PHILOSOPHY OF THE EMMANUEL
CHRISTIAN ATHLETIC PROGRAM
The Mission of Emmanuel Christian School
“To assist the Christian family, by providing students with
Godly, loving training that inspires them to exemplify
Christ, make biblically based decisions and attain
academic excellence.”
The Athletic department is an integral part of Emmanuel and our overall
mission. We feel that athletics is a great tool that gives us the opportunity to
live out our mission statement. These are not easy goals to attain, but they are
worthy goals and we must strive for this excellence in our athletic endeavors.
Our teams and their coaches work extremely hard at exemplifying Christ and
making biblically based decisions. As parents and fans we need to be sure
that we are all helping in these areas. Winning is defined by the world as what
is on the scoreboard at the end of the game. The biblical winner strives to do
his best and honor Christ while seeking to win the game. Winning the game is
a high goal but never above honoring Christ.
PHILOSOPHY AND OBJECTIVES
Philosophy of Athletics
A philosophy of a school, whether Christian or secular, is most readily seen in
its athletic program. The school's athletic teams tend to get more exposure to
the public than any other element of the school system. Thousands of
spectators and many officials, opponents and coaches come into contact with
our school throughout the year by means of the various sports offered at ECS.
Many of these people quickly "read" our practicing philosophy of Christian
athletics by what is seen during athletic contests.
Obviously, our philosophy must be more than a statement and the word
"Christian" in our school name. Our coaches can not afford to lead in prayer
before a game and then proceed to get irate over the officiating or one or more
of the participants. There must be a difference between a Christian philosophy
of athletics and a secular philosophy of athletics that can be seen and tested.
Our school's philosophy of athletics may be stated to include the practical
integration of the Bible, God's Word, and its principles, into all areas of
athletics in order to train athletes to have and practice a Christ-centered way of
life, both on and off the field or court. The philosophy may be summed up in
the application of Colossians 3:23, striving for excellence with a fervent heart
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but striving for the glory and praise of God not for the praise of oneself. An
athlete only becomes a winner when he/she is a winner in the eyes of Christ.
Therefore, the purpose of athletics is to use this means as a tool to help
shape, strengthen and discipline our young men and ladies; to learn to stand
with Christ and practice Christian principles throughout their lives.
Objectives and Examples
The following are objectives which give direction to our coaches for the
purpose of implementing our philosophy of athletics and achieving our desired
goal of helping our participants to be grounded and rooted in godly living.
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To teach the importance of glorifying God.
To teach dependence upon God and His Word.
To teach thankfulness to God for:
a.) health and safety
b.) the opportunity to learn
c.) the opportunity to serve through participation and
support.
To teach how to win with the humble attitude of Christ.
To teach how to lose, still praising God.
To teach how to control pride.
To teach that we are responsible to take care of our bodies,
and that, as Christians, they belong to Christ.
To teach motor skills, strength, agility, endurance and
quickness.
To teach team play.
To teach concentration and intensity
To teach discipline and the importance of obeying rules and
following directions.
To teach various strategies, offensively and defensively.
To teach individuality and the regard for the rights and values
of others.
To develop effective methods of thinking, especially while
under pressure.
To create situations which develop good judgment.
To provide opportunities for athletes to praise God for the
work He is doing in their lives.
To motivate athletes toward hard work and the importance to
do their best.
To give athletes a love and satisfaction for competition.
To teach a winning spirit with God's standard in mind and not
ours.
To win games, keeping in mind that how you win is more
important than the final score.
As these objectives suggest, there are two aspects in our athletic program.
One, the natural world of athletics which includes having equipment and
facilities, being physically fit, being skilled, practicing and playing with intensity,
being in conflict with opponents and winning or losing contests. And two, the
spiritual world which goes much deeper than the natural qualities and includes
the "putting off" of the "old nature," the development of the "new nature" in
each Christian. It is in this realm that we are concerned with proper motivation,
right attitudes, correct responses, godly methods and effective control of our
God given temperaments. Thus, the old adage, "It's not whether you win or
lose, it’s how you play the game," takes on new meaning. It is sometimes easy
to win the first aspect (the scoreboard side of athletics) and lose the second
aspect of Christian athletics. It is very important that we "win" the spiritual
battles in athletics or we will give up important and effective tools meant for the
benefit of our students.
Some examples, both negative and positive, are in order so that our
philosophy does not become something nice to read without practical
application.
Positively, coaches (who are the pattern for the team to follow) and athletes
should:
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Demonstrate the control of the Holy Spirit.
Be aware of the spiritual needs of team members and
opponents.
Learn to trust God for everything.
Learn to "play through" situations when unfair strategy is
being used on your team.
Use athletics as a tool to develop a closer relationship with
God.
Be aware of lessons that can be taught in life, regardless of
the scoreboard.
Submit to the rules of the game and the officials who enforce
the rules as they see it. (Coach: There is much more to be
gained in being submissive to officials than trying to make an
official sensitive to your viewpoint.)
Praise God for natural and spiritual victories.
Praise God for natural defeats, knowing that God is in control
of all situations.
Develop the understanding of the need to present oneself as
a living sacrifice unto God; serving Him, presently in athletics,
and to continue serving Him in all that is done for an entire
lifetime.
Negatively, coaches (who always set the example that is followed) and
athletes should:
1.
Not use grotesque or other disrespectful language toward
opponents, officials, fans or other coaches.
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Not use gestures to show contempt or disagreement toward
officials to which the team and fans may react.
Not belittle opponents.
Not allow winning to take over the central position in the life of
the team or individual.
Not intentionally break the rules of the game, such as tripping
an opponent on purpose in soccer or flagrantly fouling in
basketball, to gain desired results.
Not destroy or mistreat athletic equipment or facilities.
Not lose one's temper or appear uncontrolled.
Not argue, question authority, or instruct officials; even for the
sake of an individual or the team. (Coaches: You need to
concentrate on your team and individuals to help them play
through "bad" or "close" calls by encouraging them rather than
turning your attention to the officials.)
Following are some suggestions that may help coaches gain spiritual victories
in athletics:
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Conduct team devotions, at least before each game. Aim
toward instructing athletes in service toward God.
Conduct team prayer times.
Encourage athletes to be leaders in preparing devotions.
Instruct athletes during practices and games in the behavior
God expects of them.
Set a good example for the team to follow: for good or bad,
you set the standard and your players will imitate you as
coach.
Know your team as individuals, be aware of their spiritual
condition, and look for ways to help them.
Pray for your team members regularly.
Discipline athletes whose actions have been detrimental to
the spiritual objectives and philosophy of athletics in our
school.
Admit mistakes or errors openly. When wrong has been
done, seek forgiveness.
Be aware of your testimony and the ministry you have as a
coach.
Winning and developing a winning attitude is important in any athletic program
from the natural world of athletics and, without undermining that part of
athletics, it is an absolute necessity that our athletic program be in accordance
with God's principles for godly living. If they are, we have an effective tool to
help train young men and ladies to serve God. Coaches and parents are the
people who most drive the Christian philosophy of our teams.
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OHSAA ATHLETE/PARENT MEETINGS
Each coach will have a parent meeting or some contact with parents (i.e. letter,
flyer...) before the season begins for the purpose of informing parents of
important information pertinent to the season that is about to begin.

