Policies, Procedures, and Communication

ATHLETIC PHILOSOPHY

Athletics are an integral part of the school curriculum; they promote good health, a sound body and an alert mind.  Athletics help students develop values, habits and skills which promote lifetime physical activities.  A sound athletic program promotes enthusiasm, loyalty and school spirit within the student body.  It becomes a great rallying point for student interest and demeanor.  It is a shared commitment among students, coaches, parents, school board and community.

The success of the program shall be judged on the number of participants and spectators, the acquisition of new skills by those participating and the degree to which good citizenship, team play and sportsmanship are evident.  At the elementary school level it is important to have maximum participation with very little emphasis on winning.  At the junior high level it is important to continue the focus on participation, develop and strengthen fundamental skills and begin to set goals for competition.  At the high school level it is important to develop the desire to achieve, compete to the best of one’s ability and develop an attitude of success.

CODE OF ETHICS

1.	Always play the game fairly.
2.	Show courtesy for visiting teams and officials.
3.	Establish good relationships with visiting teams and players.
4.	Achieve a thorough knowledge of game rules.
5.	Respect the judgement of the game officials.
6.	Recognize the true purpose of the program.
7.	Remember that an athletic contest is only a game - not a matter of life and death for player, coach or fan.

 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The purposes of the athletic program are to:

1.	Provide opportunities for physical, mental and emotional development.
2.	Develop special skills in activities of the student’s choice.
3.	Develop such favorable personality traits as loyalty, cooperation, fair play and enthusiasm.
4.	Embed in participants self-motivation, self-discipline and self-setting goals.
5.	Teach the ideal of good sportsmanship
6.	Help develop the worthy use of leisure time, promote good citizenship and create additional interests.
7.	Provide an arena in which students can cope with problems and handle situation similar to those they will experience as adults.

PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS

Student-athletes must complete the following requirements prior to the beginning of practice each season:

1.                  Pre-Participation Physical Form or Recertification Form - Students must take these forms home and have them completed and signed by a parent /guardian.  The first sport an student plays in a year requires a white Pre-Participation form.  For any subsequent sports, the blue recertification forms are required.  Registration for fall sports will take place at the end of the previous school year.  Winter and spring sports registration will be done prior to each season.

2.                  Physical Examination - Students must have a comprehensive physical examination completed by a licensed physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant before the first practice of each year and a recertification which can be completed by our team physician, the Comprehensive Athletic Training Center.  Schuylkill Valley offers free physicals at the high school prior to each season.  Physicals for fall sports can only be completed after June 1^st.  Physicals for the winter and the spring season can only be completed 6 weeks before the start of the season.

SPORT OFFERINGS                                                             

Baseball	High School	Junior High
Basketball (Boys & Girls)	High School	Junior High
Bowling (Boys & Girls)	High School
Cheerleading	High School	Junior High
Cross-Country (Boys & Girls)	High School	Junior High
Field Hockey	High School	Junior High
Football	High School	Junior High
Golf (Co-Ed)	High School
Swimming & Diving (Boys & Girls)	High School
Soccer (Boys & Girls)	High School	Junior High
Softball	High School	Junior High
Tennis (Boys & Girls)	High School
Track & Field (Boys & Girls)	High School	Junior High
Volleyball (Boys & Girls)	High School	JH (Girls)
Wrestling	High School	Junior High

ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY

The purpose of athletics is to enhance the learning that takes place in the classroom.  For this reason, the school district has adopted academic eligibility requirements that students must reach to be eligible to participate in athletics.  Students may not fail two classes in a given week, at the end of each quarter or at the end of the year.  When a student is academically ineligible for the week, he/she may not practice or play their sport the following week.  Students who fail two or more subjects at the end of the quarter may not participate in athletics for 20 school days, beginning the Monday after report cards are issued.  Students who fail two or more subjects for the year may not participate in athletics for the first quarter of the next school year.  NOTE: Work completed and grades received following the close of a weekly, quarterly or yearly eligibility period does not alter or shorten the period of ineligibility.  Work completed after the close of an eligibility period affects only the next eligibility period.

COMMUNICATION

Because sports elicit such passionate emotions in people, problems and concerns are bound to arise. This is true of student-athletes, coaches, fans and parents.  Conflicts involving athletics are to be expected and can often lead to positive change.  However, for this to happen productively, everyone should follow a basic set of guidelines for addressing problems.

The role of parents and educators is to develop critical thinkers capable of being independent.  Therefore, if a player has a problem with a coach, the player should discuss the situation directly with the coach.  If a parent has a concern with a coach, the parent should set up a meeting with him/her. Parents should never confront a coach before or after practices and games when emotions are peaked. However, there are certain concerns that should not be discussed with coaches, such as playing time, team strategy and other student-athletes on the team.  Parents are welcome to discuss with coaches the treatment of their child, ways to improve their child’s success and concerns they have about their child’s behavior. If student-athletes and/or parents are not satisfied after meeting with a coach, these individuals should make an appointment with the athletic director.

COACHES

Coaches are selected by the athletic director and approved for hire by the school board.  When a position becomes open, it will be advertised to district employees and posted in the sports section of the Reading Eagle newspaper.  A search committee will then be formed, charged with the task of finding the best candidate for the position.  The Schuylkill Valley Athletic Department is an equal opportunity employer.

EVENT CONDUCT

All students, coaches, fans and parents are expected to act with proper decorum and respect toward teams, players and contest officials.  Taunting, profanity or verbal abuse will not be tolerated.  Individuals exhibiting this type of behavior will be given a verbal warning from the game manager, security officer, athletic director or other authorized district personnel.  If the behavior continues after the warning, the individual will be asked to leave school property immediately.  Everyone attending Schuylkill Valley athletic contests must realize that everyone involved in the competition is striving to do their best and to be successful.  The expectation is that all attendees support and positively encourage all our athletic teams rather than destroy the confidence of individuals by offering negative comments.  Again, the purpose of athletics is to teach life skills which can only be achieved by everyone demonstrating the highest ideals of sportsmanship.

TEAM SELECTION/TRY-OUTS

The head coach of each sport is given the responsibility of selecting the proper level and/or team for each athlete.  It is the philosophy of the Schuylkill Valley Athletic Department to provide as many participation opportunities as possible for students.  However, it may be necessary to limit the number of participants on some teams in an effort to offer the most worthwhile experience for everyone involved.  If there are too many players on a given team, no one will receive the individual instruction they need and deserve.  Therefore, coaches at all levels are permitted to “cut” when necessary, after obtaining approval from the athletic director.  Head coaches will also determine whether ninth graders should play at the high school or junior high level.  If the coach wants to move a ninth grader up to the high school level, the coach will discuss the move with parents.