Athletics Handbook/Code of Conduct

Athletics Code of Conduct | Player/Coaches Responsibilities | NCAA Eligibility Requirements

Code of Conduct

I. Statement of Purpose

A. The New Hartford Central School District encourages students to participate in extracurricular activities, including athletics. New Hartford offers a wide variety of opportunities to participate in athletics at the Modified; Junior Varsity and Varsity levels, which compete interscholastically during the fall, winter and spring seasons. Athletics gives students an opportunity to engage in physical activity and competition while learning valuable life-time lessons including discipline, responsibility, honesty, self-control, dedication, sportsmanship and respect for others.

B. As a member of the New York Public High School Athletic Association; New Hartford supports the educational goals of:

1. Competence: The demonstration of the needed level of knowledge and skill to sufficiently train and compete.
2. Civility: The demonstration of behavior that exemplifies appropriate respect and concern for others.
3. Citizenship: The demonstration of social responsibility as part of a community.
4. Character: The dispositions, values and habits that determine the way that people normally respond to desires, fears, challenges, opportunities failures and successes. (“Good Character” is when dispositions reflect positive ethical values.)

C. These goals are achieved through hard work, dedication and discipline, which are fostered by this Athletic Code of Conduct. Athletes, coaches, teachers, administrators and parents/guardians can team together for the most effective results.

D. This Athletic Code of Conduct provides (1) a commitment to instilling positive values and habits in student athletes; (2) necessary conduct for representing New Hartford in athletics; (3) prohibited conduct which will subject a student athlete to removal from participation; (4) the process for applying consequences related to violation of the Athletic Code of Conduct; and (5) Administration of the Athletic Code of Conduct.

The Sports Seasons:
FALL – Legal starting date for football practice to last scheduled contest
WINTER – Legal starting date for winter sports practices to last scheduled contest
SPRING & SUMMER – Legal starting date for spring sports practices to legal starting date for football practice

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II. Code of Conduct

The purpose of the athletic code is to reinforce the expectations the New Hartford Central School District has for the students participating in interscholastic athletics. Our student athletes have voluntarily chosen to make an additional commitment in their education experience and in doing so have agreed to follow the expectations set forth by the New Hartford Central School community.

A. Participation Rules and Qualifications

1. During each sport season, athletes are loaned uniforms and equipment that are purchased by the school district. Student athletes must return uniforms and equipment at the end of each season. If uniforms and/ or equipment are not returned, the student athlete will pay cost of a replacement uniform and/ or equipment.
2. Student athletes are expected to maintain a high level of academic achievement. To that end, a student athlete will never be penalized by the Athletic Department for missing a practice or a game due to an academic responsibility.
3. A student who is absent or tardy because of personal illness during the afternoon session of a school day may not practice or participate in any games scheduled for that day or night. A student, in order to participate in practice or athletic contest scheduled for that day or night, must be in attendance by 11 :30 a.m. A Friday absence because of illness may exclude a student from playing on Saturday. However, there remains the possibility that the student may sufficiently recover. Parent/Guardian permission in this instance is required for the student to play on Saturday.
4. The student must report any injury to the coach/trainer immediately. The school does not carry student accident insur­ance. If parents/ guardians desire this coverage, they may wish to contact their individual carrier. The student must also report to the nurse as soon as possible to fill out a report if medical treatment is necessary.
5. A student shall not engage in prohibited conduct as defined by II, B below.

