Procedure 2151P
Interscholastic Athletics
Coach's Duties
In accordance with district policy and the coach's job description, the coach has the duty to:
Instruct Participants
The coach should employ the latest methods or proper instruction using sound progression in presenting motor skills. If an injury occurs while using an improper instructional method, negligence may be present.
Warn Participants
The coach should inform all athletes and their parents of the inherent risks involved in participation in the particular sport, including the very small risk of infection with a blood-borne pathogen. The coach must describe, using a variety of methods, the catastrophic and common non-catastrophic injuries unique to the sport.
Supervise Participants
The daily plan should show how the coach plans to conduct general supervision of the sport, and how he/she will supervise specific drills and other components of the daily practice. Adequacy of supervision should be reviewed in terms of quality and quantity. Factors to consider include, but are not limited to: the age of the students, the size of the students, the equipment involved, the maturity level of the students, the first aid equipment and training available, the appropriate certification of supervisors where required, and the safety training of the personnel involved.
Provide Safe Equipment And Facilities
Equipment should be properly fitted and maintained. Athletes should be instructed on how to conduct a daily inspection. Facilities should be free of hazards and inspected regularly.
Maintain Records Of Injuries
A report should be completed for each accident. Injury reports should be maintained for a period of five years after the student's 21st birthday.
Evaluate Fitness Of Participants
The coach has a duty to evaluate the physical fitness, the medical condition, and the skill level of athletes. Failure to evaluate and maintain records of those evaluations may be cause for negligence should an injury occur involving fatigue or lack of skill.
Provide Equal Protection And Due Process
While participation in co-curricular activities is a privilege, a participant who allegedly violates the conduct code must be afforded the opportunity of a fair hearing.
Transport Athletes Safely
A coach has a duty to see that athletes are safely transported to and from contests and to and from practices if practices are held at sites other than the immediate school grounds.
Group Participants
The coach has the duty to employ a recognized system of grouping for participants in a particular sport that will avoid unequal and unsafe participation, based upon skill level, age, maturity, sex, size and experience.
Foresee Danger
A coach should be able to reasonably anticipate foreseeable dangers that may occur if the activity is continued in a facility, or with equipment, or in a situation, and take precautions protecting the children in his/her custody from such dangers.
Protect From Loss
A participant is required to present evidence that he/she is covered by an accident policy. A blanket catastrophic (“no fault”) insurance provides coverage for serious injuries.
The duties listed above are not meant to be comprehensive. In carrying out the duties of the assignment a staff member is expected to act as a reasonable professional would have acted under similar circumstances. A staff member who supervises a sports activity is expected to know the intricacies of the activity that he/she is leading.
Summer Sports Activities/Clinics
Rules governing out-of-school and/or out-of-season student sports participation are as follows:
A. A practice is defined as a teaching phase of a sport to any present, past or future squad member while a student in grade 7-12 during the school year or during the summer. The school may not sponsor, promote or direct activities which resemble out-of-season practices or contests during the school year or summer.
A school staff member who sponsors, promotes or directs such activities during the summer vacation shall clearly indicate that he/she is operating independent of the school district. As such, the school district shall be free of liability associated with the activity.
B. Students shall be advised that participation in a commercial summer camp or clinic or other similar type of activity shall not begin until the conclusion of the final WIAA state tournament of the school year. Participants in a fall school sports program may not attend any summer camp/clinic in that sport after August 1 until the first fall sports turnout. The school should announce by school bulletin that summer sports camp/clinic is neither endorsed nor sponsored by the district.
C. A coach (contracted or volunteer) may not sponsor, promote, coach or direct activities which resemble out-of-season practices or contests in the sport they coach to any of their squad members or future squad members (grades 7-12) until after the school year's final WIAA state tournament.
D. The use of the school bulletin board, public address system or school newspaper for promotional purposes to announce sports clinics/camps shall fall within the same guidelines as applied to other commercial endeavors.
