Arbor Creek Eagles Boy s Athletics Parent/Student Handbook 2018-2019 Twitter @ACMS_Sports acmssports.weebly.com
Arbor Creek Athletics Student-Athlete Behavior & Academic Contract Conduct Expectations Arbor Creek athletes are expected to maintain a high level of personal conduct at all times, in and out of school. Respect is always to be shown to all peers and staff at ACMS. Remember that you always represent not only yourself, but also your family, coaches, teammates, teachers and everyone else associated with the Arbor Creek community. Your actions, good or bad, will reflect on all of these people. Never do, say or write anything that is not appropriate for an Arbor Creek Eagle. Poor behavior and choices can result in losing the privilege of being an ACMS athlete. Academic Guidelines Per UIL rules, athletes must earn a minimum 70 average in ALL classes for the first six weeks as well as every nine week grading period thereafter to remain eligible to participate in games. Athletes who become ineligible during football will still be expected to attend and participate in all practices, but they will not be allowed to attend games until eligibility is regained. Eligibility can be regained by earning a minimum 70 average in ALL classes at the end of any three-week grading period after losing eligibility. Seventh grade athletes who are a behavior problem and/or who show a consistent record of failing classes and being ineligible throughout the year may not be allowed to sign up for eighthgrade athletics. Our role as coaches Arbor Creek Coaches Code of Conduct Love our players with the purpose of helping them develop into well-rounded and responsible citizens. Realize that we are nurturing and developing successful people, not just successful athletes. Believe in and protect every player so as to build him up as self-confident young men. Treat all opposing coaches and their teams with the honor that true competitors deserve. Respect all game officials as they are imperfect and trying their best just as we are. Work with parents to push each athlete to the height of his personal and athletic potential.
Arbor Creek Parent/Guardian Code of Conduct Your role with the athletes Serve as role models for our players, talking politely and acting courteously toward coaches, officials, other parents, opposing team parents and spectators at all athletic events. Model good sportsmanship and acknowledge the efforts of team members and opponents. Affirm your athlete and his teammates when extreme effort, good character and sportsmanship are displayed, not just for athletic performance or victories. Encourage your athlete and his teammates with positive statements, even when mistakes are made. Refrain from boasting about your athlete s accomplishments. Support the team regardless of how much or how little your athlete plays or what the won-loss record is. When problems or questions arise, help the players develop self-advocacy by having them talk to coaches. Help the athlete to always be punctual and to balance academics and athletics. Provide the athlete with the proper attire and nutritional diet to be successful in athletics. Encourage the athlete to try out for/play as many different sports as possible. Remind the athlete that athletics is hard work, but that it is also meant to be fun. Your role with the coaches Understand and endorse the purpose of our program: to help boys become hard-working and responsible young men who will lead and be role models for positive change in the world. Refrain from verbal or written communication with coaches that is either attacking or disrespectful in nature. Any such communications can lead to you being suspended from attending athletic events. After giving the athlete and coaches a chance, work with all involved to resolve any issues in a calm and respectful nature with the athlete s and team s best interest at the core of the resolution. Support the coaches by applauding behavior in your athlete and his teammates that demonstrates characteristics of integrity, empathy, sacrifice and responsibility. Respect the fact that all personnel/positional decisions are made at the coaching staff s discretion. Aid the coaches in teaching the athlete about effort and hard work and in their journey to become men. Keep track of the practice/game schedules and watch for any changes. Ask how you can get more involved or help out with athletics or at the school in general. Remember it is not all about winning and cheer loud for the Eagles win, lose or draw!
General Boys Athletics Info Pre-Participation Physical A physical form, completed by a physician and parent/guardian, must be on file in the athletics office for any student to participate in any try-out, practice, game or meet. If you re a returning Arbor Creek student your physicals are due by August 15. Any new student, who has not turned in a completed physical by August 17, could be removed from athletics and placed in a P.E. class. Physicals are valid for 12 months from the date of the physician s exam and must be redone upon expiration. LISD Required Forms All athletic participation paperwork needs to be completed online (except the steroid form) from the LISD Athletic Portal. This must be completed by August 17. https://lewisvilleisd.rankonesport.com Sports Offered Football (beginning of school year) Football teams will be formed based on ability and potential success as is deemed by the coaching staff. Division I (A) teams are the highest level, Division II (B) are mid-level, and Division III (C) are beginner level (if needed). Basketball (after football) Any student is welcome to try out for basketball. There will be three days of tryouts before final cuts are made. The 7th grade will have Division I, Division II and Division III teams, while 8 th grade will have only Division I and Division II. Cross Country (after football) Any student may participate in cross-country. No cuts are made. Cross- country is in the fall, and practices times are during the athletic period and after school. Athletes may play basketball and run cross-country at the same time. Track and Field (after basketball and XC) - only the top three or four performers from practice in each event will compete at track meets. Soccer (after track & field) Any student is welcome to try out for soccer. There will be at least three days of tryouts before cuts are made. There will be one team for 7 th grade and one team for 8 th grade. Practice times for soccer are during the period and after school. Athletic Equipment Each student athlete is required to purchase at least one pair of athletic shirt and shorts through Team D Designs (http://www.teamddesigns.com). More than one set of shirt and shorts is recommended. This uniform will be utilized throughout the year and some money from it is donated back to boy s athletics. When not in full pads during football season, athletes are required to wear the athletic clothes they purchased. They will also be required to wear this during practices for all other sports and during off- season. The school at no cost provides all football equipment, with the exception of cleats and girdles. Cleats are required for practice and games and should not be metal or longer than one inch in height. Soccer cleats are acceptable for football. Athletes may wear personal equipment as long as the coaching staff approves it.
