Athletics

The opportunity to participate on a Port Washington School District athletic team is a privilege afforded our students.  We take great pride in the accomplishments and sportsmanship of all our athletes and teams.  Additionally, we take pride in the positive behavior, citizenship, character, honesty and integrity of all those who compete and represent our school along with our parents and spectators. 

Athletic participation at the varsity level is highly competitive.  The junior varsity program functions as a transition between middle school and the varsity. Participation at the high school level requires a significant amount of time as well as adherence to more stringent team and New York State Athletic Association rules.   To fully appreciate a family’s commitment to high school competition and to avoid miscommunication and unrealistic expectations, parents and students must understand the following:

1. Practices/contests are scheduled on Saturdays and during recess periods.  Athletes are required to begin the season on the start date and attend all games and practices unless excused by the coach. Absences or missed practices during the season  can result in disciplinary action, which might include dismissal from the team. It is the policy of the athletic department that an athlete cannot miss contests over the Thanksgiving Recess, Winter Recess, February Recess and Spring Recess and remain eligible to play in upcoming contests.  The April school trip is not excused absence and athletes must choose between the trip or the sport.   There is no coach discretion with this policy.  Individual team guidelines apply for missing practices. All parents are informed at a preseason parent meeting as to the team's calendar, rules and guidelines.
2. Team selection is based on ability, commitment and sportsmanship.  Final decisions are made by the head coach at each level.
3. The amount of time an athlete plays is at the discretion of the coach.
4. Athletes must complete the season in good standing to receive credit for the season.

All public school sports in New York State are governed by the regulations of the NYS Department of Education and the NYS Public High School Athletic Association.  Our local governing body is Section VIII. This governing body addresses rule interpretations, establishes schedules, assigns officials and enforces all rules in athletics.

As a district, we certify that we have agreed all of our athletes will meet the standards for eligibility for practice and competition.  For eligibility information, please refer to the Program Planning Guide.   

A required meeting will be held at the beginning of each season for parents and athletes.

All parents and athletes are required to sign the athletic participation contract before each season.

• Any student failing two of more subjects will not be allowed to participate in any extracurricular activities.  This determination will be made on a quarterly report card and maintain until the next report card.  Students may apply for a waiver through their assistant principal prior to the season. 
• Athletes must be in attendance by 11:30 to be eligible to participate in a practice, scrimmage, or game on that day.
• Athletes must participate fully in physical education class, if scheduled, to be eligible to participate that day.
• Students who have been suspended from school may not participate in athletics during the suspension. A suspension is inclusive of the entire day and could include a weekend or recess.  Suspension from school could result in termination from the team. 

Steps to ensure clearance to play an interscholastic sport are the completion of the following forms:

• Consent to Participate and Acknowledgement of Risk Form
• Annual Sports History Health Form
• Physical Form 
• A physical is valid for one year.  Approval for clearance to participate will be posted on the parent portal through Synergy in lieu of calling the medical office.

The student will report any injury to the coach.   Any time an athlete requires a physician’s treatment, he or she must obtain a signed release from the doctor.  The release must be in the possession of the school nurse, or a designee, before the student may participate again. All releases must include a return to physical education activities. District insurance is secondary to parent’s insurance.

The Port Washington athletic program follows guidelines for concussion management from the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) and the National Federation of High School Associations (NFHS).  It is our goal at Port Washington to provide our student-athletes with a safe athletic experience.  Our coaches and athletic trainer are aware of these guidelines and are cognizant of their importance. The Port Washington athletic department has a six-step Concussion Management policy in place.  Athletic team coaches will receive training on this policy and in the recognition of head injuries.  Parents and athletes will be provided current information as part of their sports orientation meetings.  The athletic department’s six- step “Return to Play” protocol can be found on the athletics department website.  Only the District Physician can clear an athlete to return to full activity.  As a condition to compete on a team, all athletes are administered the IMPACT neurocognitive test.  

