Team Information

Academic Eligibility

Every Monday morning of the school term, all athletes and cheerleaders academic eligibility will be reviewed and a list of failures will be submitted to the Athletic Director. The Athletic Director and/or Principal will meet with students who are not passing 6 classes. Seniors must be passing all classes required for graduation. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss reasons for failures, methods to improve grades and status.

School Board Policy points out academic and athletic eligibility requirements. Coaches and participants will always be informed of probationary or suspension decisions. For the students’ first notification of failing grades, they will receive one (1) week probation and will be required to improve grades to a minimum standard or above. The student may participate in full during the probationary period. Failure to meet the passing grades after the probationary week will result in suspension from the sport for a minimum of one (1) week beginning immediately following the time the deficiency was reported to the student. Participation during subsequent days/weeks will be reviewed. The suspension from participation will stand until passing grades have been verified.

All students participating in inter-scholastic sports (including cheerleading) are required to pass six (6) classes during the marking period. At the end of the marking period overall grades will be reviewed and the participant must have passed a minimum of four (4) full credits per PIAA requirements. If the participant is not passing four (4) credits he/she will be placed on a fifteen (15) school day suspension beginning the day the report card is/was issued to the student(s).

Absences

Any student who signs into school after 8:15 a.m. without a legal excuse will be ineligible to participate, in any way, in the athletic activity for that day. Legal excuses include appointments with a doctor, dentist, therapist, lawyer, etc., and will be reviewed on a case – by – case basis. A note, or verification that the student athlete was at an appointment, etc., is required to verify a legal excuse. A non-excused absence from school also makes a student ineligible for athletic participation. Student athletes are expected attend school, and must be in school on a given day to practice/participate. Any exceptions must be approved beforehand by the Athletic Director and/or Principal. For instance, if a student did not attend school because they were sick, the student is not permitted to attend practice and/or participate in games. It is also the responsibility of the head coach to make sure that student athletes on their team who are absent from school, or sign in after 8:15 without a legal excuse, are not practicing or participating in games. Failure to make sure that these rules are being following may result in disciplinary action.

Student athletes and other participants in extracurricular activities that miss 20 days of school in a semester will be suspended from participating in sports until they attend school for 45 days. The suspension will begin once the 20th day of school is missed.

Coaches are encouraged to stress rules and expectations for our student athletes. Team rules supersede school rules as long as the penalty is more stringent. Any violations of conduct, including sportsmanship, will be dealt with by coaches, the Athletic Director, and administration on a case – by – case basis.

Athletics Code of Conduct

All athletes and cheerleaders participating in athletics are expected to be drug free. Participation in varsity, junior varsity, or junior high athletics is a privilege, not a right. The Shamokin Area School District prohibits the use, and/or possession, and/or distribution, and/or sale of any alcohol, controlled substances, drug paraphernalia or tobacco (including smokeless tobacco) and electronic cigarettes, or other nicotine delivery devices.

The Code of Conduct Includes Participation In Any Of the Following (Varsity or Junior High):

Managers, statisticians, or scorekeepers that are involved with the above teams are subject to the same rules found in the Athletics Code of Conduct.

Substance Abuse

All students participating in interscholastic athletics and cheerleading shall be subject to the following standards concerning DRUGS, ALCOHOL, STEALING, OR USE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS:

• Any in-season (beginning with the first practice date) student-athlete found or discovered by a school official, or convicted in a court of law, to be using or possessing a controlled substance/alcohol or abusing any drug shall be removed from that squad for that sport season.
• Any student-athlete found or discovered using or possessing tobacco products at any school sponsored event, on or off school grounds, shall be subject to the Middle/High School discipline for tobacco products.

Theft

Any student-athlete found or discovered by a school official to be stealing shall be brought before the Athletic Director and Principal to hear the case and determine disciplinary action.

Athletic Rules - General Information

In order to participate in athletics, a student – athlete must either carry school insurance or present evidence to the athletic director showing that he/she is insured through their parent(s)/guardian(s). All student athletes participating in athletics are required to have a complete physical examination. All eligible participants must be pronounced physically fit by a physician.

The Athletic Rules and Code of Conduct covers all student athletes and participants during the entire school year.

