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Athletic Association Handbook


2008-2009


Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School



Table of Contents

Philosophy

Athletic Board and Director

Building Use Guidelines

Cancellation of Games

Coaches

Guidelines for Coaches

Selection of Coaches

Decatur Parochial League Rules and Regulations

Diocesan Athletic Policy

Eligibility for all Sports

Athletic Fees and Physicals

Our Lady of Lourdes Sports

General Rules

Volleyball

Baseball

Basketball

Soccer

Track/Cross Country

Referees

Right of Amendment of Handbook

Role of Parents/Guardians

Rule Changes/Grievance Procedure

Schedule of Games

Uniforms and Equipment

Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Pastor's Ratification









Philosophy

Our Lady of Lourdes School's Athletic Programs are in agreement with the following statement of philosophy stated in the Handbook of Catholic Education Policies of the Diocese of Springfield #5561:

The purposes of school sponsored athletic programs are to teach the skills of games, to foster healthy exercise, to teach fair play, and to give enjoyment to students. Athletic programs which deny to certain students these opportunities, or that exert undue pressures on students, are inconsistent with these purposes.

School sponsored athletic programs are part of the school curriculum and are subject to policies of the pastor, as well as to the general administrative responsibilities of the principal of the school.

Further, school-sponsored athletic programs are to be guided by the general curriculum goals of the school and should in no way detract from the academic and religious goals of the school. Academic and religious policies and norms for students participating in these programs shall be established by the pastor (board) and principal and enforced by the principal.

Athletic Association Board and Directors

Board:

The Athletic Association Board shall consist of the following members:

Athletic Director(s)

1 Basketball Representative

1 Volleyball Representative

1 Soccer Representative

1 Track/Cross Country Representative

1 Baseball Representative

1 Athletic Treasurer

1 Sportsmanship Representative

1 Athletic Scheduler

1 Uniform Coordinator

1 Concessions Representative

1 Clean-Up Representative

1 Faculty Representative

The Pastor

The School Principal

This board will meet quarterly, in August, November, February, and May, to discuss athletic policy and review the progress of the year's athletic program. Board meetings are generally held in the Enrichment Center at 7:00 p.m. on the first Thursday of the months mentioned above. Athletic Board meetings are open to any interested party, although the Board does reserve the right to retire into Executive Session when deemed necessary.

The Board Members' names are published in the Parent/Student Handbook, and anyone wishing to suggest agenda items, address the board, or become involved in athletics should contact one of the members. Board members are invited to serve one year renewable terms by the Directors with the approval of the Pastor and Principal.



Director:

One Athletic Director is appointed by the Pastor, who will take recommendations from the Athletic Board and the Principal, to one (1) year renewable terms, and will be paid a yearly stipend by the Athletic Association. Responsibilities include scheduling of games and maintenance files with copies of all contracts for games, organizing and chairing annual parent meetings, scheduling and paying referees, selection and guidance of coaches, providing rosters and schedules for all sports to the school administration, chairing the meetings of the athletic board, monitoring compliance with diocesan and parochial league rules, maintaining proper use and cleaning of the school building during and after athletic events, enforcing the athletic eligibility policy, organizing the operation of concession and ticket sales, making quarterly financial reports with the assistance of the Treasurer, and reporting quarterly to the School Board on the athletic program.

Building Use Guidelines

The following guidelines apply to all organizations or groups which use the school building, including athletics. These rules must be enforced by the directors and coaches and apply to both practice and games:

We are very proud of our school facility and request the respect and cooperation of everyone who uses it. Therefore, the following rules are in effect AT ALL TIMES for everyone who uses this building:

1. No running in the building.

2. No gum is permitted at any time.

3. No climbing on furniture, bleachers, counters, or stair railings.

4. No skates, skateboards, or bikes allowed in the building.

5. No loitering in lobby and/or restrooms.

6. No children on the stage, in the gym, or in the kitchen without adult supervision.

7. No littering...please throw wrappers, etc. in wastebaskets provided and clean up any messes you make.

8. No slamming of doors.

9. No damaging or removal of school property.

10. NO DISRESPECT to adults who ask for compliance with these rules.

11. PLAYERS ONLY on the Court on Game Days. NO SHOOTING of Baskets at Half-Time by spectators.

12. Players participating in the game following will be allowed to shoot with their coaches’ supervision.

OUR LADY OF LOURDES SCHOOL IS A SMOKE FREE ENVIRONMENT.

