Team Expectations 

Our Athletes

Necedah athletes should be diligent in preparation, give 100% at all times, demonstrate personal discipline, be respectful in all situations, maintain self control, show humility, and aggressively pursue excellence regardless of the score, opponent, time, referee, or situation.  The ultimate and final responsibility rests upon the shoulders of the student athlete. 

Strike Policy 

An athlete will receive a strike if they are being disruptive during practice or meets. Disruptive can mean many things. An example is showing up late to meets, not listening at practice, or being disrespectful to teammates/coach.   There is a three strike Policy.  Strike one is no big deal.  It's a friendly reminder to remain respectful and not to be disruptive.  Strike two should be looked at with concern. It should never get past strike two since there are ways to remove strikes. Strike three you will be removed from the team.  It will take a lot for that to happen. 

 I am a firm believer of forgiveness when a mistake is made. There will be ways to redeem yourself if you do get a strike so it can be removed.  For example: An athlete gets a strike for yelling at a teammate.  That athlete can vocalize they are sorry to the coach and teammate.  Then the athlete volunteers to take on tent duty for the next meet. The strike would be removed. 

Our Parents/Guardians

Parents of student athletes have a responsibility to both their child and to the team. Without strong parental support the student athlete will not be able to achieve his/her greatest potential and/or the team may suffer.  It is important that parents provide positive reinforcement and understand their role as being part of the team. Parents, as well as players, should be supportive and encourage coaches and teammates at all times. Parents are not coaches and learning to trust coaches is a key step to learning the value of the life lesson experiences athletes provide. In order for NHS’s athletic program to be successful, coaches, student athletes, and parents must make a firm commitment. 

Attendance - 

Athletes are expected to be on time to practice.  Practice begins at 3:30 pm sharp.  If you are going to be late or not able to attend practice you must let a coach know in advance.  Any late or missed practices that the head Coach is not notified in advance about will result in an unexcused absence. 3 unexcused absences may result in removal from the team. 

• In the event that you missed a practice due to an unexpected major event a parent needs to contact the head coach explaining the situation.  Discretion will be used to determine if it will be unexcused. 

• -Not telling the coach ahead of time about an appointment or family obligation.

• -Choosing to miss practice to hang out with friends.

• -You are injured and decide not to attend practice.  All athletes that have an injury should work with Lorryn during practice to rehabilitate.  The exception to this is if your Dr. doesn't want you to attend and you have separate rehab through your private doctor.

• -If an athlete is sick please have the parent or athlete notify your coach.  If you do not notify your coach and you do not attend practice it will be marked unexcused. If it was marked unexcused then a parent needs to notify a coach that you were sick. 

• -Must be in school all day in order to practice or participate, unless family emergencies, professional appointments or approval through the office.

You will be released from class or arrive at school for a meet 15 minutes before bus departure. We need this time to prepare gear, get dressed, use the restroom, and fill our water bottles. The bus departure time isn't flexible. If an athlete is late, they must find a ride with a parent or guardian to the meet. If an athlete misses the bus and finds an alternative ride, it will be up to the coaches to decide if that athlete can still run in the meet and if there will be any further disciplinary action. 

Please be dressed in the appropriate running attire.  Athletes must keep their shirts on.  An athlete may not be able to practice or compete if they are not wearing the proper attire. 

Examples of appropriate running attire

-T-shirts

-Tank tops

-Crop tops 

-Sweatshirts

-Shorts

-Leggings

-Spandex shorts 

-Running shoes (no flip flops, regular shoes, or crocs). Must be tied. 

Female runners need to have a pair of logo free black spandex shorts for races.  a logo less than two inches is allowed.  Logos across the top elastic band are allowed. 

If grades become a problem, athletes must contact coaches to develop a plan to improve grades. We will give an athlete time during practice to work on school work if needed. Our goal is never to sit an athlete due to poor grades.  

-Please do not wait until grades are a problem. Tell coaches right away so we can help you connect with the appropriate people to work on that subject or issue. 

-Please do not fall behind with work due to meets.  The schedule is available at the beginning of the season.  Think ahead and get work ahead of time.  Prioritize homework on the weekends to stay ahead. 

As a member of Cross Country, athletes must follow the student code of conduct. Many practice locations are within our community. Our presence must be a positive one. 

-No peanuts or tree nuts can be brought or consumed at any practices, meets, on the bus, or around track gear. If  you violate this rule you will have to meet with our Principle Mr Becker. 

-No vandalism, littering, or trespassing.  It's very important to ask permission to run in someone's yard or property. Violation of this rule will result in a strike.

Student Hazing – shall be defined for purposes of this policy as performing any act or coercing another, including the victim, to perform any act of initiation into a class, group, or organization that causes or creates a risk of causing mental, emotional, or physical harm.  Permission, consent, or assumption of risk by an individual subjected to hazing shall not lessen the prohibitions contained in this policy.

