Overview Important Dates Forms/Paperwork Summer Programs/Activities Explanation of athletic procedures for the next school year Review Expectations and Philosophy MMS Boy s Coaching Staff Jerad Castor Chad Crossland Colton Deel Paden Whetzel Tyler Ragan Justin Perry MMS Boy s Athletic Coordinator Head Football Asst. Basketball Asst. Track jcastor@melissaisd.org (806) 202-2045 Asst. Football Head Basketball Asst. Track chadcrossland@melissaisd.org Asst. Football Asst. Basketball Head Track cdeel@melissaisd.org Asst. Football Asst. Basketball Asst. Cross Country/Track padenwhetzel@melissaisd.org Asst. Football Asst. Basketball Asst. Track Asst. Football Asst. Basketball Asst. Track
Important Dates Physicals for Incoming 7 th and 8 th Graders Wed, May 17 th Summer League Basketball Begins Mon, June 5 th 7-on-7 Football League Begins Tues, June 6th Melissa Football Camp Mon, June 12 th -15 th Melissa Baseball Camp Mon, June 19 th -22 nd Melissa Basketball Camp Mon, June 26 th -29 th Melissa Golf Camp Mon, June 26 th -29 th Summer Strength and Conditioning begins Mon, July 10 th Melissa Soccer Camp Mon, July 10 th -13 th Melissa Tennis Camp Mon, July 17 th -20 th 7 th & 8 th Football Equipment Checkout Thurs, August 24 th 5-7 pm First Day of School Mon, August 28 th First Day of Football/Cross Country Practice Tue, August 29 th at 7:00 am First Day of Full-Pads/Full Contact Football Practice Tue, September 5 th at 7:00 am First Middle School Football Game Thu, September 14 th at 5:00 pm Required Forms UIL Physical/Medical History - UIL Acknowledgement of Rules UIL Parent and Student Steroid Agreement UIL Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness UIL Concussion Acknowledgement UIL Drug/Alcohol Screening Consent Form MISD *The forms (excluding UIL Physical) will be filled out online at www.rankonesport.com. Click on the For Parents tab and select Fill Out Electronic Forms. All of the above forms must be completed in order for student-athletes to practice or participate. Sports/Seasons Fall Winter Spring Football or Cross Country Basketball or Offseason Strength and Agility Track, Tennis, Soccer, Offseason Strength and Agility There will be A & B teams in football and basketball. Coaches will evaluate players based on attitude and ability at the beginning of the season. However, the evaluation period is ongoing and players may be moved up or down at any point in the season. In basketball, the first 3 days of practice will be tryouts and players will be placed on teams the 4 th day of practice.
Summer Workouts and Leagues Summer Strength and Conditioning Starts July 10th- 13 th, 17 th -20 th, and 24 th - 27 th. 9:00am - 10:30am Fridays we will not work out. We will take off the week of July 31 st -August 4 th. Workouts will resume August 7 th - 10 th, 14 th -17 th, and 21 st -24 th 7:00am - 8:30am 7-on-7 Football League Tuesdays June 6 th, 13 th, 20 st, June 27 th All games will be played in Melissa. Games will be played on the high school field. Team members: QB s, Receivers, Running Backs, Linebackers, Secondary, Centers Cost is free Basketball League McKinney ISD League All games at McKinney North We will play once each night. $90 per player (includes reversible jersey) Registration forms due by May 14 th Air-it-Out Football Camp http://airitout.org/camp-information/camps/camp-6-fort-worth-tx-7-12 Great skills camp for QB s, receivers; and running backs June 21 st -22 nd in Fort Worth (All-Saints Episcopal HS) - $275 Spots are limited based on positions
Athletic Procedures/Protocol Any students wishing to participate in Football or Basketball must be enrolled in Athletics. Students who want to participate in only Cross Country, Tennis, Track, or Soccer will not be enrolled in athletics as those sports are practiced before school only. Student-athletes will be provided the following equipment: Football Basketball Track Cross Country Helmet w/mouthpiece Practice short/jersey Practice short/shirt Practice short/shirt Shoulder Pads Game short/jersey Sweat Top/Pant Uniform Padded Girdle Track Uniform Practice shorts/t-shirt Practice pants/jersey Game pant/jersey 7 th and 8 th Grade athletes will use locker room facilities located at the HS Fieldhouse. All athletes will be given a locker with lock and combination. Personal items are their responsibility and are to be locked up at all times during practice or the athletic period. 7 th and 8 th Grade athletics will be 1 st period (8:45 9:31), but each sport will have before school practice. Football, Basketball, Cross Country, Tennis, and Soccer will begin at 7am. Track will begin at 7:30. Athletes are expected to be dressed out and on the field or court at the start time of each practice, so arrival to the locker room should occur at least 15 minutes prior to the practice start time. Coaches are not concerned about why an athlete is late, nor who is to blame late is late and there will be consequences. All athletes who work out will be expected to shower before attending the rest of their classes. Ample time to shower and get dressed will be allotted. Athletes will need to bring their own towel and toiletries. Athletes will have breakfast provided at the end of 1 st period in the cafeteria. However, it is recommended that they have some type of nourishment prior to working out each morning. Workout clothing will be washed every other day and always after games. Athletes who wish to take workout clothes home to be washed may do so, however, it is imperative that they return each day with them. Failure to do so will result in not being allowed to work out, and possible loss of position. Any equipment or clothing that is issued to athletes must be returned at the end of the season or school year. If an athlete loses an item, he will be required to pay to replace it before being given additional workout gear. During football, before school practices will be held Mon-Thu. On Fridays, players will report to the locker room at 8:00 am. Melissa ISD has a contracted Orthopedic Doctor to examine our athletes and diagnose injuries. He specializes in sports injuries and also the best rehabilitation for sports injuries. We strongly encourage parents to use Dr. Pruditch, instead of a general physician, when dealing with sports related injuries. First Day of School Procedures (August 28): *All boys enrolled in Athletics will meet in the cafeteria by the start of school at 8:45am *Once roll is taken we will work to complete paperwork that is not done.