B. Prohibited Conduct Subject to an Athletic Hearing

1. Student athletes will refrain from using or possessing any tobacco product on or off school grounds.
2. Student athletes will refrain from using or possessing alcoholic beverages on or off school grounds.
3. Student athletes will refrain from using or possessing any mind or performance altering drugs or substances on or off school grounds.
4. Student athletes will refrain from attending and/ or remaining in attendance at a function where illegal drugs are present and/ or being used or where alcohol is possessed or being used by minors. Remaining in attendance means: the student athlete remaining at the function after becoming aware or after he/she reasonably should have been aware that drugs or alcohol were present, possessed or being used as described above.
5. Student athletes are prohibited from engaging in hazing (recklessly endangers the mental health, physical health or safety of a student), harassment (slurs, jokes, or other verbal, graphic, or physical conduct relating to an individual’s protected status including, but not limited to, race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, sexual preference, national origin, age, or disability), illegal gambling, violations of other rules or laws (maintenance of public order on school property, school functions, or any violations of local, state, federal law).
6. Student athletes will refrain from any activities that result in an out-of-school suspension.
7. Student athletes will conduct themselves in a manner that avoids being insubordinate or disorderly and/ or endangers the health, emotional well-being, safety or morals of others on or off school grounds.
8. Student athletes will fulfill their commitment to their team unless the coach and Athletic Director agree that it is in the best interest of the team and the individual do not fulfill the commitment.
9. Student athletes will attend all scheduled practices and games, unless student is absent from school or has prior per­mission from the coach.
10. Student athletes will attend school and classes each day school is in session unless legally excused by a parent, guard­ian or school official.

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III. In Case of Alleged Violations of the Rules

A. Investigation

1. Alleged violations shall be reported to the Director of Athletics, Building Principal, or the Dean of Students. The Building Principal or Director of Athletics, or their respective designee(s) shall conduct an investigation regarding the alleged violation within three (3) school days of the reported incident or as soon thereafter as is practicable.
2. If the investigation indicates that a violation of the Athletic Eligibility Rules may have occurred due to competent and substantial evidence, then the Building Principal, or Director of Athletics, or their respective designee(s) will notify the student athlete and his/her parent(s)/guardian(s) and the Athletic Committee will be convened within three school days of the determination or as soon thereafter as possible.
3. When an investigation warrants an athletic hearing, the Dean of Students will contact parents or legal guardian. After explaining the situation, the Dean of Students will provide a brief description of the procedures in the Athletic Code and will provide the parent or guardian with a copy of or access to the athletic code. The Dean of Students will be available to answer any questions related to the process.
4. The Athletic Committee shall consist of three members: Director of Athletics, or Building Principal, or their designee (the one who did not conduct the investigation), the coach of the student’s sport, and a teacher representative appointed by the Building Principal and Athletic Director.
5. The Director of Athletics or Building Principal or designee will serve as Committee chair. It is the intent to have the same teacher at each school serve on the Athletic Committee. Therefore, if the representative teacher is unable to serve, an alternate may be designated for the Athletic Committee by the Director of Athletics, the Building Principal or their respective designee(s).
6. The investigating official will present the information to the Athletic Committee. The student and his/her parents/ guardians shall have the opportunity, upon hearing the information presented by the investigating official, to provide the student’s explanation of events.

B. Consequences for Violation

The consequences for a violation of the set forth expectations shall be determined by the Athletic Committee.

1. First time violations of expectations II. B. 1-5, will carry a penalty of ineligibility for up to 25 percent of the contests according to policy. First time violations of expectations II, B, 6-10 will carry a penalty of ineligibility for up to 10 percent of the contests according to policy. These penalties are intended as a guideline to ensure fairness; however, members of the Athletic Committee shall have the authority to consider extenuating or exacerbating circumstances in assigning a consequence/penalty and act accordingly.
2. The committee will also have the authority to recommend counseling, education, and/ or the use of a behavior contract in any appropriate situation.
3. In the event of a subsequent offense of any of the aforementioned violations, the student will incur a heightened penalty up to and including a full calendar year suspension from athletic participation.
4. The number of ineligible contests will be determined by using the number of regularly scheduled games. However, in order to fulfill the penalty, play-off games will be counted. If a student is not participating in athletics at the time of the hearing, the penalty will carry over to the next season in which the student will participate. The maximum penalty shall be ineligibility for interscholastic sports for one full year from the day of violation.

