Lebanon High School Athletic Philosophy
LebanonHigh School recognizes that interested students should have the opportunity to develop their potential as athletes in activities appropriate to their level of ability. In this spirit, LHS offers a program of interscholastic athletics which promotes participation for qualified students within the rules of the Indiana High School Athletic Association and Lebanon Community School Corporation. It is the goal of our school to provide such opportunity as a further means of developing intellectual, emotional and social maturity of our students, while at the same time teaching the importance of worth of teamwork and sportsmanship. LHS athletics also provide a unifying influence upon our student body and between our school and community. The athletic program is committed to the pursuit of excellence, acknowledging that the quest itself is the most significant aspect of achievement.
All terms found throughout this document italicized,highlighted AND marked with an (*) asterisk, can be found in the definitions section on page 14.
I.OBJECTIVES OF THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM
A.To provide a positive image of athletics at LebanonHigh School.
B.To strive for playing excellence that will produce strong, competitive teams within the bounds of good sportsmanship and mental health of the student-athlete.
C.To provide opportunities forstudent-athletes to cope with problems similar to those in everyday life situations.
D. To provide activities which offer the greatest benefits for the largest number of student-athletes
E.To create a desire to succeed and excel.
F.To develop high ideals of fairness in all human relationships.
G. To practice self-discipline and emotional maturity in learning to make decisions under pressure.
H. To perform within a set of rules, thus gaining a respect for the rights of others.
I.To develop an understanding of the value of activities in a balancededucational process.
J. To provide skills that can be used to help increase academic performance in the classroom.
II.GENDEREQUITYPOLICY
One of the purposes of Lebanon High School athletics is to assure that every student-athlete has a fair opportunity to compete regardless of their gender. That purpose can only be achieved when there is true equality of opportunity to participate in athletics. Athletic participation is an extension of and an integral part of the educational experience for those young people who become student-athletes. LebanonHigh School believes that gender equity is more than being in compliance with the law. It is a commitment to do what is right and fair for all student-athletes. It means creating an atmosphere and an environment where opportunities and resources are distributed fairly to boys and girls, an atmosphere where no person experiences discrimination on the basis of gender.
III. PARENT/GUARDIAN AND SPECTATOR POLICY
All parents/guardians and spectators must remain off athletic playing surfaces, fields of play, dug-outs, locker rooms, tennis courts, wrestling mats, and pool deck at all athletic competitions and practices and must refrain from contact with Student Athletes and Coaches unless they are an approved event worker, a coach requests your presence, or it is an emergency situation. Event workers will be provided a badge to be displayed at all times. Once a coach has released or dismissed the student athlete from the event, parent/guardian and spectator contact may occur.
IV.ATHLETIC ELIGIBILITY
Any student-athlete enrolled in Lebanon High School who meets eligibility requirements will have the opportunity to participate in the athletic program, provided that the following rules are not violated:
A.You are a student-athlete who is or shall be twenty (20) years of age prior to or on the scheduled date of the IHSAA State Finals in that sport.
B.You play under an assumed name.
C.You accept money or merchandise directly or indirectly from athletic participation.
D.You sign a professional contract in that sport.
E.You receive in recognition for your athletic ability any award not approved by your principal or the IHSAA.
F.You use or accept merchandise as an award, prize, gift, loan or purchase such for a token sum.
G.You accept awards, medals, recognitions, gifts and honors from colleges/universities or their alumni.
H.You conduct yourself in or out of school in a way that reflects discredit on your school, community or the IHSAA.
I.You create a disruption to the discipline, good order, moral or educational environment in your school.
J.You did not enroll in school during the first 15 days of a semester.
K.You have been enrolled more than four consecutive years, or the equivalent (e.g. 12 semesters in a trimester, etc.) beginning with grade 9.
L.You have represented a high school in a sport more than four years.
M.You are absent fouror more consecutive school days due to illness or injury and donot present to your principal written verification from a physician licensed to practice medicine stating that you may resume participation.
N.You violate any of the following in-season participation rules;
1.)try-outs in a sport as a prospective post-secondary school*student-athlete.
2.) a practice with or against players not belonging to your school.
3.) as an individual on any team other than your school team.
4.) you participate as an ineligible student-athlete. 5.) you attend a non-school camp*.
6.) you attend and participate in a student-athleteclinic.
O. You violate any of the following Out-of-Season participation rules:
1.) in a team sport contest as a member of a non-school team* where there are more than the following number of student-athletes listed below in each sport, who have participated the previous year in a contest as a member of their school team in that sport.