Student Anti-Harassment – zero forms of harassment will be tolerated and will be taken seriously and all necessary and appropriate actions will be taken to eliminate it.  Prohibition against harassment based on the traits of sex (including gender status, change of sex, or gender identity), race, color, national origin, religion, creed, ancestry, sexual orientation or physical, mental, emotional or learning disabilities, or any other characteristic protected by Federal or State as well as Third Parties, who feel aggrieved to seek assistance to rectify such problems.  

• Retaliation against a person who has made a report or filed a complaint alleging harassment, or who has participated as a witness in a harassment investigation.

• Filing a malicious or knowingly false report or complaint of harassment.

Bullying – is deliberate or intentional behavior using word(s) or actions, intended to cause fear, intimidation, or harm.  Bullying may be a repeated behavior and involves an imbalance of power.  Furthermore, it may be serious enough to negatively distinguishing characteristics, such as, but not limited to: age, national origin; race; ethnicity; gender, gender identity; sexual orientation; physical attributes; physical or mental ability or disability; and social, economic, or family status; however, this type of prohibited bullying behavior need not be based on any of those particular or other particular characteristics.  It includes, but not necessarily limited to such behaviors as stalking, cyberbullying, intimidating, menacing, coercing, name-calling, taunting, making threats, and hazing.

Examples of Bullying are: physical, verbal, psychological, and cyberbullying

Physical – hitting, kicking, spitting, pushing, pulling, taking and/or damaging belongings or extorting money, blocking or impeding student movement, unwelcome physical contact.

Verbal – taunting, malicious teasing, insulting, name-calling, making threats.

Psychological – spreading rumors, manipulating social relationships, coercion, or engaging in social exclusion/shunning, extortion, or intimidation.

“Cyberbullying” – the use of information and communication technologies such as email, cell phone and pager text messages, instant messaging (IM), defamatory personal websites, and defamatory online personal polling websites, to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others.

Disorderly Conduct - shall be any deliberate activity by an individual or a group, whether peaceful or violent, which is reasonably likely to disrupt the normal operation of school activity.

Reporting Procedures: Any student who believes they have been or is the victim of hazing, harassment, and/or bullying should immediately report the situation to the activity director or athletic coach in charge.  If the advisor or athletic coach has reasonable cause to believe this complaint to be true even though they did not personally see said activity committed – must submit a report to the principal and athletic director. 

Penalty for 1st infraction and first report submitted:

• Will complete six (6) hours of pre-approved community service prior to returning.

  • For Category 2

• Will be suspended from participation in all games for 1 week.

  • For Category 1

Penalty for 2nd Infraction and second report submitted:

• Will complete ten (10) hours of pre-approved community service prior to returning.

  • For Category 2

• Will be suspended from participation in 3 contests.

  • For Category 1

• If said student is in the Honor Society – membership will be revoked.

  • For Category 1 and Category 2

Penalty for 3rd, 4th, 5th Infractions and reports submitted:

• Suspension from all activities for the given semester.  Admittance back into the activity will depend on the coach and athletic director with unanimous approval. 

  • For Category 1 and Category 2

• Complete ten (10) hours of pre-approved community service.

  • For Category 1 and Category 2

Appeal Process for Behavior Code Violations

Procedure for Appeal:  Please be aware that this action may be appealed by the student and/or the student’s parents or guardians.  At any time, a written appeal, detailing the reason(s) the appeal is being made, must be presented to the activity board through the dean of students.  An appeal of the activity board’s decision may be made to the district administrator in writing, stating the factual reasons and basis for the appeal within ten (10) calendar days of the date on which the penalty was issued.  An extension may be granted by the activity board with the student and/or parent/guardian request.

The activity board will consist of coaches and advisors selected as needed.  

• The Activity Board proceedings will be chaired by the athletic director and/or principal.

• The student will be provided the opportunity to testify and present evidence on his/her own behalf at the hearing.

• The decision of the Activity Board will be reached by each member casting one vote by secret ballot. 

Cross Country is a caring environment that is fun and fulfilling.  The Cross Country team will be encouraged to attend other Cardinal sporting events to support their classmates. 

-As a team we will attend one Football game and one Volleyball game.  We dress in XC attire and sit as a team.  We do this to encourage a positive dynamic among all athletes in our school.

Lettering will be decided based on attendance, meets, and behavior. 

-Athletes need to compete in 3 varsity meets to be eligible for a letter unless excused beforehand. 

-An athlete must not have any IE’s in any of their classes to qualify for a letter.

- For special consideration, your coach must agree that an athlete has shown commitment to the program to get a letter. 

-If an athlete does not follow the student code of conduct they will not get a letter. 

- You must participate in practice unless a Dr’s note is given or Lorryn advises us you should not participate. 

Uniforms must be washed and returned at the end of the season.  It's preferred they are put in a bag and include a paper with the athletes name on it.  If uniforms are lost the athlete will have to pay to replace it. 

Our most important goal is to make a positive impact as an athlete, and to HAVE FUN!

Coach Amanda