All middle school athletic programs shall function under educationally oriented coaches, will be properly administered, and will be viewed as a means to an end and not an end in itself. The total development of the student and program will be conducted within the letter and spirit of all applicable rules and regulations.
The explicit goal of all competitive sports is to win within the rules. However, that is by no means the only measure of success. Of greater and lasting value is the development of the individual as measured by character, competence, civility, and citizenship.
Pleasant Plains Middle School encourages all students to participate in athletics. A goal of the middle school is to make an opportunity available to all students who wish to play, although resources, athletic ability and student interest may limit access. In determining how many teams to field or how many students will comprise a team, the coach must consider safety, athletic ability, facility availability, and quality of instruction. When necessary team tryouts will limit the number of participants. Playing time is not guaranteed and will be determined by the athlete’s skill development, team commitment, personal responsibility, attitude, and safety.
At all levels of middle school competition, an athlete and his/her parents must be prepared to make a substantial commitment which involves contests or practices six days a week, on some holidays, and during vacations. Athletes will not be expected to practice on Sunday unless the team is involved in a state series tournament and will play on the following Monday. Such a commitment demands much of the student and the student’s family.
In an effort to recognize the developmental differences both cognitively and physically between age groups in middle school, different expectations are outlined for sixth grade athletics:
Sixth grade athletics will:
1. Focus more on skill development.
2. Pay special attention to teaching the specific sport rules and etiquette.
3. Spread playing time among more players (playing time still will not be guaranteed or evenly administered)
4. Try to keep more participants and only cut when absolutely necessary.
5. Nurture enjoyment for sport among players while focusing on fundamentals.
6. Keep rules and expectations simple while developing responsibility, discipline, and work ethic in the participants.
Seventh/Eighth grade athletics will:
1. Expect an advanced level of ability and training.
2. Emphasize skill development along with winning as primary goals.
3. The competitive nature of playing for championships requires higher expectations of athletes.
4. Athletes will be expected to be responsible, disciplined, and have strong work ethics.
Scholastic eligibility will be determined through the by-laws of the IHSA and IESA. An athlete declared scholastically ineligible may not practice with the team and will not be allowed to be in uniform for any contest for the duration of the period of ineligibility.
Athletes will be ineligible if they fail to pass a weekly eligibility check conducted by the principal on the last day of school attendance each week. An athlete will be deemed ineligible if he/she is failing any course at the time of the weekly grade check. The grade reported by the teacher on Friday will be the cumulative grade for the class at that point in the quarter.
For high school athletes:
**Athletes who fail a required course for a semester will be required meet the following expectations:
· An athlete who fails a required course during the school year will be required to make up the credit through summer school or other approved means (see nontraditional learning policy) in order to be eligible for the following year.
· An athlete who fails a required course during the fall semester and who wishes to participate in a spring sport the following semester will be subject to an academic performance contract. The contract will require the student to maintain grades of “C-“ or better as determined by the weekly grade check. The contract may include attendance and/or behavioral guidelines depending on the history of the student.
· Upon the second failure, whether in the same semester or a different semester, and any subsequent failures, the student will be ineligible for the entire next semester.
· For a student who fails first semester and is playing in a spring sport, the contractual obligation will remain in place even if the student makes up the required course through alternative means. The obligation remains until an official transcript is received from the alternative education program (see nontraditional learning policy).
No student may participate in tryouts, practice or contests before an up-to-date physical has been turned in to the Athletic Director. All physical forms must be signed and dated by a physician. Pleasant Plains will offer physicals during August to any student wanting a physical in order to satisfy the athletic physical policy. **Please note, athletic physicals will not count for a freshman physical under Illinois State Board of Education rules. A full freshman physical will count however, for athletic purposes. Please contact your athletic director for more information.
All students who participate in athletics must also have a signed insurance waiver on file or have purchased accident insurance through the school district.
A student/athlete must be in attendance at least ½ day on the date of the contest in order to participate. ½ day is defined as being present in school for at least three and one half hours. The principal may excuse a student/athlete in order to keep an afternoon appointment. A student/athlete who leaves school sick will not be allowed to participate later that day. This statement should not be interpreted to mean that students cannot participate in a Saturday or holiday event if he/she were absent the day prior.
Student/athletes who are not in attendance due to religious holiday observations, will be excused and allowed to participate in contests and games. It is the responsibility of the parent or student to notify the coach of the upcoming absence.
An athlete’s greatest responsibility is to be a credit to his/her parents, school, and community. Therefore, an athlete at Pleasant Plains will:
1. Always display good sportsmanship.
2. Display a high standard of conduct both in and out of school.
3. Display respect for those in authority including teachers, coaches and officials.
4. Display a spirit of cooperation between teammates and coaches.
5. Maintain a neat and clean appearance when representing a team.
6. Always use appropriate language; foul language will never be acceptable.
7. Abide by all school rules and regulations, which govern the student body.
8. Be financially responsible for the care and return of all school issued equipment and uniforms.
9. Be punctual for all designated meetings, practices and games.
10. Participate fully in every course during the school day.
11. Report all injuries, regardless of how slight, to the coach.
12. Leave all facilities as they found them; this includes busses, visiting locker rooms, and visiting schools.
13. Enter our building and board our busses in an appropriate manner. No cleats, spikes are to be worn on busses or in buildings.