It is the duty of all concerned with interscholastic athletics:

• To emphasize the ideals of sportsmanship, ethical conduct and fair play
• To stress the values derived from playing the game fairly
• To respect the person and judgment of officials
• To encourage teamwork, leadership, interaction, and good judgment by players on teams
• To demonstrate self-control and mutual respect at all time
• To remember the purpose of athletics is to promote the physical, mental, moral, social and emotional well-being of the individual
• To accept victory with grace and defeat with dignity. Poor winners or losers do a disservice to themselves, family, and school community.

The athletic department encourages parents to share their child’s education by attending games and showing positive, constructive support.  If a parent has a question, the athletic staff welcomes the opportunity to talk at an appropriate time.  Discussions on the field are often fragmentary, incomplete, and public. Conversations deserve both privacy and time and parents are encouraged to address coaches in an appropriate setting.

Spectators are an important part of the game and shall at all times conform to accepted standards of good sportsmanship and behavior.

• Attendance at games is a privilege.  Spectators are to abide by all posted signs and local and state rules.
• Spectators shall at all times respect officials, coaches, players and game personnel and extend courtesies to them.
• Wholesome cheering is encouraged.
• Stomping feet, taunting, foul and abusive language, inflammatory remarks, and disrespectful signs and behavior are not acceptable and could result in removal from facility.
• Spectators shall respect and obey all school officials, supervisors, and police at all athletic contests.
• Noisemakers are prohibited at all athletic contests as per Section VIII rules.
• BE LOUD, BE PROUD, BE POSITIVE.

The Port Washington School District forbids any form of hazing or bullying of students.

Students found to have committed an act of harassment, bullying/cyber bullying against any student in the Port Washington School District will be faced with strong disciplinary actions, which could include suspension from any further team participation for that season or the year. Athletes are expected to notify a coach or a school administrator (A.D., Principal, AP, etc.) if they witness any form of hazing, bullying or cyber bulling.  Cyber bullying teachers and students from other schools are included as well. Failure to report will result in disciplinary action from sports participation.

Athletes may not use alcoholic beverages, tobacco in any form, illicit drugs, vaping or steroids at any time  Any student found to use any of these on or off school property at any time, including weekends, during the sports season , will result in a suspension from participation in that sport. Athletes are cautioned regarding use of social media.  Athletes will be held accountable, should the school receive information or pictures from such sites that show violations of the athletic guidelines. Any suspension could be season ending. Once the penalty has been levied, the principal may review any appeal of the suspension.  A student who self discloses a substance abuse problem could have a suspension waived, if they are willing to take active steps to remedy the situation. 

• An athlete who is ill, causing him/her to miss part or all of the school day, will be ineligible to participate in athletics on that date. However, if the student enters the school with written permission from his/her parent to participate in athletics, the school-nurse will review the request, and decide if such participation is to be granted. Only the school-nurse or doctor can make this determination. 
• An athlete must be signed in to school by 11:30 AM to be eligible to play in a game, scrimmage or practice. 
• An athlete absent from school for the entire day for reasons other than illness shall be ineligible to take part in athletics on that day unless the school has granted prior approval. 
• Students excused from physical education participation due to illness/injury cannot participate in interscholastic athletic activities on that same day unless the school nurse or school doctor gives permission. 

Team selection is aimed at: 

• Promoting participation in interscholastic athletics 
• Involving the largest number of students in the program based upon activities offered, available facilities, available budget, and the availability of qualified and certified personnel 
• Recognizing that interscholastic athletics are provided for the physically gifted seeking to reach their fullest potential through supervised/ sanctioned/equitable competition. Selection of team members is the decision of the head coach. All students will be judged on a rubric criterion that includes skill, effort, sportsmanship and needs of the team. 

The only persons permitted on team buses shall be team members, coaches, school physician, athletic director, managers, statisticians, supervisors, and previously approved school reporters or photographers. All students must return on the same bus unless prior approval has been received from the athletic director or principal.