Athletic Handbook/General Rules

Academic Eligibility and Attendance

It is essential that learners maintain academic eligibility in order to be active participants in school supervised activities. In accordance with Board of Education policy, any learner reported as failing two or more subjects in the current quarter will be ineligible for the following week (Monday through Sunday). This includes practice sessions and performances. A learner who is found ineligible three times within a season will be ineligible for all activities for that season.

In addition to local Board of Education policy, the PIAA by-laws for learner involvement in athletics state that a learner must pass four full credit subjects or the equivalent during the previous grading period to be eligible to participate.

If a learner is absent from school, arrives past 8:00 A.M., or is not in attendance for the entire day, he/she will not participate or attend any activity either for practice sessions or public performances on the day of the attendance incident. Absences due to school sponsored activities shall not be included. Learners are expected to be on time the morning following a school activity. Any exceptions must be approved by the principal. A learner must be in attendance by 8:00 A.M. on Friday in order to participate in any school related activity on the following Saturday or Sunday. Ligonier Valley School District permits homeschool learners to participate in extracurricular activities as required by Pennsylvania law. Schools publish eligibility criteria for extracurricular activities in learner handbooks. Homeschool parents can contact the office of the school their child(ren) would attend if enrolled for a handbook and other information about specific extracurricular activities including a schedule of planned meetings and events for extracurricular activities and interscholastic athletics, dates for application, try-outs, and physical examinations and medical tests.

Detentions and Suspensions

LVSD-athletes who have been assigned detention may participate in school sponsored athletic activities immediately following the completion of all assigned detentions.

LVSD-athletes who have received in-school or out-of-school suspensions may not attend nor participate in school sponsored athletic activities until the day following the completion of the suspension.

Drug and Alcohol Use

Any LVSD-athlete who is found in possession of or using alcohol, drugs, or drug paraphernalia during the inclusive dates of the officially defined sport's season, including any pre or post-season activity will immediately be dismissed from the activity for the remainder of the season, including any post-season activity, and will be referred to the school’s Student Assistance Team. A drug or alcohol assessment must be completed and all recommendations of the assessment must be followed by the LVSD-athlete before the learner may participate in any subsequent athletic activity. The LVSD-athlete and his/her parents or guardian are responsible for securing the assessment from a certified drug/alcohol counselor or treatment facility and are responsible for all expenses incurred for the assessment. The building principal will have the authority to verify the legitimacy of the assessment and the learner’s compliance with all recommendations from the assessment.

School district policy also prohibits the use of anabolic steroids, including Human Growth Hormone (HGH), by learners involved in school-related athletics, except for a valid medical purpose. Body building and muscle enhancement or athletic ability are not valid medical purposes. The following minimum penalties apply to any LVSD athlete found in violation of the prohibited use of anabolic steroids:

For a first violation, suspension from school athletics for the remainder of the season
For a second violation, suspension from school athletics for the remainder of the season and for the following season
For a third violation, permanent suspension from school athletics.

No LVSD-athlete is eligible to resume participation in school athletics unless a medical determination has been submitted verifying that no residual evidence of steroids exists.

ATHLETIC HANDBOOK

*Please see the documents below to review the handbook for athletes and parents as well as the handbook for coaches. Athletes, parents, and coaches will be asked to verify with a signature that you have been directed to read the handbook, and that you have read, reviewed, and will follow the expectations provided in the handbook.