General Rules for Student Athletes

Drug and Alcohol Use

Any student-athlete who is found in possession of or using alcohol, drugs, or drug paraphernalia during the inclusive dates of the officially defined sports 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 student-athlete before the student may participate in any subsequent athletic activity.  The student-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 student’s compliance with all recommendations from the assessment.

School district policy also prohibits the use of anabolic steroids, including Human Growth Hormone (HGH), by students 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 student 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 student-athlete is eligible to resume participation in school athletics unless a medical determination has been submitted verifying that no residual evidence of steroids exists.

Any student-athlete found in possession of or using tobacco products during the inclusive dates of the officially defined sports season, including any pre or post- season activity, will be suspended from the team for two weeks.  A second offense will result in dismissal from the team for the remainder of that team’s season and post-season.

Academic Eligibility

Academic eligibility guidelines adopted by the Ligonier Valley School Board specify that any student reported as failing in two or more subjects will be ineligible the following week (Monday through Sunday).  Eligibility shall be accumulative from the beginning of a grading period.  This includes both practice sessions and games/matches/meets.  Any student-athlete who is found to be ineligible three times within a season will be ineligible for all sports for the remainder of that season.

A grace period of one week will be given at the beginning of each sport’s season when academic ineligibility is not in effect.

Detentions and Suspensions

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

Student-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.

Attendance

Students who are not in attendance at school by 8:00 a.m. of that day are not permitted to participate in extracurricular or cocurricular practices or competitions after school.  Exceptions are subject to the approval of the principal.  A student must be in attendance by 8:00 a.m. on Friday in order to participate in any school related activities on the following Saturday or Sunday.

Coaches should check daily attendance bulletins to monitor attendance of their athletes.