A Message to Parents and Fans of Yorktown Student-Athletes

 

The coaches and Athletics department at Yorktown view athletics as an opportunity to expose our students to the same principals - respect, self-discipline and perseverance - that we strive to convey during the school day.  Not only do we aim to provide a challenging, stimulating athletic environment where students learn the skills involved with playing the sport, we also believe that experience in sports helps young people learn life lessons and develop positive character traits.

 

You may be wondering what role parents and spectators play in this “learning through athletics” process.  As our coaches work with our student-athletes to make their participation on an athletic team as rewarding and memorable as possible, we would like to ask you to join us by providing similar messages to your son or daughter at home and in the stands. 

 

The single biggest principle that we try to convey at Yorktown throughout all our programs is RESPECT – for others, community and self.  In athletics, opportunities for showing respect are numerous – towards the rules, officials, opponents, teammates and one’s self.  As a parent, you serve as a natural role model for your son/daughter.  Please model the concept of respect during the game by cheering for both teams when good plays are made and if you feel that an officiating mistake has been made, be silent!  This is the perfect opportunity to think about how difficult it is to officiate a game perfectly.  In addition, after a game, spend time explicitly pointing out any instances of respect that may have occurred during that contest. 

 

Our extracurricular athletic programs are designed to be a continuation of the learning process that occurs during the school day.  Your assistance in this area, in conjunction with our coaches’ efforts, in encouraging maximum effort and continual learning will undoubtedly benefit our student-athletes. As part of any learning process, in the classroom or on the athletic field, individuals will make mistakes. Please join us in conveying to your student that this is expected and sincere effort is what is important.

 

Thank you!

 

General Information for Athletics

 

The Virginia High School League (VHSL) governs athletics for the state of Virginia.  The VHSL makes the rules and regulations for all member schools regarding all athletic competitions.  The VHSL requires that each student-athlete:

 

(1) must have passed at least five (5) credit subjects in the immediately preceding year for Fall participation, or in the immediately preceding semester for Winter or Spring participation, 

 

(2)  must currently be a full-time student, enrolled in at least five (5) credit courses,

 

(3) has a completed Athletic Participation/Parental Consent/ Physical Examination form signed by parent/guardian, student and physician.  The physical exam must be performed on or after May 1 for the upcoming school year, and will be valid through June 30 of that year,

 

(4)  must not have reached the age of 19 on or before the first day of August of the current school year,

 

(5)  is ineligible if he/she has attended more than eight consecutive semesters in high school,

 

(6)  who provides false information on the VHSL physical form will become ineligible for up to one year. 

 

Classification – Yorktown is a member of the Liberty District in Region 6D. Other schools in the Liberty District are Herndon, Langley, McLean, South Lakes and Washington-Liberty.

 

8^th Grade Participation – In Arlington, eighth graders may play on a high school sub-varsity team if their middle school does not offer that sport, specifically – Crew, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Football, Volleyball, Baseball, Softball, and Lacrosse. 

 

Forms – To participate in athletics, students must complete the athletic registration process, including completing the Virginia High School League (VHSL) physical examination form.  Registration is required each school year with a medical form dated after May 1 of the preceding school year and is good through June 30^th of the current school year. Only the most current revision (February 2017) is acceptable.

Student Accident Insurance – No student may participate in any high school athletic activity without evidence of medical insurance coverage.  Optional Student Accident Insurance is available for the school year with a one-time premium payment. Specific Football coverage and dental coverage is also available. Students may enroll by phone Toll-free at 888-574-6288 or online at  www.k-12studentinsurance.com. Attach a receipt to your VSHL Physical form.

Team App --  Interested in participating in Athletics at Yorktown This Year?

Students who are interested in playing a sport for Yorktown should download the Stack Team App and sign up for those sports which they wish to receive information about.  Communication about preseason conditioning, interest meetings and tryout procedures will be disseminated via Team App.  Join for any and all sports you are interested in. Team App is also accessible online here.

Alerts – Families are encouraged to subscribe to email or text alerts for critical team updates. Click on GET ALERTS to sign up.

 

Boosters – Most sports have a parent booster group to promote and support their teams through fundraisers and sales of spirit wear and concessions. The only requirement to join is enthusiasm and a willingness to volunteer!

 

Game Tickets - Tickets for regular season games are sold at the gate at a cost of $5. Student prices may be discounted to $2.00 with presentation of a current school ID for all sports except Varsity Football and playoff or tournament games. Current admission prices for post-season tournaments are: $7 Adult/$5 Students for District contests, $7 for Region contests, and $10 for State contests. Please keep in mind when buying tickets that exact change makes the line move faster!

