eligibility

I believe at our sons' school, if you get an "F" or below a 2.0 on a mid-semester report card (10 weeks), you will be ineligible. Semester grades are the only ones that are permanently recorded though.

________________
"Pitching is the art of instilling fear," Sandy Koufax.

just, have you guys started the season yet.

the Florida Bombers
"I love the HSBBW"

Season just started the day after the 6 week progress reports were posted.

If the grades are that low I don't think you should be playing any sport--- the first goal in school is to graduate

TRhit

TR - Great point - I don't think our kids would be playing if they even got close to that. Wouldn't be in the school's hands - Mr. & Mrs. justbaseball would be stepping in well before the school had their shot!

BigHit - Start this Saturday. But its raining here a lot lately, so we'll see.

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"Pitching is the art of instilling fear," Sandy Koufax.

Again, it is a 6 week progress report, and the other grades are fine. It isn't a final grade, and it is on the way up already, but the season is over for the player. I was asking how many coaches out there have that policy? I know that parents have their own rules and I understand that. What about coaches?

As a high school girl's basketball coach, I have always had a very strict academic policy. When a college coach calls me about a player usually the first thing they inquiry about is what type of student they are. A good high school coach strives to build a quality program that has a good reputation with college coaches, not just athletically but academically. In my experience Fs just don't appear out of the blue, especially at this point in the school year.

GO NAVY!!!BEAT army!!!!!

Wally Jay

I am a coach--we pride ourselves on the GPA/SAT of each of our kids

Hot Mama

Your point is well taken-- if a college coach knows a kid is solid in the classroom it is one less thing he has to worry about going into the season.

TRhit

The NCHSAA sets our rules as to elgibility. You must pass 6 of 8 for A day B day schedule and can only fail one class on the block schedule. The last report card grades prior to the seasons start is what is counted. I can tell you this if my kid was failing a subject I would not let him play. It sends the wrong message. Academics are more important than sports. If you want the priveledge to play then you better take care of business in the class rooom first.

Here in the Great State of Texas, you fail on a 3 week progress report, you are done for 3 weeks.

Thats One failing grade, and you are done. Period, no questions asked.

Seen many of kids careers ended because they decided not to worry about homework.

Texas State minimun requirements are 70.

Our Coach set 75 as minimum. He requires kids to attend "Breakfast Club" (6:45AM-7:15AM), where he monitors the study, tutorials, etc.for 3 week "progress period". He really supports the kids that may be tetering in any subject, talks to the teachers, etc.

And if someone is late for Breakfast Club, they run!
Academics are first! Period!

Rarely, but it has happened that a student missed the season for grades...

At our school, it's week to week. Every wk. grades are recorded and an eligibility list is sent to the AD. If they are failing 2 subjects in 1 wk. they are ineligible for that wk. My son was ineligible 1 time and that was the last time. Believe it or not, the coach berated the woman teacher and tried to get her to chg. his grade. She didn't and I called to thank her. She said that was definately a first for her that usually it was the parents telling her that she was ruining their child's life! It only took 1 time for my kid to get it!

KellerDad,

That is not entirely true. The only time a progress report grade is considered is if the student failed any subject during the previous 6 week grading period. If a student passed all classes during the previous 6 weeks, he can theoretically be failing all classes at the 3 weeks period and still be eligible by state rules. Not advised but technically eligible. Many coaches will require their players to go to tutorials if they are failing something at progress report time.

TR Hit-I am first to agree that grades do come first. Do you believe that there are ever extenuating circumstances? I once had a senior who went ineligible (first time) midway through the season, but he was a kid who lived by himself (parent moved out of town), worked part time and rented an apartment he sublet to another boy. I let him come back -he finished the season, got a scholarship and has since graduated from college. It wouldn't have happened if I had dropped him completely.

One more thing.....what about players dropping out of college entrance required classes in order to remain eligible? How does a coach monitor this, or should he factor that in??

Wally:

Yes any good coach that is trying to help their players achieve any level of academic success, will work closely with the student/family/academic advisor to make sure that they are making the right choices academically.

GO NAVY!!!BEAT army!!!!!

Wally,

In Fla. you are deemed eligible based on the prior semester grades. Once deemed eligible---you are for the whole season/semester. As far as the F. It is completely possible for even the best student to slip up occassionally. When a kid is carrying several honors or advanced courses---it is not hard to slip up for a short time. I don't think that a 6 week report card should keep any kid off the field. Now that he's got that F---see if he works hard to bring it up for the semester grade, which is the only one that counts anyway. There should be a balance between a kids school life and outside life--weather that be sports, job, family, etc.

Just Curious -- is this an established policy that everyoine was aware of at the start of the semester or season?

Policy established last year. Student in question was in another varsity sport that was traveling or competing for 15 days/nights of the 6 weeks in question. Now that the travel is over, the grade is back up above average. Everything is caught up. But the rule is "done for the season."

To remain current on the work, keep grades up, couldn't he use a computer to transmit assignments? Just an idea...

