2431.01 - ATHLETIC TRAINING CODE

Wapakoneta City Schools

Bylaws & Policies

2431.01 - ATHLETIC TRAINING CODE
Philosophy

The Wapakoneta City Board of Education, Administration, and Athletic Department believe that extra-curricular activities are a vital part of the educational process of young people. As participants in an extra-curricular activity, specifically athletics, you have accepted grater responsibilities that are in relationship to the opportunities and privileges these programs provide.

The Wapakoneta School System believes that athletics make school life richer and more rewarding, and that adherence to certain behavior codes is necessary and enhances an individual's pattern of life.

While students have no absolute rights or requirement to participate in the athletic program or any other extra-curricular programs, it is a privilege encouraged by the Wapakoneta School System and community.

Guidelines

The code is applicable twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days per week during the season of that sport.

Some of the summer vacation days are to be included in the implementation of this code if the sport duration, as identified by the Ohio High School Athletic Association, included summer vacation days.

In-Season Definition

In-season being defined as the OHSAA practice starting date through the completion of each sport’s respective season (last contest) which includes OHSAA Tournament contests for which the team qualifies. JV players need to be released by the Head Coach for their season to be completed.

Procedures

	A.	Due process will be afforded to all student-athletes.
	B.	A student may be questioned only by the coaching staff and/or administrative personnel.
	C.	A student on suspension from school is ineligible for practice or contests for the duration of the suspension. Alternative school is not considered a suspension.
	D.	Students may be ruled ineligible for behavior, which reflects negatively on the athlete or department. Such offenses include:

		1.	acts of vandalism or abuse of persons or property
		2.	repeated infractions of school rules or chronic incorrigible behavior
		3.	felonious acts

	E.	If an athlete participating in "Sport A" either quits the squad or is declared ineligible, s/he is not eligible to join the organized conditioning program or go out for "Sport B" until the other members of "Sport A" are eligible to begin. Any exceptions to this policy must be approved by the coach of "Sport A" and the athletic administrator.
	F.	These training rules are minimum standards. Each coach may have additional training rules, provided they are established and in print prior to the beginning of his/her sport and distributed to team members.

Procedures dealing with Charged Infractions

Any violation of the training code shall be observed by a Wapakoneta teacher, coach, administrator, school board member, verifiable by law enforcement agency reports, the parents of the student athlete involved in the violation or the student’s statement of admission. Reports regarding potential rules violations from other sources will be investigated by the school administration to determine is there is sufficient evidence of a violation.

At any time the coach or Athletic Administrator may remove a student athlete from a squad for a period of up to twenty-four (24) hours.

In cases where in the opinion of the coach and Athletic Administrator a violation has occurred, it shall be reported to the building principal.

Appeals may be made to the Principal.

Athletic Activity Code

The following are guidelines for students participating in Wapakoneta High School athletics. Violations, as interpreted by the Head Coach, will be dealt with on an individual basis by the Head Coach and/or the Athletic Administrator or Principal.

	A.	Your are to conduct yourself in a manner that represents good sportsmanship when representing the school as an athlete.
	B.	Wapakoneta athletes shall win with good sportsmanship and handle losses with good sportsmanship.
	C.	Athletes are not to conduct themselves in a manner that would cause poor team morale or injure team unity.
	D.	Profanity should not be used, This includes physical gestures and/or show of disrespect.
	E.	Stealing of athletic equipment, school equipment, or personal belongings of another person shall not be tolerated.
	F.	There shall be no willful damaging of athletic, school or personal property.
	G.	During the sport’s season, athletes are expected to keep respectable hours to be determined by the Head Coach of the sport.
	H.	Coaches’ offices shall be off-limits to all athletes unless given permission by a coach.
	I.	There shall be no horseplay in the locker rooms, training room or hallways of the school before, during or after practice. Horseplay is defined as, but not limited to, the following: running, punching, wrestling, towel snapping, practical jokes, etc. This also includes any type or form of hazing.
	J.	If practice must be missed, the Head Coach is to be notified and permission granted.
	K.	On bus trips, each team member will return with the team on the bus. Exception to this rule shall be made only where the parent is driving his/her student home after advance permission has been granted by the appropriate coach. This is Wapakoneta Board policy.
	L.	Athletes will be responsible for following all rules and regulations as described in the school "Student Handbook". The code of conduct as described in the student handbook is incorporated by reference into this policy, and is to be followed at all times when student athletes are representing Wapakoneta High School. This includes home and away contests.
	M.	Athletes are to be in school no later than 10:00 a.m. unless cleared by the Assistant Principal, Athletic Administrator or Principal in order to participate in that day’s competition/practice.

