Athletics
Sports Information
The Guardian Angels Catholic School athletic program provides athletic activity, training, and competition for as many of our students in the fifth through eighth grades as possible. To this end, the guidelines listed below serve the students, their parents, and the coaches with a program consistent with the mission and philosophy of the school.
Available Sports Programs
Teams are identified by grade level, gender, and sport. The track and field season is co-educational.
To provide as much participation as possible, more than one team may be organized at either the varsity or junior varsity level. When sufficient interest exists to organize more than one team, the constituency of the teams will be determined by the coaches and director of athletics.
Boys Athletics
- Baseball
- Flag Football
- Soccer
- Basketball
- Track and Field
Girls Athletics
- Volleyball
- Flag Football
- Basketball
- Soccer
- Softball
- Track and Field
Playing time must be appropriate and substantial, not incidental. Coaches must work diligently to include all student-athletes in all contests. Maintaining this participation goal may be difficult in specific athletic contests and coaches must always be aware and concerned with the safety of the situation.
Coaches
Volunteer coaches are recruited for their sincere interest in children. All behavior and language must be consistent with our faith and the purpose of the school.
Coaches must arrive on time for practices and competitions and they are responsible for supervising the student-athletes under their direction.
Coaches may not drive students to or from practices or competitions (except a parent coach), and they may not leave an athlete unattended.
Coaches must inform the director of athletics if they cannot attend and coach a scheduled practice or game. If they cannot contact the director, the principal must be notified as soon as possible.
If high school-aged coaches are used, fraternization to any degree will not be tolerated.
Athletic Director
The director of athletics oversees the program, recruits coaches, and schedules competitions. The director is the communication liaison between the teachers and coaches and between the coaches and the Pinellas Youth Conference.
It is the responsibility of the director to communicate to the coach promptly when students may not practice or play due to academic, behavior, or attendance problems. If a student is not eligible to participate in practice or an interscholastic competition, it is the responsibility of the director to notify the coach immediately.
Athletic Eligibility
Teachers must notify the principal whenever there is an academic or behavioral problem. The principal then notifies the athletic director who notifies the coach.
Athletic Fees
A fee may be charged to every student who participates. The fee will be determined by the principal with advice from the athletic director.
Participation
The number of participants will be determined by the number of coaches available in any given season. A student who comes to the tryouts and the practices will play as long as grades, behavior, and health permit.
As long as a sufficient number of qualified coaches are available to assure proper instructions and safe competition every effort will be made to accommodate the number of participants. A limited number of coaches will limit the number of participants.
Transportation
Parents are encouraged to drive to all athletic events. Parents will be responsible for arranging transportation to and from each athletic event. The athletic director and coaches cannot be responsible for arranging transportation.
Non-parent coaches and the athletic director are not allowed to drive children to athletic events. Parents will receive a list or roster of team members before each sport season and can arrange carpools accordingly. If a child is in aftercare, the parent must arrange for the child to be taken back to aftercare if unable to attend the event.
All students who play athletics should be able to have transportation to and from the games, either by his/her parents or by carpools which have been arranged by each parent.
Conference Affiliation
Guardian Angels Catholic School is a member of the Pinellas Youth Conference and will abide by its guidelines and rules unless noted.
Athletic Awards
Athletic awards are presented to student-athletes after the conclusion of all interscholastic competitions. These awards are most commonly presented to students at an athletic awards ceremony.
Awards include:
- plaques to eighth-grade students listing their name, graduation year, and sports participated in while at Guardian Angels
- a Christian Athlete Award plaque to one athlete voted by teammates from each team listing name, academic year, and sport
- Certificate of Merit to all athletes who participate in the athletic program listing level of participation and the sport
Finances
All monies, revenues, and expenditures, must flow through the school bookkeeper. There are no exceptions to this policy.