practice schedules/game schedules
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transportation
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expectations
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general information
The Athletic Director will address the athletes/parents about their
responsibilities as athletes/parents at a mandatory All Athlete/Parent
Meeting - one set date per athletic season. Discussion of the school’s
mission, the mission of the Athletic Department, and OHSAA eligibility and
bylaws will take place. Topics to be covered will include but not be exclusive
to the following:

the role of the parent in athletics

proper decorum at games

parents at practice

playing time

competition in general

the coaches role in the lives of your child

the way to have a successful season

athletic fees and policies

EC and OHSAA Eligibility
The Booster Club will have a presentation at these meetings in order to get as
many parents as possible involved with our boosters. Sign ups for the Club
and service opportunities will be discussed at this time. Boosters will give a
presentation of present and future projects that are anticipated.
PARENTS ROLE IN ATHLETICS
Parents are a huge part of our athletic program. Without their help,
encouragement, and most importantly support of a biblical philosophy of
athletics, our efforts will be futile. The parents can make or break the proper
influence of athletics in the lives of our student-athletes. The role of the parent
is to be supportive of the authorities that are placed in the lives of their child
(i.e. coaches, officials...). Parents’ best help when they...
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Encourage their students to give their best.
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Cheer for the school and its teams.
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Avoid coaching their child from the stands and critiquing
officials, coaches and others.

