PHILOSOPHY – Our athletic policy is aligned with our academic philosophy.  To that end we use athletics to encourage our students to become productive, responsible citizens in their community.  Interscholastic athletics offer the opportunity to teach our students skills and desirable character traits in a setting apart from the traditional classroom.  Our students can learn to be lifetime achievers by practicing self-discipline, loyalty, responsibility, respect for a healthy lifestyle, and commitment to team and others in a competitive setting.  Our entire community of students, parents, coaches, teachers and administrators will work together to produce in our students an appreciation for those values, principles, and goals, which produce a student athlete who is prepared for the challenges of today and tomorrow.

I. Player Responsibility

Athletic participation is a privilege, not a right, extended to all students. In accepting this privilege, our student athletes must assume certain responsibilities. We expect student athletes to show their appreciation by their appearance and their conduct. Only those students capable of assuming these responsibilities will be permitted to share this privilege.

Application of this Code:  The following prohibitions and penalties deal with students involved in athletics and pertain to the entire sports season; provided, however, that a student athlete may be disciplined for out-of-season conduct that (1) is a criminal offense, or (2) causes such adverse notoriety and is of such a nature that it has, in the judgment of the District, the potential to negatively impact the educational program and unless addressed, to create the impression among other students that it is condoned by the District.  In either of these events, the administration may impose such penalty, as it deems appropriate under the circumstances.

1.   Citizenship Standards

Good behavior is expected. Rude or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Any insubordinate or disorderly behavior that endangers the health, safety, rights or property of others is prohibited. Criminal behavior is totally unacceptable year round.  Student athletes engaging in such activities are subject to suspension, and the case will be referred to the principal and director of athletics for further action.

a).    A student athlete may be dismissed from a team by the coach if that player is affecting the morale of the team adversely, is uncooperative, is skipping practice or is continually reporting late for practice.

b).   Any student athlete who steals personal or school equipment will be suspended from a team. The case will be referred to the principal and director of athletics for further action.

c).  A student who receives a criminal summons, appearance ticket or is arrested must notify the athletic director within 48 hours.

d).  Any student charged with a felony will be suspended from a team.

2.   Sportsmanship Standards

a).  A student must show respect for opponents, officials and coaches and maintain self-control at all times.

b).  If a student athlete is cut from a team, he/she may go out for another sport in the same season. However, after a cut is made and a student “quits” the sport, he/she will become ineligible for the remainder of that sport season.

3.  Training Standards

a).    A student athlete shall not use, consume, possess, buy, sell or give away alcohol, tobacco, performance enhancing substances, or any controlled substance. (It is not a violation for a student athlete to be in possession of a legally defined drug specifically prescribed for the student athlete’s own use by his/her doctor).

b).  A student athlete shall not host gatherings where alcohol, tobacco, performance enhancing substances, or any controlled substances are present and/or used, NOR remain at gatherings where such illegal activities are taking place.

4.  Academic and Attendance Standards

a).  Academic:  A student athlete is eligible to play if he/she is a bonafide student of Central Valley Central School District. If a student athlete is failing more than one subject, the guidance counselor, teacher, student, parent and coach will meet to review his/her case and develop an academic program for improvement. The counselor will provide the coaches with a failure list at both the five and ten week intervals. The committee will make evaluations periodically.

b).  Attendance Requirements:  In order to protect the health, well-being and safety of the students participating in the interscholastic program (in addition to encouraging and maintaining promptness in attendance in school at all times) the following policy is in effect:

A team member must be in school prior to the tardy bell for the morning school session in order to be eligible to practice or compete in interscholastic sports for that day. Illness, oversleeping, illegal absence and truancy exclude a student from practicing or playing on that day. Examples of acceptable excuses are dental/doctor appointments, funerals and college visitations.  Legal excuses signed by the parent and approved by the A.D. and principal will be accepted.

II. Procedures to be used when there is a suspected violation

1. Training Standards, Citizenship Standards, Sportsmanship Standards

a)   Suspected violations will be reported to the Athletic Director, who will investigate the report as he deems appropriate and make a determination whether a violation has occurred.  If a violation is found, the Athletic Director will determine the proposed penalty in accordance with this Code.

b)   The student and person(s) in parental relationship to the student will be informed in writing of the violation and proposed penalty and given an opportunity to appear, informally, before the Athletic director to discuss the proposed violation and penalty.  If the student and/or parent does not respond to the Athletic Director within a reasonable time, the sanction is final.

c)   The Athletic Director will then determine whether the proposed sanction is warranted and if so, said sanction is imposed.

d)   If unsatisfied, the student and/or person(s) in parental relationship may appeal to a committee consisting of the Athletic Director, high School Principal and a faculty member.  Said committee will review the matter and meet with the student if they deem appropriate.  The committee will make a final determination and inform the student of its decision in writing.  The penalty remains in effect until the committee’s decision is rendered.

2. Range of Penalties

Penalties are cumulative, beginning in 7th grade, and will be assessed by the Director of Athletics.

1.      Citizenship:

The minimum penalty for a first offense is a warning and the maximum penalty is suspension until further notice.  The penalty for repeated offenses range from a one game suspension to permanent suspension from all sports activities.  The severity of the penalty will be at the discretion of the Athletic Director.

2.  Training Standards:

First Offense – If a student athlete admits to a violation, the student athlete will be suspended from one quarter of the regularly scheduled contests for which the student athlete is eligible and physically able to participate.

a). Upon penalty assessment, the suspended student athlete must attend practice but will not be permitted to dress for contests as a team member.

b). If the student athlete denies the violation and is later proven to have committed said violation, he/she will be suspended for two sport seasons.

c). If necessary, any penalty will carry over to the next sport season in which the student athlete participates.

Second Offense – The student athlete will be suspended for the remainder of the sport season and will remain ineligible for two sport seasons.

Third Offense – The student athlete will be suspended from athletic participation for the remainder of his/her high school career.

View a printable version of the Central Valley CSD Interscholastic Athletic Code (PDF) which includes the parent/student signature page.