WEST SIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL

SPORTS INFORMATION

Dear Students and Parents:

Here is some information about our West Side sports program. West Side is a member of the Big 11 Athletic Conference. Other conference schools are North Side, Pierre Moran, Schmucker, Grissom, Mishawaka Young, Discovery, Goshen, Concord, Northwood and Heritage. We also play some non-conference opponents such as Warsaw Lakeview, Warsaw Edgewood and Elkhart Christian Academy.

IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY SPORT, YOU MUST HAVE AN ATHLETIC WAIVER ON FILE IN THEWEST SIDE OFFICE. A NEW WAIVER IS REQUIRED EACH YEAR AFTER MAY 1. YOU CANNOT PRACTICE UNTIL ONE IS ON FILE. We follow the guidelines of the Indiana High School Athletic Association in determining age eligibility. Any 7^th grader who will be 15 or older or 8^th grader who will be will be 16 or older on October 9 is too old to be in football. The dates are October 10 for Cross-Country and October 13 for volleyball. These dates change with each sport throughout the year. The date changes depending on the date of the tournament each individual sport.

FOOTBALL:

Tackle football begins in seventh grade. Players need to buy a mouthpiece, which the school sells for $2.00. It is suggested parents provide a turf type shoe. THE FIRST PRACTICE WILL BE MONDAY, AUGUST 10. FROM 3:00 UNTIL 5:00. There are no cuts in football. All regular season football games both home and away, are played on Tuesdays. The season begins with a scrimmage on Tuesday, August 25.

VOLLEYBALL:

VOLLEYBALL TRYOUTS FOR SEVENTH GRADE WILL BE FROM 3:00 – 5:30 PM, ON AUGUST 5, 6, 7. COMBINED SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE WILL BE FROM 3:00 – 5:30 PM, ON AUGUST 10, 11, 12.

CHEERLEADING:

Tryouts for 7^th and 8^th grade squads will be held after school starts. Cheerleaders cheer at all football and boys’ basketball games. The squad practices after school several times a week.

CROSS COUNTRY:

Cross Country will begin after school starts. Please listen to student announcements for starting date. If you have any questions, you can contact me by e-mailing me at arobertson.k12.in.us.

Thanks Coach Robertson

Grade Checks:

Grade checks are done on all students in the sports program at the beginning and middle each sport season. (Fall sports are only checked mid-season.) If a student has a failing grade in two or more classes, he/she is academically ineligible for one contest in football and track and two contests in all other sports. He/she may remain on the team and practice, but may not play in any game. Grades will be rechecked for any ineligible athlete after they served the one or two game suspension. They regain eligibility to play if their grades have been brought up to passing.

Loop Bus:

The Elkhart Schools provide an activity/loop bus to take athletes who wish to ride it home from practices. Loop bus pick-up and drop-off points are, Waurika & Fremont, Waurika & Indiana, Wolf & Oakland, Markle & Oakland, Cleveland, Feeser, Hawthorne, Woodland Elementary Schools, Arbors at Riverbend, Cobus Green, and New Hope Church (CR5).

Laundry Fee:

In most sports, uniforms are laundered for the athletes. West Side has to pay for the laundry being done. The fee is $5.00 for all sports except volleyball. The fee will covered the expenses for detergent, machine use and water. The coaches will collect the fee.

Insurance:

Medical expenses are the responsibility of the parents. Elkhart Community Schools does not have medical coverage on students.

Parents do have the option to purchase insurance at a reasonable cost which would be secondary to any other coverage. A brochure is available in the office.

Mr. Steve Greenlee

West Side Activities/Athletic Director

7/1/09