Oliver Ames Track & Field

Integrity, Dedication, Pride

The Student-Athlete Contract

Program Rules & Student-Athlete Contract

The Student-Athlete Contract: The Oliver Ames Track & Field team does not make performance-based cuts. Athletes are welcome on our team regardless of natural talent or ability level. Whether you are a state champion or a novice, the key to progress is consistent appropriate challenges, and our program is designed to provide each athlete with challenges appropriate to their background and ability level. Our program is designed to help you be the best athlete that you can be.

There are no free rides. The Oliver Ames Track & Field program maintains high standards of integrity, dedication, and pride. This is a highly competitive team and a varsity sport. You will have to earn your spot every day, and you should be sure you are prepared to make the sacrifices necessary to meet that commitment.

What follows in this document is an outline of team policies and procedures. You will be held to these standards. If you have questions, you should ask. Not knowing the policy is neither an excuse nor a defense.

Practice Schedule

Practice Schedule: 

• Scope of the Season: The season begins on the MIAA Spring Sports stard date, which is typically the second-to-last Monday in March. Athlete’s will have different end-dates for their season based on which if any postseason meets they qualify for. For each individual athlete, the season is considered to have ended after the final competition for which they are qualified.

• Practice Schedule: Practices take place six days per week (Sundays are our off day). On school days, practices typically begin at 3:00PM. On non-school days, practices typically begin at 9:00AM. All practices are mandatory (also see: excused absence criteria). In the event that special circumstances require an atypical practice time, that will be announced in advance, and student-athletes should discuss any conflicts with the head coach.

• Practice Length: Practices are planned to last approximately 2 hours. Depending on what needs to be accomplished on a given day, they may go slightly shorter or slightly longer.

Attendance & Absence Criteria

All Practices are mandatory:

All practices are considered mandatory. Any absences are classified as either excused or unexcused, based on the criteria below. The student athlete must communicate with the coaching staff regarding absences. If we do not hear from you , it will be classified as unexcused.

Absences should be communicated by the Student Athlete to the Coaching Staff using the OATF Absence Form 

Excused Absences

Excused Absences are issued only for very specific reasons, but there is no penalty for an excused absence. A list of excused absence criteria is provided below. 

• Medical appointments (doctor’s note required)

• Absence from school

• Overnight family trips

• College visits

• SAT/ACT/PSAT or other standardized testing appointments

• Family emergencies

• Religious obligations

Unexcused Absences

Unexcused Absences: Any absence resulting from a reason not specifically listed under “Excused Absences” above should be assumed to be unexcused. Questions should be directed to the head coach. "Not knowing" that an absence would be considered unexcused is not a defense, and will not change the consequences. Unexcused absences carry consequences as described in the table below.

Attendance Conflicts - Frequently Asked Questions

“I have a commitment from another extracurricular activity at Oliver Ames”

• If either one activity has a competition, and the other has a practice, you go to the competition, and the absence from practice is excused.

• If both activities have a competition, you must choose which competition to attend, and notify the coaches well in advance so that lineup adjustments can be made.

• If both activities have practice, you are expected to be at track practice.  Absences due to practice conflicts with other activities are unexcused. We will work with you to allow you to leave slightly early or arrive slightly late to help you make part of the other practice. You should communicate with the coaches to resolve the specifics.

“I have an absence reason that is not listed under the excused criteria”

• It is probably unexcused. But you can always double-check with the coaching staff. We can’t write a policy to cover every conceivable scenario, so when in doubt, ask. We strive to maintain the spirit of the list (i.e. excused absences are for medical scenarios, family emergencies, academic obligations, etc. and not for avoidable conflicts).

“I have a conflict with my club sport practice or game”

• Extracurricular obligations outside of Oliver Ames (i.e. club sports competition) as well as work obligations are excluded intentionally and are always considered unexcused absences. Team policy, school policy, and MIAA policy all expressly forbid excusing such an absence. (see the bondfide team member rule per MIAA) handbook

“I have a conflict with work”

• The absence is unexcused

Full School Day Requirement: School Day Tardiness/Dismissal

Per school policy, student athletes must be present for the entire school day in order to fully participate in practice. Thus any student who is late to school, or dismissed from any part of the school day, is ineligible to participate.

A student who is late to school is still required to attend practice, and failure to do so constitutes an unexcused absence. The student would be considered on “Observe-Only Status” and cannot participate in any running/stretching/working out in any form. The student will observe practice and assist coaches with setup/cleanup etc.

Injuries

Injuries: Injuries are an unfortunate (hopefully rare) byproduct of athletic participation. While we make every effort to avoid injuries, the injury risk in sports is never zero. Injured athletes are still expected to attend practices and competitions. Every injury is different, but the following rules apply to dealing with injuries:

• Any injured athlete who seeks medical advice from a doctor will immediately report the injury to the athletic trainer and the coaching staff (if you have not already done so)

• Injured athletes are still required to attend practices, even if they are not allowed to participate. (Think of it like gym class--if you can’t participate, you don’t pack up and go home). Failure to do so results in an unexcused absence. Injured athletes also attend all competitions.

• Athletes with ongoing injuries (even minor ones) will communicate regularly with the athletic trainer. Practice time can be used to work with the trainer. It can also be used to complete any rehabilitative activities and exercises prescribed. These exercises could be anything from gentle stretching up to significant time on a cross-training device (all dependent on the specific nature of the injury)

Preparation & Attire

Preparation & Attire: All student-athletes must show up to practice prepared for athletic participation. You should assume that we will be outside unless the coaching staff has specifically instructed you otherwise. Clothing appropriate to cold, rain, snow, and any other weather circumstance is mandatory.

Uniforms: Athletes must wear their school-issued uniform in all meets. The uniform consists of two parts (1) school issued singlet and (2) plain black shorts (or speed shorts), which you must acquire. Team uniforms are issued prior to the first competition. Failure to return the uniform at the end of the season results in a $50.00 replacement cost.

Travel

Competitions & Travel: All athletes must travel to and from competitions with the team, on the bus provided by the school. We compete as a team, and leaving a meet early is not something to be taken lightly. Permission to take alternate transportation (usually a parent driving you to or from a meet) requires approval in advance from both the head coach and athletic director. To receive that approval you should email well in advance, and there must be a specific and compelling reason for the request. For example, you might be allowed to leave a meet early with a parent if you have a doctor’s appointment to get to. Permission will not be granted for the sake of convenience or time-saving.

Varsity Letter Requirements

Varsity Letter Requirements: The following athletes will receive a varsity letter for the season:

• Any athlete who finishes the season in good standing, and scores 6 or more varsity points

• Any senior who finishes the season in good standing