Athletic Handbook
CODE OF CONDUCT:
Participation in athletics and activities programs at EVHS is a privilege not a right. Privileges such as these carry a corresponding responsibility of all participants. This Code of Conduct is designed to ensure that the student athletes and activities participants reflect positively on themselves, their families, their teams, and the school community as a whole. They represent Eagle Valley High School. This policy aligns with Eagle County Schools Board Policy and serves as the definitive source for conduct and consequences for participants in EVHS Athletic and Activity Programs.
Student athletes/Activity participants will:
● Refrain from attending gatherings, social or otherwise, where drugs, alcohol, and tobacco are present.
● Maintain good grades and attendance, adhering to Attendance and Academic Eligibility policies.
● Maintain team and training standards (diet, rest, and exercise).
● Take all grievances directly to the coach or activity sponsor in a private conference. To appeal any resolution, contact the Athletic Director.
● Understand that practice, competition, performance, and corresponding team responsibilities are often stressful and time-consuming and, as such, offer opportunity for personal growth and maturity.
● Display sportsmanlike conduct and appropriate behavior at all times. Participants are always representing Eagle Valley High School.
● Refrain from criminal or civil law infractions or any conduct that is determined by the head coach, activity sponsor, or school administration to be detrimental to athletic/activity programs, school, or district.
● Consent to random drug/nicotine testing while in season.
● Sign the Athletic/Activity Participation Contract (found on Eagle Valley High School website
Coaches/Sponsors will:
● Assume full responsibility for participants and coaching staff.
● Respect individuality of every participant, treating each in a respectful manner.
● Notify participants who are on the Attendance or Academic Ineligible list
● Report injuries to parents and monitor both the therapy and the return to full participation status.
● Communicate with parents when imposing disciplinary sanctions involving competition/performance.
● Maintain up-to-date knowledge of technical methods and methodology of sport or activity.
● Conduct himself/herself at all times as a proper model at school, in the competition/performance arena, and in the community.
Parents will:
● Respect the professionalism and well as the prerogatives of the coach/sponsor.
● Support the team, coach, sponsor, and school through positive action.
● Take concerns directly to the coach/sponsor with an intent on seeking understanding and cooperative resolution (see Chain of Communication).
● Allow 24 hours before or after any competition or event before addressing a coach or sponsor with concerns.
● Help their child to understand that, while an integral part of school life, athletics and activities are predicated upon the child’s positive performance and credible behavior as a student, participant, family member, and community member.
● Refrain from interference by words or actions with any individual (whether athlete, coach, sponsor, or official) or team during the course of an event associated with training, competition, or performance.
● Consent to have their child entered into the Random Drug/Nicotine Testing program.
● Sign the Athletic/Activity Participation Contract (found on Eagle Valley High School website.
ATHLETIC/ACTIVITY ATTENDANCE POLICY:
● Participants must be enrolled in a course load that will earn a minimum of 2 ½ units of credit per semester (minimum of five .5 credit classes).
● Students must be in attendance at school all day in order to participate in any school-sponsored activity that is conducted on that day unless it is for a documented
absence. Participation in extracurricular activities is a privilege, not a right. Students earn that privilege by being present in class.
● Students missing for a documented absence (medical, dental, etc) must present a note from the doctor’s office in order to participate on that day. For questions regarding acceptable documentation for non-medical appointments, please contact the Athletic Director.
● If a student is ill for any part of the day, he or she is ineligible to participate in any school-sponsored activity conducted on that day (practice, game, or performance).
● In case of emergence or extenuating circumstances, the Athletic Director or designee may grant an exception to this limitation if notified prior to the absence occurring.
- Every Wednesday EVHS will run an attendance report for participants in athletics or activities. If any participant has an unexcused or unresolved absence, they will be ineligible for competition/performance for the following week (Monday through Saturday). The participant will have until Friday morning to resolve their absence(s) in order to be eligible for the following week.
- Students may also lose eligibility due to excessive tardies.
CHAIN OF COMMUNICATION:
Please adhere to the following steps whenever important information regarding any aspect of the athletic or activity program must be communicated. Important information includes concerns, grievances, or questions.
1. First parents should speak to their student to determine if there is an issue. Often necessary communication has taken place between coach and participant, of which the parents are unaware. If there is an issue, parents should listen to their student and help them problem solve.
2. If there is an issue, participants must then speak to the coach or sponsor. It is an important life skill that students learn to advocate and problem solve for themselves.
3. If parental involvement is needed, parents should first speak to the participant’s immediate event coach or sponsor to seek resolution. This may be an assistant or the head.
4. If resolution is not accomplished, the parent should contact the Athletic Director who will determine the best course of action to resolve the issue.
