| Farwell Area Schools |
| Bylaws & Policies |
2431 - INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS
The Board of Education believes individual students will benefit through opportunities to grow physically and intellectually through their experience in self-discipline and their contribution to team effort and individual sports activities.
It is the Board's intention to provide high school students interscholastic athletic competition in a variety of sports. Students may be allowed to participate in individual sports on the basis of their physical condition and desire. Qualified personnel shall be provided for coaching and supervising individual sports. Depending on the availability of facilities, resources, and student interest, intramural athletic activities shall be provided as an outgrowth of class instruction in physical education and commensurate with the grade level of the students involved.
The purpose of high school athletics is both educational and recreational. The athletic program should encourage participation by as many boys and girls as possible and should be carried on with the best interests of the participants as the first consideration. This should be done without unreasonable interference with other obligations in the school community.
It is recognized that a well organized and well conducted athletic program is a potent factor in the morale of a high school student body and an important phase of good community-school relations.
Too great an emphasis on winning contests or too consistent a record of losing them are both harmful to the development of good attitudes among students and the public.
The Board subscribes to the administrative guidelines of the Michigan High School Athletics Association but maintains responsibility for enforcement of all rules. 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.
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 State Department of Community Health shall be included in AG 2431. This list will be made available to parents and local physicians who might provide such test.
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:
| A. | Prior to enrolling in the sport, each participant shall submit to a thorough physical examination by a District-approved physician and/or 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. | |
| A female student shall be permitted to compete for a position in all interscholastic athletic activity. If the District has a girl's team in an interscholastic athletic activity, a female shall be permitted to compete for a position on any other team for that activity. | ||
| 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 to the student's return to participation. |
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.A. 380.1289, 380.1318
Good Sportsmanship Campaign, Michigan High School Athletic Association
Revised 3/3/97
Revised 12/1/97
Revised 1/17/00
Revised 3/19/07