C. Self Referral and Reporting

We expect student athletes to be honest and encourage them to report their own Prohibited Conduct to a coach, athletic director, principal, or school administrator. Student athletes who have violated the set forth expectations but have been exceptionally forthcoming, responsible, a:nd truthful, or have voluntarily reported themselves to be in violation of the set forth expectations may, at the discretion of the Athletic Committee, have their penalties/consequences reduced.

D. Committee Decision

The Athletic Committee’s decision shall be sent in writing to the Superintendent, who shall send it to the student and the parent or guardian and the Board of Education. The Director of Athletics shall report all cases of ineligibility to all af­fected coaches.

E. Appeal

The student and/ or parent or guardian may appeal the decision of the Athletic Committee in writing to the Superintendent. Any appeal must be within ten (10) school days following receipt of the Athletic Committee’s decision. The Superintendent or designee shall review the decision of the Athletic Committee to ensure that the decision was neither arbitrary, capricious, or unreasonable. The Superintendent or designee findings will be submitted in writing to the student, parent or guardian, Athletic Committee and the Board of Education. This decision will be final.

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IV. Administration of the Athletic Code of Conduct

A. Each student-athlete will be given a copy of the Athletic Code of Conduct at the beginning of each season he/she participates. A copy shall be in the student handbook. Coaches are required to read aloud the entire athletic code of conduct prior to the first practice and a copy of the written code of conduct will be sent home to the parents/ guardians. By participating in the sport, the student athlete is demonstrating his/her willingness to comply with all the expectations of a student athlete at New Hartford Central School for one (1) calendar year, date of receipt by student signature on the Athletic Code of Conduct regardless of whether participating in a sport at the time or not.

B. In addition, the Building Principal, or the Athletic Director, or their respective designee will present the set forth expectations contained in the Athletic Code of Conduct as well as, expectations for the behavior of student spectators during interscholastic competitions, to members of the student body during grade level meetings held at the beginning of each school year.

Athletic Concern Procedure:

If you have any questions or concerns about athletics, you should contact district personnel in the following order:

1. Coach
2. Director of Athletics: 315-624-1283
3. High School Building Principal: 315-624-1214
4. Jr. High School Principal: 315-738-9300
5. Superintendent of Schools: 315-624-1218

Adopted: March 7, 1989
Revised: March 4, 2024

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Player/Coaches Responsibilities

General Behavior

1. When traveling, all players should be well groomed.
2. When traveling, players should remember that they are representatives of their school.
3. Respect officials of the game.
4. Always be a gentleman/lady.
5. Be loyal to teammates.
6. Be a part of the team, physically and mentally.
7. Remain under control.
8. Hair should be restrained so not to interfere with athletic competition.
9. Be a good citizen at all times.

Use of Equipment

Any equipment donated by an outside (non school related) group, must be accepted by the Board of Education before the equipment is used by students and staff.

The Athletic Code of Conduct contains a section entitled “Participation Rules and Qualifications”. This section of the code states that a student who is absent or tardy because of personal illness during the afternoon session of a school day may not practice or participate in any games scheduled for that day or night. In order to achieve consistency between the junior and senior high schools on what constitutes the afternoon session, we will establish 9:15 a.m. as the time by which a student-athlete must be in attendance in order to participate in practice or athletic contest scheduled for that day or night. This time coincides with the end of lunch at the high school and the end of 9th grade lunch at the junior high.

Additional information may be found in the Coaches Handbook.

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NCAA Eligibility Requirements

The National Collegiate Athletic Association is an organization dedicated to providing a pathway to opportunity for college athletes. Over 1,000 colleges and universities are members of the NCAA. Those schools work together with the NCAA national office and athletics conferences across the country to support more than 500,000 college athletes that make up over 20,000 teams competing in NCAA sports.

NCAA eligibility is based on a student-athlete’s academic readiness and amateur status. If you’re thinking about playing college sports, it’s crucial to know what this means – and it’s best to start learning now.

View the NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student Athlete 2023-24.

Visit the NCAA Eligibility Center website for additional information.

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