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JJI-ATHLETIC POLICY PHILOSOPHY & BELIEFS

Philosophy

Athletics offer an important extracurricular extension of the Cape Elizabeth School Department's core academic mission. Participation in the athletic program should assist our students in developing the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and attitudes to become successful individuals and citizens.

While students are entitled to a core academic education, athletic participation is a privilege and not a right. In earning and retaining that privilege, student athletes are held to clear and appropriate academic and behavioral expectations.

Cape Elizabeth has a very strong tradition of excellence in school athletics. This tradition exists because of the collaborative effort of the student athletes, their families, the schools, the athletic department, booster groups, and the community. By modeling discipline, high expectations, and ethical decision-making, we will nurture and enhance that tradition.

Beliefs

  1. We believe that participation in athletics contributes to the physical, mental, emotional, moral, and social well being of an individual.
  2. We believe that athletics offer both challenges and opportunities for success for our students. Students should be encouraged to participate in athletics, as their interests lead and as their abilities allow.
  3. We believe in an equitable athletic program - one that does not discriminate, one that provides opportunities at several levels, and one in which all members of a team feel welcome and valued.
  4. We believe that student athletes, coaches, and fans represent more than themselves and their respective teams. They are also ambassadors of our school district and of our town. As such, we expect all to embrace the principles of good sportsmanship and to show utmost respect for fellow team members, opponents, coaches, fan officials, equipment, and facilities.
  5. We believe that school athletics should take place in a physically and emotionally safe environment where acclimate enthusiasm, high expectation, and mutual respect is fostered. At all levels of competition, athletics should remain fun.
  6. We believe in the value of goal setting, as it plays an important role in the success of an athletic program and in the success of the individual student athlete. Success should be measured in terms of progress made on individual, team, and program goals, and not solely on contest wins and championships.
  7. We believe that the demands that our athletic program places upon our student athletes should be carefully measured and should not place a hardship upon academic achievement.
  8. We believe that coaches should be exemplary role models for our youth. We believe that the player-coach relationship is at the heart of a successful athletic program. We recognize the importance of quality coaching in the development of our student athletes. It is our goal to attract, retain, develop, and supervise the best possible coaches for Cape Elizabeth athletes.
  9. We believe that booster groups provide valuable support to our athletic program.
  10. We believe that athletics is a natural extension of the classroom. It is therefore our goal to effectively teach important lessons in character, teamwork, self-discipline, commitment, loyalty and organization within the framework of each sport.

Adopted:

  • May 12, 2002

Revised:

  • September 11, 2007


 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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