Mustang Girls Basketball Player Handbook 20012/2013
Playing Time: Playing time is not guaranteed. Playing time will not be equal for everyone. This is not JH basketball anymore. Factors to take into consideration for playing time: 1. Basketball skills possessed by player. 2. Game conditions on a given night. 3. Level of play from the other team. 4. Player practicing/playing up to their potential. 5. Player s ability to be coached. 6. Player s attitude. 7. Player s relentless work ethic during practice. Players that come out have the opportunity to: 1. Work together to accomplish a common goal. 2. Shape their star qualities. Responsibility Commitment Persistence Risk Taking Focus Patience 3. Experience what it means to give your best effort. 4. Overcome adversity. 5. Develop and demonstrate desire to improve. 6. Gain Consistency 7. Conduct themselves in a positive manor in stressful situations. 8. Learn true sportsmanship. 9. Develop personal character. 10. Learn to handle pressure situations. 11. Experience the trials & tribulations of a season. 12. Support one another through the ups and downs of the season. 13. Help teammates succeed and reach their goals. 14. Learn to control their emotions in stressful situations. 15. Persevere through great challenges. 16. Learn true value of being a part of a bigger picture. 17. Be part of something greater than one s self. Players that come out for the playing time will be disappointed.
Points of Emphasis: Players who are injured are expected to be at practice watching and learning. If a player fails to communicate with the coaches that she is not going to make practice she will be considered unexcused from practice. Come and talk directly to the coaches. Don t send someone to be your messenger. Communication and responsibility! If you don t agree with the way a coach is doing something, you are encouraged to discuss the matter with the coach after practice or before school. In some cases you may have a good point. Don t let little problems fester into big problems. Gossiping, the rumor weed, and facebook are not acceptable forms of negative communication. If you have concerns or feel you are not being treated fairly, talk to a coach. If it isn t important enough to talk to the coach about then it isn t important enough to gossip about! The Mustang program is looking for players who are willing to: o Work Hard the harder we work the more successful we become. o Believe in the Team Concept we need unselfish players to succeed. o Have a Winning Attitude never shy away because of fear. Look for ways to win. o Believe in Themselves Play with confidence, lead by example. o Believe in Your Teammates Understand that we are different be tolerant of teammates and each others differences. o Believe In Your Coaches Understand that your coaches are trying to make you better people and players. Behavior: We expect you as Mustang Girl s Basketball Players to be leaders within our school showing good character. Behavior which is detrimental to your teammates, coaches, school, and community cannot be tolerated if we are to move forward as a team. Discipline yourself, so that nobody has to discipline you. (Each discipline case will be dealt with in an individual manner by the coaches.) Good sportsmanship will be stressed. Swearing and foul language will not be tolerated. Trash talking to opponents will not be acceptable. Working with teammates and not against is important. Proper conduct on away trips example: riding the bus in appropriate manner, care of opponent s facilities, etc. Conduct detrimental to Mustang basketball, school, community, etc. will be dealt with on an individual basis at coach s discretion.
Students receiving the following will not be allowed to practice that day and will sit out the next game: Detention In School Suspension (two or more hours in one day) Out of School Suspension Missing practice because of detention is considered an unexcused absence and will result in missing one game. Practice Attendance: Players are expected to be at practice unless: Player Responsibilities A player is ill and cannot attend. If this happens during the school day, one of the coaches or one of the office secretaries should be contacted by the player before practice. If a player knows that she will need to miss practice (for a good reason) it must be cleared in advance with the coaches. Family Trips We would ask, as coaches, that you communicate with us as soon as possible dealing with extended plans for trips. Playing time on return from trips is dependent upon a number of items such as: length of time away from team preparation, communication with coaches as to how long you will be gone, the play of your teammates while you are on the trip, the length of time needed upon your return to get back into playing shape to be fair to yourself and your teammates, etc. (coaches discretion). Players who are injured are expected to be at practice watching and learning. If a player fails to notify the coaches she will be considered unexcused from practice. Come and talk directly to the coaches, don t send someone to be your messenger. An unexcused absence will result in player not playing in the next game. After two unexcused absences, the player will not be allowed to practice or participate in games until a parent meeting has taken place with the coaches to discuss the player s future with the team.
