DEERFIELD SPIRIT PROGRAM

CODE OF ETHICS
A great deal is expected of participants in the Deerfield Spirit Program. A skilled squad is only as strong as its weakest
member. Therefore,every squad member is responsible for giving and being their best. We represent our community,
school, teams, and program. It is expected that all members will continually be responsible for presenting their best
image to the public whether they be in uniform or not. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS AND WILL
BE TREATED ACCORDINGLY.
Be dedicated to your squad, sport, and self, and we will create the best team Deerfield has ever seen.
Be a leader in your program, in the classroom, and in the community.
I. Attendance/Tardiness/Participation/Schedules
a. Attendance and promptness to practice and games is mandatory. If a member has an unexcused absence,
she/he will sit out the following performance/game.
b. An unexcused tardy for a practice will result in additional individual skills practice at the end of practice.
c. An unexcused tardy for a competition/game will result in the team member being benched one minute on the game
clock for each minute late.
d. Chronic unexcused tardiness or absences will result in a parent conference and possible dismissal from the team.
e. Missing too many competitions, games or practices without first communicating with the coach, or consistently
leaving early without prior consent of the coach may result in dismissal from the team.
f. In order to participate once again, a team member who has had an injury or extended illness must have a
signed doctors release and is required to attend practice as an observer, if physically able
g. Conduct at school during the regular class day must be appropriate in regard to school rules and individual
teachers rules. If a team member is kicked out of class or serves an inschool suspension, an unexcused
absence will be incurred and they will be ineligible to participate at practice, competition, or a game, whichever
occurs that evening. ATTENDANCE AT THAT PRACTICE OR GAME IS EXPECTED, HOWEVER.
h. Inability to consistently follow the schools attendance policy will lead to an automatic dismissal from the team.
i. It is expected that all team members to be dressed appropriately, hair and bangs pulled back, jewelry
removed, and taping done, by the start of practice on practice day and by a minimum of one half hour before
the gameor competition for which they are cheering or dancing begins.
j. It is expected that all team members will report to the designated meeting place at half-time for a meeting with
their coach and return to the second half on time or they will lose their spot and will stand on the end by
the coach for the rest of the game.
k. Inappropriate displays of public affection will not be tolerated whether you are in uniform or street clothes, at
school, a game, a competition, or in the community.

l. Parents and participants MUST recognize that the tentative practice-game-competition schedule is just
that--tentative. Game times and/or dates can change, extra practices may be required, or other competition
opportunities may arise that will benefit the squad. Participants will be expected to attend any date change which
is given withina two week notice or more. Please be patient and as cooperative as you can be with
these changes or additions, as we will try to avoid them as much as possible.
II. Academics/Eligibility
a. To participate, athletes must pass all classeseach athlete is a student first and foremost!
b. All other school academic policies and WIAA academic policies apply.
c. Team members will be required to report for a structured study hall during or after practices if they incur an
ineligibility because of a failing grade or two or more Ds.
d. If a team member is repeatedly ineligible because of unacceptable grades, the coach reserves the right to
dismiss that member for the rest of that season.
e. If a team member is dismissed for chronic academic ineligibility once, a second occurrence will result in
dismissal and that member cannot try out for the team again.
III. Athletic Code
a. No drinking, smoking, chewing, or partaking of any illegal drugs or even being present at social gatherings
with these things present is allowed.
b. If this code is broken, the school policies apply, plus the squad member will have to apologize in person to the
team for the inconvenience caused them.
c. If code is broken twice, the team member will be dismissed for the rest of the seasonpossibly for good.
ONCE MAY BE A MISTAKEA SECOND TIME IS A CHOICE! BE A LEADER, NOT A FOLLOWER!!!!!!!!!!
IV. Attitude
a. There will be none--this is your warning. Positive attitude builds, negative attitude destroys.
b. Athletes are encouraged to talk to the coach about a problem with the coach, another staff member, or with another
team member. This is the only mature way to resolve issues. Athletes can expect the same from the coaches.
The coach can also be a mediator in the settling of issues between team members. Team issues are team issues
not issues for others within the school or community to hear about.
c. No profanity.
d. No gossip.
e. Participate to the best of your ability daily.
V. Social Media

Social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat,and others) will not be used to bully, demean, or
otherwise harm another team member, schoolmate, team, or anyone else. Negative social media use
will NOT be tolerated and, if needed, will be reported to the school for appropriate handling. Negative
use of social media can result in dismissal from team.
VI. Awards
a. Each team member will be evaluated for their eligibility for awards. Team members who have been ineligible for
either grades or for breaking the athletic code will not be eligible for any awards.
b. They will further be evaluated for their attendance at games, practices and competitions as well as their work to
improve, as measured by the tier system, in order to determine whether or not the athlete has earned a varsity letter
or a JV certificate. NOTE: Participation on the competition squad does NOT mean a participant is
automatically eligible for a Varsity award.
c.

The tier on which a team member is at the end of the season will help determine whether the participant will earn a
varsity letter, a JV certificate, or a participation certificate. Tier 1 will earn a participation certificate, Tier 2 will earn a
JV certificate and tiers 3-5 will earn a Varsity letter award.

d. Each season, team members will be given a description of each award available and a ballot with which to vote for
the team member they believe has earned the award. Awards available each season may include, but are not limited
to: 110%, Attitude, Most Improved, Top Skills, Spirit, Leadership,and Honor Roll.
e. The award reserved for giving by the coach, other than the varsity letter or JV certificate, is the U-R-TOPS Award,
which is available to juniors and seniors who apply for the award. It is an award which recognizes the athlete as a
well-rounded citizen not only of their school, but of their community, too.
f.