*Boys who are participating in Cross Country, but not enrolled in athletics, will report to their first period class. The Cross Country coach will visit with them during PE the first day of school and give them information regarding CC practice times. First Week of School Procedures: *Beginning Tue, August 29 th Football and Cross Country practice will begin. *Athletes are to be dressed and on the field by 7 am sharp. The locker rooms will be opened and supervised by 6:30 each morning. *Teams will practice Tuesday-Friday the first week of school, and Monday-Friday following that. We will not have practice on Monday September 4 th. *Players who have not turned in all their forms or received a physical will have until the end of the first week to do so, or they will be removed from athletics. Communication Communication between coaches, players and parents is very important and can also be very challenging. Coaches will always remind athletes of times and changes at practice, but that information does not always get home. To combat this and improve communication the following systems are in place: Facebook/melissaisd.org- In order to distribute needed information regarding weekly schedules and possible changes to scheduling we will utilize Facebook and the MISD website. Our weekly calendar will be updated on Fridays and will included detailed information regarding practice and game times for the following week. REMIND 101- is a communication app that coaches will utilize to get quick and instant messages to parents notifying them of events or change in times. For example, should weather be threatening in the morning, parents will be sent a one way text message from a coach s Remind 101 account informing them that practice cancelled or delayed. Also, coaches can communicate estimated bus arrival times on away games. Utilizing this service is easy for parents as they do not have to download an app. 7 th Grade Text- @tpw7 to 81010 8 th Grade Text- @tpw8 to 81010 Phone & Email Middle School Boys Athletic Coordinator Jerad Castor jcastor@melissaisd.org 806-202-2045 (cell)
Student-Athlete Expectations First and foremost, being a student-athlete is a privilege it is not a requirement or entitlement. It is an extra for students and with it comes, extra responsibility, work, dedication, but also extra recognition, confidence, and benefits. Students and parents must understand and accept that this privilege will only exist at MMS for those young men who show the ability and willingness to handle the extra expectations placed on student-athletes. It is not easy to be a student-athlete; everyone likes and wants the glory that can come from athletics but not everyone is willing to put in the work or sacrifice to achieve it. Below are expectations that are paramount to being a Melissa Cardinal. Cardinal Family Comes First! We will expect our athletes to make being a Cardinal their top athletic priority. While we understand that many of our athletes participate in club teams for various sports, and can appreciate their benefit and role in a young player s development, we strive to create an atmosphere of teamwork and school pride through the athletic program. Players will not be excused to miss practices or games for club sport activities. Go as a Team Return as a Team. In keeping with creating a team first mentality, athletes will be expected to return home from all away games on the team bus and not ride with their parents. Leaders on Campus Monsters in Competition. Inevitably, the male athletes and teams of a campus have a tremendous influence on the spirit, morale and behavior of the entire student body. Our male athletes will be expected to take a leadership role and model by example, the type of behavior we want established at the MMS Campus. Most importantly, we expect them to be respectful, mannerly and diligent with all faculty and staff as well as being congenial and non-threatening to fellow students. However, once we hit the field or court, we expect Cardinal athletes to be fierce and aggressive competitors. We want to channel all that restless, antagonistic, teenage energy into their efforts in practice and competition. Athletes who choose to ignore this expectation and disrupt the learning environment on campus will have consequences from both administration as well as in athletics. Yes, that will mean BREAKFAST CLUB. Our School Colors are Red, Black & White. Athletes will be provided most work out and game apparel, however, athletes will need to provide shoes, socks and other various equipment. Please keep in mind when purchasing these items that they are one of our team colors. The neon colors are all the rage right now, but Melissa Cardinals will only compete in school colors.