14. Communicate honestly and appropriately with their coach regarding any concerns. If the athlete or parent feels a need to address the issue further, the following chain of command is expected to be followed: coach, head coach, athletic director, principal, superintendent.
15. Be home at a reasonable hour the night before a game in order to be well rested for the upcoming contest.
16. Be truthful.
***In addition, all coaches have the right to establish team rules such as curfew times that supplement these expectations.
A parent’s greatest responsibility is to be a role model to his/her athlete and represent his/her athlete with pride, patience, and sportsmanship. Therefore, a parent of an athlete at Pleasant Plains will:
1. Support the athletic handbook and the guidelines set forth.
2. Follow the chain of command regarding problematic issues. Coach, Head Coach, Athletic Director, Principal, Superintendent.
3. Encourage athletes to be prompt for practices and games.
4. Be courteous to officials and opposing fans/players.
5. Be supportive and speak positively about our school, team, coaches, and players.
6. Treat the coaching staff in a professional manner. If a concern needs to be discussed the parent will make an appointment to meet with the coach at least one day in advance.
7. Drop off and pick up your athlete on time.
8. Attend seasonal athletic informational meetings. This is vital in that mandatory paperwork will be filled out at the meeting. Failure to complete all paperwork may delay the student/athlete from participation.
9. Be encouraged to participate in extra-curricular support programs: Booster Club, Studio 8, PTC, Redbird Club, Snowball.
10. Sign and observe the IHSA Parents Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct found in the back of the handbook will be returned to the Athletic Director. Parents who violate the expectations set forth in this handbook or the Code of Conduct will be subject to penalties set forth in the following section.
Expectations of all coaches will be reviewed in the Coaches Handbook. This handbook will be made available to all parents at the initial parent information meeting prior to the start of each athletic season.
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Rules Governing Spectators at School Events
Any person, including adults, who behaves in an unsportsmanlike manner at any athletic or extracurricular event, will be ejected from the event the person is attending and/or denied admission to school events for up to a year after a School Board hearing. (LEGAL REF.: 105 ILCS 5/24-24). Examples of unsportsmanlike conduct include:
Ø Using vulgar or obscene language
Ø Possessing or being under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or illegal substance
Ø Possessing a weapon
Ø Fighting or otherwise striking or threatening another person
Ø Failing to obey the instructions of a security officer or school district employee
Ø Engaging in any activity which is illegal or disruptive
The Superintendent, after notification, may seek to deny future admission to any person by delivering or mailing a notice, sent by certified mail with return receipt requested, at least 10 days before the School Board hearing date containing:
1. The date, time, and place of Board hearing;
2. A description of the unsportsmanlike conduct;
3. The proposed time period that admission to school events will be denied;
4. Instructions on how to waive a hearing;
If the person cannot be reached through the U.S. Postal Service, the Superintendent may request that the School Board deny admission to future athletic events in abstention.
1. No athlete who is dropped from one squad for disciplinary reasons, or who quits, shall be allowed to compete in another sport for the remainder of that particular season. **Athletes who are cut during the try-out period may participate in another sport during the same season.
2. Students have a one-week time limit to switch sports during the same athletic season.
3. Any student who is found ineligible for the third time during a specific season will be dropped from the team.
4. Each coach will have team specific rules and expectations that will be communicated to the athletes and parents in writing. The team rules and expectations will have prior approval by the Athletic Director or the Principal.
5. If school activities conflict, the adults (coaches/sponsors) will resolve the conflict with no penalty to the athlete.
6. At all contests, only coaches, players and managers shall occupy the designated team area or bench.
7. When necessary, students staying after school to ride the bus to an away game will remain in the area designated by their coach.
8. Bus Regulations:
Ø Every team member must ride the bus to away events if the district provides a bus.
Ø Under special circumstances the coach may require all athletes to ride the bus home if the team is returning from a game that requires traveling through Pleasant Plains.
Ø If the student wants to ride home with his/her parents, the parents must sign the designated form provided by the coach.
Ø Parents requesting that their child ride home with another adult should request this in writing and deliver it to the coach prior to leaving for the contest.
Ø Students will not be given permission to ride home with other students.
Ø Violations of the transportation rules will result in a one game suspension. Discipline will be progressive if further infractions occur.
9. All athletes must meet all standards set by the IHSA or IESA.
10. Students suspended from school will be ineligible during the period of suspension.
11. All student/athletes must be full times students in attendance at Pleasant Plains Middle School or Pleasant Plains High School. If a student, for any reason, is deemed not to be a full time student, he/she will be considered ineligible immediately.
