HANDBOOK

As a member of the East Longmeadow athletic program, you not only represent the school, you represent the entire community.

You are expected to conduct yourself in the proper manner at all times whether on or off of the competition arena.

This handbook covers specific items you are held accountable for; inclusive of what is written in the East Longmeadow High School student’s handbook .

It is recommended that you look this over as we shall review these items (and more) on the first day of practice in the Fall, Winter, and Spring athletic seasons.

You are encouraged to share this information with your parents or/and guardians.

Rule #1: Give your absolute best each and every day

Rule #2: First learn Rule #1

REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE

Parents must log onto: www.familyid.com/eastlongmeadow-high-school and complete the registration form. Prior to being eligible for any competition the EL sports fee must be paid.

For your convenience sports fees may be paid online:

https://elps.eastlongmeadowma.gov/high-school/athletics/

MIAA Medical Form must also be completed and signed by a Parent and the Student for each season. Medical exams are current if they have been done within the past 13 months of any season. After 13 months, each student must secure a current medical exam.

Baseline testing must also be up to date in order to be cleared for competition.

All students must be academically eligible in order to participate in any sport.

Students must be marked present in school in order to practice or play on the day of a meet. If they are absent on a Friday, they may not compete on Saturday without the permission of an Administrator. All waivers from an administrator must be in written form.

DISTRICT POLICIES

It is typically encouraged that when we leave campus, we do so via school transportation.  No food may be consumed on the bus, only water.

The bus driver is in command while we travel. We follow his or her instruction which will include: Clean the bus after we have arrived back to the school and unload all equipment.

Students are generally not permitted to travel to a site on their own or with a coach via car. An exception would be if, say, SAT’s were being held on a day of competition. In that event, we require a note signed by an administrator and only a parent can transport that student to the event.

For every competition, students must have a minimum of one assigned certified coach with them. Each certified coach must be approved by the school as well as the Athletic Director.

Coaches may only represent bona fide members of the team.

SO WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO?

Always employ good sportsmanship. Winning and losing happens. The key is to learn and grow as a person while having fun in the process. It’s all about improvement!

BE PREPARED FOR EACH DAY

Set your clothes out the night in advance if you can.

Get as much rest as possible.  Turn off the electronic devices 30 minutes before bed!

Bring water to practice or a bottle that you can refill when you need to.

Eat breakfast. Eat a healthy lunch. Have a snack to bring to practice and for after practice or competition. Involve your parents in your nutrition. Have THEM bring food to the meets for EVERYONE!

Stay away from fried foods and soda. Eat fruits and veggies and stay hydrated!

COMMUNICATION

Share with your coaches in regard to school work, personal challenges, injuries and illnesses. You are responsible for letting us know what is going on.

You can always visit with the trainer for injuries, but keep the coaching staff in on the loop and please do not waste the trainer’s time by hanging around. Other sports and athletes need to be tended to as well.

If you are going to be late for practice, simply have a signed note by the teacher or doctor or whomever is in authority to permit you to be tardy.

Work related absences need to be approved by the coaching staff or can result in a penalty. You are encouraged to tell you employer of your commitment to this team and let them know the schedule we have. Usually they understand because they were also athletes in high school.

Club sports or sports outside of the school programs are discouraged.

Try to do Driver’s Education during the sport breaks or in the Summer.

ABSENCES

Participants are required to attend every practice, team meeting or meet. It is your responsibility to notify the coach or team leader if you cannot attend…NOT your parent’s!

Excessive unexcused absences can result in a conference with the Coach, Parent and Athletic Director. Excessive unexcused tardiness is treated similarly.

Excessive unexcused tardiness getting to school on time will also be treated by the administration and you can possibly lose your eligibility. Be on time!

If you do arrive late for practice, you are responsible for your own warm-up as well as doing the assigned practice for that day for your group or groups.

If you have prior commitments (like music lessons), that should be communicated to the staff well enough in advance and you will incur no penalty.

We shall also have some Saturday and Sunday practices and meets. Look over the team schedule very carefully.

EQUIPMENT

Sweat suits(warm-ups), gloves, proper running shoes, hats, jackets and sometimes racing spikes will all be needed on certain days. Sports bras must be worn underneath a tee shirt or uniform. We may at times run in the rain or the snow.

Uniforms can be purchased. We shall ask you for your size and secure an order the first week of practice or (if in the Fall), the first week of school. Cross Country, Indoor, and Outdoor Track and Field all utilize the same style and design. They are yours to keep. Checks made out to: EL Track and Field Booster Club and handled by those boosters.

We DO ask that you obtain your own personal Spandex shorts as well as undergarment for the uniform top. Black is the color of the short and white is the color of the undershirt. Length of the shirt is unimportant, but BOTH must be of solid color. As long as a logo is 1 ½ inches by 1 ½ inches by the manufacturer, it is considered legal to wear in meets.

Failure to meet this restriction can result in a disqualification (DQ) in your actual race/event.

You can (of course) opt not to wear either undergarment, but conditions could merit you needing it.