Practices Teams will practice before school and during first period. There will be no practices on Saturdays or school holidays. 7th Grade - practices begins at 7:00am. 8th Grade - practices begin at 7:00 am Athletes are to be on the field or court, dressed, and ready to begin practice at the times listed above, unless notified otherwise. Simply being in the locker room when practice is scheduled to start begin will not be acceptable - athletes must be completely suited out with the proper equipment and on the practice field. Please allow at least 15 minutes for your son to get dressed and out on the practice field or court when dropping them in the mornings. Coaches will open the locker rooms at 6:30 each morning. Absences It is vital that athletes attend all practices to be properly prepared and conditioned game competition. Therefore the following policy regarding missing before school practices will be followed: One excused absence may result in significant loss of playing time in the next game and will require making up any conditioning missed. Two excused absences during the practice week will result in a loss of significant playing time in the upcoming game and will require making up any conditioning missed. Three excused absences will result in not being able to participate in the next game at all. The athlete will be expected to dress out and accompany the team. One unexcused absence during the practice week will result in not playing at all in the upcoming game and will require making up and conditioning missed, as well as extra conditioning. In these situations, the player will be expected to dress out and accompany the team at the game. Excused Absence - anytime a player is not physically present at a before school practice, but has made a middle school coach aware of his absence prior to the practice beginning. It is strongly preferred that the player personally notify coaches with a phone call, text message or email; however, it is also permissible for a parent/guardian to make the notification should the student be unable to. The absence will not be considered excused if coaches are notified
after the practice start time or by someone other than the player or his parent/guardian. Failure of proper notification will result in the absence being classified as unexcused. *Players who are late to practice will have extra conditioning to complete and may lose playing time in the upcoming game; however, once a player has missed the first 20 minutes of a practice, it will be considered an excused absence. Two lates in a practice week will be equal to one excused absence and result in the same consequences. **Certain situations such a bereavement or other family emergencies will not be subjected to the above consequences and will be considered by the MS Coordinator and Athletic Director on a case-by-case basis. It is very important however, that coaches are made aware of any such incident as soon as possible. Missing Games Players are not allowed to miss games unless they are sick, ineligible or excused by the MS Coordinator. Missing a game is a very serious violation. A player missing one game will have extra conditioning, and not play in the upcoming game. A player who misses two games will be removed from football for the remainder of the year and will participate in Cross Country until football season is over. Officials and Parent Expectations As a fellow parent I understand the urge to run to your child s aid when you feel they have been wronged. However, it is imperative that you maintain your role as a parent at all times, which is to provide positive support for our student athletes. As the parent of a middle school athlete you need to understand that the officials calling at the middle school level are often beginners and lack experience, and thus they will make mistakes. As a coach it is my job to go to bat for our team when I believe it is necessary; however, I will never allow a player to question officiating. I need you to model excellence in dealing with officials. I can tell you that when you lose your cool in the stands it NEGATIVELY affects our athletes and most often it ends in embarrassment for them. Please know that if you fail to understand the dynamic between parents, coaches, players, and officials you will be removed from the event and lose the opportunity to see your child persevere.
Parent Concerns Parents will be asked to adhere to the following protocol when wanting to discuss concerns they may have regarding their son s participation in athletics: 1 Talk with your son about the matter 2 Talk with your son s immediate coach 3 Talk with Coach Castor 4 Talk with Mr. Miller Never talk with a coach after a game wait until the next day Three things that will not be discussed or negotiated with parents is playing time, position, or another player. The best thing a parent can do for his son and the teams he plays on is to be supportive. The worst thing a parent can do for his son and the teams he plays for is to talk openly and negatively about his coach or other players. Please consider this and bring your issues and concerns to a private meeting with coaches. Breakfast Club As coaches and parents, we can both agree that our priority is raising up respectable, responsible young men that display a high level of character on and off the field. In developing young men that will represent our school and each of your families with the above characteristics, we will use breakfast club for the following: Any infractions of the student code of conduct that lead to the issuance of a detention or office referral. Also, breakfast club will be used when in house expectations of athletes are not met. Ex. Disorganized locker room, misconduct on buses to and from events, attitudes that are not conducive to success, and any infractions of the athletics policy in general. 4 breakfast clubs in a 9 week period will result in a 1 game suspension. As the grade book resets so does the count for breakfast clubs. If an athlete accumulates 4 and is out of season the athlete will serve the suspension as soon as he is back in season. Breakfast clubs will take place on Friday s. Athletes that are required to participate will be notified of the time. Breakfast club is a non-negotiable activity and athletes that participate in our program and infringe on the policies described above are required to attend.