Anyone who cannot comply with these rules will be required to leave the school building and grounds.


Cancellation of Games

In the event of a cancellation of games or practices, the coach will contact his or her players as soon as possible. However, if there is a School Cancellation due to inclement weather such as a snow day it should be presumed that all school sponsored events and extracurricular activities (such as home and away games) will be canceled for the day. Scheduled practices on snow days should be considered cancelled unless the coach contacts players to schedule a voluntary practice.

Coaches

Guidelines for Coaches:

Selection of Coaches:

The selection of coaches, discipline of coaches, and the retention of coaches in all sports at Our Lady of Lourdes will be at the sole discretion of the Athletic Director and Athletic Board and will be based on adherence to the guidelines for coaches set forth by the Board. Coaching selections must be submitted to the Pastor and Principal for approval. Anyone wishing to coach or assist in any sport should contact the Directors or a Board member.

Coaches Training:

Our Lady of Lourdes School abides by the IESA regulation requiring all coaches to be either certified teachers or to have completed an approved coaching education program. This will apply to all coaches beginning in the 2008-2009 season. Details are below:

Coaching Education Required 2009-10

In January of 2008, the IESA Board of Directors voted to require that all members of a school's athletic coaching staff must have successfully completed an approved coaching education program. The requirement goes into effect for the 2009-10 school year. However, the Board recommends that member schools adopt a local policy for the 2008-09 school year that encourages their athletic coaching staff to pursue completing the requirement as soon as possible.

Interscholastic Athletics can be a great way to teach life skills and learn important life lessons. The IESA is committed to improving the quality of coaching in our member schools and the IESA Coaching Essentials course, offered through ASEP, is being created to assist middle school coaches in creating a developmentally appropriate experience for students in junior high schools.

By-laws and specific information concerning the ASEP programs approved by the IESA Board of Directors is enclosed on the following pages of this newsletter. Please take a few minutes to review this pertinent information. Any questions you might have concerning the requirement should be directed to the IESA Office.


ASEP/IESA Coaching Essentials Course

• Available August 2008

• Cost: Online Course $ 19.95

• Completed Online (avg. 3 hours)

ASEP/IHSA Coaching Principles Course

• Available Now

• Cost: Online Version: $115 (w/IHSA bylaws) Sport First Aid Course: $95 Classroom course: price set by instructor

The IHSA Coaching Principles course does meet the IESA coaches education requirement. Those coaches that desire to coach at both the middle school and high school levels do not need to take both tests. More information concerning the IHSA program visit the IHSA web-site for current listing of Coaching Principle clinics in your area. Price does vary on the class­room course. If you would like to be notified when the IESA Coaching Essentials course is available online, email Lori Brown at ASEP at LoriB@hkusa.com. The IESA is currently working with ASEP to finish this program by August 2008.

COACHING EDUCATION

IESA Bylaw Changes for 2008-09

2.110 QUALIFICATIONS OF NON-ATHLETIC COACHES

Non-athletic instructors in all member schools shall be designated by their Board of Education or governing board as personnel re­
sponsible for the supervision of the school's contestants.
Q&A

Q. Do cheer coaches have to take a coach's certification test?

A. No, cheer coaches are considered non-athletic coaches and simply must be approved by their Board of Education or governing board as personnel responsible for the supervision of the school's contestants.

2.120 QUALIFICATIONS OF ATHLETIC COACHES

2.121 Athletic coaches in all member schools shall be designated by their Board of Education or governing board as personnel responsible for the supervision of the school's contestants. Athletic coaches in member schools shall be regularly certified to teach in the schools of Illinois or must complete an approved coaching education course.