Football season: to qualify for an award, a team member may miss, excused, 1 game and 2 excused practices.
Any more will disqualify them from winning either a JV certificate or a Varsity letter. A participation certificate may
be awarded instead. The coach retains the right to consider special situations.

g. Basketball season: to begin to qualify for an award, a team member may miss, excused, 1 game and 2 excused
practices. Any more missed games disqualifies them from winning either a JV certificate or a Varsity lettera
participation certificate may be awarded instead. The coach retains the right to consider special situations.
VII. Uniforms/Equipment
a. Uniforms will be issued at the beginning of each season. Washing/drying instructions will accompany each
complete set of uniforms. Please follow these instructions. Any uniform or piece of equipment that is
ruined, damaged beyond reasonable repair, or lost will be replaced at the current replacement cost
by the team member to whom it was issued. School policy states that the damaged garment or equipment
is still the property of the school. The money turned in is to replace the item, not purchase the damaged one.
b. Uniforms are issued on hangers appropriate to the item. All uniform pieces will be returned on the hangers on
on which they are issued. Squad member who return items on inappropriate hangers_will be charged for
replacement hangers.
c. Squad members returning uniforms after the deadline will be charged a fine of $1.00/day until the uniform

has been returned.

d. Full uniforms will be worn at all required times . This means ALL correct uniform pieces from shoes and
socks/tights to skirts, leotards, shells, warm up jackets/pants, hair ties, etc. Team members must arrive dressed in
full uniform or warm up-NOTstreet clothes. When traveling to a game or competition, the warm-up MUST be worn.
e. Each team member will arrive at a game or competition appropriately dressed in a full, clean, dry,
non-wrinkled uniform, or that member will be benched for that game or competition.
VIII. Try outs/ Tier Placement
a. Each March a try out clinic will be held for 3-4 days. Potential participants will be taught a short routine and a series of
skills. They will use each of the days to learn and practice the routine and skills. They will be monitored for
improvement and given critique at each clinic practice day.
b. On the final day of the clinic, participants will be placed in groups and asked to perform together the skills and routine
they have been working on. They will be scored and placed into a tier. Tier placement is not intended to be
permanent, but should be controlled by the participant and their improvement in acquiring and perfecting the skills
required by each tier.
c. Tier 1: Alternates. Tier 2: Hip hop routine participants. Tier 3: Hip hop and pom routine participants. Tier 4: soloists
for routines. Tier 5: Potential All State Candidates.
IX. Competition Squad
a. Any team member at tier 2 and higher is a member of the competion teamtier 1 being the hip hop team routine,
tier 3 or higher including both the hip hop routine and the pom routine. Team members may move between tiers and
therefore routines, by either improving/adding to their skill sets, or losing/not perfecting technique and skill sets.
b. Competition team members must be available for a few possible weekend practices.
c. Competition practices, just as others, must not be missed This is not a game situationan athlete cannot be
replaced in order for the practice to go on.

X. Tier Transfer
a. A team member can be demoted or promoted to a tier at the discretion of the coach. Demotion would result from an
inability to maintain skills, eligibility, or attitude necessary to participate at that tiers level. Promotion can result from
the need to fill a position, if and only if, there is a member qualified to fill that position in that tier.
b. Promotion to a squad would only result from a try out for that squad.
c. The coach retains the right of demotion or promotion based on its benefit to any squad.

XI. Coachs Discretion

The coach cannot possibly cover every possible situation which may occur. Anything else which may

occur
during the course of squad membership is at the coachs discretion.

Dear Parents/Guardians:
Please carefully read and then discuss with your son / daughter the following set of rules required of everyone
who participates in the Deerfield Spirit Program, whether it be cheer or dance or the football or basketball season.
If either of you have any questions, please contact me here at school (764-5431, ext. 4105) before both you and
your athlete sign the form below.
Sincerely,

Julie Jacobson
Deerfield Spirit Sports Head Coach

____________________________________________________________________________

My son/daughter and I have read and discussed and understand the rules for the 2015-2016 Deerfield
Spirit Sports Program. We understand the consequences that accompany the failure to comply with
these rules.
__________________________________

____________

parental/guardian signature

date

__________________________________

____________

participant signature

date

UNIFORM WASHING INSTRUCTIONS

FOOTBALL/BASKETBALL SKIRTS AND SHELLS:
Please wash in cold water using a mild detergent. Both items can be washed together, but not
with other items. HANG DRY--please do not dry in even a cool dryer--the polyester does its
own version of shrinkingin other words, melting.
COMPETITION SKIRTS AND LEOTARDS:
Please wash TOP TURNED INSIDE OUT in cold water and hang or lay flat to dry. The skirt
should also be washed in cold water and hung or laid flat to dry. This will give the garments a
longer life.
COMPETITION AND FOOTBALL WARM UPS:
Please zip and turn jackets inside out and wash both jackets and pants in cold water, mild
detergent, with similar colors. PLEASE HANG TO DRYthis will give the garments a longer life
because of less shrinking and fading.
POMS:
Please keep poms in plastic carrying boxes which are provided with the poms. Shoes and other small
items may go into the boxes, but must not be placed on top of the poms.