptions can be made under the following:

1. Any team with 7 or more players (basketball), teams cannot be combined
2. Any team with less than 7 players can add other players from the same grade (up to 7) if:

a. The League Coordinator has been contacted and permission has been granted.
b. The St. Bernard Basketball coordinator must objectively pick eligible additional players by putting all players’ names in a hat, and picking names.
c. In the order picked, the coordinator will call the student and the parents until the team totals 7 players.
d. If any original team members (who originally could not play) are now able to play (prior to the first game of the tournament), the added players will be dismissed in reverse order.

The objective is to play with the original team roster. Players from other teams are added only to supplement the original team

V. COACHES:

Coaches are viewed as members of the paraprofessional staff. They are selected by the Athletic Club Board and the principal. Coaches are responsible for understanding and upholding the athletic philosophy of the parish. It is the responsibility of the Athletic Club Board and school principal to meet with all coaches to inform them of these philosophies and of the expected standards of personal conduct. The principal will have on file these policies signed by each coach testifying to the fact that he or she has read, understands, and will adhere to the philosophies and regulations stated.

Coaches are responsible to sign up for coaching when coaching sign up forms become available for a particular sport. Coaches can sign up to coach together up to a maximum of 2 to avoid stacking of teams. Additional coaches will be added to a team after teams are divided. Any conflicts will be resolved by the Athletic Club Board.

Any coach that violates any Athletic Club Policy will be subject to review by the board for possible suspension or removal from coaching.

VI. TEAM SIZE…

The St. Bernard Athletic Club encourages small teams so we can maximize student-playing time.

• SOCCER: There are two leagues for soccer, a combined 5th and 6th grade and a combined 7th and 8th grade league. Students in these two divisions will be pooled and teams selected from these two pools regardless of grade. The athletic club board will determine team size. All teams shall be divided by talent. Teams are not to be stacked.
• ALL OTHER SPORTS: Teams will be divided equally. The athletic club board will determine team size. All teams shall divided by talent. Teams are not to be stacked.

VII. SUPERVISION:

All athletic events whether they be practice, contest, or any other related gathering must be supervised by a responsible adult (an adult is an individual eighteen years of age or older.) From first arrival to last departure. This includes cheerleading. Coaches and staff are responsible for the conduct of their players and this conduct must be Christian.

VIII. BOOSTER CLUBS AND ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION:

The purpose of the Athletic Club is to give support to the athletic program. All activities of the Athletic Club including fundraisers, expenditures, and budget must be approved by the Board of Education.

IX. INSURANCE:

It is the responsibility of the student athlete's legal guardian to ensure that the athlete is covered by family or student insurance for both travel and competition. A written permit from parents and a medical examination are required before participation. The permit and exam form is to be kept on file in the administrative offices. Coaches are expected to have their own health coverage. Liability insurance shall be as offered by the Diocese and as provided by the parish.

X. AWARDS:

Recognition should be given to all participants equally. Award expenses should be kept to a minimum. No individual awards may be put forward – as examples: most valuable player, most improved player, etc. are not to be granted. (The Raymond Murphy Student- Athlete Award is an exception to this policy.) All awards must be approved by the Athletic Board regardless of who finances the award.

XI. GAMES:

Games shall not start until school is in session. Effort should be made to schedule an average of one game or contest per week excluding tournaments in all sports. Contests shall not be scheduled to start after 8 p.m. In any sport, it is preferred that athletes not be involved in more than one contest per day.

• GAMES: A game is defined as competitive play between two teams during which the time and score are kept.
• SCRIMMAGE: A scrimmage is defined as play in which no time or score is kept and coaches may interrupt to give advice.
• COMPETITION: Players shall not be switched to other teams for tournament play. A player may not be switched upwards or downwards, e.g. an 8th grader may not play for a 7th grade team or a 7th grader may not play for an 8th grade team unless such activity is defined and allowed by specific league or tournament rules.
• LEAGUES: Leagues exist to provide structure that helps make athletic programs more effective. League rules and policies need to be on file in the administrative offices and reviewed yearly by the Board of Education for conflict with existing Board of Education policies.
• INTERSCHOOL COMPETITION: Basketball and soccer competition is to be limited to levels five through eight. At this time competition in these activities is not to be extended to lower grades. In track , interschool competition shall involve grades seven and eight. In volleyball, interschool competition shall involve grades six, seven, and eight. Tackle football is not to be offered at St. Bernard. However, St. Bernard students may participate with St. Phillip"s and St. Thomas Moore’s existing programs.

A. BASKETBALL: Boys and girls in grades 5 through 8 to have a 16 game maximum plus tournaments.
B. VOLLEYBALL: Boys and girls to have a maximum of 12 matches plus tournament.
C. SOCCER: Boys and girls grades 5 through 8 to have 12 games maximum plus tournaments.
D. TRACK: Boys and girls to have a maximum of 10 track meets.
E. CHEERLEADING: The “no cut” rule referred to previously pertains to cheerleading teams as well. Rotation of participants is permissible. Participation in cheerleading and other sports simultaneously is permitted. Cheerleading teams must have a faculty or adult supervision that is responsible to the administrator.

XII. TOURNAMENTS:

Students are limited to the following number of tournaments:

• Grades 7 and 8: Two tournaments per sport plus the league tournament
• Grades 5 and 6: Two tournaments per sport

A tournament is defined as competitive play where a loss or losses results in the elimination of a team from further play. Tournament fee caps will be published on a year-to-year basis.

XIII. STARTING DATES:

Practice prior to the first scheduled game will be limited to three weeks before the contest or a total of 12 practice sessions.

XIV. SPECIAL RULES:

• SOCCER: Will play according to S.A.Y. rules.
• VOLLEYBALL: No player may be in more than three games per day except during tournaments. Makeup games may be an exception to this rule.

XV. AWARD BANQUETS:

No alcoholic beverages or smoking shall be permitted at any athletic banquet or function intended to honor and acknowledge the student athlete.

XVI. ENFORCEMENT OF REGULATIONS:

Enforcement of these regulations is the responsibility of the Board of Education. It shall always be done fairly, in the best interest of those whom it serves and in the spirit rather than the letter of its content. The Athletic Board will settle all disputes.

(Revised : 01/08/2004)
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