2.122 If the following criteria are met for athletic coaches who are certified to teach, these individuals are exempt from taking a required coaches education course:

(a) Teaching or supervising classroom activity at least two periods daily in the member school; or

(b) Employed full-time in any elementary, junior high, or high school; or ;

(c) An assistant teacher, resource aide, lay supervisor or other paraprofessional who is employed at least half-time per day in the member school; or

(d) Teaching full time, within the provisions of the Illinois School Code, in a member school or in a vocational or special education cooperative in which the member school participates; or

(e) A retired teacher from a member school provided the person remains certified to teach.

2.123 The Board of Directors shall approve proposed coaches education courses through which individuals may meet the requirements of section 2.121

2.124 Students in teacher-training institutions may be assigned to assist with the coaching of athletic teams in a member school as a part of their practice teaching course provided they are under the direct supervision of an individual who is qualified to coach under the provision of Sections 2.121 or 2.122.

Q. What does the phrase 'regularly certified to teach in the schools of Illinois' mean?

A. You are a person who has fulfilled the requirements of state law to teach by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Q. How often does a coach have to take the approved coaches education course?

A. Once.

STUDENT TEACHERS

Q. May a student teacher assist with the coaching of an athletic team?

A. Yes, provided it is part of the student teaching experience.

Q. May student teachers continue coaching their student teaching assignments after the regular student teaching period ends?

A. Yes, provided their college or university authorizes the continuation.

VOLUNTEER COACHES

Q. May a person volunteer to coach without pay at a member school?

A. Yes. However, whether a person is paid to coach or is a non-paid volunteer, the person must meet the qualification requirements

of By-law 2.110 and its sub-sections.


Decatur Parochial League Rules and Regulations

Revised March 11, 2008


Participating Schools


Holy Family, Lutheran School Association, Our Lady of Lourdes, and St. Patrick.


Governance


The Decatur Parochial Schools League is governed by a council consisting of one member from each school. Each school is entitled to one vote. This council is responsible for scheduling and all other matters that develop.


Pastors, principals and representatives from the above mentioned parochial schools will meet annually (last Monday of August) to reevaluate and approve the Decatur Parochial Schools League Athletic Program and Schedules for the current school year.


The second Monday in March each year will be set aside for the league to review the past season.


Schedule


Teams will play no more than 15 regular season basketball games and 2 tournaments, or no more than 13 regular season basketball games and 3 tournaments, with league games starting according to IESA start dates.


It is expected that each school's team will play home and away games with others in the League on a preferred scheduling basis.


It is anticipated that there will be other league invitationals by others of the same grade level.


Practice


Practice cannot begin before IESA start dates for both boys and girls.


Tournaments


The League will see that every team will have a tournament.


Referees


The League agrees to use only registered officials for ALL games. Each official will be paid a minimum of $22.50 per game for non-parochial league games and $25.00 for parochial league games.


An official can only referee three (3) games, at most, per day at the same school; except in cases of emergency. Normally, four (4) games per day should have two (2) sets of referees.


Coaches


All coaches of the Catholic Schools will sign and/or have on file with their respective schools, authorization for a background check and have attended the Protecting God’s Children program mandated by the Springfield Diocese for all employees and volunteers.


Each school will be responsible for in-servicing coaches each year regarding the League rules and regulations and in order to comply with OSHA regulations. Documentation of such will be kept on file with their respective School Office.


Coaches need to inform Referees before the game about League rules that need to be enforced, e.g. full court press rule, 3-point shot.


Admission


Prices for member schools, at league games, only, is set at:


$2.00 for adults

$1.00 for students K-8

$1.00 for senior citizens


Tournament Fees:

$3.00 for adults

$1.50 for students (grade Kindergarten through eighth)

$1.50 for senior citizens

$35.00 entry fee for all Parochial League teams

FREE All Clergy and Principals

Tournament fees will be a one time charge per day. There will be a $7 maximum/family/day limit.



Eligibility - Before October 15:


Eighth grade team - a boy or girl must not have reached their 15 birthday

Seventh grade team - a boy or girl must not have reached their 14th birthday

Sixth grade team - a boy or girl must not have reached their 13th birthday

Fifth grade team - a boy or girl must not have reached their 12th birthday




Games


In regular league play, no team should play more than one group per day.


