Athletic Program

Fuqua School Interscholastic Athletic Philosophy

Fuqua School is committed to excellence in athletics as part of a broad commitment to its mission, seeking a level of athletic performance that will frequently produce winning seasons while promoting academics, sportsmanship, teamwork, responsibility, focused effort, and a healthy competitive spirit.

Special Note: While winning is an essential goal at the junior varsity and varsity levels, middle school teams place priority on skill development and inclusive participation appropriate for the developmental needs of middle school students and as preparation for future junior varsity and varsity competition.

Fuqua School provides a comprehensive athletic program that includes thirteen sports. While emphasis remains on
academic performance, the school prides itself on athletic excellence.

Fuqua School is a member of the Virginia Commonwealth Conference (VCC), an association for Virginia independent schools and the Blue Ridge Conference (BRC) for selected girls sports. Fuqua School also schedules athletic competitions with schools outside the VCC and has a basketball intramural program for lower and middle school students.

2012-2013 Athletic Seasons:

Fall Sports (Aug. - Nov.)
Varsity and Junior Varsity Boys Football
Varsity and Junior Varsity Girls Volleyball
Middle School Girls Volleyball
Varsity Co-ed Cross Country
Varsity and Junior Varsity Cheerleading*

Winter Sports (Nov. - Mar.)
Varsity and Junior Varsity Boys Basketball
Middle School Boys Basketball
Varsity and Junior Varsity Girls Basketball
Middle School Girls Basketball
Varsity and Middle School Co-ed Swimming
Varsity and Junior Varsity Cheerleading*

Spring Sports (Mar. - May)
Varsity and Junior Varsity Boys Baseball
Varsity and Junior Varsity Girls Softball
Girls Tennis
Boys Tennis
Boys Lacrosse
Varsity and Junior Varsity Co-ed Soccer
Varsity Co-ed Golf
Varsity Co-ed Track

*Junior Varsity - rising 7th , 8th , 9th graders; Varsity - rising 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
graders

Rules and Regulations
Rules and regulations governing the interscholastic athletic program at Fuqua School come from The Virginia High School League (VHSL), the VCC, and the Fuqua School Athletic Department and apply to all students participating on athletic teams.

1. An athlete must be enrolled at Fuqua School as a full-time student and in regular attendance.

2. An athlete must not reach his/her 19th birthday on or before October 1 of the academic year.

3. Prior to try-outs, each athlete must present to the Athletic Director a written parental permission to play, a certificate signed by a licensed physician that the athlete is physically fit (dated after May 1st ), and documentation of health insurance. Health insurance must be carried on the student throughout the season.

4. All students who participate on an athletic team are required to sign and abide by the Fuqua School Student Athletic Contract. The contract must also be signed by the athlete’s parent.

5. Eligibility to participate on an athletic team is determined by the student’s GPA and behavior record for the 9 weeks grading period prior to the season. Once an upper school student is selected for participation on an athletic team,
he/she must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA and maintain at least a 2 in behavior in all areas throughout the season. Middle School students must earn at least a 2.0 GPA and pass at least 3 of the four core subjects (English, math,
science, social studies) and maintain at least a 2 in behavior in all areas each nine weeks (grades earned in summer school may be applied in determining the GPA for the fourth grading period).

If a student has an incomplete for any class at the end of a grading period (without extenuating circumstances approved by the middle/upper school dean, he/she will not be permitted to participate on a team until the incomplete has been removed and the student's GPA is computed to be at least a 2.0.

6. Students who are ineligible to play at the beginning of a season due to grades may try out for a team if their interim progress report suggests they will qualify academically at the end of the nine weeks grading period. If the student makes the team, he/she may practice with the team but may not dress out or compete until the nine weeks grades are posted and a 2.0 GPA is earned. Decisions regarding the student’s eligibility to try out will be made by the dean.

7. Newly enrolled students may try out for a team with the approval of the coach and athletic director.

8. A student who is ineligible to participate in athletics during a portion of a season due to academic or behavior probation may participate in athletic awards nights held at the end of each season and can letter if he/she was on the team for at least half of the season and if team requirements for lettering were met; however, he/she will not be eligible to earn team awards.

9. A coach may dismiss a student from a team for disciplinary reasons with the approval of the athletic director and the middle/upper school dean. A student who is dismissed from the team is no longer a member of that team for the remainder of the season and is ineligible to letter, receive a team award, or attend the awards night ceremonies.

