GREENEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL HANDBOOK 2016-2017
I. OFF THE COURT EXPECTATIONS Off the Court Behavior Expectations As members of the Greeneville High School basketball team, players choose to represent our school within our community and our community within our region. This decision comes with great responsibility. The expectation for our players is that they demonstrate what is great about Greeneville High School and the city of Greeneville. They should understand that they are individuals of influence whether they like it or not. The choice to be a basketball player comes with the expectation of upholding a higher standard of character as the actions of players will come under greater scrutiny than other classmates. Therefore our players are expected to: 1. Refrain from the use or appearance of use of alcohol, drugs, or tobacco products. 2. Abide by the rules of the school at all times applicable. 3. Be truthful in all you do and say. 4. Treat others with respect. 5. Obey the law. 6. Ultimately, be a gentleman. Consequences of not meeting these expectations will vary with the violation. Academic Expectations Players academic standing is of utmost importance. Grades will be checked periodically by the coaching staff. Players in unsatisfactory standing academically will be disciplined. Placement and attendance in mandatory tutoring will count as an unexcused tardy or absence unless the assigning teacher assures the coaching staff that the unsatisfactory grade has nothing to do with a lack of effort. Voluntary tutoring should be attended before school and in extenuating circumstances after school. Social Media Expectations Players and families must remember that social media is a very powerful tool. With a lot of power comes a lot of responsibility. Players and player s families are expected to use social media as a positive tool that enhances what our students, coaches, managers, and statisticians do and not detract from it. Everyone, including coaches, get frustrated at some point in the year. In times of frustration we have got to refrain from putting our frustrations on the billboard of social media. Additionally, players should be very selective with what they tweet, retweet, or post online. One of the first things that college coaches do when recruiting players is check out their online presence. Many times it is an immediate turn off to coaches when they see disrespectful, mean, or raunchy material on an athletes feed. While GHS coaches will not consistently search for inappropriate online behavior, they will investigate any tip that inappropriate behavior is occurring. Inappropriate online behavior will disciplined through various means such as extra running, suspensions, or dismissal from the team.
II. PRACTICE Practice Expectations Practice sessions are closed sessions and not open to anyone not on the team or involved in the program. To ensure maximum learning time and avoid distractions, this includes a player s parents, siblings, relatives, or friends. Beginning 1. Fully dressed and equipped appropriately for practice at appointed practice time. 2. All balls on the rack and players on the baseline when the horn goes off. 3. Warm up and stretching begin immediately. During 1. Be 100% intent on making yourself and your teammates better. 2. Communicate and sprint from drill to drill. 3. Water and bathroom breaks taken only with permission of coach. 4. During drills those not involved at the time should line up and be ready to participate. 5. There are no player conversations on the sideline during practice without coach approval. 6. Drills should be done at game speed with game intensity. End 1. Finish practice like it s the end of a game. 2. Complete any stretching /cool down activities. 3. May stay after practice to shoot. 4. All balls must be on the rack when you finish. 5. Practice gear must be in laundry container 10 minutes after practice concludes. If you stay to shoot, please put your own gear on. 6. The coaching staff will always wash both practice and game gear. Consequences Failure to comply with these expectations will result in some form of correction in the form of wall sits, sprints, medicine ball activities, etc. Repeated failures could result in dismissal from practice, suspensions, or dismissal from the team. Profanity Profanity will not be tolerated. Instances of profanity will result in discipline in the form of extra running.
Practice Attendance Players are expected to be at all practices on time. Any type of tardiness or absence has an impact on the team and could have an impact on playing time. 1. Excused Tardies coach must be directly contacted by player/parent prior to practice to be excused; if tardy is for tutoring or make-up work the player should have a note signed by the teacher with date and time dismissed; reason for tardiness must be acceptable to the coach 2. Excused Absences coach must be directly contacted by player/parent prior to practice to be excused; reason for the absence must be acceptable to the coach 3. Unexcused Tardies occurs when a coach is not directly contacted by the player/parent prior to practice or the reason for tardiness is unacceptable; players will be corrected using wall sits, sprints, medicine ball activities, etc.; level of correction increases with every minute of practice missed; repeated unexcused tardies may be grounds for suspension or dismissal from the team 4. Unexcused Absences occurs when a coach is not directly contacted prior to practice by the player/parent or the reason for the absence is unacceptable a. one unexcused absence will result in a one game suspension b. two unexcused absences will result in a two game suspension, c. three unexcused absences will result in dismissal from the team * during the suspension the player must be present at all team activities on time Holidays and Breaks On holiday breaks, players are expected to practice periodically on their own initiative. It s important to stay in shape, so some exercise is also expected. In addition to player-scheduled practices, the coaching staff will schedule practices during breaks and all players are expected to be present. Players needing to be gone for the holiday or family vacations must be approved at the discretion of the head coach. No School If school is cancelled due to bad weather, all activities may also be cancelled. This is a decision that will be made with the safety of the athlete in mind. The coach of your son s team will notify you or your son if there is a cancellation. We will do so through school announcements, e-mail, or texts. Information is also available on Twitter (@GHSHoops). If school is dismissed early due to bad weather, there is a chance that we will practice depending on how immanent the weather event is. In the event that bad weather is not the cause of school cancellation, practices will be scheduled accordingly at the discretion of the head coach.
