ARTICLE IX: MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETICS AND ACTIVITIES
(Excerpt from VPA Activities Policies)
PREAMBLE
The Vermont Principals’ Association defines middle school as students who are enrolled in grades 5 – 8. The VPA believes that an understanding of the unique physical, psychological, emotional, and educational needs of all middle school children should drive all aspects of middle school education.
The VPA believes that middle school sports should be kept in perspective. To that end, we concur with the National Middle School Association research summary on sports in middle school, which states: “Many positive benefits for young adolescents may result from participation in sports which can enhance their self esteem and increase their interest in sports. However, when young adolescents’ needs and interests become secondary to pressures and unreasonable expectations from coaches, parents and even themselves, sports often have the opposite effect. Young adolescent’s psychological well being should be a priority in developing middle school sports programs.”
The VPA believes that every interested student be afforded the opportunity to participate in athletics and activities at the middle school level. Member institutions are encouraged to find creative ways and means for every middle school student to experience the personal growth and development that comes through active participation.
The VPA has developed the following standards in order that our middle school athletic/activity programs may consistently apply the best of what we know to this centrally important part of the larger middle grade program.
Section 1. Standards
(a) Student activities, intramural, and interscholastic sports are an integral part of the Middle School educational program.
(b) The emphasis of a Middle School activities program is on teaching, participation, and progression without the competitive pressures, which are part of the Senior High School athletic program. No single phase of the educational program shall be promoted at the expense of other equally important programs.
(c) Participants, coaches, parents, officials, and fans shall model and uphold the highest ideals of sportsmanship.
(d) The supervision of activities should be in the hands of trained school personnel. The selection of this leadership should be based on their knowledge of teaching activities to this age group, understanding of the modified sports/activities program, training, and safety procedures.
(e) The programs should operate with minimal loss of school time, limited publicity, competent officiating, and limited awards.
(f) All participant’s are required to have health insurance.
(g) All participants should receive appropriate medical screening in accordance with school district policies.
(h) All participants should be selected, equipped, instructed, and supervised in accordance with school district policies.
Section 2. Policies
(a) Principal’s Responsibilities
(b) VPA Member schools shall compete with other member schools. Member schools may also compete with teams from schools and programs that are not members if the schools agree to substantially follow the VPA Middle School Standards, rules, and regulations.These schools may be in or out-of-state.
(c) A home school student who wishes to participate in a public school co-curricular program shall be an “eligible student” under this section if:
(d) Eligibility of Eighth Grade Students: Schools enrolling less than fifty boys or fifty girls in grades nine to twelve inclusive may use students under sixteen years of age from affiliated grammar schools in interscholastic competition,provided the Executive Director approves.
(e) Only VPA Member schools may participate in VPA sponsored activities.
(f) Cooperative Sponsorship (Adapted from Section IV (Article XI) – Cooperative interscholastic athletic teams for middle school competition). Cooperative sponsorship of an interscholastic athletic activity by member schools will be considered under the following conditions:
Section 3. General Rules
(a) Participants must be enrolled in their school or state approved school and must meet the VPA member school’s prescribed academic and eligibility rules.
(b) Contest rules shall be governed by NFHS rules as adopted by the Vermont Principals’ Association.
(c) Participants in all interscholastic athletic activities must have a minimum of seven (7) days of practice before competing in interscholastic contests.
(d) Practice time shall be limited to one and one-half hours during any calendar day.
(e) Member schools shall not participate in more than a combination of five (5) games and practices within a seven (7) day period.
(f) Member schools shall not play more than three (3) games per seven (7) day period. This includes both scheduled and make-up contests.
(g) Member schools shall not play more than two (2) contests on back-to-back days. This includes both scheduled and make-up contests.
(h) Scrimmage: A scrimmage is defined as, and intended to be, a learning situation, not a competitive event. A scrimmage is a practice and shall be treated as such. Scrimmages have unlimited timeouts during which coaches are allowed to provide instruction. Scrimmage can be conducted under the following regulations:
Section 4. Waivers
A waiver is required for any deviation from existing rules and regulations. Waivers must be in writing to the VPA Executive Director or Designee and must be provided sufficiently in advance of the event.
Section 5. Seasons & Sports Definitions & Regulations
The VPA supports and encourages middle schools to provide young adolescents opportunities to participate in developmentally appropriate sports and activities (music, drama, dance, etc.). With this in mind, the VPA has developed sports specific regulations for the middle school that reflect a season that is 80% of an allowable high school sports program.
(a) Definitions
(b) Fall Sports: The fall sports season includes cross-country running, field hockey and soccer. The Fall Sports Season shall commence no earlier than the first scheduled student day of school as determined by the local school calendar, and shall run for a period of nine (9)weeks.
(b1) Cross Country Running (Boys and Girls) (NFHS Rules apply except as follows): No school shall schedule more than twelve (12) meets including tournaments.
(b2) Field Hockey (NFHS Rules apply except as follows):
(b3) Soccer (Boys and Girls) (NFHS Rules apply except as follows):
(c) Winter Sports: Winter sports include basketball, cheerleading, nordic skiing, dance, gymnastics, and wrestling. The Winter Sports Season may commence two (2)weeks after the conclusion of the Fall Sports Season, and shall run for a period of thirteen (13) weeks. Vacation weeks, where no contests, scrimmages, or practices are held do not count toward the season total.
(c1) Basketball (Boys and Girls) (NFHS Rules apply except as follows):
(c2) Cheerleading (NFHS and UCA Rules apply except as follows):
(c3) Nordic Skiing (HS Rules apply except as follows)
(c4) Dance (UDA Rules apply except as follows):
(c5) Gymnastics (USGA Gymnastics, FIG rules apply except as follows):
(c6) Wrestling (NFHS Rules apply except as follows):
(d) Spring Sports: Spring sports include baseball, lacrosse, softball, tennis, and track. The Spring Sports Season may commence two (2) weeks after the conclusion of the Winter Sports Season, and shall run for a period of ten (10) weeks.
(d1) Baseball (NFHS Rules apply except as follows:)
(d2) Lacrosse (Boys and Girls)(NFHS & US Lacrosse Rules apply. Consult NFHS and US Lacrosse Rule Books under Youth Lacrosse sections):
(d3) Softball (NFHS Rules apply except as follows):
(d4) Tennis (USTA Rules apply except as follows):
(d5) Track (NFHS Rules apply except as follows):
Section 6. Coaching Requirements
The VPA believes that coaches should obtain proper training. Coaches play a critical role in the overall quality of the interscholastic activity program, the safety of student athletes, and the education of our children.
(a) A person shall be eligible to be employed or appointed as a coach in any interscholastic high school and/or middle level activity if the person satisfies all of the following conditions:
(b) Guidelines for Coaching Education
(b1) The VPA highly recommends that all coaches and advisors of middle school students successfully complete training through an appropriate coaching program as defined by the local administration.Recommended professional development courses include on-line NFHS courses such as Fundamentals of Coaching; First Aid, Health, and Safety for Coaches; and Coaching Sports in the Middle School.
(b2) Examples of available programs include:
ARTICLE X. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
TABLE 1
Middle School Sports Seasons (All dates are defined by the local school district official calendar)
FALL
Nine (9) Weeks
WINTER
May start two (2) weeks after the end of the Fall Sports Season.
Thirteen (13) Weeks.
SPRING
TABLE 2
Vermont Principals’ Association Pitch Count Table 2013-2014
VARSITY
76 – 120 pitches
51 – 75 pitches
26 – 50 pitches
1 – 25 pitches
JV/FROSH
66 – 110 pitches
41 – 65 pitches
26 – 30 pitches
MIDDLE SCHOOL
56 – 85 pitches
36 – 55 pitches
20 – 35 pitches
1 – 19 pitches
Addendum A:
A Coach’s Code of EthicsSection 6. A Coach’s Ethics: A Statement of Belief
The responsibility of a coach is to teach attitudes, proper habits, knowledge and skills. The athletic program is designed to enhance academic achievement and should never interfere with opportunities for academic success. Each student athlete should be treated as an individual whose welfare shall be primary at all times. The coach must be aware that he or she serves as a model in the education of the student athlete and, therefore, shall never place the value of winning above the value of character building.
Addendum B
VERMONT PRINCIPALS’ ASSOCIATION
STATEMENT OF BELIEF ON CHEMICALS AND HEALTH
ARTICLE I.PHILOSOPHY AND PURPOSE
The VPA recognized the use of chemicals as a significant health problem for many adolescents, resulting in negative effects on behavior, learning and the total development of each individual. The misuse and abuse of chemicals for some adolescents affects extracurricular participation and development of related skills. Others are affected by the misuse and abuse by family, team members and other significant persons in their lives.
The close contact in VPA activities of advisors and coaches and other athletic department personnel provides them with a unique opportunity to observe, confront and assist young people. The VPA, therefore, supports education and awareness training in adolescent chemical use problems including the symptomatology of chemical dependency and special issues affecting athletic activities for administrators, athletic directors, coaches, advisors, participants and their families.
ARTICLE II. CHEMICAL AWARENESS
1. Put the training and conduct rules of your coaches and school in writing.
2. Have your school attorney review the rules.
3. Have yourSchool Board review and adopt your rules.
4. Have the rules printed in the student handbook.
5. Print the rules in the school paper.
6. Post the rules in the locker rooms and on bulletin boards.
7. Give your athletic participants a copy of eligibility rules.
8. Send the rules home to parents.
9. If possible, have your local newspaper publish your rules.
10. Sponsor aChemical Awareness evening with parents, coaches and student athlete candidates.
Vermont Principals’ Association 2 Prospect Street, Suite 3 Montpelier, VT 05602 Phone: (802) 229-0547 Fax: (802) 229-4801
https://www.vpaonline.org
Copyright2014