Friends Select School

Student/Parent Athletic Handbook

2009-2010

Mission Statement

Friends Select School's mission is to provide a challenging, college-preparatory academic program to its diverse, coed student population, from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. Members of the Friends Select community believe in the Quaker values of respect for all, simplicity, the peaceful resolution to conflict, and a constant search for truth. The school works to achieve a balance between the needs of individuals and the community, in an atmosphere of cooperation and concern for the betterment of all. It values the rich diversity of its urban setting and the opportunities and challenges it provides for the education of its students. Under the caring oversight of dedicated faculty and staff, Friends Select students gain the knowledge, skills and character that will help them to live full lives.

Athletic Philosophy and Purpose

As an integral part of Friends Select School’s educational mission, the athletic program encourages commitment to self, team and the school community. On an individual level, each student develops motivation, skills, discipline, and pride in achievement. By participating on a team, students cultivate and demonstrate integrity, commitment and dedication to their sport and to one another. Collectively, student-athletes build community by embracing competition and school spirit, strengthened by high standards of sportsmanship. The athletic program prepares students for the “whole of life” by teaching valuable lessons that extend far beyond their years at Friends Select School.

Athletic Offerings

Upper School

Fall

Boys’ Soccer

Girls’ Soccer

Field Hockey

Coed Cross Country

Winter

Boys’ Basketball

Girls’ Basketball

Wrestling

Coed Swimming

Spring

Baseball

Softball

Coed Tennis

Crew

Students who choose to participate in crew are strongly encouraged not participate in the school’s international trips during the crew season.

Middle School

Fall

Boys’ Soccer

Girls’ Soccer

Field Hockey

Coed Cross Country

Winter

Boys’ Basketball

Girls’ Basketball

Wrestling

Coed Swimming

Spring

Baseball

Softball

Coed Tennis

If a student in grades six through twelve is engaged, at a high level, in a competitive sport or athletic activity not offered by Friends Select then the student may petition to have an exemption from the athletic requirement. The student must submit to the Athletic Director a letter which describes the student’s athletic activity in detail including time commitment, contact information of the outside coach and the benefits he/she hopes to experience through participation.

Students are also encouraged to fill the sports requirement as a team manager, score keeper or photographer. The Athletic Director must approve any of these non competitive roles.

Facilities

Friends Select’s athletic facilities include:

·        25-yard swimming pool

·        full gymnasium

·        wrestling gymnasium (mat room)

·        weight-training room

·        girls and boys locker rooms

·        roof-top athletic fields (includes 8 tennis courts, field hockey field)

·        fitness/dance studio

·        soccer, softball and baseball fields in Fairmount Park

·        Vesper Boat House

Friends Schools’ League (FSL) Philosophy

The nine schools which comprise the Friends Schools’ League share many common beliefs and concerns based on Friends’ testimonies. Among them are the value of athletic competition and the need to keep such competition in the proper perspective. The operation of the Friends Schools’ League is facilitated by these common beliefs and experiences. The League will be guided in all its undertakings by the fundamental principles upon which the schools are founded. The integrity and intrinsic value of each individual shall be of primary concern. In keeping with Friends’ policies all league decisions will be based on the consensus of the athletic directors, subject to the approval of the school heads.

Friends Schools’ League (FSL) Schools

Abington Friends

Academy of the New Church

Friends Central School

Friends Select School

George School

Germantown Friends School

Moorestown Friends School

Shipley School

Westtown

Friends Schools’ League’s Sportsmanship Guidelines

Guidelines for Athletes

·        Athletes will treat opponents with respect, which includes shaking hands prior to and after contests.

·        Athletes will respect the judgment of contest officials; abide by rules of the contest; and display no behavior that could incite the fans or other players (for example, no “trash-talking,” “in your face” behavior, baiting, or taunting).

·        Athletes will cooperate with officials, coaches, and fellow participants to conduct a fair contest.

·        Athletes will accept seriously the responsibility and privilege of representing the school, community, and league.

·        Athletes will display positive public action at all times.

·        Athletes will live up to the high standards of sportsmanship established by the athletic department, the coaches, and the Friends Schools’ League.

Guidelines for Spectators

·        Spectators will respect decisions made by contest officials.

·        Spectators will be exemplary role models by positively supporting teams in every manner possible, including content of cheers and signs.

·        Spectators will respect fans, coaches, and participants. Specifically, spectators will cheer for their teams in a positive manner and will not interact negatively with the other team or its fans.

Acceptable Behavior

·        Applause during introduction of players, coaches and officials

·        Accept all decisions of officials

·        Mascots and cheerleaders lead fans in a positive manner.

·        Handshakes between participants and coaches at the end of contest, regardless of outcome

·        Treat competition as a game.

·        Coaches/players search out opposing participants to recognize them for outstanding performance or coaching.

·        Applause at the end of contest for performances of all participants

·        Everyone showing concern for injured player, regardless of team

·        Encourage surrounding people to display only sportsmanlike conduct.

Unacceptable Behavior

·        Yelling or waving arms during opponent’s free-throw attempt

·        Disrespectful or derogatory yells chants, songs, or gestures

·        Booing or heckling an official’s decision

·        Criticizing officials in any way; displays of temper with an official’s call

·        Yells that antagonize opponents

·        Refusing to shake hands or give recognition for good performances

·        Blaming loss of game on officials, coaches, or participants

·        Laughing or name-calling to distract an opponent

·        Use of profanity or displays of anger

·        “Trash-talking,” taunting or baiting by players, coaches or spectators

Disciplinary Policy

The division director and dean, in consultation with the head of school and athletic director, have ultimate authority regarding disciplinary issues that occur during athletic events.

PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association)

Friends Select is also a member of the PIAA and competes in District One. The PIAA is comprised of public and private schools in the Philadelphia and surrounding region. Membership in the PIAA offers competition against schools of similar size to Friends Select and affords the opportunity for post-season competition outside of the Friends Schools League.

Organization of Athletic Department

The director of athletics is responsible to the director of upper school and is directly responsible for administering all aspects of the athletic program. This includes supervision of coaches, athletic trainer and aquatics director, scheduling all competitions, arranging transportation, securing officials and administering the department budget.

Each coach is responsible to the director of athletics. It is important that coaches recognize that school sponsored sports are a part of the total school program. Coaches are expected to use good judgment and sound educational principles to provide a worthwhile and positive experience. The director of athletics will inform coaches of policies, procedures and any concerns that may arise about their program. The director of athletics will meet with each coach before and after the season and communicate with them frequently throughout the season.

Middle School Athletic Requirement

Each student in grades six through eight is required to participate in at least one season of after-school athletics. Attendance at practices is mandatory. Students practice five days per week throughout each season. To receive credit for participation in a sport, a student can miss no more than three sessions. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the athletic director and division director under circumstances such as religious observances, extenuating medical needs or availability of a tutor. The athletic director will make every effort to schedule athletic events so they do not conflict with religious holidays.

Upper School Athletic Requirement

Each student in grades 9 through 12 is required to participate in either one season of an interscholastic sport, perform in a drama production each year, serve as a member of the stage and tech crew, or participate in one of the community activities that fulfills the activity requirement. All student-athletes (9 through 12) involved in interscholastic sports practice five days per week each season. Each sport has a training period before the season begins.

Physical Education Waiver

Juniors and seniors will be permitted to waive PE if they participate in two seasons of after-school sports.

This policy will not apply to students who serve as managers for after-school sports teams.  The school recognizes the valuable contributions that managers make to both their teams and to the greater school community.  Managers’ responsibilities, however, do not encompass the physical activities that this policy recognizes.  In addition, many other students commit extended hours to co-curricular activities (e.g., fine arts productions, Student Government, the yearbook, and so on) without anticipating a waiver of graduation requirements.  It therefore would not be equitable to make such an exception for team managers.

This policy also will not apply to students’ health requirements, so participation in an after-school sport will not enable students to waive health classes.  The Health curriculum is comprised of CPR for juniors and an “on-line” health issues course for seniors. For those students who fulfill the athletic requirements for exemption from Physical Education, the “on-line” health option will be available during the second quarter of the school year. Juniors who wish to enroll in CPR may do so. This choice would only be available if the class would fit into their schedule without conflicting with another elective course.  

As part of the course selection process in the spring, juniors and seniors will sign up for each sport season, electing either PE or the “waiver” option.  During the school year, we will have one-week “drop” periods for sports.  Students who elect to drop their sport will enter a PE class and make up the missed work.  Students injured while participating in a sport will remain on the team for the entire season (participating in ways that their physician permits), and will not enter PE.

