2431 - INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS

Cedar Springs Public School District

Bylaws & Policies

2431 - INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS

The Board of Education recognizes the value to the District and to the community of a program of interscholastic athletics for as many students as feasible.

The program of interscholastic athletics should provide students the opportunity to exercise and test their athletic abilities in a context greater and more varied than that which can be offered by a school or the School District alone.

The program should foster the growth of school loyalty with the student body as a whole and stimulate community interest in athletics.

Game activities and practice sessions should provide many opportunities to teach the values of competition and good sportsmanship.

The Board believes that it is the purpose of an interscholastic program to provide the benefits of an athletic experience to as large a number of students as feasible within the District.

The Board further adopts those eligibility standards set by the Constitution of the Michigan High School Athletics Association (MHSAA) and shall review such standards annually to ascertain that they continue to be in conformity with the objectives of this Board.

Since the primary purpose of the athletic program is to enhance the education of participating students as indicated in this policy, the Board places top priority on maximum student participation and the values of good sportsmanship, team play, and fair competition, rather than on winning, particularly at sub-varsity levels. The Superintendent is to develop guidelines for coaches to follow which will ensure that as many team members as possible get the chance to play, so they have the opportunity to benefit from the learning experience.

Use of a performance-enhancing substance by a student is a violation that will affect a student's athletic eligibility and extra-curricular participation, as determined by the Board.

A list of performance-enhancing substances developed by the Department of Community Health can be found in AG 2431D. This list will be distributed to parents.

The Superintendent shall develop appropriate administrative guidelines for the operation of the Athletic Program and a Code of Conduct for those who participate. Such guidelines should provide for the following safeguards:

Prior to enrolling in the sport:

		1.	each participant shall submit to a thorough physical examination by a physician.
		2.	parents shall report any past or current health problems along with a physician's statement that any such problems have or are being treated and pose no threat to the student's participation.

	B.	Any student who is found to have a health condition which may be life-threatening to self or others shall not be allowed to participate until the situation has been analyzed by a medical review panel that has determined the conditions under which the student may participate.
	C.	Any student who incurs an injury requiring a physician's care is to have written approval by a physician prior to the student's return to participation.

A female student shall be permitted to compete for a position in all interscholastic athletic activities. If the District has a girls' team in an interscholastic athletic activity, a female shall be permitted to compete for a position on any other team for that activity.

Drug-Testing of Athletes

The Board requires that each student enrolling in one (1) of the District's interscholastic athletic programs agree to sign an enrollment application by which they agree to participate in a random and reasonable suspicion drug-testing program, conducted and paid for by the District, during the term of the athletic program in which the student will be participating.

The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines which provide for a drug-testing procedure that will produce consistently-reliable test results and protects the student's rights to privacy. A list of performance-enhancing substances developed by the State Department of Community Health shall be included in AG 2431D.

Any athlete who tests positive for any drug other than a prescribed medication shall be disciplined in accordance with due process and the Discipline Code adopted by the Board.

In support of the Michigan High School Athletic Association's program to strengthen sportsmanship, ethics, and integrity, the Board commits itself to:

	A.	adopt policies (upon recommendation of the administration) which reflect the District's educational objectives and promote, the ideals of good sportsmanship, ethics, and integrity;
	B.	establish standards for athletic participation which reinforce the concept that athletic activities are a privilege, not a right;
	C.	attend and enjoy school athletic activities, serving as a positive role model and expecting the same from parents, fans, participants, coaches, and other school personnel;
	D.	support and reward participants, coaches, school administrators, and fans who display good sportsmanship;
	E.	recognize the value of school athletic activities as a vital part of education.

In order to minimize health and safety risks to student-athletes and maintain ethical standards, school personnel, coaches, athletic trainers, and lay coaches should never dispense, supply, recommend, or permit the use of any drug, medication, or food supplement solely for performance-enhancing purposes.

The Superintendent is also to develop guidelines for ensuring that sportsmanship, ethics, and integrity characterize the manner in which the athletic program is conducted and the actions of students who participate. Such guidelines should include the MHSAA's set of expectations for each type of participant as well as the Sportsmanship Code of Conduct which each type of participant is to follow. The Superintendent is authorized to implement suitable disciplinary procedures against those who violate this Code of Conduct.

M.C.L. 380.1289, 380.1318
Good Sportsmanship Campaign, Michigan High School Athletic Association