Injured Players Athletes who are injured are expected to be at all team functions unless the well-being of the athlete is compromised by attendance. The injured athlete should be engaged in practice mentally so that he can be ready when he returns. The athlete will follow the prescribed protocol for return given by the doctor or athletic trainer. Sick Players Athletes who are highly contagious should not attend team functions. (Certain conditions like colds do not necessarily fall under this rule). Those who are well enough to be at school are expected to be at practice. Cell Phones No cell phones should be visible, used, or even present during team time. Team time includes meetings, film, pregame meetings, walkthroughs, shootarounds, practice, and games.
III. GAMES Transportation All players, managers, or statisticians are required to ride to and from games on the team bus for games outside of Greene County. Part of being a team member is riding to and from athletic contests together on the bus together. If a player, manager, or statistician needs to ride home with someone other than a parent or guardian following a game, that athlete and parent will need to sign the release form available from the coaching staff. Parents will be responsible for getting their athletes to intra-county games. Additionally, transportation to Hal Henard for practice is available on buses to those who cannot drive. Dress All players should dress as directed by the coaches on game days. In most cases the players will wear their team sweats to away games and wear khakis and a polo on days of home games. Hats, toboggans, etc. may be worn on the bus and outside of the gymnasium but must be removed once the athlete enters a building. During games, players should not attempt to stand out from their teammates. Players will always wear their team shoes. Appropriate sock colors will be green, white, black, and gray. Socks may have numbers and team logos but no patterns. They must be worn at a normal height. No headbands, sleeves, or wristbands unless prescribed by our athletic trainer or doctor. Players wishing to wear tights must wear black tights when we are away and white when we are at home. Any undershirt must be the same color as the jersey and may not have been cut with scissors. Our jersey colors are Nike green, Nike white, and Nike anthracite. Shootarounds/Walk-Throughs The varsity team has shootarounds and walk-throughs prior to all home games and some away games. Players are expected to be present and on time for each of these. Games Expectations Pregame at Home 1. Varsity Players a. Wear appropriate clothes to school on game day b. Be on the floor at Hal Henard wearing your shoot around gear at 3:05 (school days) c. Be back at Hal Henard by the time set by the head coach d. Enter the locker room at the beginning of the 3 rd quarter. e. Get dressed and focused, do not leave the locker room except to see the trainer. f. Team Stretching begins at the 1:00 mark of the 3 rd quarter g. Team Meeting with 5:00 left in the 4 th quarter h. 2:00 restroom, be ready to go.