Basketball - 3Baseball - 5Football - 6
Volleyball - 3Softball - 5Soccer - 6
2.) attend a non-school fall sports camp and/or clinic after Monday of Week 4 (See your athletic director for specific dates.)
3.) attend any other non-school camp and/or clinic after Monday of Week 5 (See your athletic director for specific dates.)
P. You have not completed the required number of separate days of organized practice in a sport under the direct supervision of the high school coaching staff preceding participation in a contest.
Q.You did not pass 70% of the full credit subjects or the equivalent that a student-athlete can take in your previous grading period or have more than one F**. Semester grades take precedence.
**Any student that receives an F, regardless if they remain eligible or not, a mandatory meeting will take place with the student-athlete, Head Coach, and Athletic Director to establish a suitable intervention. The uses of Study Tables and Homework Help sessions, as well as continuous monitoring of the student-athletes academic performance are examples of a suitable intervention. It will also be to the discretion of the Head Coach as to whether playing time will be compromised until passing grades have been achieved.
R.You do not have the completed certificate on file with your principal each school year, between
April 1stand your first practice.
S.You transfer from one school to another primarily for athletic reasons.
T.You were not enrolled in your present high school your last semester or at a junior high school from which your high school receives its student-athletes unless:
1. You are entering the 9th grade for the first time.
2. You are transferring from a school district or territory with a bonafide move by your parents.
3. You are a ward of the court.
4. You are an orphan.
5. You transfer to reside with a parent.
6. Your former school closed.
7. Your former school is not accredited by the state accrediting agency* in the state where the school is located.
8. Your transfer was pursuant to school board mandate for redistricting.
9. You enrolled and/or attended, in error, a wrong school.
10. You transferred from a correctional school.
11.You are emancipated.
12.You did not participate in any contests as a representative of another school during the preceding 365 days.
13.You return to an IHSAA member school from a non-member school and reside with the same parent/s or guardian/s.
14.You transfer to a member boarding school with a corresponding move from the residence of your parent/s or you transfer from a member boarding school with a corresponding move to the residence of your parent/s.
15.You are a qualified foreign exchange student-athlete attending under an approved CSIET program.(For more details of eligibility, refer to Rule 19 of the IHSAA By-laws.)
U.You have been influenced by any person to retain or secure you as a student-athlete or one or both parents or guardians as residents.
V. You do NOT receive a Gold Card*from the Athletic office verifying that the paperwork is accurately filled out and on file.
W.You may not participate in more than one sport during each sport season (except cheerleading or only on mutual agreement of both coaches and approval of the Athletic Director.)
X. This is only a summary of the rules. Contact your Athletic Director for further information if you have ANY questions concerning your eligibility.
V.THE ATHLETIC COUNCIL
The Athletic Council and the school principal shall set forth any additional requirements necessary for participation in the athletic program at Lebanon High School. The Lebanon High School Athletic Council consists of all varsity head coaches atLebanonHigh School plus the Athletic Director and Assistant Athletic Director. The Athletic Director will be the chairman of the council. The purpose of the organization is to oversee the total athletic program, formulate and enforce general policies in the best interests of student-athletes and the total program.
VI.STUDENT ATHLETIC COUNCIL
The Lebanon High School Student Athletic Council consists of 1 representative from each of the Athletic teams, Athletic Director and the Assistant Athletic Director. The purpose of this organization is to create an enjoyable working relationship between the student-athlete, his or her respective team and the Athletic Administration. The Athletic Director will be the chairman of this council, which will meet once or twice a season.
VII.ATHLETIC INSURANCE
Lebanon High School administrators, coaches, and trainers are safety conscious and trained to instruct athletes in the safe and proper techniques of their individual sport(s). Due to the nature of athletic activity, however, injury may occur. While the school provides the opportunity for such participation, the parent retains the right of denial of such participation and must carry the responsibility for providing medical care and insurance coverage for their son or daughter. Parents are required to have an insurance policy to cover athletic injuries and the cost of treatment. Contact the Athletic Office for more information about insurance plans which can be purchased by parents through the school to cover their student athlete. In recent years the IHSAA has also carried catastrophic insurance to cover major injuries incurred during participation in approved IHSAA sports programs. More information about the IHSAA plan is available upon request at the Athletic Office.