If a student decides to quit a team, he or she will have to add a PE section, regardless of the grade level of the section. For example, if a student is a junior or senior and cannot fit an 11th/12th grade PE section into his or her schedule, s/he will have to add a 9th or 10th grade class, or devise another solution with the athletic director.

A student who is absent from school or arrives later than 10:10 a.m. may not participate in after-school activities, such as athletic events, on that day. Students who are absent on a Friday (or the last day of classes in a given week) will normally not be allowed to participate in school-related activities that weekend. Exceptions may be made only by the director or dean.

Mandatory Fall Pre-Season Athletic Practice

In order to assure safety for athletes and optimal performance for teams, mandatory fall pre-season practice for upper school teams is required. (Pre-season training for winter and spring seasons is already included in the school calendar.)   It is expected that students wishing to participate in fall sports at Friends Select will be present for this training period. For the 2009-2010 school year, fall pre-season practice begins on Monday, August 24.

Guidelines

1. The Athletic Department will set the dates for upper school pre-season training, which will generally begin before Labor Day.
2. Upper school student-athletes must attend the pre-season training, which begins before the official opening of school (much like their appearance at orientation and registration).
3. Any upper school student-athlete having an extenuating circumstance which prohibits him or her from participating in this training must inform the athletic director prior to the training period. The athletic director and the coach of the particular sport will determine the student-athlete’s eligibility for the fall season sport.

Team Formation

A goal of the athletic program is to provide the students with the opportunity for interscholastic competition that encourages personal growth and skill development through the appropriate level of competition.

Friends Select seeks to field teams that are competitive and that provide the appropriate skill level for the participants involved. The number of teams fielded in each sport depends upon the number of participants, skill level and availability of facilities.

Middle School A: 7^th and 8^th grade students and highly skilled 6^th grade students

Middle School B: 6^th and 7^th grade students and highly skilled *5^th grade students

*Fifth grade students may play on the middle school B team in the winter and spring seasons at the request of a parent, the recommendation of the athletic director and teacher, and the approval of the middle school division director.

Sixth and seventh grade athletes may neither practice nor play with upper school junior varsity or varsity teams. This will be the case even when the upper school program does not have enough student interest to otherwise field a team.

An eighth grade athlete who has completed at least one semester of seventh grade at Friends Select School may be considered for junior varsity team participation (practices, non-league and league games) under the circumstances described below:

• The student is a player with exceptional skills, which enable him/her to compete at a much higher level than his/her teammates.

• The student possesses the requisite social and academic maturity.

• The overall welfare of the athletic program will benefit from such a move.

*The process for this placement will be followed in the order listed below. The placement must be finalized no later than the end of the second week of the middle school season.

1. Any individual within the community may initiate a request for a move by asking that the athletic director call a meeting of the athletic director and the sport-specific MS and US coaches.

2. The athletic director will explore the request with all of the coaches (MS and US) involved.

3. If these parties reach a consensus, the athletic director brings the request to the middle school division director. The MS director will then invite input from appropriate MS and US individuals (i.e. MS advisor, MS dean, US director, US dean).

4. The MS director decides if such a request can be accommodated.

5. The MS director informs the head of the school of the decision.

6. The MS director informs the parents (and public - if necessary) of the decision.

Under no circumstances will an eighth grade student be permitted to practice or play (non-league or league games) at the varsity level, nor may students new to Friends Select School in eighth grade practice or play (non-league or league games) at the junior varsity or varsity level.

Junior Varsity: 9^th, 10^th or 11^th grade students and *highly skilled 8^th grade students

Varsity: 9^th, 10^th, 11^th and 12^th grade students

Equipment and Uniforms

Student athletes are expected to purchase personal athletic equipment. Team equipment will be issued and maintained by the school. Student athletes are issued school uniforms for games. At the end of every game the entire uniform and all school issued equipment must be returned to the school uniform closet. (All * items can be purchased at the FSS Athletic Store. Swimming and wrestling items should be ordered from the FSS coach.)

Athletic Program Equipment List

Practice Times and Locations

Upper school teams practice from 3:45 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. Students practicing at Fairmount Park may be expected to return to Friends Select by 5:45 p.m. During the winter season, the upper school boys’ and girls’ basketball teams will practice from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., or 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., on a rotating basis.

Fall

Cross Country: Fairmount Park, Lemon Hill

Soccer: Fairmount Park, Edgely Fields

Field Hockey: Friends Select School Roof Top

Winter

Basketball: Friends Select School Gymnasium

Wrestling: Friends Select School Mat Room

Swimming: Friends Select School Pool

Spring

Tennis: Friends Select School Roof Top

Crew: Vesper Boat House, Kelly Drive

Baseball, Softball: Fairmount Park, Dairy Fields

Postponement and Rescheduling of Games

The athletic director will make final decisions on postponements. When possible, postponements will take place no later than 1 p.m. The director will notify the upper school offices as well as the front desk receptionist and post a message on the athletic page of the school website. The athletic director will make every attempt to reschedule postponed games in consultation with the appropriate coaches. In the event of prolonged periods of inclement weather, games may not be rescheduled except in the case of Friends’ League contests. For the latest information about postponements or cancellations of games, please call 215-561-5900, extension 404. Cancellations will also be posted on the athletic page of the Friends Select website. For other athletic schedule information, please call the weekly athletic schedule line at extension 403. For directions to Friends Select playing fields, please call the “directions line” at extension 402.

Dismissal Times

Dismissal times will be provided by the director of athletics on a weekly basis. They will be distributed via email to all coaches and faculty and will be posted on bulletin boards for the students. Every effort will be made to have the students attend as much of class time as possible on away game days.

Transportation

All teams will travel on school approved transportation. Friends Select busses depart from the school parking lot or the Bailey Circle exit located on Race Street. All charter busses depart from the Bailey Circle exit on Race Street. All students must travel to and from each practice or game on school provided transportation. Students are permitted to leave a practice or game with their parents provided the coach has been notified in advance. Under no circumstances are students allowed to drive to a practice or a game.

Directions to Sporting Events

For directions to athletic events at other schools, it is best to call the school directly for directions Ask the school about where the specific event is being held, keeping in mind that many schools have different playing locations for their various sports. Main addresses and phone numbers are listed below. Directions to the main school building of other schools are available in the sports link on Friends Select’s Web site (www.friends-select.org).

Directions to Friends Select School

Friends Select is located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 17th Street. From the Northwest, West or Southwest, take I-76 (Schuylkill Expressway) to I-676 East. Exit on Central Philadelphia/15th Street. Turn right on 15th Street. Turn right on Cherry Street. School is two blocks on right. From New Jersey using the Ben Franklin Bridge or from the Northeast using I-95, take I-676 West. Exit on Central Philadelphia/15th Street. From 15th Street turn right on Cherry Street.

Field hockey, basketball, wrestling, swimming and tennis are all at this location. Entrance to the school parking lot is off Race Street at 16^th.

Directions to Friends Select’s Playing Fields

Fall

Edgely Field (Soccer, Cross Country--check schedule)

From Philadelphia, take Kelly Drive North to Fountain Green Drive (the Stature of General Grant is at entrance to Fountain Green Drive). Turn right onto Fountain Green Drive. Turn left at Randolph Drive (the second left turn possible from Fountain Green Drive). Fields are on right.

Spring

Dairy Fields (Baseball, Softball)

From Philadelphia, take Kelly Drive North to Fountain Green Drive (the Stature of General Grant is at entrance to Fountain Green Drive). Turn right onto Fountain Green Drive. Turn left at Sedgely Drive (the first left turn possible from Fountain Green Drive). The baseball field is on the right. Continue on for softball field.

Requirements/Eligibility for Varsity Letters

Athletes and managers must attend all practices unless excused by the school nurse, school director, dean or coach. A player who is absent from practice without a valid written excuse may not play in the next interscholastic contest. A coach may permit a student to come out for a sport after the season is in progress in certain circumstances, including when a student enters school after the season begins; a student is cleared to return to an activity after recovering from and injury; or there are insufficient numbers to continue a season already in progress. Playing time and awards are not ensured.

Upper School Athletic Department Awards

The following awards are given in May during the Academic/Athletic Awards Ceremony

Coaches Award (Outstanding Male Athlete)

Emma Braun Award (Outstanding Female Athlete)

Twelve Season Athlete

The following awards are given at the end of the fall, winter and spring seasons during the Athletic Awards Ceremony

Upper School Coaches Awards

Outstanding Player

Most Improved Player

Most Dedicated Player

Sportsmanship

Middle School Coaches Awards

Outstanding Player

Most Improved Player

Most Dedicated Player

Sportsmanship

Friends Schools League Awards (Determined by coaches in the FSL)

First Team All League

Honorable Mention