2. Junior Varsity a. Arrive at Hal Henard by time set by the JV coach b. Enter the locker room at the beginning of the 3 rd quarter. c. Get dressed and focused, do not leave the locker room except to see the trainer. d. Team Stretching begins at the 1:00 mark of the 3 rd quarter e. Team Meeting with 5:00 left in the 4 th quarter f. 2:00 restroom, be ready to go. 3. Freshman a. Arrive at the gym at the time set by the freshman coach b. Follow coaches instructions on when to enter the locker room Pregame Away 1. Varsity Players a. Wear appropriate clothes to school on game day b. Be in the locker room 15 minutes before the bus is set to leave for meeting c. Sit together at the back of the bus d. Be quiet when we get within 30 minutes of our destination e. Walk in the gym together and sit together (no girls) f. Enter the locker room at the beginning of the 3 rd quarter. g. Get dressed and focused, do not leave the locker room except to see the trainer. h. Team Stretching begins at the 1:00 mark of the 3 rd quarter i. Team Meeting with 5:00 left in the 4 th quarter j. 2:00 restroom, be ready to go. 2. Junior Varsity a. Wear appropriate clothes to school on game day b. Be on the bus at the time set by the coach c. Sit together at the back of the bus d. Be quiet when we get within 30 minutes of our destination e. Walk in the gym together and sit together (no girls) f. Enter the locker room at the beginning of the 3 rd quarter. g. Get dressed and focused, do not leave the locker room except to see the trainer. h. Team Stretching begins at the 1:00 mark of the 3 rd quarter i. Team Meeting with 5:00 left in the 4 th quarter j. 2:00 restroom, be ready to go. 3. Freshman a. Wear appropriate clothes to school on game day b. Be quiet when we get within 30 minutes of our destination c. Follow the coaches instructions upon arrival
During the Game 1. Dress a. We will look good together and put nothing on to make us stand out from others. This is at the coach s discretion. b. All players will keep their shirt tails tucked in from pregame warmups until the coaches are finished speaking after the game. 2. Bench Decorum a. Players on the bench stand and clap when a teammate comes off the floor and give him five when he comes down the bench b. Players, managers and statisticians will not say anything derogatory toward the opposing team or the referees c. Players will not lean back in their seats but will be sitting up intent on the game d. No player is to leave the bench during the game. If an incident occurs on the playing floor all players are to remain on the bench. 3. On the Floor a. Players will not react negatively to the call of an official b. Players will run to the sideline for a timeout or for the end of a quarter c. Technical fouls for disrespect to referees, fans, or opposing players will result in the player sitting for the rest of the game and possibly another game. In some situations this could vary at the coaches discretion. d. Other types of technicals will be dealt with on a case by case basis. 4. Timeouts a. Run to the bench when a timeout is called. Walking or jogging are signs that a sub is needed. b. (Full) 5 players that are in the game sit down, others form a single file U around the bench. c. (30) 5 players in the game remain together, others fill in around them. 5. Substitutions a. Always check in (tell the official scorer) at the scorer s table. b. Make contact with the man you go in for. c. Find out who you are guarding. d. Know the game strategy and what we are in defensively and offensively. e. Know your position/role. After the Game 1. Keep your shirts tucked in your shorts. 2. Shake the hand of the opposing team s players and coaches. 3. Run off the floor to the locker room. 4. Do not undress in any way until the coach has addressed you. 5. Take off your uniform and make sure the shorts are untied. 6. Put it in the appropriate container.
IV. PARENT/COACH INTERACTION Both parenting and coaching can be very difficult. By establishing an understanding between coaches and parents, both are better able to accept the actions of the others and provide a more positive experience for everyone. Parents have the right to know and understand the expectations placed on them and their child. Concern Protocol 1. The student athlete addresses their concern with their coach. We would prefer that the young men learn how to handle concerns on their own. 2. If the meeting is not satisfactory or player is too uncomfortable to express their concerns to the coach, then the parent of the student athlete contacts the coach to set up an appointment. This should not be done immediately before or after a game or practice. Communication Expectations Communication parents should expect from their son s coach: 1. Expectations the coach has for your son and the team. 2. Locations and times of practices and games. 3. Team requirements such as gear, equipment, team events and responsibilities. Communication coaches expect from parents: 1. Specific concerns in regard to the coach s expectations. 2. Notification of any schedule conflicts well in advance. 3. Encouragement of your son and your son s team at all times. Appropriate concerns to discuss with a coach: 1. The mental and physical treatment/well-being of your son. 2. What your son needs to do to improve. 3. Concerns about your son s behavior. Issues NOT appropriate for discussion with your son s coach: 1. Playing time 2. Team strategy 3. Play calling 4. Any situation that deals with other student athletes. Lettering Policy 1. Attendance at all practices and games (injured players must still be in attendance). 2. Be an active member of the program. Help at camps, events, etc. 3. Participate in 6 halves of varsity play. Dressing for the tournament doesn t guarantee a letter. 4. Academics must be in good standing.
5. Must uphold team standards consistently. 6. Participation in team activities not listed above. This includes team dinners, team meetings, etc. Caveat We realize that every possible event or circumstance that could potentially happen during the season may not be covered in this handbook. Events and clarifications not covered in this handbook will be resolved at the discretion of the head coach. Additionally, the coach reserves the right to modify scenarios that have been addressed for the good of the team.
GREENEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL HANDBOOK ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND AGREEEMENT PAGE I have read the entire GHS Basketball Handbook, and I understand what is expected of me as a studentathlete. I understand the policies. I agree to follow all policies in this handbook, and I promise to always represent my school in a positive manner. Student Name (Print): Grade: Student Signature: Date: I have read the entire GHS Basketball Handbook, and I understand what is expected of me as a parent. I understand the policies. I agree to follow all policies in this handbook, and I promise to always represent my school in a positive manner. Parent/Guardian Name (Print): Parent/Guardian Signature: Date: