|
St
Stephens
Lutheran
School
Athletic Department
Guidelines for Coaches
Revised May 2006
Gary Pruitt, Director of Athletics
Welcome to the St. Stephens Lutheran Athletic Department. We are delighted that you are willing to share your time and expertise with our students. It is our desire to provide a place of safety and excellence for our student, while offering you the support and freedom to coach within your style and effectively. But as we all know, with freedom comes responsibility. It is our job to make you aware of the expectations that we have of you as a coach, in order to protect you and the school from few, if any, confrontations with students, parents, or school/church administration. These guidelines will provide you, the coach, with a safe and worry-free environment.
1. Frontal hugging of any student is highly discouraged.
2. No male coach may enter the locker room without a female adult entering first to let him
know that it is an accessible time for him to do pre-game or half time activities. The coach
should also request the presence of another adult with him at that time. The same rule
applies in the vice versa form for a female coach.
3. There should be no below the waist contact of any kind between a coach and a player;
unless administering first aid to a knee, ankle, etc... In those cases, please be sure to ask
the student, "may I help you", before the first aid is administered. The only time that any
contact below the waist could be allowed is for safety during a cheerleading stunt. In this
case, the said coaches should be safety certified.
4. If a female student is in need of assistance with aspects of a personal nature, a male
coach should find an available female adult (parent, cheerleading coach, etc..) to
administer help.
5. Congratulations and support should be offered to the students via handshakes, appropriate
verbal expression, a pat on the shoulder or back, or "high five."
6. Coaching is also taking responsibility for the players. Therefore, the coach may not depart
from a game or practice before every child has been picked up. In the case of an away
game, the student must be signed out by the parent via prior permission slip or clip board
sign sheet.
7. It is necessary to get a head count before leaving the SSLS parking area and making sure
that each student is in visibility of a coach or SSLS faculty member at all times.
8. Students should not be sent to the rest room or the locker room alone at any time.
9. It is the head coach's responsibility to make sure all lights in the gym and locker rooms
have been turned out following final daily practices (and games if the athletic director is not
able to attend). The coach must also lock gym doors and make sure that the school is
locked
10. All administered gym keys must be returned following the athletic season to the athletic
director.
11. All practices must be scheduled through the athletic director. The athletic director will
provide dates and times that the gym or field will be available. You will have the freedom
to schedule times slots with the other coaches involved with other sports during those
times only. If you wish to add practices, they must be cleared through the school,
athletic, and church offices. Practices over holiday seasons will be minimal and must
be coordinated through the athletic director. The kids do need a break. Scheduled
practices may be cancelled at the coach's discretion (please notify the athletic director).
12. Once a schedule has been settled upon between the coaches and the athletic director,
the coach will be responsible for distributing that information. If changes are made during
a school day or on short notice, the athletic director will notify the students. Schedules
do change frequently at SSLS, so we ask that you be as flexible as possible with us.
13. In the event of any student or parent confrontation, please notify the athletic director
immediately.
14. Coaches should administer a list of expectations to the student, following approval by the
athletic director (they must not interfere with school policy), at the beginning of each
sporting season. (i.e. Consequences for missing practices, games, etc...)
15. Times do arise in which it is necessary to focus the attention of the team or a player.
Sometimes a coach may get boisterous in an attempt to motivate the team. These times
should be reserved as not to lose their effectiveness. The athletes should not be "yelled
at" or verbally demeaned at any time. Athletes respond to being built up, and there are
better ways to focus the child for the task than yelling and demeaning to get their mind in
position.
16. Please understand that at St. Stephens Lutheran School that character and values are
far more important than winning and losing. Therefore we ask that you try to incorporate
lessons that will not end with the sport season. Try to incorporate Biblical motivation in
your practices and speeches.
17. Although SSLS tries to avoid the situation, sometimes it is necessary for a parent to
coach a sport on which they have a son or daughter. In this case, you should refrain from
giving your child more attention than the rest of the team. Make them address you as
coach, as other kids would. Finally, do not give them the least attention because you do
not want to be labeled or for them to have to face classroom ridicule. Treat each child the
same.
18. If a coach wishes to have managers or statisticians, it will be his/her responsibility to
find or aid the athletic director in finding said persons. Offering these positions to students
that have been excluded via cut or injury is encouraged.
19. Please be aware that there are times when you, as a coach, may have to find someone to
operate a score clock on the spot.
20. All coaches will be asked to support the athletic program, athletic director, and school by
actions, attitude, and words. At no time can we ever appear not to be unified. If there
are any problems or discrepancies, please see the athletic director first.
Please sign the following page and return it to the athletic director prior to the first tryout so that any necessary discussion may take place. If there are any questions concerning these expectations please speak with the athletic director immediately. Any concerns brought to the athletic director concerning you as a coach will immediately be brought to you for discussion. The name of the person(s) bringing the concerns may or may not be a part of that discussion. All concerns of a sexual nature must be dealt with immediately and according to state and federal law. All will be taken seriously. Please take this list seriously as it could lead to your removal as a coach. It is our desire for you to have a safe and fun filled season, and we feel that this is the first step.
|