Scheduling is by agreement between participating schools and the respective directors. It is the responsibility of the Athletic Directors to notify their coaches of game times.


Games are to be played on Saturdays and Sundays as follows:


Saturday - approximate starting times are 9:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m.

12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m.



Sunday - approximate starting times are 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 3:00p.m 4:00 p.m.



PLAYING TIME: In all games, except for tournaments, teams of 10 or less players will make sure that each player has a MINIMUM of six (6) minutes of playing time per game and teams of 11 or more players will ensure a MINIMUM of four (4) minutes of playing time per player per game. Reasonable adherence to this rule is expected, although the use of a stopwatch is not expected.


JUMP BALL: In accordance with the Illinois High School Association, jump balls will occur at the beginning of the game and each extra overtime period. The team that does not gain control of the ball from the jump starts the alternating possession

procedure at the next jump ball situation. The Official Scorer is responsible for

recording the process. It is recommended an arrow or other device be used

to indicate possession. All other IESA rules apply.


BALL SIZE: Girls will use the smaller ball (28 1/2 inch). Boys will use the traditional regulation basketball.


THREE POINT PLAY: This will be allowed for seventh and eighth grade teams. It is NOT allowed for fifth and sixth grade teams.


FULL COURT PRESS: There will be no pressing at the fifth grade level. In any event, if a sixth - eighth grade team is fifteen (15) or more points ahead, the full court press will cease. (Coaches are to be alert to this rule.)


LOCKER ROOMS: There is to be adult supervision of locker rooms when players are present.


FOUL LANGUAGE: Coaches and players are to refrain from using inappropriate or foul language at both practices and games.


FOURTH GRADE BASKETBALL CLINICS: Fourth graders will participate in a clinic culminating in games among the league members on Saturdays in March. Teams will use a 2-1-2 Zone and will NOT press. No admission is charged for these games.

SOCCER: Practice for league soccer can start mid-March with games beginning the last week of March. Co-ed teams are allowed at all age levels.


Diocesan Athletic Policy

Athletics §5561 The Handbook of Catholic Education Policies

The purposes of school-sponsored athletic programs are to teach the skills of games, to foster healthy exercise, to teach fair play, and to give enjoyment to students. Athletic programs which deny to certain students these opportunities, or that exert undue pressures on students, are inconsistent with these purposes.

School-sponsored athletic programs are part of the school curriculum and are subject to policies of the pastor and board as well as to the general administrative responsibilities of the principal of the school.

Further, school-sponsored athletic programs are to be guided by the general curriculum goals of the school and should in no way detract from the academic and religious goals of the school. Academic and religious policies and norms for students participating in these programs shall be established by the pastor (board) and principal and enforced by the principal.

Athletic programs for girls and boys are encouraged.

The following are requirements of elementary school-sponsored athletic programs:

- written permission of parents

- physical examination within the appropriate school year

- proof of medical insurance coverage

- competent supervision by qualified adult coaches who understand the sport, child growth and development, and first aid

- students shall be grouped into teams on the basis of grade level1

- proper physical conditioning prior to participation in games

- appropriate equipment, including properly fitting protective gear, and

well-maintained facilities

In those cases where the number of students prohibits play under the current policy, exceptions to the two clauses marked ma)' be permitted by mutual agreement of the local pastor, local boards and local school principal/s in accordance with the purposes outlined at the beginning of this section

- reasonable scheduling of practices and games — generally, this would exclude games requiring substantial travel time on weekdays unless followed by a free day

- basketball schedules shall not exceed fifteen (15) regular season games, plus two tournaments

- athletic schedules shall be approved by the principal

The following practices are prohibited in elementary school-sponsored athletic programs:

- the denial of play by students who cooperate with coaches through effort and practice the participation of students on more than one team in the same sport2

- high-pressure contests, excessive publicity, elaborate recognition ceremonies, or exploitation of children in any manner

Cheerleaders §5562 The Handbook of Catholic Education Policies


Schools are to support girls' athletic teams and not have cheerleaders.