12. In an effort to promote family values and give families more opportunities to interact, holiday practices will not be allowed without prior approval by the Athletic Director and Principal. No practices of any kind (this includes optional, open gym, shoot arounds, walk throughs, etc.) will take place on school holidays unless the holiday falls on the day immediately prior to a tournament game contest in which our team is involved. School holidays are: Labor Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day. (Holidays will be updated yearly to reflect an accurate school calendar)
13. Without prior approval by the Athletic Director and Principal practice on Sunday is prohibited unless the team will be competing in a contest the following Monday.
14. Student/athletes will be excused from practice no less than fifteen minutes prior to the shuttle bus departure time.
15. It is the responsibility of the coach to supervise students until the shuttle bus departs and all other members of the team leave the building.
16. All student/athletes are required to leave the gym or playing field and pay admission if there is a home activity following practice.
17. Monthly practice schedules will be issued to all team members. The coaching staff will adhere to practice schedules.
18. If school closes early because of a weather emergency, all practices will be cancelled in order to insure the safety of our students. Under extreme weather conditions practices may be cancelled or rescheduled.
19. Practices may be held on planned early dismissal days (parent-teacher conferences, day before a holiday) if the building principal gives permission.
Pleasant Plains Community Unit School District #8 promotes a drug free environment. In an effort to promote this drug free philosophy upon violating the code of conduct the student/athlete may be required to have a drug screen at the parent’s expense. The student/athlete and parent(s) may be required to participate in any recommended treatment and follow-up that results from the screening. The student/athlete and parent(s) must agree to release information to the principal /athletic director that confirms the screening took place and the treatment and follow-up were completed.
The coach/sponsor/athletic director will communicate the drug/alcohol/conduct policy to each student/athlete in grades 6-12. The policy will be reviewed at the mandatory parent/athlete meeting that will be held prior to the fall sports season, winter sports season and spring sports season. Every student/athlete and parent will sign the policy annually which will be kept on file by the athletic director. The policy is in effect year round and will be enforced during summer months as well.
If a student/athlete is charged with violating any portion of the policy, the principal or athletic director will advise him/her and the parent of the charge. All allegations and facts will be reported to the student/athlete and parents, at which time an opportunity for a response will be given.
**A student/athlete shall not 1) use or consume, have in possession, attempt to purchase, sell, or give away tobacco (including chewing), alcohol, any controlled substance including marijuana, look-alike drugs, drug paraphernalia, or 2) attend a gathering where the student/athlete is in the presences of illegal use of alcohol and/or other controlled substance.
**Penalties shall be cumulative across all athletic activities during grades 6 through 12. Parties that may report abuses of the policy include Pleasant Plains’ faculty, administrators, support staff, and law enforcement/first response personnel. Upon receiving a suspension the student/athlete will sign a “statement of understanding” that will be maintained in the athletic director’s office. The reported violation shall be communicated to the principal who will conduct an investigation of the alleged violation. If found in violation the student/athlete will face the following:
First Violation: Student/athlete will lose eligibility for three weeks or ten games which ever comes first. If appropriate, a recommendation for a drug screening at the parents expense will be made. The student/athlete will be allowed to practice during the suspension. The student will be expected to attend games/activities during the suspension.
Second Violation: Student/athlete will lose eligibility for six weeks. The student/athlete may be required to have a drug screen at parent’s expense. The student/athlete and parents will be required to participate in any recommended treatment and follow-up that results from the screening. The student/athlete and parents must agree to release information to the principal/athletic director that confirms the screening took place and the treatment and follow-up were completed.
Third Violation: Student/athlete will lose eligibility for one calendar year and must follow the guidelines explained in the previous paragraph regarding drug screening and follow-up treatment.
Fourth Violation: Student/athlete will lose eligibility for the remainder of his/her tenure in the Pleasant Plains school district.
**Please note: If a student/athlete is found academically ineligible during a code of conduct suspension, the academic suspension will supercede the code of conduct suspension. The suspension will be lengthened by one week each time the student/athlete is deemed academically ineligible. Upon regaining academic eligibility, the student will continue the code of conduct suspension from where it was left. For example: if a student/athlete is suspended for three weeks for a conduct code infraction and during the second week of the suspension is found academically ineligible he/she will begin serving the academic suspension and the code of conduct suspension will be put on hold until the academic suspension is complete. If the student/athlete was academically ineligible for one week during a three-week code of conduct suspension the total weeks of suspension would be four.
**The suspension shall carry forward to the next athletic season in cases that involve athletes whose seasons end before the suspension has been fully enforced. For example, a baseball player who is facing a six-week suspension and only has two weeks of baseball season left will serve the next four weeks during the next athletic season he participates in. Also, a student-athlete who is involved in an infraction prior to his/her athletic season and then goes out for a sport he/she has never participated in before just to cover the suspension so it doesn’t impact the main athletic season will be required to finish the season and meet every expectation of the coach for the entire season. If the student quits the team the suspension starts over the following athletic season.
**Student/Athletes who violate the code of conduct in middle school who do not have another code violation for three calendar years from the date of the infraction will start at level one if the next offense is in high school. Students who continue to violate the code within the three calendar year window will continue to receive the next level of punishment.
Questions regarding this Athletic Handbook should be forwarded to the athletic director or school administration.
Updated: Apr 04