MAVERICK VOLLEYBALL ATHLETIC
HANDBOOK
INTRODUCTION
As an athlete at Memorial High School you have placed yourself in an extremely
important position. You are a member of an elite group that has expressed, by your
participation, the desire to work hard, be dedicated and disciplined, and to do
everything you can within the spirit of good sportsmanship to succeed as a team and an
individual. If you are willing to sacrifice in order to succeed, you will graduate from
M.H.S. proud of yourself, your school, and your community.
This handbook contains information that will be pertinent to you and your parents for
future reference. Know what is required of you and then enjoy your career as a
Maverick Volleyball Player!!!
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM YOUR COACHING STAFF
1.
Coaches that care about you as a person.
2. Coaches that are quality teachers.
3. Coaches that have class and character.
4. Coaches that will do whatever work is necessary to succeed.
5. Coaches that will discipline you.
6. Coaches that respect you.
7. Coaches that will be loyal to you.
8. Coaches that are proud to be a part of Memorial Athletics.
9. Coaches that are here for your benefit.
10. Coaches that will always be honest and fair with you.
Our motto: To be Firm, Fair & Consistent
COACHES’ EXPECTATIONS OF ATHLETES
As your coaches, we have great expectations for you to succeed both on the court and off. Believe in
yourself, be positive about what life has to offer, and then work hard to succeed. We will expect you to:
1.
Be in control of your life.
2. Be a good family member.
3. Strive to get the most out of your education.
4. Work hard in practice.
5. Play hard in games.
6. Be loyal to your teammates, coaches, and school.
7. Be a person with class.
8. Show good character at all times
9. Be enthusiastic.
10. Never give in to adversity.
GENERAL POLICIES FOR ATHLETES IN
THE MAVERICK VOLLEYBALL PROGRAM
1.
Education comes first—if you fail any course(s) during any grading period, you will be ineligible for 3
weeks; however, you are still expected to participate in practices.
2. DON’T MISS SCHOOL. You need to be at school to keep up with your schoolwork. If you must make
an appointment on a game day please be aware that in order to play, you have to attend at least ½ of
the school day (4 periods). DON’T MISS PRACTICE. We must all be present in order to improve as a
team and to play in the next game. If you will have to miss practice you must contact me, either in
person or by phone or by parent, prior to the start of practice to make us aware of the circumstances
surrounding you absence. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action. My office phone number is
(713) 740-0390 ext. 53334. All missed practices will require extra duty upon your return in order
to assure that you are maintaining the needed level of physical conditioning.
3. You will be issued practice clothes that will be worn to all practices—NO Exceptions!! These clothes
are to be worn only at practice; therefore, school issued clothes are not to be worn during the school
day. Any lost or damaged equipment must be paid for at current replacement costs. Failure to do so
will result in grades and transcripts being held.
4. No athletic team or athlete is allowed to be transported in a private car to or from an athletic event
unless special circumstances are approved prior to the event. Prior approval must be arranged in
writing between the coach and the athlete’s parent. A written note must be provided by the parent,
signed by an administrator, and then given to the coach prior to leaving our campus. Otherwise, we
will go to and return from all matches together as a team.
5. All athletes will sit together during the volleyball games. This is a safety issue—especially during
away games. No athlete is to leave the designated area without permission from a coach and shall not
leave alone. Players are required to stay for the duration of all matches that follow their own.
Players will be expected to stay and help take down the gym and clean up after home games.
6. The bus will leave promptly at the designated time for all matches. We will wait for no one. BE
EARLY!!!
7. ATTENTION PARENTS: Your child should be picked up each day of practice no later than 20
minutes from the conclusion of practice. The coaches in our program love our athletes and our
jobs…however, we also have families that we look forward to seeing. Therefore, please be aware that
if we have to wait for your daughter twice (for more than 20 minutes) to be picked up from a game
or practice, she will not be allowed to travel to the next match. Please make alternate arrangements
for your child in advance.
