SIMLEY HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING:
Your behavior in school, before and after school, on the team buses, at home and away meets, in the community, and at the pool will have a direct influence as a representative of our school and team.  At meets, you will not only respect yourself, but also your school and community.

I. Attendance Policy
.....A. Absences
..........1. Excused Absences
...............a.)Absent from more than ½ day of school (school policy)
....................*No practice that day
....................*No meet that day
...............b. Arrangement made with the parents in advance (Dr., Dentist, etc.)
....................*Try to schedule after practice
....................*If during practice, try to get to practice as soon as possible
..........2. Unexcused Absences
...............a.) Any reason except those two excused absences above.
...............b.) Miss practice, miss the next meet.

.....B.  Late to Practice
..........1.  Excused- note from the teacher from whom you’re getting help is excused and there’s no penalty.
..........2.  Unexcused- One unexcused late to practice and you will not be able to swim individual events
in the next meet, only relays.  Two unexcused late to practices and you will not be able to swim any events in the next meet. (*or, if you choose, you will be allowed to make up the time that you missed at a 5:1 ratio.  For every 1 minute you were late, you must make up 5 minutes in the pool.   Example: 5 minutes late = make up 25 minutes.)

.....C.  Leaving Practices Early
..........1.  Excused- Note from home for good reasons or other arrangements approved by coaches before the practice will be excused and there is no penalty.
..........2. Unexcused - One unexcused leaving practice and you will not be able to swim individual events in the next ..............meet, only relays.  Two unexcused leaving practices and you will not be able to swim any events in the next ..............meet.
..........3. Asked to leave practice- If the coaches ask you to leave practice due to discipline reasons, you will be suspended for at least one meet, depending on the circumstances.

II. Riding the Bus-Team & School Policy
.....A.You must ride on the bus to and from meets (this is a Simley H.S. regulation). 
.....B. If you can’t go home on the bus, you must get prior approval from the athletic office.
.....C. You must ride with your parents.  We can not let anyone else ride with you and your parents. 

III. School Work
.....A. Keep up with it!
..........1. Work on homework in study halls.
..........2. Work on homework before or after practice.
..........3. Bring homework to meets if you must.  Work on it on the bus to and from the meet. 
No homework during the meet.  Support you team.
You are a STUDENT-athlete.  You know when you have practice and meets.  It is your responsibility to keep up in school.  If you use your time the way you should, you should have no problem in doing all your school work.

IV.  Conduct
.....A. At Practice
..........1. Work hard.
..........2. Be on time.
..........3. Concentrate on good technique.
..........4. Drink water often!
..........5. No glass containers of any type in the locker room or on the pool deck.
..........6. Listen to your coaches and captains.
..........7. Encourage and support your teammates.
..........8. Keep a positive attitude.
..........9. Help with equipment before and after practice.
..........10. Keep your equipment and locker room clean.
.....B. At Meets
..........1. Be well dressed. 
..........2. Wear your TEAM uniform at EVERY meet.
..........3. Good sportsmanship is expected at ALL times.
..........4. No horseplay, unacceptable language, or bad behavior.
..........5. After each race talk to your coach about your performance.
..........6. Be a "team member"- stay with your team
..........7. Remain on deck (no getting dressed) until the end of the meet (after the 400 Free Relay) and help with clean up (this includes divers).
..........8. Leave the area neater than when you arrived.

V. Captain & Team Leader Team Policy
At previous years’ banquet, all juniors will be announced as official “team leaders” for the following year (if there are none, or not enough juniors, then sophomores will be announced).  They will be asked to perform “team leader” duties during the off season.  One week into the new season the team will vote on official team captains and those athletes will be asked to carry out captain duties for the remainder of the season. Those seniors not voted as captains will still be “team leaders” and expected to carry out a leadership role.  Since the younger athletes look up to the upperclassman as role models, all juniors and seniors have the role on the team as one of the team leaders and are expected to behave accordingly.

These are the qualities the coaches feel are important for the selection of team captains.
.....- Dedicated & enthusiastic
.....- Good at giving support and encouragement
.....- Is respected by all team members and treats all team members fairly
.....- Is organized and gets things done
.....- A good role model (attends practices consistently, stays positive (doesn’t complain), follow rules, & works hard)
.....- Believes academics are important
.....- Has the desire to be a good leader and will help the team get “fired up”
.....- Is polite, respectful, and honest
.....- Will work well with coaching staff
.....- Is not only a good leader, but also a good listener
.....- Takes responsibility for his own actions

VI. Captain Selection- Simley H. S. Policy

VII. 6th Graders-MSHSL (Minnesota State High School League) Policy
.....A. The MSHSL only allows athletes to participate in a varsity sport for 6 years
..........1. The 6th graders are ONLY allowed to swim or dive before or after the varsity home meets
.....B. 6th graders are not allowed to swim in the varsity heats of dual, invitational, or championship meets. 

VIII. Overnight Travel Squad Policy 
A smaller “travel squad” of 20 varsity athletes will be selected for the overnight trip to the Hibbing Invitational.  If there are any seniors or foreign exchange students on the team who don’t not make the Hibbing travel squad, they will be invited also, but will not take any spots away from the original 20 athletes.  The rational for this is that this is their last and/or only chance for being apart of this trip. 

IX. Section Team Selection
To be part of the section team you have to make one of the top 4 qualifying times (scores) of individual events, or be part of the Sectional relays teams.  You must follow all the rules of the school and the coaches in order to compete.

X. Championship Relays Selection policy 
At Sections and State the relay teams consist of the top 8 athletes (each High School team can only enter one relay per event).  Only 4 athletes can swim in each relay, but all 8 athletes are entered.  Therefore, between prelims and finals the team members who compete in the relay MAY change.  Swim-offs may be needed to determine which athletes will be entered in each relay.  Because a relay is representing the team, if an athlete is selected for a Section or State relay team, he is required to shave for the taper meet.

XI. Nutrition
.....A. Before practice
..........1. Eat a good lunch.
..........2. None or light snack before practice.
..........3. Drink water at practice (bring a water bottle!)
.....B. Before meets
..........1. Light meals of easily digested foods at least 2 hours before meet. And drink water!
..........2. Eat carbohydrates (pastas, etc.) a day or two before big meets.
.....C. At meets
..........1. No eating junk foods (candy, soda) during the meet.
..........2. Bring something healthy to drink! Water or a sports drink works best.
..........3. Eat fruits, Power bars, cereal bars, granola bars, etc.
..........4. Do not eat on deck.
.....D. After Practice and Meets
..........1. Eat a nutritious carbo-rich snack within 15-20 minutes of a hard workout.
..........2. Eat a balanced meal. Drink more water.

XII. Parties
.....A. Team parties
..........1.  It’s a great opportunity to bond as a team.
..........2. Try to be there or you'll miss the fun.
.....B. Other parties
..........1. Go to the "right” parties.
..........2. If you get to a party that you should not be at leave right away.
...............a.) Call your parents and wait outside, if possible.
...............b.) If you can’t get your parents, call one of your coaches.  We will come and bring you home at any time.  No questions asked!

....
...

updated 2009-2010