Sports Policy | Sharon School

Sharon School Sports Policy

Philosophy

Sports is an opportunity for children to learn about life through the physical, for the children to enjoy and benefit from participation in school sport to enable them to develop skills, self-esteem, fun, fitness, friendships and sportsmanship. The main emphasis is the use of sport to teach life skills, including teamwork, commitment, self-discipline, social well-being, and perseverance. The school policy outlines the opportunities, responsibilities, and commitments required by the children, parents, officials, and spectators. It is a condition that all children and adults agree to abide by this policy when participating or assisting school sports teams. The school sports policy supports the CHISZ Sports Charter and is therefore in tandem with what most schools subscribe to.

Objectives

Provide a safe, healthy and friendly environment that encourages personal achievement and develops self-esteem and confidence.
Improve personal fitness and develop game skills.
Enable children to participate in sport, regardless of ability, within age restrictions, and develop a life-long love of sport, health and fitness.
Encourage co-operation through the development of team skills.
Provide the opportunity to learn appropriate sporting behaviour.
Teach that attitude and effort are more important than talent.
Provide the opportunity for all children to become aware of and to understand the meaning of fair play.
Develop friendships, share experiences, and learn how to cope with winning and losing.

Sports Committee

The sports committee will comprise of the following:

The School Principal/Head
The Deputy Head
Head/T.I.C Sport
P.E Teachers/Members of the sports department

Participation in Sport

All children (within their age groups) are expected to take part in sport unless excused on medical grounds. Exemption from sport will be granted on the recommendation of qualified medical personnel. Exemption for any other reason will be referred to the sports committee. All school sport takes preference to any other outside commitments.

Term 1: House Athletics & Cross country is compulsory for all children. Cricket is compulsory for all boys.
Term 2: Hockey is compulsory for all children.
Term 3: Cricket is compulsory for all boys, Tennis is compulsory for all girls.

Children may be selected or opt to join team swimming and team cross-country. Selection for galas and cross-country meets will be based on merit.

Age Group Participation

Children will not be permitted to enter competitive sport until they are 8 years old. Exemptions may be approved by the sports committee in special circumstances in consultation with parents.
Any child who is Under 11 is eligible to play in the Colts or Fillies teams for all sports.
In the Under 11 age group, Colts/Fillies A teams are reserved for the best players regardless of age or grade.
“B” Teams must include all the rest. If there are more children than needed to make up a team, a rotation system must be used to ensure every child participates in matches.
Before moving a child who is Under 9 into a Colts/Fillies team, the coach must first get permission and consent from the parent and make the parent aware of any safety issues.
All coaches are allowed and encouraged to ‘scout’ for talent in the Under 9 age group. A child should be invited for trials with the respective teams; if unsuccessful, the child will be moved back to his/her team.

Roles

Sports Committees

Identify the range of sporting activities offered.
Assess and decide on whether a child can or cannot be moved up his age group.
Sit and deliberate on issues and grievances that arise in school sport.

Sports Co-ordinator

Communicate with coaches on a regular basis.
Liaise with other coaches in arranging sports fixtures with other schools a term before.
Confirm all matches a week and a day before match fixture.
Issue equipment and kit to respective coaches.
Report and record grievances and breaches of the codes raised from teams (coaches, parents or pupils).

Physical Education Teachers

Ensure that equipment is in good condition and is available to teachers and teams.
Ensure that appropriate skill acquisition is part of the physical education program.
Assist coaches/teachers with initial practices and routines where necessary.

Coaches

Desirable that coaches are qualified/have certification in the relevant sporting disciplines.
Report unresolved problems or grievances to the sports co-ordinator.
Roster children to ensure fair play time or to notify when a child is rostered ‘in turn’ to play.
Manage practice sessions and know when to cancel.
Communication is paramount. If a coach will be unavailable or late, notify the sports co-ordinator in good time.
Coaches must aim to be punctual and abide by all the statutes as laid out in the CHISZ Sports Charter: Code of ethics for coaches.
It is the responsibility of the coach in liaison with the teacher in charge to choose a captain. Where ideal, the captaincy may be rotated at the coaches/T.I.C’s discretion. The captain is chosen on the basis of leadership qualities and sportsmanship, not necessarily skill or talent.

