Athletics

Athletic Policies and Guidelines

Sports Letters

Coaches in each sport will have their own criteria for what constitutes a letter in their sport.  In general, an athlete must be a member of the varsity team in good standing to receive a letter.  Athletes that do not letter will receive a participation certificate.

Letter Jackets

Any athlete who has played the same varsity sport for two years and letters one of those years will be eligible to receive a jacket at the beginning of their junior year.

 Patches

Patches will be awarded to athletes who earn the following honors:

• 1^st Team All District
• 1^st Team All State
• 1^st Team All Parish
• 1^st Team Academic All State
• 1^st Team Academic All District

A patch will be awarded to each member of a team that wins a district championship.  A state patch will be awarded to each member of a team that advances beyond the regional round of post season play. 

Athletes who earn 2^nd team honors or honorable mention honors may purchase these patches for $10.

Quit Rule

It will be the policy of the BHS Athletic Department that if an athlete does not complete a particular sport season for any reason (quits the team or is dismissed by the coach), that athlete is not eligible to compete in another sport until the previous sport season is completed.  The only exception to this policy will be if the coach and/or Athletic Director sign off.

Example: If an athlete quits the football team, he cannot play (or practice) basketball until the last football game is played.

Booster/Athlete Obligations

Jackets, patches, trophies, and plaques are awarded to athletes when they are earned as previously described.  For the athlete to receive these awards, the athlete must participate in fund-raising activities that help the athletic department purchase these items.  The Booster Club will conduct a chili supper in the fall and a sausage po boy dinner in the spring.  These fundraisers will not be successful unless the athletes do their part.  Each athlete is expected to sell all 10 of the tickets they receive for each activity, but to remain in good standing an athlete must average 7 tickets sold per event.  Athletes who do not meet these requirements will not be considered for awards until their debt is cleared with the Athletic Director.

Instead of giving away a t-shirt for selling all 10 tickets, we will be awarding a scholarship to 2 seniors.  To be eligible for this scholarship an athlete must remain in good standing.  The AD and administration will pick the winners.

Multi-Sport Athletes

In the spring, athletes may not participate in more than 2 sports at the same time, unless approved by the Athletic Director or Principal.

Cost of Playing Sports at BHS

The athletic department will attempt to provide all game uniforms and practice attire needed by the athletes.  Any item that is purchased by the athletes will be theirs to keep.  Coaches will try to keep the cost to the athlete as low as possible.  The athletic department does not provide shoes/cleats to athletes.

Fall Sports Ceremony

A ceremony will be held in December to honor football, volleyball, cross-country, and swim teams.

Spring Sports Ceremony

In May, a ceremony will be held to honor boys’ and girls’ basketball, baseball, softball, track, tennis, powerlifting, golf, cheer, and Top Cats.  Student Athletes of the Year are recognized, and the athletic scholarships are awarded.

Athletic PE

Students who have participated in football, volleyball, basketball, baseball, or softball the previous year will be required to schedule Athletic PE.  Academic conflicts will be handled on a case-by-case basis.  Due to limited space, students who participate in only cross-country, tennis, golf, track, or swimming will not schedule Athletic PE.  Students who did not participate in sports the previous year, but plan to do so the next year, must have permission from the Athletic Director to schedule Athletic PE.

Summer Conditioning/Weights

Summer conditioning is critical to student athlete success.  The requirements will be discussed and communicated during the Spring semester.

Transportation to and from Games

Students will ride the bus to a game and return to the school on the bus.  If a parents wants his or her child to leave with them after a game, must receive permission from the head coach.  Coaches will not deny any reasonable request, but  as a general rule, students should return on the bus.

Chain of Command

If you, as a parent, are unhappy about what is going on with your child in his or her sport or have a complaint, please use the following chain of command:

• Coach
• Athletic Director
• Principal

Coaches will not answer questions about playing time to parents.  If your son or daughter wants to know why he or she is not playing it is their responsibility to talk to the coach, not the parents’.

Hazing

Hazing or initiation rituals will not be tolerated in any way at Berwick High School.  If you hear of any situation in which hazing is taking place, please follow the chain of command and notify the coach.

Discipline

To have all athletes being disciplined the same, we will be implementing a new discipline policy. For any major offense (fighting, arrest, use of tobacco on campus, etc.) a discipline committee will meet.  The committee will be made of up the Athletic Director and 2 other coaches.  The committee will decide whether the offense is major or not.  The first major offense will result in a suspension of 10% of the season.  The second major offense will result in the suspension from athletics for a calendar year.  The third major offense will result in the permanent removal from athletics at BHS.  If the committee decides the offense in not major, the head coach of that sport will handle the discipline. 

Attendance policy

Athletes must be at school the last half of the day (5th period through 7th period) to participate in practice or a game that day.  Athletes must be at school on Friday to attend Saturday or Sunday events.  If the athlete misses school because of a doctor appointment, a doctor’s excuse must be provided to the coach.