Team Rules

PRACTICE

ANY STUDENT-ATHLETE ABSENT THE DAY BEFORE A MEET (FROM PRACTICE AND/OR SCHOOL) WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO COMPETE IN SAID MEET

ANY STUDENT-ATHLETE THAT SIGNS IN TO SCHOOL AFTER 9:00AM WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO PARTICIPATE IN AN ATHLETIC CONTEST OR PRACTICE THAT SAME DAY (FRIDAY WILL DETERMINE SATURDAY ELIGIBILITY)

Absences

• Two (2) unexcused absences will result in not competing in next Meet, no Relay 

• Three (3) unexcused absences will result in 1 week suspension from team, no Meets or Relays- phone call home

• Four (4) unexcused absences will result in 2 week suspension from team, no Meets or Relays – phone call home  

• Five (5) unexcused absences will result in dismissal from the team- phone call home.

• Excused absences are the following:

  1. Injury or illness confirmed by the doctor, nurse or trainer.

  2. Medical or dental appointments confirmed by doctor’s note.

  3. Religious service.

  4. Absent from school confirmed by parent note next day.

• Non-compliance in any of the above conditions will be considered an unexcused absence.

Tardiness

• Practice starts at 2:30 after school; Saturday practices start at 8am, subject to announced change.

• All team members will meet at the scheduled area for the start of practice, subject to announced change.

• Tardy is defined as not being at the appointed practice location at the appointed start time.

• Excused tardiness:

  1. Attendance at the magnet schools.

  2. Academic help or make-up tests/quizzes, confirmed by a note from the teacher.

  3. Medical or dental appointments confirmed by doctor’s note. 

  4. Other meeting for club WITH 24 hour notification and confirmed by note from advisor

• Non-compliance in any of the above conditions will be considered an unexcused absence.

Uniforms

• Athletes must wear Team Uniforms during competition (Meet / Relay).  

• Merchandise purchased through outside sources, including our annual gear orders, are not a substitute for a team issued uniform for meets.

• Please do not wear team issued uniforms as casual clothing or workout gear.

• Players are responsible for all uniforms and equipment.  Team members assume all charges, as determined annually by the Athletic Director, if they are not returned or are damaged to the extent that they need to be repaired or replaced.

MEETS

General Information

• Dual/Tri/Quad meets are generally scheduled during the week after school (days vary).

• Invitational and Championship meets are almost exclusively on Friday afternoons and/or weekends with some occasional alternatives (rescheduling due to weather delays, etc.).

• Meet schedules and times will be posted on the Track & Field Bulletin Board, team website, or other mass communication medium (i.e. Remind, Google Classroom, etc.).

• Meet participants will be announced the day before the meet (or earlier when possible) at practice and through one of our electronic communication systems.

Absences

• Absence from the meet without notifying a member of the coaching staff will result in suspension and/or dismissal from the team- coaches will expect some form of communication if you cannot attend a meet.

• An unexcused absence the day before the Meet/Relay will result in not competing in the Meet/Relay- athletes must be in school at least a half day (in school by 9am) on the day before a meet to participate.

• Two absences in the prior five days to a meet will result in not competing in the meet/relay, excused or not (this is not for punishment but for the safety of the team member and for the coaches to make an assessment of their current level of fitness).   

• If you are scheduled to participate in a meet and are absent without prior notification of the coaches, you forfeit varsity letter consideration for the season.

Tardiness

• Tardy is defined as not being at the appointed assembly location at the appointed start time in the proper uniform.

• If you are tardy for the meet you will not participate in the meet 

• If you miss the Bus for the Meet / Relay, you will not compete in the meet.  

Early Dismissal from Meets (School Rules and Team Policies)

• All athletes are required to ride the team bus to and from all meets. If a circumstance arises that requires you to be traveling to the meet without the team or to be dismissed early, you must submit a MRHS Transportation Form to Coach Gottdenker and/or Coach Rap 24 hours (minimum) in advance of the meet.

  • This is an exception and should not happen regularly.

• You are not allowed to leave a Meet / Relay early except in the rarest of circumstances.  The coaching staff will have a team meeting at the end of each and every Meet / Relay.  

  • 1st time leaving early without a confirmed note will result in one week team suspension.

  • 2nd time leaving early without a confirmed note will result in team dismissal.

**Any student-athlete needing to leave early from a meet, or arranging any alternative form of transportation other than the team bus MUST submit a parent request form 24 hours in advance to the head coaches for approval. Under no circumstances will an athlete with a provisional license be allowed to transport another student. Students are only permitted to leave with a parent/guardian.**

VARSITY LETTERS

To earn a varsity letter, a team member must (by the end of the season):

• Cross Country

  • No excessive absences and;

  • No disciplinary problems and;

  • Compete in every meet entered (injury/illness notwithstanding) and;

    • Top 7 Varsity runner for 50% of our meets and/or

    • Medal in a championship meet (Monmouth County, Shore Conference, State Sectionals)

• Winter Track

  • No excessive absences and;

  • No disciplinary problems and;

  • Compete in every meet entered (injury/illness notwithstanding) and;

  • Athlete scores a point in any championship meet (Monmouth County, Shore Conference, State Sectional, etc) and/or;

  • Top 2 in team rankings in respective event for the season

• Spring Track

  • Team member in good standing.

    • No excessive absences and;

    • No disciplinary problems and;

    • Compete in every meet entered (injury/illness notwithstanding) and;

  • Accumulate 12 or more varsity points during the season (individually or as part of relays) and/or;

    • Points earned as a member of a relay will be divided equally among the members of the relay squad (i.e. 10 points in a two person field relay will give each participant 5 varsity points towards their letter or 6 points in a four person track relay will give each participant 1.5 varsity points towards the letter)

  • Top 2 in team rankings in respective event for the season and/or;

  • Scorer or place winner (top 6) at county, conference, or state meet(s) (i.e. Sectionals, Groups, Meet of Champions)