Athletics

Communication-Parents/Athletes/Coaches

As your children become involved in the athletic programs they will experience some of the most rewarding moments in their lives. It is important to understand there may also be times when things do not go the way you or your child wishes. Please follow the procedure that follows when this occurs.

1. Athlete should meet one on one with coach.

2. Parent should email or call the coach and set up an appointment.

3. Parent should email or call and set up an appointment with athletic director and coach.

4. Parent should email or call and set up an appointment with administration.

 

It is very difficult to accept your child not playing as much as you may hope. Remember this is not a recreational league where every participant is guaranteed a certain amount of playing time. Coaches make judgment decisions based on what they believe is best for all students involved. Listed below are things that should and should not be discussed with the coach after your child has already talked with the coach with his/her concerns.

 

Appropriate Concerns to Discuss With Coaches:

1.The treatment of your child mentally and physically.

2.Ways to help your child improve.

3.Concerns about your child’s behavior.

 

Issues Not Appropriate to Discuss With Coaches:

1.Playing time.

2.Team strategy

3.Play calling.

4.Other student-athletes.

 

The Issue of Playing Time (click link)

http://primeathlete.com/content/issue-playing-time?referer=b63d6bb57fa1a1d73c863b5d218c474f

 

Participation in Sports

Athletic Physical Exams - EL2

The School Board of Polk County policy relating to the FHSAA Pre Participation Physical Exam (EL2) is that physical exams for the upcoming school year can be obtained no earlier than June 1. All physical exams obtained on June 1 or at any time during the school year will expire on May 31 regardless of the date of the physical exam.

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Pre-participation Physical Evaluation – EL2
Consent & Release from Liability Certificate, and Sudden Cardiac Arrest/Concussion Release – EL3
Sports Citizenship/Sportsmanship and Parent Communication Form

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These forms (EL2 and EL3) required by the FHSAA before a student-athlete can participate in any type of conditioning, workout, practices or contests are ONLY AVAILABLE ONLINE. These forms should be uploaded at www.athleticclearance.com. Instructions are on the school's homepage and in the front office.

These forms contain additional statements which are specific to the School District of Polk County which require the signatures of the parent/guardian and student-athlete.

For that reason,  please do not download the EL2 or EL3 forms from the FHSAA website.

 

Home School, Full Time Virtual, or Charter Students

If home school, full time virtual school, or charter school (charters with no athletic teams) students wish to participate in sports at the public high school they are zoned for the parents must notify the Principal and/or the Athletic Director BEFORE the first day of practice for that sport in order to be eligible to participate in that sport. All FHSAA paperwork and eligibility requirements must also be completed before the students can begin any activities associated with that team. 

 

 

Eligibility for Extracurricular Activities/Athletics – McKeel Academy of Technology

 

Students who participate in athletics at McKeel Academy shall meet eligibility requirements by FHSAA and the Schools of McKeel Academy school board. Students will exhibit satisfactory conduct and academics, in order to retain eligibility to participate in all extracurricular activities at McKeel Academy of Technology.

 

Middle School Eligibility

 

Academic Requirements: A student will become academically eligible upon his or her promotion to the 7th grade.

Thereafter the student must maintain a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) for each grading period. 

 

High School Eligibility

 

Academic Requirements: 2.0 GPA Required for Academic Eligibility

A high school student must have a cumulative 2.0 grade point average on a 4.0 unweighted scale, or its equivalent, at the conclusion of each semester to be academically eligible during the next semester (s. 1006.15(3)(a)1, Florida Statutes). Final grades previously earned by the student from another school shall not be converted using the scale in Calculating GPA. The grades from all courses required for graduation that a student takes, including those taken by the student before he/she begins high school, must be included in the calculation of the student's cumulative GPA at the conclusion of each semester. For public school students, this includes the courses listed in s. 1003.4282, Florida Statutes.