5. Head Coaches and Sponsors are expected to take concerns directly to the Athletic Director.
6. If any player, parent, or assistant coach/sponsor approaches the Athletic Director with concerns, he or she will be referred back to the Head Coach or Sponsor to start the discussion process. If it is a minor problem that can be resolved without interrupting the coach’s/sponsor’s time Athletic Director will work on resolving it and keep the coach informed.
7. The Athletic Director communicates to the Principal.
8. The Principal communicates to the Superintendent.
ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY POLICY
**Coaches may have policies that meet or exceed building and district policy.
Weekly:
● A student who is not passing 5 or more classes when the Ineligible report is run on Friday mornings will be Ineligible for competition/performance for the following week (Monday through Saturday). The student will have until 3:30 pm on Friday to resolve one or more of the F’s in order to be eligible for the following week. If one or more of the F’s cannot be resolved by 3:30pm on Friday, the student will remain ineligible for the following week.
● Per CHSAA bylaw 1710, Students must be passing five .5 credits each week in order to be eligible for the following week.
● A student who is failing one class may receive an Academic Warning notification. This is a warning that the student is in danger of becoming ineligible. The student maintains full eligibility while on Academic Warning.
Semester:
● To maintain eligibility for a season of participation, students must pass classes that total 2 ½ units of credit (five .5 classes) at the end of each semester. A student who does not pass the minimum number of classes may regain eligibility at a time determined by CHSAA.
● A “conditional” or “incomplete” grade shall be considered the same as an F when determining eligibility.
● No make-up work shall be permitted after the close of the semester for the purpose of becoming eligible except in the case of a manifest hardship as determined by the Principal or Athletic Director. Students in the case would be given a like number of days to complete the make-up work as the number of days they were absent. In such cases, CHSAA must be notified in writing.
● Summer school or it’s equivalent credit accepted by the school toward graduation may be used to replace any units of credit failed if completed by the date designated by CHSAA. Credits made up in the summer must be in the same curricular area and must be accepted to meet graduation requirements of class(es) previously failed.
EVHS RANDOM DRUG/NICOTINE TESTING POLICY
Students participating in any of the EVHS athletic and activity programs are registered in the random drug/nicotine testing pool during the term of participation:
Each week, using an online random draw program, there's a possibility of three boys and three girls are drawn to participate in random drug/nicotine testing. Tampered, falsified, or invalidated tests will be subject to the consequences of a positive drug/nicotine test. Possession of paraphernalia for the purpose of falsifying a test will be subject to the consequences of a positive drug/nicotine test. (See EVHS Athletics and Activities Discipline Matrix below)
Infraction
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ATHLETICS AND ACTIVITIES DISCIPLINE MATRIX GENERAL OFFENSES
SUBSTANCE RELATED OFFENSES (Drug, Alcohol, Tobacco)
Substance use negatively impacts athletic and academic performance.
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1st Infraction |
Consequences |
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Positive test result from random drug/nicotine testing pool Or Admission of use |
a) The student will be suspended immediately from all extra-curricular participation for not less than 50% of season effective immediately from the date of discovery by school administration of the infraction. During this period of suspension, the student may not travel, compete, perform, nor otherwise |
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Or Substance abuse violation (possession, use, influence, paraphernalia, Code of Conduct violation) |
represent as a member of Eagle ValleyHigh School. At the discretion of the Athletic Director, the student may be allowed to participate in practices held on campus. Forthrightly confronting the consequences of one’s actions is to be commended and encouraged. |
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b) The student forfeits varsity letter eligibility and any opportunity to be nominated for postseason honors and/or awards. |
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OR |
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The student has the opportunity to earn back 25% of one season and the potential to earn a varsity letter and post-season honors and awards through the following: |
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a) Restorative Justice Process for Participants in Athletics/Activities (See process below) |
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AND |
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b) 5 hours of community service to the school (picking up trash in the parking lot and around campus, cleaning athletic areas like the bleachers, etc) supervised by a school staff member. |
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If the infraction is school related, additional disciplinary actions will follow (See EVHS Progressie Discipline Matrix in the Student Planner). |
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2nd Infraction |
Consequences |
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Positive test result from random drug/nicotine testing pool Or Substance Abuse violation |
a) The student will be suspended immediately from all extracurricular participation for one full calendar year effective immediately from the date of discovery by school administration of the infraction. During this period of suspension, the student may not travel, compete, perform, nor otherwise represent as a member of Eagle Valley High School. At the discretion of the Athletic Director, the student may be allowed to participate in practices held on campus. Forthrightly confronting the consequences of one’s actions is to be commended and encouraged. b) The student forfeits varsity letter eligibility and any opportunity to be nominated for postseason honors and/or awards.
OR
The student has the opportunity to earn back to missing one full season (can carry over to future seasons) through the following:
a) Restorative Justice Process in addition to the student |
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creating a presentation that shows how he or she will follow through on step 6. AND
b) 10 hours of community service to the school (picking up trash in the parking lot and around campus, cleaning athletic areas like the bleachers, etc) supervised by a school staff member.