E. School facilities to be used for summer activity and/or sports camps may be rented consistent with the rates, rules and regulations applicable for other commercial uses.
A user shall hold the district free and without harm from any loss or damage, liability or expense that may arise during or be caused in any way such use of school facilities. Authorization for use of school facilities shall not be considered as endorsement of or approval of the activity group or organization nor for the purposes it represents.
ATHLETIC CODE
The opportunity to participate in the interscholastic athletic program is a privilege granted to all students of the district. Participants in this voluntary program are expected to conform to specific conduct standards established by the principals and athletic coaches.
A student who is found by a certificated staff member of the student's school to be in violation of any rules is subject to removal from the team. Provision is made for a student who has allegedly violated one or more of the conduct rules to appeal a disciplinary action as specified in this code.
The following rules shall be applicable for a sports season:
Use And/Or Possession Of Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco
An athlete who is found to be in possession of alcohol or tobacco products may be removed from the athletic team for three weeks (first offense). If the student violates the rule twice during the sports season, he/she will be dropped from the team for the season.
Use And/Or Possession Of Illegal Chemical Substances Or Opiates
An athlete who is found to be in possession of one or more of the above will be removed from the team for the balance of the sports season.
Physical Appearance
An athlete shall maintain the dress and grooming standards of the team. First offense: verbal warning. Repeated offenses: removal from the activity for five (5) school days.
Curfew
An athlete shall be at his/her home by _____ p.m. each night of the sports season unless detained by a school activity. First offense: verbal warning. Repeated offense: removal from activity for five (5) school days.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct
An athlete shall exhibit appropriate conduct in practices and/or contests. First offense: verbal warning. Repeated offense: removal from activity for five (5) school days.
Attendance At School
An athlete shall attend school for at least one half day on the day of an athletic contest. Penalty: If an athlete receives an unexcused absence for any portion of the day, the athlete shall be ineligible to participate in contest on that day. If excused, the athlete may participate if he/she was in attendance for one half day or more.
Absence From Practice
An athlete is expected to be in attendance at all team practices unless excused for illness or by prior approval. Penalty: ineligible to participate in next contest.
Violation Of Law On School Grounds
When a student is found guilty of an offense committed while on school grounds or at a school activity, the corrective action will depend upon the nature of the violation.
Repeated Offenses
If a student repeatedly violates one of the above rules, he/she may be removed from the team for the remainder of the sports season.
APPEAL PROCESS FOR DISCIPLINARY ACTION
When infractions occur within the athletic program, the following process may be followed:
A. Upon the imposition of penalty for infraction(s) of said rules or regulations, any aggrieved student and parents of said student shall have the right to an informal conference with the building principal and/or designee, activities director, and coach (Building Hearing Committee) to request that they refrain from enforcing the decision of the coach or ask the coach to reconsider. If the students and parents do not make a written request for this informal conference within five (5) school days of the action grieved, they will have waived their right to the conference and appeal procedure. The informal conference is to be held within three (3) school days of the request.
B. If the parties are unable to agree at the informal conference, the aggrieved party may appeal to the building eligibility committee. The building eligibility committee consists of the activities director and three student peers and three building staff members named by the building administrator. The building eligibility committee must meet within three (3) school days of the appeals request. The aggrieved party and the coach(es) shall be available as a resource.
C. The Building Eligibility Committee will hear the case in detail and will render a decision within three (3) school days after hearing the case.
D. The aggrieved party may appeal to the superintendent of schools within three (3) school days of the appeals decision. The superintendent of schools, after hearing the case in detail, shall render a decision within ten (10) school days of the hearing.
E. The aggrieved party may appeal the superintendent's decision to the disciplinary appeal council established in Policy 3300, Corrective Actions or Punishments, or to the board of directors in the absence of a disciplinary council, within three (3) school days. The disciplinary council or board of directors, after hearing the case in detail, shall render a decision on the case within ten (10) school days of the hearing. This decision shall be final.
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