8. The use of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco products are not conducive to top athletic performance and will
not be tolerated.
9. U.I.L. credit requirements are as follows: 10th-5; 11th-10; 12th-15.
10. Always conduct yourselves like ladies!! (And that should about cover it)
ATHLETIC PERIOD
The volleyball teams meet 1st and 7th period. In the rare event that a scheduling conflict prohibits you
from enrolling in the class, an exception may be made; otherwise we expect all our players to be in the
athletic class. If you are not in athletics, you must understand that this could ultimately affect the
amount of playing time you receive. You would be missing five hours a practice per week; 20 hours per
month; 60 hours over the course of the season!! Also, if you only play volleyball, you must go through the
second semester off-season in order to play the following fall. If you do play other sports, then as soon
as your other sport(s) is over, you must return to volleyball to participate in the remaining portion of the
off-season program in order to be eligible to play the next season.
QUITTERS
An athlete quitting the team after the first contest will:
A. Forfeit her award for the sport.
B. Not be allowed to participate in another sport until the season of the sport she quit is completed
(unless the head coaches of both sports agree that the student would be better off in the other
sport)
C. An athlete quitting the off-season program of one sport may not enter the same type program for
another sport, except by agreement of both head coaches.
GRADES
The primary objective of all students is to gain an education. Academic progress and conduct in the
classroom are very important and will be monitored by your coaches. Athletes who fall behind in their
class work should seek help immediately from the coaches/teacher involved. We are here to help you, but
don’t wait until it’s too late- Speak up!!!
ADDRESSING PROBLEMS
In the event of a question concerning any part of the handbook, or with the program in relation to your
child, certain procedures must be followed in order to adequately address the situation. Please start with
the coach directly involved by making an appointment to see her during her conference period the
following day. If the problem is not solved, please follow this chain of command:
1. Head Coach- Timi Radicioni 713-740-0390 ext 53334
2. Athletic Director- John Snelson 713-740-0390 ext 53260
We will handle all athletic problems in-house first, if possible!
DISCIPLINE
No athlete can do her best without self-discipline. A great deal of self-sacrifice is involved and, at times,
it becomes necessary for discipline to come from the coach. It is the coaches’ responsibility to maintain
team discipline. There are three levels of discipline to be used in our program, depending on the nature,
severity, or repetition of the problems. It is our intent to treat each case individually with our goal to be
fair, firm, and consistent while doing what is best for the total program. In extreme cases, the Athletic
Director will be consulted prior to a decision being made.
TYPES OF DISCIPLINARY ACTION:
1. Extra duty- “character builders”
2. Suspension from “x” number of matches
3. Suspension from the athletic program
CLASSROOM CONDUCT
Maverick Volleyball players will observe all rules as stated in the Student Handbook. We believe that
good manners and behavior is not something one can turn on and off. We expect the highest standards in
the volleyball program; therefore, we expect the same in the classroom.
COURT CONDUCT
Athletes will obey all instructions given to them by the coaching staff… without question. Insubordination
at practice or in a game will be dealt with swiftly and harshly. Good sportsmanship is the essence of any
athletic program. Fighting and public displays of temper constitute un-sportsmanlike conduct and will
result in disciplinary action. When you are in uniform you are a reflection of our school, our program, and
your family- so please act accordingly. Public display of affection, loud “clowning”, bad mouthing other
teams, etc. will not be allowed.
WHY ATHLETICS?
ADVANTAGES OF PARTICIPATION:
1.
Develop responsiveness to group discipline
2. Opportunity to develop your physical talent to the fullest
3. Develop lasting friendships
4. Develop respect for rules and duly constituted authority
5. Develop self-confidence
6. Opportunities for development of cooperation, resourcefulness, perseverance, sportsmanship,
initiative, and unselfishness
7. Travel enables you to see other communities and schools and to get acquainted with different types
of people
8. Play experience tends to make one more friendly, interesting, and human
9. Opportunities to participate in an activity which parallels many later-in life experiences
10. Increase your circle of friends
11. Draws attention to your ability to work well with others
12. Successful participation may help you get through college
LESS ADVANTAGEOUS ASPECTS OF PARTICPATION:
1.