VIII. RISK STATEMENT
As you embark upon your participation in athletics at Lebanon High School there are several things of which you and your parents need to be aware:
Participating in athletics presents a possibility of injury. Most injuries that occur are relatively minor scrapes, scratches, sprains, strains, etc. However, more serious injuries are possible. More serious injuries could possibly include cuts, muscle tears, tendon or ligament damage, neck and spinal cord injuries, and head injuries. It should be recognized that these conditions may require major surgery, or may result in paralysis or even death. The coaching staff of each sport will teach proper techniques for each skill and provide safe areas for practice and competition. Your awareness is imperative that these injuries are possible and that following directions can save your life. Your coaches will provide additional information regarding the risks of their respective sport.
IX. Concussion and Sudden Cardiac Arrest Policy:
Indiana Concussion and Sudden Cardiac Arrest State Law: IC 20-34-7 and IC 20-34-8
The IC 20-34-7 law requires that schools distribute information sheets to inform and educate coaches, student athletes, and their parents on the nature and risk of concussion, head injury and Sudden cardiac arrest to student athletes, including the risks of continuing to play after a concussion or head injury. The law requires that each year, before beginning practice for an interscholastic or intramural sport, a high school student athlete and the student athlete’s parents must be given an information sheet, and both must sign and return a form acknowledging receipt of the information to the student athlete’s coach. The laws further state: IC 20-34-7: that a high school athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game, shall be removed from play at the time of injury and may not return to play until the student athlete has received a written clearance from a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and head injuries, and not less than twenty-four (24) hours have passed since the student athlete was removed from play. A licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and head injuries by law must meet all of the three following criteria:
- Must have a license given by a governmental agency that regulates a specific profession
- Must be listed in Indiana Code as a health care provider
- Must have training in the evaluation and management of concussions and head injuries
State Law IC 20-34-8: A student athlete who is suspected of experience symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest shall be removed from play and may not return to play until the coach has received verbal permission from a parent or legal guardian of the student athlete to return to play. Within 24 hours, this verbal permission must be replaced by a written statement from the parent or guardian.
Concussion and Sudden Cardiac Arrest Procedures Followed by LHS Student Athletes , Parents, Coaches, Athletic Trainers and Athletic Administrators.
1)All LHS Coaches and Athletic Trainer will have been educated with the proper information regarding the signs and symptoms of a concussion and sudden cardiac arrest
2)A strong effort will be made prior to LHS student participation in sports, to first administer the concussion test (Impact Test) to all LHS Students who participate in a contact sport (football, Soccer, Cheerleading, Basketball, and Wrestling) and second what is considered to be non-contact sport. (Tennis, Swim and Dive, Cross Country, Track, Golf, Baseball, Softball and Volleyball)
3) All LHS Student Athletes and parents will receive “Fact Sheet for Parents” and a “Fact Sheet for Athletes” which will include the signs and symptoms of a concussion and sudden cardiac arrest.
4)All LHS parents and Student Athletes will be required to sign and return to the Athletic Office prior to participating in a sport the LHS “Head Concussion and Sudden Cardiac Arrest Acknowledgement and Signature form for Parents and Student Athlete.” This form will be included as one of the required forms that must be turned in to the Athletic Office in order to receive a Gold Card.
5)A review of concussion and sudden cardiac arrest information and any additional concussion materials will be provided at athletic team student athlete and parent meetings.
Procedures For LHS Athletes Suspected Of Having Signs And/Or Symptoms Of A Concussion and/or Sudden Cardiac Arrest.
1)Any LHS Student Athlete recognized by a coach or the athletic trainer to have signs and/or symptoms of a concussion (Parents, Coaches and Athletic Trainers are not expected to be able to “diagnose” a concussion) will immediately be removed from practice or competition and will not be allowed to return without having first seen and been released by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and head injuries.
2)Any LHS Student Athlete being seen by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and head injuries will not be allowed to return to participate in practice or competition until they have been released by this specific licensed health care provider. This release must be in writing on the LHS “Head Concussion Evaluation and Release to Play Form” and provided to the Athletic Trainer. The “Release to play form” can be obtained through the LHS Athletic Trainer.
3)The LHS Athletic Administrator and/or Athletic Trainer reserve the right to question the information provided by the licensed health care provider on the “Release to Play form” if they feel further clarification is necessary.
4)Any LHS Student Athlete recognized by a coach or the athletic trainer to have signs and/or symptoms of Sudden Cardiac Arrest shall be removed from play and may not return to play until the coach and trainer has received verbal permission from a parent or legal guardian of the student athlete to return to play. Within 24 hours, this verbal permission must be replaced by a written statement from the parent or guardian.