Get involved in Boosters and other support roles.
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CUTS AND PLAYING TIME ISSUES
It is Athletic Department policy that cuts are not made at the JH level, but that
cuts may be made at the JV and Varsity levels.
Playing Time and Competition on Teams
Playing time is a product of hard work, excellent play, fitting in to the team
concept, and filling a necessary role on the team. The Aprivilege@ is to be a
part of a team and not necessarily playing time. While coaches should desire
to play all their players, it will not always be possible. We can teach our
athletes the right way to look at things like playing time and help them for life.
The following information is an excerpt from the 2002 ACSI Convention. “As it
relates to playing time there are responses from 3 groups that are important...”
The Player should...
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Practice so intently every minute that the coach notices.
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Understand everything your team does, both offensively and
defensively.
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Be ready to play both physically and mentally.
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If you are a non-starter, genuinely cheer for those who start.
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If you are a starter, be genuinely glad when subs get to play,
and cheer for them.
The Coach should...
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Play to win as one of several goals.
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Not lose due to being overly concerned about subbing.
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Value playing everyone and work toward that goal
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Push players to play with the type of intensity that will cause
substitution to be necessary.
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Keep players fresh.
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Go with the impact player (coach decides who that is on that
day) when the game is on the line.
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Playing time should be for the good of the team in the Coach’s
eyes.
The Parent should...
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Consider the “big picture” before becoming critical.
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Avoid sowing seeds of dissension by speaking with others and
“building a case.”
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Make any initial conversation with a coach a “fact finding” event
based on positive assumptions about the coaches intentions.
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Pick a good time and place to talk to the coach. Never on a
game day, even after a win.
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Encourage your child to talk to the coach on her/ his own.
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Give the coach the benefit of the doubt.
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DISCIPLINE ISSUES
Each coach will have rules and regulations that will be in place for his/her
team. Some will be institutional in nature (i.e. eligibility standards, which
sports will be offered...), some will be from the athletic department (i.e.
standards to receive letters / awards, policies that extend to all teams...) and
some will be put in place by the coaches themselves (i.e. curfews, penalties for
missing or being late to practice...). These are just a few examples and not an
exhaustive list, however, each is important.
Each athlete represents Christ first, followed by our school, their team and
their families. It is imperative that we all are able to be subject to the
authorities that the Lord has put in our lives. Some discipline issues may arise
and they will be dealt with quickly with each individual case being judged on its
individual merit.
ATHLETIC TEAMS OFFERED AT EMMANUEL CHRISTIAN
FALL SPORTS
GIRLS
BOYS
1. Cross Country: JH, Varsity
2. Volleyball: JH, JV, Varsity
1. Cross Country: JH, Varsity
2. Soccer: JH, Varsity **
3. Golf: Varsity **
WINTER SPORTS
1. Basketball: JH, JV, Varsity
2. Cheerleading: JV, Varsity
1. Basketball: JH, JV, Varsity
SPRING SPORTS
1. Softball: Varsity
2. Track and Field: JH, Varsity
1. Baseball: Varsity
2. Track and Field: JH, Varsity
** Girls may participate in golf or soccer since we do not offer those sports for
girls.
Elementary teams are not a part of the Athletic Department, but they are
encouraged. Dedicated parents run these programs for our elementary
students and our facilities are sometimes used in conjunction with these
teams. According to high school athletic rules and other affiliations that we
have as a school, these activities cannot be run or administrated through our
athletic department. As a school we do offer some summer camp
opportunities for our elementary students.
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AFFILIATIONS
Warrior Athletic teams are affiliated with two organizations, The Ohio High
School Athletic Association (OHSAA) and The Toledo Area Athletic
Conference (TAAC)
As members of the Ohio High School Athletic Association we will have the
privilege of competing in end of season tournament play on both a team and
individual level for our varsity sports. EC completed its probationary year in
2014-15 and became full members at the beginning of the 2015-16 school
year. As a member of the OHSAA, Emmanuel adheres to the OHSAA by-laws
and regulations. Both our school and our individual athletes follow these
standards. Note: Michigan students may participate in Emmanuel athletics if
they have been continuously enrolled at Emmanuel since the start of 4th
grade. Students enrolling after the start of 4th grade are not eligible to
participate in Emmanuel athletics for grades 7-12.
The Toledo Area Athletic Conference is made up of several other local public
and private schools. The conference has a league commissioner and athletic
directors from member schools make up the other offices which are held. The
conference sponsors league tournaments and meets, as well as conference
championships at both the JH and HS levels. We are charter members of the
T.A.A.C. and are proud to be affiliated with and have a testimony to the other
schools in the conference.
ATHLETIC FEES
Athletes will be assessed an athletic fee for each sport in which they
participate. Athletic Fees are necessary to cover the costs of league fees,
meet and tournament fees, fees for officials, awards, uniform needs, coaching
stipends, equipment needs and other needs. The Athletic Department has two
main sources of income with which to meet its obligations; athletic fees and
gate receipts. The Warrior Booster Club also subsidizes the Athletic
Department with some income.
Fees are usually set every two years. Fees reflect the length of the season.
2015-16 Athletic Fee List
FALL SPORTS
JH Soccer = $140.00
JH Volleyball = $140.00
JH Cross Country = $140.00
Varsity Soccer = $150.00
JV & V Volleyball = $150.00
Varsity Cross Country = $150.00
Golf = $170.00
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WINTER SPORTS
JH Boys’ Basketball = $160.00
JH Girls’ Basketball = $160.00
JV & V Girls’ Basketball = $170.00
JV & V Boys’ Basketball = $170.00
JV & V Cheerleading = $140.00
Spring Sports
JH Co-Ed Track & Field = $80.00
Varsity Track & Field = $140.00
Varsity Baseball = $150.00
Varsity Softball = $150.00
Some policies about athletic fees:

Fees are for team membership and do not guarantee playing time
(please refer to playing time information in the manual)

Fees will be billed to each family and should be paid in full by the
due date. If special hardships exist please contact the Athletic
Department secretary. If fees have not been paid and the office
has not been contacted by the due date, athletes will be ineligible
to play until the fee is paid or an arrangement has been made with
the Athletic Director.

Parents can work of their athletic fee by working in the Warrior
Booster Concession stand at the rate of $10.00 per game. See
the concession stand coordinator for more information.
WARRIOR BOOSTER CLUB
Our boosters contribute much time and money to our program each year. The
main activity of our boosters is with our concession stand during the athletic
seasons. The club is an active club that wishes to have many active members.
There are many areas to become involved with in the club like concessions,
membership, booster newsletter, booster spirit shop, and official offices.
Interested parents or others should see the Athletic Director for more
information.
ATTENDANCE POLICY FOR PARTICIPATING ATHLETES
Presently the Student Handbook reads, "Students who do not attend school for
health or fatigue reasons, should not be present at the athletic practices on
that day. Exceptions to this rule may be made by the athletic director."
The following will be the attendance/tardy policy for participating athletes:
1. The following situations involving attendance or tardiness will
cause an athlete not to be able to participate in practice or contests
held on that day:
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a.
b.
A student missing the entire day of school. This would
include, but not exclusively, sickness or fatigue.
A student being tardy to school due to sickness or fatigue and
not arriving before 9:00 a.m.
2.
Those students needing appointments during the school day are
encouraged to schedule them at a time where the least amount of
class is missed. For example, a student staying home in the
morning to attend an 11:00 a.m. appointment is not a desirable
situation. The student should come to school in the morning and
leave at an appropriate time for the appointment.
3.
Excessive tardiness of any kind may also be cause for loss of
practice or game privileges.
PRACTICES
Practices are an integral part of any team’s success. Practices are normally
scheduled after school; however, some alternate times are scheduled due to
the availability of facilities or the schedule of the coach. Each team member
should receive a schedule of practices at the beginning of the season. These
schedules are subject to change, but give the parent and athlete something to
go by for that season. Athletes are expected to be at practice, on time, each
time that it is scheduled. All absences and tardies must be of an emergency
nature. Each coach has his/her own policy about tardiness or absence to
practices/games. Un-excused absences will result in disciplinary action by the
coach. Students who must meet with a teacher after school should speak with
the coach before practice begins and will be excused.
Wednesday practices may be scheduled and can go from 3:00 - 5:00. Care
should be taken to get students out of practice quickly so they may attend their
mid-week services or youth group.
ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY
Eligibility evaluations are made at the end of each 4 2 week period when
progress reports and grade cards are distributed. Eligibility is based on the
academic performance at the time of the report.