You may practice and never play
2. Training rules may cramp your “social style”
3. You will be very tired at times
4. Must learn time management skills earlier than others because less study time will be available, yet
expectations for academic quality are still there. “No pass, NO play”
5. Possibility of physical injury exists
*** NOTE THAT THE GOOD GREATLY OUTNUMBERS THE BAD!!!***
TEN COMMANDMENTS OF CHAMPIONSHIP
ATHLETIC PARENTS
1.
Be positive with your daughter. Let them know they are accomplishing something by simply being part
of the team.
2. Don’t offer excuses or place blame if she is not playing. Be supportive and encourage them to
continue working hard, striving to earn a spot.
3. Don’t criticize the coaches continually. Coaches, like parents, represent authority and are teachers
charged with the responsibility of education in a complex society. Continual parental criticism creates
doubt in the mind of the athlete and can render the coach ineffective. As a result, the athlete
becomes a complainer not a do-er!
4. Encourage your daughter to live an athletic life off the court/field of play. An athlete must have
proper rest and diet to be effective both mentally and physically. Know what your athlete is doing at
all times. Be accountable for your child.
5. Insist on good grades. If an athlete is not passing, they cannot play. We want an athlete to be a
successful person that we can depend on, not just a successful athlete.
6. Don’t live your life through your child. Athletics are for the students- let them play. Don’t show
animosity or jealousy toward any of your child’s teammates. This type of envy will rub off on your
child and may have adverse effects on them as well as the team. Remember, it is amazing what can be
accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit or who gets the blame.
7. Allow the coaches to coach. They work with the athletes daily and know the individual abilities of
each participant. They are professionals who have been trained to coach.
8. Understand the athletic pyramid of success. The further one goes in athletics, the more difficult it
becomes to be successful. Being a little league all-star does not insure success at the high school
level. Each level becomes more demanding and requires more parental support and understanding.
They may not all be stars, but they all have a role.
9. Your success or that of a sibling does not constitute guaranteed success for all family members. Each
child is unique. Comparisons, although inevitable, should be avoided at all cost because they can lead
to irreparable damage. Remember, the battle one must wage is against oneself only, against taking
the line of least resistance, against not working for self-improvement.
10. Love your child for who she is, not for their accomplishments. Your child is a human being not a human
doing.
VOLLEYBALL PLAYER CONTRACT
I understand that, as a member of the Memorial Maverick Volleyball Team, I will be expected to make
ACADEMICS and ATHLETICS a priority in my life.
I will attend all practices and games. In the event I am unable to attend any function due to work or
personal emergency, I will contact the coaches immediately.
I understand that if I do miss any volleyball function, I will be expected to make it up by contributing in
other areas at another time.
I will be on time to every volleyball function. I understand that it is inconsiderate to my teammates and
coaches to be late.
I will treat my teachers, coaches, and teammates with courtesy and respect, even when I am down or in a
bad mood.
I will give 100% effort in every practice and game, as it is my intention to become the best volleyball
player that I can be.
I understand that for my personal success, and the success of the program, I must follow these
guidelines and, furthermore, encourage my teammates to do the same.
I have read and agree to the above guidelines. I understand that failure to meet the requirements of the
contract may result in loss of opportunities to continue as a member of the Maverick Volleyball Team.
_______________________
Signature of athlete
_________________________
Signature of parent
Please print the following information:
Athlete’s Name: _________________________
Date of birth:______________
Parent’s Name(s): _________________________________________________________
Phone numbers: Home ____________
work_______________
cell_________________
Mailing Address: __________________________________________________________
Email Addresses:
Student: ____________________________________
Parent:
____________________________________