THE FOLLOWING ATHLETIC ACTIVITY CODES ARE CONSIDERED TO BE MAJOR VIOLATIONS TO THIS POLICY AND WILL BE ENFORCED WITH DISCIPLINARY ACTION MANDATED BY THIS POLICY. THIS CODE IS IN EFFECT AT WAPAKONETA MIDDLE SCHOOL AND WAPAKONETA HIGH SCHOOL. INFRACTION TOTAL STARTS OVER UPON ENTERING THE FRESHMAN YEAR AT WAPAKONETA HIGH SCHOOL.

Possess, buy, contribute to buy, use, give, sell, offer to sell, deliver, conceal, consume or be under the influence of any drug of abuse (controlled dangerous substance), including alcoholic beverages or other counterfeit (look-a-like) drugs and tobacco products.

Consequence:

A. First Offense

Student-athlete will be suspended for the equivalent of forty percent (40%) of the regular season contests. If the student-athlete enrolls in a counseling program approved by the principal and/or athletic director, the penalty shall be reduced to twenty percent (20%) of the originally scheduled contests for the season. It will be the responsibility of the student-athlete to schedule, attend and assume all costs of this program (including drug testing), if part of the counseling program. The local counseling agency will determine the length and closure of the program. While a urine screening could be done as part of this process, urine screening in itself does not constitute compliance. All confidential information will be released to the Principal o R Athletic Administrator. If the athlete fails to complete the program, the reduction will be reinstated. Verification of enrollment is required before the twenty percent (20%) reduction is enacted.

	B.	Second Offense and Severe First Offense
		Suspension form athletics for one (1) year.
	C.	Third Offense
		Student-athlete becomes ineligible for the remainder of the years enrolled in the Wapakoneta School System.
	D.	In case of suspension with less than forty percent (40%) of the season remaining, student-athlete will have the suspension carry over into the next sport they participate in until the total forty percent (40%) suspension has been fulfilled. This would also apply to the twenty percent (20%) reduction.

The following procedures will be used in the event of a violation of major training rules and guidelines as described in this policy.

	A.	Coach and/or Administrator discuss the issue with the student.
	B.	Coach and Administrator discuss the concern, arrive at a decision.’
	C.	Coach communicates the information and decision to the squad member and parent in question.
	D.	It should be noted that there are many guidelines that are unique to an individual sport. Guidelines of this type will be given to the athlete in writing by the respective Head Coach. The Head Coach will handle these concerns on an individual basis.

Scholarship

In order to be eligible, a student in grades 9,10,11 or 12 must be currently enrolled and must have enrolled in school the immediately preceding grading period and be passing five (5) units of credit the previous grading period and meet all OHSAA guidelines as listed and explained in the OHSAA student bulletin and the Wapakoneta City School student handbook. I addition to OHSAA guidelines, students in Wapakoneta schools must not have received more than one F in the preceding grading period and maintain a 1.3 GPA in the preceding grading period.

Athletes will also be on a weekly accumulative eligibility during the season in which they are participating. This starts with the first week of school and is for grades 9 through 12. The weekly eligibility checks work in this manner. On Friday teachers will return to the Athletic Office an eligibility list, which they have previously received counting the names of all sports participants for that season, having noted on the list any participants who have accumulated an F average for the grading period. An athlete must not receive more than one (1) accumulative F during any particular week or that athlete will be ineligible to participate in the next week’s competitions (Sunday – Saturday). This suspension will be in effect as long as the student has two (2) or more F’s on the weekly checks. This would last through vacations, school cancellations, etc.

Students will, however, be permitted to continue practicing with the team at the coach’s discretion. As soon as the teacher indicates a passing grade has been obtained, the student is eligible to participate.

This policy is being used to help improve student classroom performance. With weekly eligibility monitoring, the student-athlete should be more aware of his or her classroom standing.

A student enrolled in the first grading period after advancement from the eighth (8) grade must meet OHSAA guidelines.

A student enrolling in the seventh (7th) grade for the first time will be eligible for the first grading period regardless of previous academic achievement. Thereafter, in order to be eligible, a student in grade seven (7) and eight (8) must meet OHSAA and Wapakoneta City Schools guidelines, which includes the 2-F rule and 1.3 GPA.

The eligibility of a transfer student must be established by school records or verification from sending school. The responsibility for establishing eligibility rests with the receiving school.

Summer school grades earned may not be used to substitute for failing grades to re-establish athletic eligibility.

Adopted 9/16/87
Revised 6/27/02
Revised 12/19/02