Please see EC Student Handbook for specifics on Academic
Ineligibility.
Academic evaluations are based on work done or due during a given
evaluation period. Incomplete work counts against the student until it is made
up, at which time the student may be eligible.
Ineligibility lasts for two weeks and starts from the time report cards or
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progress reports are handed out. At the end of two weeks, grades will be
checked on all ineligible students to determine if they have raised their grade
to become eligible. If they still do not meet the eligibility standards, students
will remain ineligible until the next grading period.
The last 4 ½ week period of the school year will affect the fall eligibility of
students. If students are ineligible the last grading period, they will be
ineligible for the first 2 weeks of the next school year.
Students who are ineligible cannot practice, participate, or travel with the team.
Students who are ineligible and attend games must sit with the team in school
dress.
TRANSPORTATION & TRIPS
Transportation
Transportation is a unique situation at Emmanuel. Most transportation for
away athletic events is provided in one of the following ways:

Coaches organize volunteer parents to drive teams to games. (A
parent vehicle registration form needs to be on file in the athletic
office.)
When coaches organize transportation to an event, student
drivers will not be used.

Students meet at the opponent=s school at a pre-designated time
(local games only).
Students may transport themselves to local games as their
own transportation.

School bus is secured for the trip (usually the team with the longest
distance to travel is given priority).
o
If a bus is provided, students should ride it to and from the
event unless a parent is taking the student from that event.
o
Students may drive to games on their own if it significantly
reduces their time to travel home (i.e. game is at Lenawee
Christian and student lives in Blissfield), but will not be
allowed to transport other students.
Trips to and from games are special times. It is therefore necessary to have
some department policies for these times.

Athletes should not have personal CD players, headphones, or
other music devices with them on trips or before games. Use the
time to prepare for the game, to get to know your
teammates/coaches, do some school work or just rest.

Music listened to on the way to games in privately owned vehicles
should be honoring to Christ and not offensive to passengers.
Please be sensitive to this issue.
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Teams should not stop to eat on trips during the week (M-Th).
Coaches should remind students to bring an extra lunch on these
days. Friday and Saturday games may have food stops.
PICKING UP STUDENTS
Students should make arrangements to be picked up in a timely fashion after
practice and games. Cell phones are usually available on trips to call ahead
and anticipate arrival back at the school from games. Practices are scheduled
to end at certain times and coaches will do their best to end them on time.
AWARDS AND AWARDS NIGHTS
Each team will have some type of recognition night. All JV and Varsity teams
will participate in an Awards Night. JH teams will normally have their own
team party - arranged by their coaches and set on a different date than the
High School Awards Night.
It is the philosophy of the Athletic Department to honor special character
qualities and high achievement.
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The date will be selected by the Athletic Department and entered
on the schedule for that season.
The Booster Club will be in charge of each Awards Night.
Athletes should dress nicely for the Awards Night (at least school
dress standards).
Awards that are traditionally given include the following but are not
exclusive: Most Valuable Player (at the Varsity level this is the
Warrior Booster Athlete of the Year, at the JV/JH level coaches
may purchase MVP trophies), Most Improved Player, Best
Christian Testimony, and Coaches Award.
Varsity Letters
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Athletes must participate in ½ of the team’s quarters, innings,
halves, or matches (special standards for track and cross country
are listed below).
Athletes must show loyalty to the team and its coaches (i.e.
obedient, faithful...).
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All first time recipients receive a letter, numbers for a letter jacket
signifying their year of graduation, a special certificate and a pin
denoting the sport for which the letter was received.
Second sport letter students receive a sport pin (they will have only
one green letter, but several sport pins and bars).
Second and third year varsity letter winners receive a bar for each
sport.
Athletes who win 5 varsity letters in their careers will receive a
plaque from the athletic department at graduation.
Letter Criteria for Cross Country
Athletes will earn a letter in cross country by competing in at least 2 of the
teams meets and recording the following times during the appropriate year of
competition.
GIRLS
1st Year - 24:00
2nd Year - 23:30
3rd Year - 23:00
4th Year - 22:30
BOYS
1st Year - 21:00
2nd Year - 20:30
3rd Year - 20:10
4th Year - 19:50
If you are a Junior/Senior and you work hard and put in the practice but cannot
make the times, you must accumulate 5 points in the following areas:
Run and finish in a big meet (i.e. invitational).
1 Point
Beat 5th runner from another team in a dual,
tri, or quad meet.
1 Point
Place in bottom third of the field.
1 Point
Place in middle third of the field
2 Points
Place in the top third of the field
3 Points
PHYSICALS
Each athlete who participates in interscholastic athletics at Emmanuel must
have a current physical and waiver form on file in the athletic office. Some
information about physicals includes:

Physicals are good one year to the date from which they were
given by the doctor.

Physicals must be completed before the official start date of
practice.

Physicals must be on file in the office (an appointment is not
sufficient).

Athletes who do not have a physical on file the first day of official
practice may not play or participate until the physical has been
completed.

PrivIT is the preferred method of logging these physicals.
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ATHLETIC FACILITIES
The athletic facilities at Emmanuel are a gift from God and a responsibility for
all associated with our school and church. Facilities are for school and church
use. Other groups who desire using the facilities may request to rent them for
a predetermined fee. Room / facilities requests are to be made through the
high school office.
Use of athletic facilities and equipment are subject to proper supervision
and/or permission. Use of indoor facilities must have adult supervision and
must be scheduled in advance.
MUSIC POLICY
Music that is played before events for the pre-game should be sport
appropriate. The best scenario is that our pep band plays before contests
and/or at halftime. Other music may be played, but must be checked by the
A.D. prior to being played at an event. Music is not necessary before every
contest and is not a major issue.
Athletes should not have personal CD players, headphones or other musical
equipment at athletic events or on the way to those events. This applies both
home and away.
HOME SCHOOL POLICY
Home school students who are enrolled in the Emmanuel Christian School
program are eligible to participate in athletics at Emmanuel. They are subject
to the same standards as those students enrolled at Emmanuel in the
traditional setting. Students will need to be at school a minimum of 4 hours per
week preferably to take a class on campus. Students should sign in at the
office to record their attendance.
SNOW DAY POLICY
If a snow day or emergency day is called on the day of an athletic contest or
practice it will be up to the discretion of the Superintendent, Principal, and
Athletic Director as to whether or not the activity will go on as scheduled. The
Athletic Director will contact the respective coaches between the hours of
10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon with the decision that has been made.
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DRESS FOR ATHLETIC EVENTS
The appearance of our teams communicates a great deal about our values.
With the understanding that our athletes represent Christ and our school, each
team should strive to dress appropriately on game days and for travel to our
opponent’s site. Examples of appropriate appearance might include ties for
game days or special shirts that have passed school dress standards. Our
students should, at the least, be in school dress uniform. Any deviation from
established dress code standards must have prior permission from the School
Administrator.
MODESTY CODE
Modesty should be a concern for all of our students and parents as we
represent Christ and our school. In that representation, our dress for games
and practices should be honoring to Christ. Teams should adhere to the
following guidelines:

Tight fitting shirts or shorts are not appropriate for practice or
games.

Shorts should be worn at the waist line and not sagging down to
show another pair of shorts or undergarments.

Undergarments are exactly that and should not be seen (i.e. sports
bras, underwear...)

Young ladies should not wear shirts that are low cut or that show
their waist during activities.

Teams should remain in uniform (jerseys on, tucked in...) until they
arrive in the locker room.

Teams that compete in tank tops (i.e. C.C., track, basketball)
should practice in proper attire as spelled out in the previous
guidelines.

Reversibles should be able to be used as reversibles.
NON-DISCRIMINATORY POLICY
The Emmanuel Christian Schools, Elementary (K-5) and Secondary (6-12),
4607 W. Laskey Rd., recruits and admits students of any race, color, gender,
or activities. Furthermore, the schools are not intended to be an alternative to
court or administration. The Emmanuel Christian Schools will not discriminate
on the basis of race, color, gender, or ethnic origin in the hiring of its certified
or non-certified personnel.
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