Another question is you don't mind. Is traveling with the other varsity sport the extenuating circumstances you refered to earlier?

Yes, the missed class time was at the root of the problem. As stated earlier, now that the student in question is back in class every day, the problem is gone. The previous sport involved weekend tournaments, region, and state (all out of town). Baseball doesn't travel like that, so class time missed is minimal.

Now I am really confused.

Is this kid in high school or college???

I did not think high school sports were scheduled where kids traveled over night during the week causing them to miss classes.

On the other hand I don't know of too many college baseball teams that DON't travel.

I must have misssed something somewhere.

WALLY JAY

Yes there can be extenuating circumstances but my fear is that there are coaches who will allow a kid to play while doing poorly in school because he is key element to them winning-- come the end of the season the kid is left high and dry because he failed

You are to be commended for your actions.

TRhit

A Parent-we are in a part of the state that has to travel at least 3 hours one way to compete. (there aren't enough high schools in our area to form our own league) So the students either leave class early in the day, or are overnight for tournaments.

Wally Jay

Is this is a high school affiliated sports program ????

Do these kids get an excused absence to miss the following day ???

Are they given homework assignments to complete with the work they have missed ????

Yes to all questions. High school sports program, excused absences, and homework assignments are not given as extra, just the normal ones. sometimes the classtime missed causes homework to not be done due to not understanding the math problems. Turn in date is Monday for weekend work-no excuses.

Wally,
He needs to find a study buddy, even if the phone call is long distance. The text book should help, too.
Last week my son missed Classes on Fri. due to Baseball Tournament. He went in Wed & Thurs morning before school to get help. Same thing starting this Thurs... Games all day Thurs & Fri, so he'll have to go in to get the assignments & a tutor session, if needed.
This is a better time for them to learn time management then when they start college.

Wow, they sure run high school a lot different where you folks come from.

For them to schedule a sports event here that will make kids miss a full day of school is RARE, not status quo. State play offs is about the only thing I can think of. (granted we only travel a little over 2 hours one way and not 3)

How many times does this happen during a semester? And how many other kids run into eligibility troubles?

BaseballMom-Thanks for the great idea. Study buddy sounds good, and with the cell phones available I think it will make a big difference. Too bad it is too late for this season that was over before it started..

AParent-Others in other sports go ineligible, but with the option to get eligible. Most of them do, and some drop into lower level classes in order to do so.

I find your this whole situation rather interesting.

How often during the six week period in question did they have to miss school?

Is your baseball program in a different conference than the other sport?

A Parent-They missed 15 nights total (travel) and 12 full days excused. The sport is in the same conference, and there are 4 tournaments involved.
Baseball (games) starts 2 weeks after the season and the grade check comes out just prior to the season. No chance to catch up-just done for the season.

quote:

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A Parent-They missed 15 nights total(travel) and 12 full days excused. The sport is in the same conference, and there are 4 tournaments involved.

Baseball (games) starts 2 weeks after the season and the grade check comes out just prior to the season. No chance to catch up-just done for the season.

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I don't understand how baseball can be in the same conference and yet does not have to travel.

However, if your story is true I personally think there are much bigger issues here than one players eligibility.

Obviously this is a private school - I doubt any public school could keep from losing their state funding with this happening.

Any school that allows an athletic schedule that forces a high school student athlete to miss 12 full days in a single 6 week period has their priorities extremely messed up.

I may be a sports buff, but to allow a kid to miss 40% of the classes for tournaments is ludicrous.

I would expect that if there was no way to change this schedule the administrative staff and teachers would monitor the kids on a weekly basis - work not caught up, or grades too low - no tournament this week.

I personally think you have a beef with the wrong coach. The coach who allowed him to get this far behind without intervention is the one you should be dissappointed with.

Give the baseball coach some credit - at least he seems to be concerned with this kid actually getting an education.

Just my opinion and worth little at that.

Baseball does travel, just not to overnight tournaments. They go up and back on the same day. You're right, the coach should have kept a better account of this student's grades and conducted grade checks weekly. It is a public school with not enough high schools in the area to form their own league. Consequently, they must travel to compete.

If baseball is in the same conference and the team can travel up and back in one day what is the reason the other sport cannot?

What sport is this after all - basketball, wrestling or something else? It sounds like they are in tournaments "by choice" not as a necessity.

And the coach is not the only one who should have been monitoring this young mans grades - so should his parents, and ulitimately it is his responsibility.

Were his parents actually okay with him missing 40 % of school days while getting further and further behind in his work? And how about him -was he not concerned before he became ineligible for the next sport?

This sounds harsh - but at some point in time he should have chosen to miss a few tournaments himself. Life is all about making choices - not always easy or fun.

Agree with all points. The sport was wrestling, and they compete in four tournaments (including region and state) during January. The dual meets travel up and back, but it is at least 3 hours each way. It is a fact that all of the high schools in the area are stuck in the same boat. Travel is a way of life in order to compete. You're right-the student should have been monitored better and made to stay home when the grades slipped. Good idea for next year.