Rules of Respect for a Team Situation o Individuals cannot win games by themselves. Basketball is a team sport; therefore, everyone must always do what is best for the team on and off the court. Individual statistics mean very little if the team does not win. o Leave the picking of a starting team to the coaches. Worry only about your job on the court. o Always acknowledge a teammate when she helps you accomplish something in practice or a game. Then she will be eager to do it again. Talk and think positively. o When a team is suppose to be someplace, everyone should be on time and dressed accordingly. o We shall show sportsmanship towards our opponents at all times. o Leave all criticism of officials to the coaches. If you receive a technical for any kind of unsportsmanship conduct, you will be done playing for the game. o When you are taken out of a game, we will not tolerate a show of disappointment, because this is an insult to the teammate that replaced you. Remember, this is a team sport! It is not all about you! o All members on the bench will actively encourage their teammates who are playing. Pouting on the bench shows very little respect for teammates. o We will sit together as a team before every game. For home games, everyone is expected to be in the stands by 5:55 p.m. unless you make prior arrangements with Coach Lundin in advance. Tell your boy friend to stay away at that time! o If you don t agree with the way a coach is doing something, you are encouraged to discuss the matter with the coach after practice or before school. In some cases you may have a good point. Don t let little problems fester into big problems. Dress and Appearance: Items which cannot be allowed if we are to represent ourselves as student athletes: Any sweatshirt, t-shirt, cap, etc. that in any way advertises or promotes tobacco, alcohol, drugs, sexual connotations, or anything that makes you ineligible according to Minnesota State High School League rules.
Game Dress: --Uniform Dress All players will wear solid white or blue socks. Not a combination of both such as candy cane socks. --T-shirts that are the same color as the uniform may be worn. --No excess of wrist bands. Wrist bands and head bands must be the color of the uniform that we are wearing. (MSHSL Rule) --No dress which promotes the individual player over the team. (Coaches/refs Discretion) --Jewelry of any kind is prohibited; Including nose rings & belly button piercings! **Players will not be allowed to participate until they are in compliance with the above items dealing with uniform dress. Game Day Dress: At School, to games, before games, and after games: Athletes will follow their High School Student Handbook Dress Code. Failure to follow the dress code will result in not playing in that day s game or the following game. Dress when riding bus to away games, scrimmages and Mustang practices: All players must bring and wear a jacket in order to ride the bus to away games, scrimmages, and Mustang practices. In addition, you should also have gloves, hat, and boots. Breakdowns do happen and you never know when. Practice and team open gym dress: Wear a t-shirt under your practice jersey. T-shirt sleeves (only sleeves) may be cut off the t-shirt. We do not want to see sports bras! Failure to comply will result in you not practicing that day. The missed practice will be counted as unexcused. It is YOUR responsibility to have the proper practice gear. Not your moms!!!! Players not dressing for varsity or junior varsity. o We ask that all varsity players be at the junior varsity games at the start to cheer on Mustang teammates. Players should sit together behind the team if possible. o Any player on the junior varsity team who is not dressing for the varsity game is required to sit behind the varsity team bench during the game unless the player has a special circumstance and has been cleared to go home with a parent. o We expect that you watch the game. You are not to be sitting with boyfriend or classmates that aren t on the team.
Lettering Policy In order to letter a player must participate in ½ the varsity halves played. Regular season haves are counted 1-1 Sub-section ¼ finals are 1-1.5 Sub-section semi finals are 1-2 Sub-section final is 1-3 Section final is 1-4 State tournament is 1-5 Letters may be awarded or not awarded based on the coach s discretion. Cell Phones -Players will not be allowed to use their cell phones on the bus, in the stands, or in the locker room leading up to a game. During away games all phones will be put away until the bus ride home, then the players will be able to make as many calls or text as they want on the ride home. If there is a real emergency and a parent needs to get a hold of a player before a game they can call my phone at 320-247-2432. If a player gets caught using her phone during team time, playing time for that player will be affected.
Player Handbook Return Form Please detach and return this form before the first day of practice 20012/2013: I have read the information in this packet regarding the expectations required of myself/daughter during this basketball season. In addition, my daughter has brought home a practice and game schedule to share with her family. Player Signature Date Parent Signature Date