Teacher in Charge (T.I.C)

He/she is in charge of the team taken by a coach.
In consultation with the coach, decide which players to take for a fixture.
Has final say on team selection.
Writes reports on the team matches.
Reports unresolved problems or grievances to the sports coordinator.
Keeps and marks a register of all players.
Keeps medical and contact information at games.
Advises on equipment needed.
Selects team captain.

Consequences

Players may be excluded from play if they fail to attend practices without any written or medical exemption.
Players may also be excluded from the team if they have incorrect kit/uniform.
Repeated and unacceptable behaviour by the players will be referred to the Principal.
Bad sportsmanship may also result in a player being excluded from the team.
Coaches and Parents will be reminded of appropriate behaviour by the Teacher in Charge.

Cancellation Policy

The School will endeavour at all times to ensure training occurs, however there may be times when this is not feasible. For example, in the event of excessively high temperatures/rainfall, outdoor activities may be cancelled. If the weather during training or match times is excessively wet, teams shall move to a sheltered area where the coach will supervise them until they are collected at the usual time that training ends.

Grievance Procedure

Confidentiality is important in dealing with grievance issues. Small conflicts are easier to resolve than big ones and the less people involved in offering opinions, the easier it is to stay in control of one’s grievance and the solution aimed for.

Approach the other person and express your grievance. Both parties work together and successfully resolve the problem.
Express your concern personally or by letter to the sports committee through the Head of Sport/T.I.C of the sport concerned. The concern will be treated with confidentiality, a decision made, and outcomes reported as soon as practicable.
Approach the Deputy Head/Principal.

Matches/Transport

The school will provide transport to ferry teams to and from matches. In some cases, the school may request parents to provide transport to certain match venues if school transport is inadequate. This may be done in the form of a written notice that will have a tear-off slip that must be signed and returned to the school for transport logistics. Children without the kit WILL NOT be allowed to play. T.I.C/Coach should check that all the players/athletes/swimmers etc. have the correct kit before 10.00 am on the day of the match.

Trophies, Team & Colours Awards

Participation and enjoyment are the major focus of the school’s sports program. However, those who excel are honoured and acknowledged at the end of each term through floating trophies, flashes, badges and certificates. The sports committee, through suggestions from the T.I.C’s and coaches, decide on which children receive awards. The committee holds the final decision.

Insurance & Medical

The school does not provide any insurance for pupils or parents arising from any injury or accident. Parents may choose to seek private insurance to assist financially in the event of injury. If a child does not have any Medical Aid and is participating in an away fixture, the parent should try by all means to attend the fixture or ensure that the school has current contact details, in case of an accident or injury. All teams should be provided with a first aid kit to assist in the event of basic casualty care. The kit should be available at all matches and monitored for any shortages. All sports staff should have basic first aid training. The school is not allowed to administer any medication and as a result can only do what is essential.

Uniform & Equipment

Teams should wear uniforms that reflect the school logo and colours.
Children in teams will be issued with uniforms for the duration of the season and parents will be expected to launder them and keep them in good repair.
Uniforms should not be altered in any way.
TIC and the coach should collect uniforms and equipment at the end of the season and inform the front office of any non-returns or damage. Parents will be invoiced for uniform that is not returned within one week after the completion of the season.
All damaged and/or lost uniforms should be reported immediately to the coach or T.I.C sport and not wait until the end of the season.
Individual protective equipment is required for the respective sport/s and is the responsibility of the parents.
Team equipment is issued to coaches and teachers in charge at the start of the season and should be collected from team members at the end of the season.