Our Lady of Lourdes School complies with the rules and regulations of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois and with all IESA ( Illinois Elementary Schools Association) regulations.


Eligibility for All Sports

All students in grades 4 through 8 who participate in athletics are bound by the following eligibility policy. Students in Grades 1-3 who play soccer may participate at the discretion of their parents and teachers.

• Students MUST BE PASSING ALL SUBJECTS which include: language arts, mathematics, music, physical education, religion, science, social studies, and spelling/vocabulary. Failure to pass these subjects will result in a period of ineligibility lasting ONE WEEK.

• The following will result in a student's being ineligible for at least a one week period: an accumulation of 3 infractions per week involving the teachers' rules of classroom conduct, and/or PHYSICAL FIGHTING of any kind, at any time during the school day. (Please refer to "Discipline" in this handbook for a definition of fighting.)

• The period of ineligibility will last one week. Determinations will be made by the teachers, and coaches will be notified on Mondays or the first school day of the week in the event of a Monday holiday. Students are considered ineligible from Monday morning to the following Monday morning.

• Ineligibility slips that are not returned, signed by a parent, by Wednesday of the week received will result in a detention.

• Averages for determining eligibility are cumulative over the course of the nine week grading period. Eligibility will be based on a student's average as of Monday morning of each week. Teachers refigure averages on a weekly basis to include new work completed and graded. Students may participate if they satisfactorily complete and pass all assignments.

• Services to the school and parish are not affected by eligibility, i.e. altar servers, student council, etc.

• Students who are absent from school on weekdays are ineligible to participate in activities that evening. Exceptions to this rule can be found below as stated in the current Parent-Student School Handbook. Coaches will be notified.

Excused Absences:

Absence due to unauthorized excuses cannot be approved by the office. The following reasons are considered to be excused absences from school:

1. Absence because of student illness.

2. Absence due to doctor's or dentist's appointment.

3. Absence because of death, serious illness, or family emergency.

4. Absence for personal reasons arranged in advance with the office.




Athletic Fees and Physicals


The Athletic Fee for each sport is $15.00 with the maximum of $30.00 per student in any school year. There are no exceptions or waivers of the fee, and it must be paid before a student is allowed to practice. In addition, athletic physicals must be on file with the Athletic Director before a student is allowed to practice.

Our Lady of Lourdes Sports

General Rules:

1. The Athletic Association will sell family passes which will serve as admission to all athletic events. The price for the season will be $25.00/family.

2. Selection of weekly practice times in the gym for the basketball season will be done at the fall coaches' meeting. No 5th or 6th grade practice can last beyond 8:45 p.m.

3. Practice times for volleyball and track in the gym will be scheduled with the parish secretary by the Athletic Director as soon as their schedule is determined. Practice times are approved subject to prior commitment of the gym for other school and parish functions.

4. Practice times are subject to availability of the gym with school functions taking precedence over practice times. Practice times must be scheduled with the parish secretary by the athletic directors in order to occur.

5. No practices can begin before 4:00 p.m. on a school day due to the use of the gym by the Extended Care Program. In addition, there will not be any practices on Mondays after 7:00 p.m. due to Boy Scout meetings.

6. When arriving for early practice, players must stay in the east hallway of the gym until their practice time begins.

7. Practices are sports specific. Only teams involved and others assisting should be in the gym.

Volleyball:

PLAYING TIME:

PLAYING PLAYERS UP TO THE NEXT GRADE LEVEL:


NUMBER OF GAMES IN A SEASON



Baseball:

Boys’ baseball will be available for boys in Grades 6-8. Numbers permitting, there will be both Varsity and Junior Varsity teams which will be IESA affiliated and which will follow all the rules applying to baseball as outlined in the IESA Handbook.

