Opportunity
The Interscholastic Athletics
Program provides opportunities for scholar athletes to participate in a
broad and diverse array of sports.
• Each student has the opportunity
to participate in a sport each season. Grade level does not guarantee varsity
team membership.
• The Interscholastic Athletics
Program strongly encourages multiseason participation. Students learn to
balance their commitments because they are making choices among competing
priorities.
• Weight training (for grades
9 through 12), proper nutrition, and cardiovascular fitness are fundamental
to each sports training program. These activities provide an opportunity
to effect proper conditioning for athletics and to establish positive lifelong
health habits.
Choice And Commitment
The Interscholastic Athletics
Program values students’ learning to choose among competing opportunities,
establishing priorities, and making commitments to the outcome of their
decisions.
• Curriculum based commitments
supersede athletic commitments.
• Coaches have the responsibility
to communicate clearly their expectations and time commitments so that
students are able to make informed choices and decisions.
• Varsity participation involves
rigorous competition and an intensive commitment to training, practices,
and games.
• Students will not be barred
from varsity team membership because of school or family commitments. A
starting position on a team is an earned privilege based on demonstrated
readiness for competition as assessed by the coach.
Competition
The Interscholastic Athletics
Program values competition as an opportunity for students to develop mental
discipline, self-control, cooperation, and perseverance through the experiences
inherent in victory and defeat.
• Rigorous, appropriate competition
is a priority of the program, particularly at the varsity level. Individual
and team success is a by-product of character, commitment, practice, effort,
and teamwork.
• Positive sportsmanship in
competition includes fair play and respect for coaches, teammates, opponents,
officials, and spectators.
• At the Middle School, Upper
School junior varsity, and Upper School junior varsity "C" levels, if a
student is healthy, has been attending practice, and displays a positive
attitude, he or she will play in contests.
• At the varsity level, coaching
strategy focused on team competitiveness determines individual playing
time. Playing time is not guaranteed.
Teamwork
The Interscholastic Athletics
Program values the life lessons learned through teamwork and shared commitments.
• Leadership opportunities exist
for all athletes through the support, attitude, and motivation that each
team member brings to the team. Leadership has an important corollary—cooperation,
the ability to support team goals and objectives above personal goals and
objectives.
• In an effective athletics
program, respect, fair play, cooperation, effort, loyalty, self direction,
and perseverance are some of the outcomes of student participation.
Teaching And Learning
The Interscholastic Athletics
Program values sport as a vehicle for teaching and learning the attributes
of an ethical character, the skills and strategies of sport, and the value
of goal directed teamwork and cooperation.
Athletes understand that they
are students in the athletic setting. From coaches and teammates they learn
the values, skills, and strategies that are the underlying purposes for
participation in the Lakeside School Interscholastic Athletics Program.
Team captains and other student leaders are intentionally taught the skills
they will need to contribute to a cohesive, supportive team focused on
shared goals and readiness for competition.
Coaches understand that they are teachers and role models. They teach skills so students can grow in their competence and competitiveness over time. They view each practice and game as an opportunity to teach ethical values and conduct within the context of sport. They model this behavior by their conduct towards their athletes, parents, officials, and opponents, on and off the field.
Parents understand that they are role models. Parents view each practice and game as an opportunity to model ethical values to their children. They exhibit this behavior by their conduct towards all athletes, coaches, officials, fellow parents, opposing athletes, coaches, and other parents, on and off the playing fields and in the stands.
Drafted by the Athletics Advisory Committee, Spring 1999
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