ATHLETIC CODE OF CONDUCT
Athletics is not a requirement for graduation and participation is strictly voluntary. Athletics, as a discipline, stresses work ethic, team play, sportsmanship, integrity and sacrifice. Should the actions of an athlete fail to exhibit these same characteristics, the privilege of participating in athletics may be forfeited. All coaches must be willing to work, within the guidelines of the Athletic Department, to help any athlete should he/she lose direction. It is our intention to help our athletes stay on course and succeed. However, when an athlete purposely or continuously violates guideline, then it is up to the Head Coach to address the situation. Likewise, the Head Coach of each sport is the ONLY person that makes the final decision to dismiss an athlete from a program. Assistant Coaches should embrace the Head Coaches decision and show a united team to the team.
ATHLETIC GUIDELINES
It is the desire of the administration and coaching staff of the Temple Independent School District to communicate to its students that participation in athletics is a PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT. Participation on athletic teams and in related activities, while being an honor, is an opportunity for young athletes to learn important lessons about the responsibilities that are assumed by individuals in leadership roles. Therefore, all athletes are expected to adhere to the following:
Athletes will be tough competitors in the athletic arena, but outside the competitive arena they are expected to conduct themselves as gentlemen and ladies at all times, demonstrating respect for their administrators, teachers, and fellow students.
Athletes are to display/model behaviors associated with positive leaders both in the school and in the community;
Athletes are to exhibit good citizenship at all times;
Athletes are to serve as positive representatives for their team, coaches, school, district, and community during competitions and interactions with rivals; and
Athletes are expected to strive for academic excellence and to adhere to the Board-approved Discipline Management Plan and Student Code of Conduct as well as the Athletic Code of Conduct and Guidelines.
Jewelry
No jewelry will be worn during practice, athletic periods, after school workouts, competitions and games, this counts for spacers etc. .
It is the responsibility of each Head Coach to convey to his/her team the expectations and need for adherence to team and training rules.
ATHLETE EJECTION FROM CONTEST
If an athlete is ejected or suspended from a contest by an official or coach, it is the Head Coach’s responsibility to notify the Athletic Director as soon as possible as per UIL rules. The athlete could possibly receive an automatic one game suspension. A second ejection may lead to possible suspension from the team. Ejected athlete’s coach is required to provide in writing to the Athletic Director preventative measures designed to avert future athlete ejections.
USE OF ILLEGAL DRUGS OR ALCOHOL
The Athletic Code of Conduct will be followed when this rule is violated. Head Coaches have the right to remove, suspend, or correct an athlete whose conduct or actions are detrimental or distracting to the team and integrity of Temple ISD Athletics or any other such violations of which the Head Coach deems necessary to inform the Athletic Director.
8TRANSPORTATION OF STUDENTS
PROCEDURE
TISD school vehicles are to be used to transfer all athletic groups whenever possible. High school athletic trips are to be within a 120 mile radius of the school district except for playoff contests beyond this limit. It is the responsibility of each TISD Head Coach or assigned designee to submit a transportation request at least three weeks prior to the trip. Transportation requests must be submitted directly to the transportation department.
Travel by TISD athletic teams or individual athletes not directly related to a UIL sanctioned activity (i.e. ropes course or team retreat) must be approved first by the Athletic Director then the campus principal.
An Early Release Form needs to be submitted for approval to the Campus Principal (or Campus Designee) and attendance office for any student trip which will cause athletes to miss academic classes.
All TISD athletes must travel with the team. All athletes must return with the team unless, prior to the trip, a parent or guardian has completed a STUDENT TRAVEL RELEASE form that entitles the student/athlete to be released to the custody of the parents at the completion of the activity or event. The Head Coach must keep those on file until the end of the current season.
Student Athlete General Guidelines:
SPORT PROGRAMS
A. PARTICIPATION IN MULTIPLE SPORTS
TISD Athletic Department Guidelines allows and encourages a student/athlete to compete in multiple sports as long as the student/athlete can abide by all team rules and regulations and there is no seasonal conflict. No coach shall discourage any athlete from participating in multiple sports. A student/athlete who decides to quit one sport and enter another will be ineligible for participation in another sport until the end of the season for the sport for which he/she has quit, or unless the head coaches of both sports mutually agree to the student/athlete’s participation. The same applies for suspensions within a sport. A student-athlete may not participate in one sport while serving a suspension in another.
B. OUTSIDE PARTICIPATION
A student can participate on a non-school team while participating on a school team of the same sport. However, missing a school event to participate in a non-school event will count as an unexcused absence. Club Sports – Make every effort to coexist without jeopardizing UIL/District or TISD guidelines regarding participation/recognition and coaching.
C. TEAM RULES
Team rules are to be established by each head coach and based on UIL and TISD policies and administrative guidelines and regulations. Team rules should be approved by the Athletic Director.
D. ATHLETIC AWARD GUIDELINES
Each Head Coach is responsible for establishing and adhering to the criteria by which an athlete may letter. As the demands and expectations of each sport are different, so will be the letter criteria. Basic considerations such as attendance, eligibility, sportsmanship, citizenship, training rules, participation and general attitude will be included in each coach’s criteria. It is up to each Head Coach to inform his/her athletes of the TISD Athletic Award guideline criteria prior to the start of his/her specific season. Lettering criteria for each sport should also be submitted to the AD and communication to the parents of athletes via pre-season parent information meeting.
