Athletic Policy

Hope Lutheran School offers a full extra-curricular athletic program for students in grades 5 through 8, with teams in volleyball, flag football, cross-country, basketball, cheerleading, dance/drill and track. Hope’s teams compete against other Christian schools in the area. All games or team events are scheduled after school, although teams may occasionally leave school early to travel to an away game or event. All eligible students are encouraged to participate.

Eligibility Requirements

Students are eligible to participate in the athletic program if the following
guidelines are met:

1) The student must be in the grades shown for each sport listed.

2) The student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better and not have a failing grade in any core subject (reading, writing, spelling, science, history, and math). Failing grades in all other subjects will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis at the teacher’s discretion.

3) The student must not have any missing or late assignments.

4) The student must complete a physical evaluation before competing.

5) The student must follow the attendance policies for school, practices and games.

6) The student must demonstrate a willingness to commit to the team.

Academic Eligibility

Hope Lutheran maintains the philosophy that academics come before athletics. Therefore, students must maintain their grades as defined in 2), above. When a student participates in a sport, that student makes a time commitment for practices and games and must be willing to make other time sacrifices to maintain their grades.

Academic Probation

If the student fails to maintain their grades as defined in 2), above, he or she will not be allowed to participate in games until a follow-up check is completed at the end of the following week. He or she will also be required to attend after school study hall. Grade checks will occur every two weeks on Friday and any student declared ineligible will sit out from competition for a minimum of one week. Once the student has been reinstated, that student must maintain the required expectations in order to participate with the team for the remainder of the sport’s season. If a student is declared ineligible twice in one season, then the student will no longer be permitted to participate in that sport season and should spend the time focusing on improving his or her academic performance. Exceptions may be made to this rule for students with identified special needs.

Homework

Homework is a required part of the student’s curriculum at Hope. Participating in extra curricular activities is a privilege. Any time a student who is participating in athletics has a missing or late assignment, the classroom teacher will notify the athletic director. If the problem is severe or continues, the student will be placed on academic probation.

Physical Evaluation

Students participating in any athletic event in grades 5 through 8 must have a physical evaluation completed by a physician before they are allowed to compete. Physical evaluations are valid for two years. Print a physical evaluation form.

Attendance at Practices and Games

All practices and games are mandatory for all athletes. It is acceptable to miss a practice or game occasionally due to special circumstances, but it is the responsibility of the student or the parent to notify the coach in advance. When a student has an unexcused absence from a practice, he or she will be suspended for one game. When a student has an unexcused absence from a game, he or she will be suspended for two games. During the suspension, the student is expected to attend the game and sit with the team but will not be allowed to play in the game or travel with the team, at the coaches’ discretion. If unexcused absences continue, removal from the team may occur.

Team Commitment

Teamwork is a very important part of any sport. When one team member is missing, for whatever reason, the entire team is hurt. When joining Hope’s athletic teams, students are encouraged to make a full commitment and avoid splitting time with another team outside of school. It is the desire of the faculty at Hope that each student has a chance to participate in the athletic program. However, academics are first. Every effort will be made to see that all students learn to work as a team and to excel in the classroom. Only athletes who have participated in a full season are eligible for a certificate for a sport. Hope Lutheran’s Athletic Policy will be distributed to all students participating in the athletic program. This policy must be returned to the athletic director with both parent and student signatures. By signing the bottom portion of this letter, you are agreeing to Hope’s Athletic Policy and are making a commitment to a team.

Thank you,

Mark Goodspeed

Athletic Director

Hope Lutheran School