10. Upper school students who commit a Level II behavior violation will be unable to participate in athletics (excluding try-outs) during the hours of the after-school detention (see Behavior Guidelines on page 57). This includes practice, as well as games/competitions.

Students who commit a Level III behavior violation will have an immediate one-week suspension from participation in athletics (excluding tryouts) (see Behavior Guidelines page 57). This includes practice, as well as games/competitions.

Students who commit a Level IV behavior violation will have an immediate two-week suspension from participation in athletics (excluding tryouts) (see Behavior Guidelines page 58). This includes practice, as well as games/competitions.

11. A student who is ineligible to play on a team due to grades may go out for a team, make the team and practice, but will not be issued a game uniform, may not travel with the team, may not play in a game or be on the sidelines bench with the team during a competition until the next report card is issued confirming a 2.0 average or higher for the nine weeks.

A student who is ineligible to play on a team due to behavior probation may go out for the team and practice with the team, but will not be issued a game uniform, may not travel with the team, and may not play in a game or be on the sidelines/bench with the team during a competition until he/she is released from probation by the Admissions Committee.

In either case, if a student chooses the option to practice with the team, this choice reflects a commitment to attend practices on a regular basis. Failure to attend practices will terminate the possibility of full team participation for the remainder of the season.

12. Upper school students who are proficient in both an individual sport and a team sport during the same season may participate on both teams. The team sport will be considered the primary activity and take precedence over the individual sport in regards to practice time and games/matches that fall on the same day. Middle School students may participate in two sports in the same season only with permission from the dean.

13. Students must be in attendance for the full academic day in order to practice or participate in an athletic event unless otherwise approved by the dean (see athletic contract). In cases where special approval is granted by the dean,
the student may be required to complete extra assignments in the class(es) missed.

14. If a varsity team is unable to dress out a sufficient number of players for competition, J.V. players may participate on the varsity team provided they play no more than one-half of the game.

15. In cases where the varsity football season extends beyond that of the junior varsity, J.V. players may be permitted to participate with the varsity team for the final games of the season; however, players who are members of the
marching band are required to participate with the band during home football games.

16. Athletes shall demonstrate good sportsmanship and positive behavior on and off the playing field.

17. Team members will be allowed to dress for an athletic event only after they are excused from class for the event.

18. Athletes are expected to refrain from wearing revealing clothing (short shorts, low-cut tops) on campus during or following practices. On game days, athletes are required to follow the school’s dress requirements for athletes (see Dress Requirements for Athletes, page 64).

19. Team members are expected to attend all team-related activities unless prior approval is obtained for such absences by the head coach and athletic director. Unexcused absences from practice, game, or related events may result in make-up conditioning and/or loss of playing time. Excused absences include illness, injury, death in the family, remedial academic
tutoring, and approved participation in other school functions.

20. A student who is cut from one sport may go out for another sport during the same season with permission from that sport’s head coach. A student who quits a sport after being selected as a team member may not play a different sport during the same season.

21. Athletic managers and scorekeepers must abide by the same rules for participation as athletes.

VCC Code of Sportsmanship

Sports exist in our schools because we assume that they are good for our students; good in the sense that they are enjoyable; good in the sense that they are educational; good in the sense that they help keep our bodies fit; good in the
sense that they provide a healthy outlet for our energies.

In order for sports to remain “good” for us, we have a code of sportsmanship to guide us, to remind us, to help us conduct ourselves in an appropriate manner. The “code” implies an expectation for all coaches, players, cheerleaders, and
spectators. That code encompasses a few simple basic rules:

• courtesy and respect for the rules, opponents, guests and officials,
• enthusiasm for playing the game and modesty and graciousness in victory or defeat,
• fairness and responsibility to the sport, to our opponents, to our respective schools.

Specifically:

1. We shall not take part in any actions that are derogatory to our opponents, to the officials, or in any way in bad taste to spectators in general.

2. We shall respect the property and reputation of our opponents as well as that of our own school.

3. We shall remain quiet during free throws at basketball games. The VCC constitution prohibits any kind of noise makers at basketball games.

4. To reinforce the intent of the sportsmanship code, VCC teams are expected to shake hands at the end of each athletic contest.

To be effective, these ideas must be accepted by the heads of all schools in the VCC and clearly expressed to directors of athletics, to coaches, to athletes, and to students.

Coaches must be a singular example of the code.

Players and cheerleaders must be held accountable for their actions if they wish to participate.

Students and spectators must not be permitted to remain at a contest if their behavior is unacceptable.

All faculty should assist in the encouragement of proper behavior at an athletic contest.