The school at no cost will provide all game/meet/practice jerseys. The school does NOT provide shoes/cleats for individual sports. These will need to be purchased on an as needed basis depending on individual participation in each respective sport. Locker Room Policies Athletes are not allowed in the locker room before 8:50 am unless it is to attend practice/offseason. Athletes are only to use their own locker. It is their responsibility to keep it clean, organized and locked. All personal items should be put immediately into the locker, and NEVER put down and/or left on the benches in the locker room. The coaches are not responsible for lost/stolen items. Athletes are to use their assigned laundry clip to put dirty items in the wash on the appropriate washing days. They are also responsible for retrieving their clip from the appropriate bin. Showering Any athlete that practices/works out before the beginning of the school day is needs to shower before going to class. Swimsuits and underwear should not be used in the showers due to health issues (staph infections, etc.) when they are put back in the lockers. Towels are provided by the school (as donated by parents and athletes) and are washed and dried every day. Athletes are to provide their own soap, shampoo, deodorant, etc., and it may be kept in their locker. Laundry Most laundry is done at the school and does not need to be taken home. Please encourage your athlete to do all of his laundry at school so that it does not get left at home when it s needed for a workout. Schedules Practice and game schedules vary by sport and by grade. All athletic schedules can be found on our sports website acmssports.weebly.com You can also find them on the district website through Rank One Sport. https://www.rankonesport.com View schedules, then type in Arbor Creek, then select the appropriate schedule. Practices/Games Athletes are expected to attend all practices. Please try to plan all appointments around the practice and game schedule. Homework can be made up, practice/game time cannot. Athletes may not miss any portion of a practice or game for an outside sport. If your son chooses to play a school sport, then your son is expected to be there. Athletes may miss a practice or game for other Arbor Creek school functions that may have a conflicting time. Coaches need to be notified in advance of any scheduling conflict.
Pre-Game Meals Details on a food vendor selling game day meals for the season will be determined each year. All athletes will eat together in the cafeteria on game days from 4:15 pm to approximately 4:30 pm. Parents may bring food to their athlete within this time period only. Travel to/from Games All athletes will ride the bus to every athletic contest and are encouraged to ride the bus back to school where they may be picked up and taken home after the last contest of the night. Parents (or another designated adult) may only take their athlete or another athlete home from an athletic contest. The locker room will close 15 minutes after the arrival of the bus after games. Please make arrangements to be there within this 15-minute time period to pick up your student. Behavior at Games While not participating (either before or after a game), all athletes are expected to sit together in an area designated by the coaches. They are permitted to go to the restroom/snack bar in pairs during half time of the game they are watching. Athletes may do homework during this time. Athletes are expected to cheer for their teammates during games and always show respect to opposing players, coaches, fans, administrators, and to the officials. Cancelled Practices / Re-scheduled Games / Cancellations / Weather Policies DO NOT assume that a practice/game has been cancelled due to weather. You will be notified by email, Twitter, and/or a phone call from your student if a practice or game has been cancelled. All games are scheduled and rescheduled (if necessary) by the LISD Athletics Office, not by the ACMS coaches. Conflicts due to rescheduled games will be handled on a case-by-case basis. The LISD has hot/cold weather policies to protect the safety of the athletes. These policies are strictly followed at ACMS. They include things such as mandatory water breaks, restrictions on equipment/clothing to be worn, and on the inability to have an outdoor practice. Coach Harden will send out an email if any practices or games are changed. As well as post it on twitter and our website. Injuries/Sickness Athletes will participate in every practice unless excused by a coach or a doctor. Only a doctor or trainer may excuse consecutive days of missed workouts. We highly encourage athletes who are injured at any ACMS practice or game to first go see the Hebron athletic trainers unless immediate medical attention is necessary. The Hebron trainers are available at 7:45 a.m. every day in one of the training rooms at Hebron High School (either in the football field house or in the training room at the back of the gyms) and will evaluate the injury free of charge. If they deem it necessary, the trainers will recommend the athlete see a doctor for further evaluation. This process may keep the athlete from missing practice/game
time when unnecessary. Emergency Rooms are expensive and should only be used when truly necessary. The district does offer a supplemental insurance to help with costs for injuries that occur during LISD sponsored activities. However, the district insurance is only a supplement to the athlete s personal health insurance and will not cover all costs. The athlete s personal health insurance must be used first and then the district insurance may be used to attempt to alleviate some of the cost. Students who attend classes are expected to attend practice, even if they do not participate. Athletes who are injured are expected to dress out in their athletics clothes and be as involved in practice as much as possible, not just to stand on the sidelines and watch. Removal from Athletics At any time during the school year, players can be removal for violating our athletic policies and/or school policies. This is subject to the infraction made, and removal from athletics is made by Coach Harden and Coach Brazil/Ms. Finch. Stealing from teammates is a very critical infraction and is one of the fastest ways to be removed. All athletes must maintain their grades above passing. If an athlete cannot show they can pass their classes in 7 th grade, they will be removed from 8 th grade athletics. All athletes must try out/participate in at least two sports to be enrolled in athletics. Failure to meet this requirement could result in removal from 8 th grade athletics. PLEASE COMPLETE THE PARENT SIGNATURE PAGE ON THE NEXT PAGE. BRING THE SIGNATURE PAGE ONLY WHEN YOUR SON PICKS UP THEIR FOOTBALL EQUIPMENT.
Parent Signature Page I have read the Arbor Creek Boy s Athletic Handbook, and understand the expectations provided in this document. Please bring this signature page when your son gets his football equipment. Must be turned in by August 17, 2018. Parent Signature Date Athlete Signature Date