HOME CONTESTS

When we host contests, everyone helps run the meet. We will have managers that shall help keep score and official records, but in terms of set up, we are ALL involved. Meets do not happen automagically.

Cross Country – we set up flags, cones and other significant markers so that the visiting team can navigate the course. We also walk the course prior to competition.

Indoor – we have no home contests, but we compete at Smith College and elsewhere as guests and are responsible to help out if asked in any way possible.

Outdoor – we set up all field events and hurdles. We break them down when that particular event is over as well.

AWAY CONTESTS

We are guests when we travel. Always respect the other team’s venue as well as any venue we go to. This means we clean up any trash that we might have accumulated when the meet is over.

Freshman and less experienced students are responsible for handling our equipment which includes the med kit. We arrive as a team and we depart as a team.

PRACTICES

Freshman and new people are responsible for bringing out equipment needed for the day’s practice. Veterans can supervise.

Just as in visiting other team’s sites, we must also clean up after our activity. We do not leave a mess for the custodians! This means we rack the weights as well as clear out any water bottles or ice bags. We try not to drag any mud into the school without wiping our feet and we refrain from sitting on the cafeteria tables.

We will always employ a warm up before we go into the exercises or drills for the day. This includes meet day or even days in which you are asked to work out on your own. This is part of the prevention of obtaining injuries. Never shorten the warm up process.

Avoid the EMOTIONAL VAMPIRES (this also pertains to contests)!

At the end of practice sessions, everything must be put away. Theft is grounds for dismissal.

PARENTS’ ROLE

We always encourage parents to come to competitions to cheer for their child(ren) as well as the team. We do not expect nor wish for them to coach.

We do, however, love to have your assistance when it can help move the meet forward and benefit the competition for both our team and even our opponent. We never say “no” to food either!

We applaud enthusiasm, but do not require additional instructions which might confuse the student/athlete. Please read and sign the Parents’ guidelines.

TOURNAMENTS

In order for the team to grow, we enter sanctioned tournaments and host a few of our own.

There are fees attached to most of the tournaments (the exception are the MIAA or PVIAC sanctioned championships).

We may ask for several dollars to enter your child into such a meet. Each meet varies and we will let you know well enough in advance when it may be needed. Designated team leaders might collect these fees or/and the Booster Club. Actual entry is done online by the Head Coach. Fees are typically due 7-10 days before the event.

Transportation is provided by the school at no cost.

SOCIAL MEDIA/DECISIONS

Only you are responsible for what you do outside of practice. It is strongly suggested you get your rest and maintain balance with your studies. Good and great athletes manage their time wisely. We would like you to recognize that you are part of a team now and that what you do affects them as well.

Please make good decisions especially in the social media outlets. We ask that you reveal those that don’t make good decisions also. You are the manager of your own destiny.

Make it a positive one.

www.coachbudd.com

From here you can link to all of the important sites including trackcentral.net. The schedule is up on this site and can be copied. Our Ladyspartan web site can also be reached from there. When you have time - browse through it.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Our sport’s rules are under the National Federation of High School Sports (NFHS).

We review them during the season. You must understand which ones apply to you.

There are no cuts for Cross Country nor Outdoor Track and Field. People cut themselves.

Indoor Track and Field may have to streamline their roster due to league policy. A fair method shall be utilized for everyone that wishes to be a part of it.

Each team shall have their own special activities which shall be utilized to help bond everyone. Please participate so your experience here is even more positive!

Even though we might split into groups during any season, we are still one team. Each section appreciates other sections by offering encouragement. Don’t hold back!

We usually have a banquet in which we hand out awards to participants and managers. You will be notified of this prior to the end of the season by the respective Booster Club.

Awards at the banquet are earned. Each participant will receive a certificate from the school while others might obtain additional items such as pins or/and Varsity letters.

If you earn a trophy, medal, or ribbon in a competition, it is the property of the coach…okay, it’s yours.

TEAM awards go on display at the school (like on page one).

Ideas for fundraisers are always welcome and even if we do it for a worthy cause, it is encouraged that everyone be involved.

Please help us recruit like-minded student/athletes to help us better our position as a team.

You’ll also receive text messages often during the season from Coach Budd (trackcentral)

T.(together) E.(everyone) A.(achieves) M.(more)

EARNING A VARSITY LETTER

There are several ways in which one can earn a varsity letter. Listed below are some of the following ways one can be obtained:

CROSS COUNTRY

Be one of the top five runners overall during the season

(trackcentral will be unbiased in determining who those five people are)

Compete in the State Sectional Championships

Consistently displace any of our opponents’ top seven runners during the season

Represent the Varsity team at the Conference Championships

INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

Be one of the top three performers in any one given event

Qualify individually for the post season in any event

Score 12 or more points during the course of the season

Compete for the Varsity team in post season play in any event

FOR ALL SPORTS SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS CAN ALSO BE MADE WHEN MERITED TO EARN A LETTER.

HAVE YOUR BEST SEASON AND YEAR EVER!

-           Coach Budd

 

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