If the infraction is school related, additional disciplinary actions will follow (See EVHS Progressie Discipline Matrix in the Student Planner). |
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3rd Infraction |
Consequences |
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Positive test result from random drug/nicotine testing pool Or Substance abuse violation |
a) The student will be suspended immediately from all extra-curricular participation for the duration of his or her high school career effective immediately from the date of discovery by school administration of the infraction.
OR
The student has the opportunity to earn back to missing one full calendar year of suspension through the following:
a) Completion of a Substance Abuse program, approved by the Athletic Director, with a certified Substance Abuse counselor. The student will have to provide proof of the meetings and completion of program to the Athletic Director.
AND
b) 20 hours of community service to the school (picking up trash in the parking lot and around campus, cleaning athletic areas like the bleachers, etc) supervised by a school staff member.
If the infraction is school related, additional disciplinary actions will follow (See EVHS Progressie Discipline Matrix in the Student Planner). |
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4th Infraction |
Consequences |
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Positive test result from random drug/nicotine testing pool Or Substance abuse violation |
The student will be suspended immediately from all extra-curricular participation for the duration of his or her high school career effective immediately from the date of discovery by school administration of the infraction with no opportunity to return to play. |
Restorative Justice Process for Participants in Athletics/Activities
In order for Restorative Justice to be effective, the offender must have a genuine desire to make a change for themselves and take responsibility for that change. This cannot be accomplished alone. The offender will need the help of important stakeholders involved, his or her TEAM.
TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More - TEAM Members: Coach/Sponsor, team leaders/captains (as determined by the coach/sponsor), Athletic Director, parents, and a Counselor or district Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist.
The offender must meet with the TEAM using the following 7 Challenges as guidelines. The offender cannot move on to a Challenge unless he or she has “mastered” the previous one. “Mastery” is determined by input from the TEAM with final determination by the Athletic Director. This may require several meetings to accomplish.
7 Challenges: The offender must:
1. Discuss openly and honestly about themselves and about their use of drugs, alcohol, and/or tobacco.
2. Discuss openly and honestly about why they feel they are using drugs, alcohol, and/or tobacco.
3. Discuss if their substance use has caused harm or could cause harm (the “to whom” is an important component of this discussion).
4. Discuss his/her responsibility and the responsibility of others for his/her problem.
5. Discuss where he/she is headed, where he/she wants to go, what he/she wants to accomplish, and how his/her substance use could prevent that.
6. (along with TEAM) make thoughtful and meaningful decisions about his/her life and his/her future use of drugs, alcohol, and/or tobacco.
7. Must follow through on his/her decisions about life and substance use. If anyone on the TEAM sees problems or if there is an additional infraction, offender is immediately suspended from play and must go back to earlier Challenges and start over per Discipline Matrix.
Substance Abuse Infractions that occur at any time, in any place, and in any form during the school year will impact the next sport competed. If suspension cannot be completed in the current sport, it will carry over to the next sport competed. During the summer, if a participant is found to be in possession, use, or distribution, the participant will still be in violation. The loss of eligibility will impact the next sport competed. All substance abuse violations will be cumulative for the entire high school career.
Percentages for Violations:
Sport 25% 50%
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Baseball |
6 |
12 |
Games |
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Basketball |
6 |
12 |
Games |
Cheer/Dance Dependent upon season; Fall equal to volleyball. Winter equal to basketball
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Cross Country |
3 |
6 |
Meets |
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Football |
3 |
5 |
Games |
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Golf |
3 |
6 |
Tournaments |
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Hockey |
5 |
10 |
Games |
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Lacrosse |
4 |
8 |
Games |
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Skiing |
3 |
6 |
Races |
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Softball |
6 |
12 |
Games |
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Soccer |
4 |
8 |
Games |
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Track & Field |
3 |
6 |
Meets |
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Volleyball |
6 |
12 |
Games |
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Wrestling |
7 |
14 |
Points |
TEAM RULES VIOLATIONS
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Infraction |
Consequence |
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Any violation of team behavior, expectations, subject to the approval of the Athletic Director. |
As determined by the Coach or Sponsor, and subject to the approval of the Athletic Director, consequences could include community service, probation, forfeiture of varsity letter eligibility, suspension from participation, or dismissal from participation. |
INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC AND ACTIVITY PARTICIPATION
Participation:
● Home-based students, private school students, and students from other public high schools will compete under the same policies, expectations, and circumstances as Battle Mountain students. No guarantee will be made as to a position on the team or activity.
● No guarantee will be made as to the amount of playing time to be granted if students successfully qualify for a team or activity.
● There is no expectation of identical playing time at any level. The coaches, who will implement the philosophy at each level, will determine playing time.