Basketball:

PLAYING TIME:

Our belief is that all persons playing basketball in5th and 6th grades should play as close to half of every game as possible, some exceptions are listed below:


Our belief is that in this age group playing time is on an earned basis within the guidelines previously set forth in the Parochial League Rules. However, all players dressed for the game should play. Specifically:

The Athletic Board suggests that in games where the outcome has no doubt (i.e. a 20 point lead by either team in the fourth quarter) that the players who participate in practice and follow team rules get to play during this time.

PLAYING PLAYERS UP TO THE NEXT GRADE LEVEL:



It is discouraged to play anyone up to the next level, but on occasion, this has to be done. A special meeting of the Athletics Board will be called to discuss all the implications of the procedure of playing up from one grade level to the next. If the Board decides that it is necessary to do so, the following guidelines will apply:


NUMBER OF GAMES IN A SEASON:


Our Lady of Lourdes School abides by all Diocesan and IESA regulations

regarding the number of games and tournaments to be played in a season.


Soccer:

Our Lady of Lourdes Soccer program is designed to allow the students to compete in Spring Soccer on teams comprised of their classmates at OLOL. The teams will compete against the other parochial schools in Decatur. Soccer is offered to all students in Grades 1-8 in co-ed teams. The season runs approximately 4-5 weeks and is considered a recreational league.

Cross-Country/Track:

This program is designed for participation at the 5th through 8th grade levels for both boys and girls. A fall cross country program is also available for jr. high students.

Attendance at practice is mandatory and all meets are scheduled with the highest level of competition expected from all athletes. On rare occasions, students are dismissed early from school in order to travel to an out of town meet. When this early dismissal occurs ALL STUDENTS are responsible for inquiring about assignments from a responsible source and are responsible for completing all work missed on time. Zeros will be given for missing work due to such early dismissals.

Referees

As stated in the Decatur Parochial League rules, Our Lady of Lourdes School will hire only registered officials for junior high and League games. Decisions of the referees are final and both the decision and the person of the official must be treated with respect by coaches, players, and spectators.

Those persons who will not act in a respectful manner will be ejected from play and/or from the premises.


Right of Amendment of Handbook

The school and/or the Principal and Pastor retain the right to amend this handbook for just cause. The Athletic Board will be consulted and coaches, parents, and players will be promptly notified.

Role of Parents/Guardians

Parents and/or guardians are encouraged to become involved in a supportive way in the athletic programs in which their children participate. This includes assuring prompt and regular attendance at practices and games/meets, supporting the eligibility policy of the school, working the concession and ticket sales stands on a rotating basis, and working cooperatively with coaches to resolve any differences which occur in the course of a season.

In addition, parents must give written permission for their child to participate in each sport, provide proof of medical coverage prior to the season, pay all athletic fees and provide a doctor's physical examination for the player to prove that they are in good health and able to participate in strenuous physical activity. Our Lady of Lourdes Athletic Association schedules a physical examination night which athletes may attend to get a doctor's exam at a reduced group price.

Rule Changes

Any and all rules in athletics can be amended, added, or removed by doing the following:

  1. Submit in writing to the Athletic Board the rule in dispute and reasons for change.

  2. This will be discussed, and voted on by the Pastor, Principal and the Athletic Board, with the majority vote deciding the outcome.

  3. In the event that the principal feels strongly enough to overturn the majority rule, then with the approval of the Pastor, the rule will be amended or changed.

  4. Grievance Procedure for Athletics: This is a step by step procedure to handle any problems within the athletic program at Our Lady of Lourdes School.

Step One; The player and/or parent should talk directly with the coach in order to resolve the problem. The coach will inform the Athletic Directors of the conversation.

Step Two: If the problem is unresolved following Step One, the parent should talk with one of the Athletic Directors in order to arrive at a solution.

Step Three: If the problem still remains unresolved, the parent
should submit, in writing, the problem or grievance to the Athletic Director(s) or the Principal. The written submission should include
details of the incident(s) in question and a proposed solution. The Athletic Director(s) or Principal will then schedule a special meeting of
the Athletic Board and invite the parent(s) involved. The decision of the Board will be final with the approval of the Pastor. The following
procedure will be followed by the Board in addressing grievances:

Schedule of Games

All previously mentioned regulations regarding scheduling of games apply. In addition: