Head Coach: James Johnston

2015 Pirate Track Policies

Head Boys Coach: Patrick Coffey Head Girls Coach: Kelly Kratz Boys’ & Girls’ Hurdles Boys’ & Girls’ Mid–Distance Cell: (219) 308-3044 Cell: (313) 405-5121 School: (219) 650-5307 ext. 7059 School: (219) 650-5307 ext. 7558 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Assistant Coach: Luis Lopez Assistant Coach: Brian Past Boys’ & Girls’ Shot Put and Discus Boys’ & Girls’ High Jump School: 650-5307 ext. 7194 School: (219) 650-5307 ext. 7569 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

Assistant Coach: Gary Lindsey Assistant Coach: Mike Hoffman Boys’ & Girls’ Pole Vault Boys’ & Girls’ Distance School: N/A School: (219) 650-5307 ext. 7091 E-mail: N/A E-mail: [email protected]

Assistant Coach: Anthony Curry Assistant Coach: Tiera Simpson Boys’ Sprinters and B/G’s LJ Girls’ Sprinters and 4x100 Relay School: 650-5307 ext. 7557 School: N/A E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: N/A

Assistant Coach: Chris Richardson Boys’ & Girls’ Shot Put and Discus School: 650-5307 ext. 7129 Email: [email protected]

Website: http://merrillville.schoolwires.net//Domain/143

NOTICE: Failure to follow these rules will result in lunges, meet suspensions and/or removal from the team!

Boys’ Schedule Girls’ Schedule Monday, March 2 Lowell 4:45pm Monday, March 2 Lowell 4:45pm Saturday, March 7 @ Portage Indoor 10:00am Saturday, March 7 @ Portage Indoor 10:00am Thursday, March 12 @ Purdue 4:00pm Thursday, March 12 @ Purdue 4:00pm Saturday, March 14 @ DAC Indoor (Portage) 10:00am Saturday, March 14 @DAC Indoor (Portage) 10:00am Saturday, March 14 @ IPFW 10:00am Saturday, March 14 @IPFW 10:00am Saturday, March 21 @ Purdue 8:00am Saturday, March 21 @ Purdue 8:00am Saturday, March 28 @ Elkhart Memorial 9:00am Saturday, March 28 @ Elkhart Memorial 9:00am Tuesday, April 14 Crown Point/LC 4:30pm Tuesday, April 14 @Crown Point/LC 4:30pm Saturday, April 18 @ Vernon Hills 10:00am Saturday, April 18 @ Vernon Hills 10:00am Tuesday, April 21 @ LaPorte/Portage 4:30pm Tuesday, April 21 Laporte/Portage 4:30pm Saturday, April 25 @ West Lafayette Relays 9:00am Saturday, April 25 @ West Lafayette Relays 9:00am Tuesday, April 28 @ Michigan City 4:30pm Tuesday, April 28 @ Valparaiso/ 4:30pm Valparaiso Michigan City Saturday, May 2 @ Lime City Relays 10:00am Saturday, May 2 @ Lime City Relays 10:00am Tuesday, May 5 @Chesterton 4:30pm Tuesday, May 5 Chesterton 4:30pm Wednesday, May 13 @ DAC (Chesterton) 5:00pm Tuesday, May 12 @ DAC (Valparaiso) 5:00pm Saturday, May 16 @ JV DAC (Chesterton) 10:00am Saturday, May 16 @ JV DAC (Chesterton) 10:00am Thursday, May 21 @ Sectionals (CP) 4:30pm Tuesday, May 19 @ Sectionals (Lowell) 4:30pm Thursday, May 28 @ Regionals (Valparaiso) 5:00pm Tuesday, May 26 @ Regionals (Chesterton) 5:00pm Friday, June 5 @ State (Indiana Univ.) 2:00pm Saturday, June 6 @ State (Indiana Univ.) 3:00pm 1. STATE LAWS AND SCHOOL RULES MUST BE UPHELD AT ALL TIMES  This includes rules regarding drugs, alcohol, tobacco, fighting, etc...

2. Student-Athletes not passing the IHSAA required 75% of their classes at the eligibility dates will not be allowed to be a member of the 2013 Merrillville Pirate Track Program.  4 out of 5 classes  4 out of 4 classes (with 1 study hall)  3 out of 4 classes (Freshmen Academy)

3. Student-Athletes are expected to be very diligent in the classroom and work to their full potential.  You NEED to attend tutoring sessions to get help after school if you are struggling in a class. This is excused as long as the student gets out to practice as quickly as possible with a signed pass from the teacher.  If you are going to be attending a tutoring session, please inform Coach Coffey (boys) or Coach Kratz (girls) before the end of the school day, and bring the pass when you arrive at practice.

4. Absolutely no facial hair can be visible at any time during the season.  This includes on days we do not have meets

5. No earrings can be worn at any track functions.  They can be worn to and in school, but not to or at any track function. This includes at practice, meets and on the bus to and from meets.

6. Players are expected to be at all track functions ‘on time’ (suggestion: BE EARLY!)  Be in the field house, not in the locker room or training room, by the time practice starts at 3:10  Tardiness to practice will result in a single lap of lunges before joining practice for the day.  Before an athlete leaves practice, they must shake hands and check out with the entire coaching staff present on that day.

7. Unexcused absences are unacceptable! (Excused absences are: family emergencies, extreme illness)  Absences ARE UNEXCUSED if Coach Coffey (boys) or Coach Kratz (girls) does not receive a call or e- mail before the student-athlete misses practice on that day.  3 unexcused absences throughout the entire season will result in dismissal from the team.

8. Athletes are expected to talk to Coach Coffey (boys) or Coach Kratz (girls) before leaving school for any reason other than a school related event such as a field trip (not any coach other than Coach Coffey (boys) or Coach Kratz (girls))  If you get sick and leave school, find Coach Coffey (boys) or Coach Kratz (girls) and let them know (Not any other coach or athlete!)

9. An athlete is expected to be at practice if he was at school!!!  If an athlete feels ill, he should report to the trainer and the trainer will decide if he should go home or not participate in practice that day.

10. Athletes are expected to be in school EVERY day for the ENTIRE day unless they are excused.  The official school policy is that a player can not participate in a game if they are absent for any part of that day (unless the Absence is approved by the athletic director before the absence)

11. An athlete’s situation on the team will never be discussed with a parent unless the athlete has first approached the head coach about the situation  No meeting between a parent and coach will ever take place unless the varsity head coach is present, and the meeting is arranged in advance.

12. An athlete who has an unexcused absence will not run in the next meet.  On extremely rare occasions, this rule may not apply if the head coach deems necessary. 13. Spring Break, Prom, Senior Drive Around  Please let the coaches know if you will be away for Spring Break so it is considered excused.  There will be a special Friday morning practice for those athletes attending prom. Also, if an athlete does not attend school and practice on the Monday after Prom, they will NOT be able to compete in the DAC Meet.  Practice will still be mandatory to attend for all seniors at the regularly scheduled time.

14. Athletes are expected to go to and from meets on the bus with their coaches and teammates.  Exceptions to this rule (pre-arranged decision or emergency only) must complete the following steps: o A consent form must be picked up in the athletic department and completed by the parents, athlete, head coach and athletic department. o This is to be completed 72 hours before the scheduled day the student will not be riding home with the team.  The track team will not be dismissed from any meet until everyone participates in Pirate J’s following the last event.

15. Injuries: Trainer vs. Doctors  Parents, please have your athlete alert the coaches and see our trainer if he feels that he may have an injury. We have “sports medicine” doctors that we can send your athlete to if the trainers feel it is necessary. If he has seen the trainer and you still want him to see a doctor, we would prefer that you tell us and we will set up an appointment with one of our specialists.  If you insist on going to a general practitioner and he tells your athlete that they cannot play for a specified amount of time, they cannot resume playing without an official release from that doctor. o General practitioners are less likely to recommend a program to rehabilitate any injuries and MORE likely to be overly cautious and have your athlete sit out. o The people we send your son to will not tell your athlete to play if they may hurt themselves further, they just see more ‘sports related’ injuries and are usually better at diagnosing and treating the sports related problem.

16. All of our athletes will show up looking the same to practice and meets. This consists of: Practice Apparel Meet Apparel Purple Pirate Track Shirt Gray Track Sweat Outfits (worn to school) Black Shorts Black Track Warm-Up (worn to school) Sweats or Black Track Warm-up Purple Pirate Track Shirt (worn to school) Running Shoes Running Shoes Black Pants – Distance Only Black Pants – Distance Only  Athletes are not allowed to substitute or cover these outfits up with apparel of their own. This includes, but is not limited to: o Wearing a purple shirt that is not a pirate track shirt o Wearing non-track sweat shirts or jackets that cover up your track apparel. o Wearing non-track sweat outfits to meets.  Failure to follow the above rules will result in: o A lap of lunges if not dressed properly for practice. o The inability to compete in a meet if not properly dressed for that meet.

We will show ourselves through our TEAM performance NOT what we wear as individuals! Student-Athletes are a representation of their families, Merrillville High School, the coaches, and themselves.

Represent them all with Pride and Dignity!!!