 

Academic Eligibility/Ineligibility is for a Semester. A student who is academically eligible at the beginning of a semester will continue to beacademically eligible for that entire semester. Likewise, a student who is academically ineligible at the beginning of a semester will continue tobe academically ineligible for that entire semester, except as provided in FHSAA Bylaw 9.4.5.1.2. The student's academic eligibility for eachsuccessive semester will depend upon his/her cumulative GPA at the conclusion of the previous semester. FHSAA Bylaw 9.4.1.3 AttendanceDuring Previous Two Consecutive Semesters Required. A student cannot be academically eligible if he/she has not attended school andreceived grades for all courses taken during the previous two consecutive semesters. (See FHSAA Bylaws)

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Participating in overlapping sports seasons (Fall/Winter, Winter Spring)

Students that participate in multiple sports that overlap seasons will give priority to the season they started first before they move on to another sport. Students will not be allowed to quit a sport to start another sport. They will be allowed to tryout for another sport.

 

 

Special Note 1:  Athletic Student Transfer Eligibility

All students entering McKeel Academy of Technology must follow A student who transfers is immediately eligible as long as allother eligibility requirements are met. Students may not participate in the same sport in the same year at more than one school(unless one of the exceptions are met)

1.   Children of active duty military whose move resulted from military orders

2.    Children relocated due to foster care placement or McKinney -Vento  Act

3.    Children who move due to a court-ordered change in custody due to separation, or serious illness or death of custodial parent

4.    Good cause policy in district or charter (district placement)

a)   Any student transfer that fills a student vacancy that occurs during school year for openings that occur in enrollment, that fall during an already active sport season. Such a situation may have to file a request for eligibility with the FHSAA. 

 

Special Note 2:  Non-McKeel Student Eligibility

1. Home school students

2. Students that are registered with the Polk County School Board or Hillsborough County School Board as a home school student are eligible to participate in athletics at McKeel Academy of Technology, provided that they meet FHSAA eligibility requirements, McKeel Academy behavior requirements, and team expectations and guidelines. 

3. Charter school students           

• Students who are enrolled in a charter school in Polk County, which does not offer a sport that McKeel Academy of Technology does, are eligible to participate in that sport at McKeel Academy of Technology, provided that they meet FHSAA eligibility requirements, McKeel Academy behavior requirements, and team expectations and guidelines.

 

Special Note 3:  Special circumstances.

• Any other athletic eligibility appeal ruled upon by the Athletics Review Committee to intervene and make a decision on a case brought before the board by the Supervisor of Athletics. All decisions will be given within 10 school days from the date of the appeal.

 

Disciplinary Actions- Extracurricular Activities/Athletics

 

For Out of School Suspension: Students assigned to Out of School Suspension shall be excluded from participating in all  extracurricular activities from the date of the offense until completion of the disciplinary action. For the purpose of continuity suspension shall begin the day the referral is finalized and the consequences issued by the appropriate administrator.

 

Special Note:  Athletic Policies

1. A student not currently suspended from interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activities, or suspended or expelled fromschool, pursuant to a district school board's suspension or expulsion powers provided in law, including ss. 1006.07, 1006.08, and1006.09, is eligible to participate in interscholastic and intrascholastic extracurricular activities.

2. A student may not participate in a sport if the student participated in that same sport at another school during that school year, unlessthe student meets the criteria in s. 1006.15(3)(h).

1. A student's eligibility to participate in any interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity may not be affected by any allegedrecruiting violation until final disposition of the  allegation pursuant to s. 1006.20(2)(b).

 

The following includes a list of examples, such as, but not limited to, which may be considered for exclusion as eligibility standards toparticipate in extracurricular interscholastic or intrascholastic activities:

School attendance policy that may prevent a student from participating

• Alcohol/drug related behavior

• School/classroom discipline issues

• Social Media issues

• Bullying

• Sportsmanship

• Dress Code Policy

• Four Year Limit of Eligibility (8 consecutive semesters)

• Age Limit - Students must turn 19 years on or after September 1 

• Physical Evaluation (EL2) and Consent and Release from Liability Certificate (EL3)

• Any other district policy which would remove or prevent a student from participating in extracurricular activities

• Students are expected to be in attendance at school at least half of the school day in order to participate in athletic activities on a given day.

 

Cross Country (boys and girls)-August tryouts

Swim-August tryouts

Cheerleading-April/May tryouts

Basketball (boys and girls)-October/November tryouts

Wrestling-November tryouts

Soccer (boys and girls)-October tryouts

Baseball-January tryouts

Softball-January tryouts

Tennis (boys and girls)-January tryouts

 

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