Procedure: 2151P

Section: 2000 - Instruction

Title: Interscholastic Athletics

Status: Active

Adopted: January 9, 1996

---

Procedure - Interscholastic Athletics

I. Coaching Duties

In accordance with district policy and the coach's job description, the coach has the duty to:

A. Instruct Participants The coach should employ the latest methods of proper instruction using sound progression in presenting motor skills. If an injury occurs while using an improper instructional method, negligence may be present.

B. Inform Participants The coach should inform all athletes and their parents of the inherent risks involved in participation in the particular sport. A completed copy of the Assumption of Risk form will be signed and kept on file. The coach must describe, using a variety of methods, the catastrophic and common non-catastrophic injuries unique to the sport and proper techniques to avoid such injuries.

C. Supervise Participants When planning the practice sessions, the coach should consider the following:

1. the age, size, and maturity level of the students;
2. the equipment involved;
3. the first aid equipment and training available;
4. the appropriate certification of supervisors where required; and
5. the safety training of the personnel involved.

D. Provide Safe Equipment and Facilities Equipment should be properly fitted and maintained, and facilities should be free of hazards. Inspection of equipment and facilities should occur on a regular basis to ensure safety.

E. Maintain Records of Injuries

A report should be completed for each accident and a copy sent to the director of safety. Injury reports should be maintained for a period of five years after the student's twenty-first birthday.

F. Provide Equal Protection and Due Process While participation in cocurricular activities is a privilege, a participant who allegedly violates the conduct code must be afforded the opportunity of a fair hearing.

G. Transport Athletes Safely A coach will work cooperatively with the athletic director 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.

H. Protect from Loss A participant is required to present written evidence that he/she is covered by a medical/accident policy or purchase medical/accident insurance prior to participation. The duties listed herein 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.

II 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 any grade seven through twelve (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.

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. Note: Winter and spring sport participants may not attend a camp/clinic three weeks prior to season.

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 seven through twelve (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. Sports camps will be run through the Associated Student Body (ASB). Profits from camps will be deposited in the ASB club account of the sport being run. A coach will apply through the athletic director to run the camp. District employees can be paid up to the designated district curriculum rate to run the camp.

III. Athletic Code

The opportunity to participate in the interscholastic athletic program is a privilege granted to all students of the district. Participants in these voluntary program are expected to conform to Board Policy No. 3200, Student Rights and Responsibilities, the Ferndale High School Athletic Code, and specific conduct standards established by the principals and athletic coaches.

As participants, students are faced with choices. If the choices they make interfere, impede, or hinder their personal group performance, or render them unfit to serve as representative(s) of the district's schools, they forfeit the privilege to participate. A student found to be in violation of any rule is subject to corrective action as specified in the code. Provisions have been made for a student to appeal a sanction. The appeal process is explained in Administrative Procedures No. 3200, Attachment 14 and 15.

Cross Reference: Board Policy No. 3200 Student Rights and Responsibilities

Adopted: 01/09/1996