● Although the primary objective of athletic competition is to win, the following philosophy will be observed at the high school level:
○ C-Team: Involvement of as many students as practical will be encouraged in practice and competition. A broad range of athletes will be given the opportunity to play. Every C-team athlete should get quality playing time every game, but playing time will not be equal. C-team should be exclusively freshmen and sophomore based. No juniors will be allowed to participate at the C level without expressed consent of athlete, coach, and A.D. An automatic exception is made for foreign exchange students to participate at any level.
○ Junior Varsity: Players will be those athletes judged by coaches to be the best suited to compete successfully. At this level, there are still athletes who have partially developed talent and can profit by game experience. Junior Varsity programs serve as an important purpose by developing the skills of promising athletes not quite ready for Varsity competition. No amount of playing time will be guaranteed at the Junior Varsity level. JV will be for freshmen, sophomores, or juniors. Seniors will not be allowed to participate at the JV level without the expressed consent of the coach and A.D.
○ Varsity: Players will be those judged by coaches to be best suited to compete successfully. Every effort within the bounds of good sportsmanship and playing by the rules will be made to win. No amount of playing time will be guaranteed at the Varsity level. The expectation will be that if an athlete is not participating at the Varsity level, they should be participating at the JV level unless they are seniors.
Practice, Game, and Performance Participation:
● All participants are expected to attend all practices and games unless notice is provided to the coach/sponsor prior to the absence.
● Failure to notify the coach/sponsor prior to the absence occurring will result in that practice being unexcused (regardless of the reason for the absence). Multiple unexcused absences may result in the participant being removed from that team.
● Attendance at practice includes Saturdays, holidays, and school breaks. If a participant misses practice, game, or performance, playing time in the next contest may be reduced in favor of a participant who did not miss.
● Coaches reserve the right to close practice to outside visitors. If outside visitors attend practice, they should not be near the playing area and should not, at any time, interact with the participants or coaches during or immediately following practice. If contact (verbal or physical) is made with athletes or coaches that disrupts practice, the administration withholds the right to ban that person from future practices.
Off-Season Practices:
Off-season workouts, especially strength and conditioning or athletic development workouts, are highly encouraged but are not mandatory. Per CHSAA bylaw 2310.2, no coach or school representative may direct a student to practice outside of the formal practice season as a condition to participating or otherwise influencing a student’s opportunity to participate in any school sport.
Athletic Participation Fees:
● All participating athletes must pay a participation fee based on the following criteria before they will be allowed to participate in a competition or performance.
● The Athletic Fee for all participating athletes must be collected prior to an athlete’s competing in a contest.
● If a family is on the Free or Reduced Lunch program, the athletic fee will be waived.
● Refund Policy - A full refund will be made to any athlete who is cut or quits before being involved in the sport through ten (10) calendar days. No refund will be made after ten
(10) calendar days or if the athlete has competed in a competition or scrimmage. Refund requests based on extenuating circumstances must be made directly to the Athletic Director.
Returning Home with Parents and/or Other Adults:
Students riding home from an away competition or performance with their parents must complete the following procedure:
● The parents must personally sign out their student with a coach at the end of the event. Students riding home from an away competition or performance with an adult other than their parents must complete the following procedure at least 24 hours prior to the competition or performance:
● The parents must fill out and sign an ECSD Authorization for Student/Athlete Release from Group form (found in the main office) and return to the Athletic Secretary at least 24 hours prior to the event.
● The Athletic Secretary or Athletic Director will email the form to the parent and the coach.
Athletic Registration Procedures and Forms:
Students who wish to participate in athletics and activities must register through Rschool Today. https://eaglevalley-ar.rschooltoday.com/
Registration Requirements:
● Register on Rschool (save login if participating in multiple sports)
● Current health insurance is required for athletics (This can be purchased through K&K Insurance. If you need help purchasing insurance, the Athletic Secretary will assist you. Please bring in a credit/debit card).
● Athlete must create an account on ArbiterAthlete (This only needs to be done once in the athlete’s high school career)
● Turn in hard copy of current physical to Athletic Office( physicals are good 1 calendar year)
● Fee will be collected prior to first game.
● Contract for Athletic/Activity handbook
Sports Medicine:
Our certified Athletic Trainer, Amy Wheeler, is here to provide prevention, care, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries. All paperwork and documentation regarding the
student-athlete’s previous or current medical condition are kept confidential. The Injury and Concussion Acknowledgement and Agreement form includes information regarding the risks of sport participation and who may be informed of a student-athlete’s medical condition. If the student-athlete goes to another healthcare professional for any illness or injury, related or not related to sport activity, a written release from the physician must be returned to the Athletic Trainer before the student-athlete returns participation. For more detailed information about the EVHS Sports Medicine program, please contact Ms. Wheeler.