 

Green Days – These out-of-season practice sessions are focused on individual skills development with Yorktown coaches. The sessions are optional.  Students must have a current VHSL Physical form on file in the Activities Office to participate. Dates for sport-specific Green Days are posted on the White Board in front of the Activities Office and on this website under ANNOUNCEMENTS.  Green days should not be confused with weight training or general non-sport specific conditioning which are open to all students with or without physicals.

 

Greenbrier Stadium – High school contests are family events. To ensure the safety and enjoyment of all participants and guests, we ask for your assistance by observing the following:

 

SAFETY:

• Children age twelve and under must be supervised by a responsible adult at all times.
• No skate boarding or ball playing by spectators is permitted inside the stadium.
• Climbing or walking on the retaining walls is prohibited.
• Only authorized personnel are permitted in the Press Box or on the field at any time. Only players, coaches, managers, officials, athletic trainers, and school representatives are permitted on or inside the track. One photographer per team may stand on the track to take photographs.
• No fans will be permitted on the field before or at the end of the game.
• Per Northern Region Policy, fans may not exit and re-enter the stadium.

RESPECT:

• Help keep Greenbrier GREEN by recycling and placing all trash in appropriate containers.
• Artificial noisemakers are not permitted out of respect for our close neighbors.
• Be respectful of fellow fans by not standing at the railing directly in front of the bleachers.
• Shirts and shoes must be worn at all school events.

Individuals who are disruptive, disrespectful, or who fail to comply with stadium policies may be asked to leave the facility.

 

ImPACT Testing – According to Arlington Public Schools policy implementation procedures for Students and Concussion (25-3.5), neurocognitive testing is provided as one measure of concussion management for secondary school student-athletes.   APS will baseline test student-athletes engaged in contact/limited-contact sports as well as students with a known concussion history.

 

The ImPACT Test that is the most widely used computerized neurocognitive test to help evaluate and manage concussions.  APS uses ImPACT to establish a baseline score and as a post-injury assessment. 

1. Baseline Test – Administered by a physician, nurse, athletic trainer, athletic director, or coach before the start of a sport season, employment period, school year, or other activity. Baseline scores are collected and stored on our HIPAA compliant server. ImPACT recommends re-administering the baseline test every two years.
2. Post-Injury Test – Administered after a concussion is suspected. A licensed healthcare provider compares test results to baseline scores and/or normative data scores.

ImPACT is not a diagnostic tool and only a licensed healthcare professional can diagnose and treat a concussion. Instead, ImPACT can be used before and after a licensed healthcare provider has determined that a concussion has occurred:

• In addition to establishing neurocognitive performance baselines, healthcare providers use ImPACT test scores as an important component of their assessment of an injury.
• Post-injury test scores may be used by a licensed provider to inform an effective concussion treatment course of action.
• ImPACT may be administered multiple times after a clinician has diagnosed a concussion—scores can be used to help measure rehabilitation and to consider whether to return an injured individual back to activity.

 

ImPACT is a 25-minute online test on a desktop computer delivered on a secure web portal.  In APS, the test is administered in the presence of an athletic trainer, athletic director, or trained coach. Only a licensed healthcare provider can administer an ImPACT post-injury test.

 

When ImPACT is delivered in a controlled environment according to recommended specifications, it provides highly reliable neurocognitive data that measures attention span, working memory, sustained and selective attention time, non-verbal problem solving, and reaction time.

 

For more information, please contact the Athletic Trainer or Director of Student Activities.

 

Athletic Eligibility Plan

In addition to the athletic eligibility rules of the Virginia High School League (VHSL), Yorktown athletes are expected to maintain appropriate performance in the classroom.  Participation in extracurricular activities is a privilege, not a right, and students should remember that their academic performance is vital to their future success.  To help students meet their academic obligations, teachers and coaches are encouraged to engage in a free sharing of information.  The ultimate responsibility, however, rests with students, who must meet the academic standards discussed below:

• All students who meet the VHSL eligibility rules will be initially eligible under the Yorktown eligibility rules.  Students will be given a clean start at the beginning of each athletic season with the presumption that they will uphold their academic responsibilities throughout. 

• Coaches will be given a list at the start of the season of student-athletes who have had previous academic difficulties to allow them to assist. 
• When interim or quarter grades are distributed, the grades of in-season athletes will be checked.  Student-athletes must be passing at least five courses with a grade of ‘C’ or higher to remain eligible.  If one does not have at least five ‘C’s, the coach will be informed and will work with the athlete on a performance plan.  The athlete may continue to practice with the team and is required to attend extra help sessions to improve academic performance. 

The purpose of this eligibility plan is to provide an opportunity to use athletic participation to help encourage improved academic performance for those who may experience academic difficulty.

 

Athletic Detention / Suspension Policy

Students who receive school consequences (such as, but not limited to, referral to alternative programs or out of school suspension) or law enforcement referrals to alternative programs without being formally charged, will receive a one-week suspension when in season or two weeks from all out of seas