• Annually the policy will go into effect as of the earliest PIAA fall sports season start date.
• The policy remains in effect through commencement or until all PIAA school sports seasons are finished for the school year, whichever comes later.
• If an athlete is not in-season or is at the end of their season, their punishment may carry over to the next sports season they participate in. (Ex. A basketball player that plays a spring sport, is caught violating the code of conduct at the end of the basketball season. They are still covered by the Code of Conduct, and may serve the punishment during their next sport season). The school district reserves the right to invoke individual discipline for a student athlete violating the Code of Conduct out of season.
• The school district reserves the right to invoke team discipline for violation of these expectations that occur both ON and OFF campus, both IN and OUT of season.
• Head coaches and advisors are responsible for holding meetings, or sharing with student athletes and parents, the Athletic Rules for Student Athletes and Participants and Code of Conduct.
• Student athletes will not receive a varsity letter in their sport if they quit the team, are removed from the team for disciplinary actions, and/or have a code of conduct violation. Code of conduct violations remove student athletes from being a captain and consideration for all post season and end of year awards.
• Missing a practice or game without an excuse acceptable to the head coach is prohibited, and is subject to the head coach’s disciplinary action.
• Participants in athletics or extracurricular activities are subject to the school district’s disciplinary policies for students.
• Student athletes and participants are responsible for all equipment/supplies issued. All uniforms and equipment must be returned upon request from the head coach or athletic director. Any loss of equipment, or damage beyond the normal wear – and – tear, is the responsibility of the student athlete. Student athletes who do not live up to this responsibility risk the withholding of their letter award, and being billed for lost, not handed – in, or damaged equipment. Any unpaid bills for lost, damaged, or not handed – in equipment will preclude student athletes from participating in subsequent sports seasons, and/or graduation.
• The conduct and language of the student athlete will not cause embarrassment to the Shamokin Area School District, the team, the coaching staff, advisors, parents or guardians, and the community as a whole. Student athletes and participants will be held to team rules and the Shamokin Area School District Disciplinary Code. School district administration reserves the right to invoke discipline or consequences on a case – by – case basis, for individuals or teams, for conduct that causes embarrassment to the Shamokin Area School District, its athletic programs, and overall community.
• Student activities transportation will be furnished by the school to and from games/activities. A student may be released to their parent(s) or acting guardian(s) after an away event/activity if the head coach allows. In order for a coach to release the student to their parent or guardian, a note must be presented to the coach by a parent or guardian. This may be done up until departure from the event.
• Cooperation with any investigation relative to the Code of Conduct is required. Failure to comply with an investigation into a possible Code of Conduct violation may result in suspension from participation, or even dismissal from the team.
• Involvement in any hazing activity will not be tolerated. Students who are found to have participated in any hazing activity will lose the privilege to participate in athletics, be held to the discipline code on this matter, and law enforcement may be called to investigate.

The school board and administration reserves the right to make modifications to the Athletic Activity Rules and Code of Conduct.

Athletes Receiving Detention

A fourth student behavior referral which stipulates detention hours to be served will mean that the extracurricular participant will be suspended two games or events. The suspension will take place in the next two events. One game or event includes all activities or performances for an entire 24 hour period. The second game or event will include another 24 hour period. Five or more student athlete behavioral referrals which stipulate the serving of detention hours will automatically remove the student from all extracurricular activities for the remainder of that sports season. The consequences outlined above are limited to each participant’s sports season. The official PIAA season start dates will be used to determine eligibility. Students suspended athletically for detention violations can practice, but may not dress for any games/events.

Out of School Suspension

The first time a student athlete is suspended from school during a sports season they will not be allowed to participate in any extracurricular activities while serving their suspension. Student athletes will not be able to participate in practice or games on a day they are suspended from school. Student athletes may return to their team the following day after completing their suspension. A second suspension from school of a student athlete during a sports season will result in an automatic two game/event suspension, regardless of whether the games/events occur during the suspension from school. Once a student athlete completes their second suspension from school they may return to practice, but must complete the two game/event suspension before returning to participating in subsequent games/events. A third suspension from school during a sports season will cause the student athlete to forfeit their eligibility for the remainder of that sports season.

Code of Conduct Investigations

• Investigations will be directed by the middle/high school administration in cooperation with the athletic director, coaches and advisors. Other school administration may participate in the investigation.
• A review committee consisting of the principal, assistant principal, athletic director, and two (2) faculty members or coaches will determine the merit of each individual case.

Code of Conduct Appeals Process

• The appeals process will only be used to ensure that policy and procedure has been followed by all administrators.
• The consequences cannot be modified.
• The student athlete and parents can give a statement.
• An appeal (by student athlete or parent) can be made to the principal who will forward the appeal to the School Board Athletic Committee, which consists of three (3) school board members, the high school principal, and the superintendent. The committee will review the evidence and render its decision. If appealed, the penalty is delayed and the student may participate in activities pending the outcome of the appeal.

The school board president may call an executive committee meeting to discuss policy and procedure related to the Rules for Athletes and Cheerleaders and the Athlete’s Code of Conduct. The Rules for Athletes and Cheerleaders and Student Athlete Code of Conduct may be reviewed and modified per school board recommendations and approval.