Skip To Main Content

Logo Image

Logo Title

ATHLETIC CODE PROCEDURE

RSS Feeds Subscribe to Alerts
ATHLETIC CODE PROCEDURE

Procedure 2151

The Ephrata School District desires to conduct an athletic program that will make a permanent contribution to the health and welfare of its participants. The following procedure applies to participants in all athletic programs, including team support personnel (managers, stats keepers, etc.)

GENERAL RULES AND PROCEDURES

  1. The athlete will carry out the coach’s directions.
     
  2. The athlete will be in attendance at school for the entire day to be eligible to participate in practice or contest that day.
  • Exceptions include funeral attendance, legal appointments and reasonable time for medical or dental appointments.
  1. Individual sports may also have additional rules concerning, but not limited to:
  • Attendance
  • Sportsmanship
  • Physical Appearance
  • Curfew
  • Attitude
  • Social Behavior
  1. All athletes are encouraged to maintain a high academic level. They must meet minimum requirements established by the WIAA in order to be eligible to participate. Students declared ineligible during periodic grade checks will remain ineligible for one week, regardless if the grade improves during the ineligibility period. After three consecutive weeks of academic ineligibility, the coach may remove the athlete from the team for the remainder of the season. 
     
  2. Penalties from other school codes for transferring students will be honored.
     
  3. A warning, probationary period or dismissal will result from a violation of general rules.
     
  4. Contact will be made home to the parent / guardian of the athlete / participant explaining why the individual has been placed on probation or dismissed and any subsequent action that may be taken.
     
  5. The athlete will be required to make all practices during any probationary period and will conform to any provisions of the coach.
     
  6.  If, after a warning or probation period, an athlete continues to violate the rules, they will be dropped for the remainder of the season.

SEVERE VIOLATIONS AND PROCEDURES

Attendance at Functions where alcohol, marijuana or other drugs are being unlawfully used are a violation of this code. Participants are prohibited from supporting, by their attendance, functions where alcohol or drugs are being unlawfully used, or placing themselves in circumstances where they should reasonably know that such conditions could exist. FIRST OFFENSE: Removal from the next performance in which the student is to participate.

Severe Violations are any possession or use of alcoholic beverages, drugs, controlled substances, tobacco, electronic smoking / vaping devices or other non-prescribed drug paraphernalia; or criminal acts which may include but are not limited to theft or vandalism; or second and subsequent “Attendance at Functions” will result in the athlete being judges as a Level One, Two or Three offender. (Possession is defined as having substance or drug paraphernalia on their person or in their personal belongings.) Disciplinary action regarding allegations of misconduct for severe violations will not be determined prior to an informal conference between the student, athletic director, principal and / or coach.

LEVEL ONE is defined as a first violation and will result in:

  1. Suspension for 40% of the regular season contests, which will carry over into the next sport the student participates in if necessary to meet the time requirement (suspension will carry over into next school year if applicable). Suspension will be reduced to 30% if the athlete admits to the violation when first asked by administration or 20% if the athlete self-reports (defined as a first report of the violation made voluntarily to the administration by the athlete involved prior to the start time of the next school day following the incident).
  2. The athlete must finish the season in good standing to fulfill the suspension requirement. Suspension from athletics will not eliminate suspension from clubs or activities the student may also be involved in. Also, suspension for an athlete may not be served in a support personnel role such as a manager or stats keeper. 
  3. Complete mandatory counseling procedure through the school counselor. 
  4. Continued turnout for all practices, but the athlete will not travel with the group or participate in any contest during the period of suspension. 
  5. The athlete must be academically eligible for suspended contests to count.

LEVEL TWO is defined as a second violation and will result in:

  1. Suspension for the remainder of the sports season and / or 60%, whichever is longer, (50% if student first admits, 40% if student self-reports) of the regular season contests, which will carry over into the next sport in which the student participates, along with 10 hours of community service. Community service will be served at school unless prior approval by the athletic director is granted for a community endeavor. 
  2. The athlete must seek assistance for help for a problem with drugs / alcohol through a community agency if this is a second drug / alcohol violation. Documentation must be submitted to the athletic director to show compliance before the student is declared eligible. 
  3. Unless suspended for the remainder of the season, the athlete will continue to participate in all practices, but will not travel with the group or participate in any contest during the period of suspension.

LEVEL THREE is defined as a third and subsequent violation and will result in:

  1. Suspension for one calendar year from the date of the violation assessment along with 15 hours of community service. Community service will be served at school unless prior approval by the athletic director is granted.
  2. The athlete must request reinstatement in the athletic program through a school eligibility board.

 LEGEND DRUGS AND CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES

In addition to the above penalties for severe violations, the penalties for the possession, use or sale of legend drugs (drugs obtained through prescription, (RCW 69.41.020 - 69.41.050) and controlled substances (RCW 69.50, including marijuana as per federal law) shall be as follows: 


1ST VIOLATION - A participant shall be immediately ineligible for interscholastic competition in the current interscholastic sports program for the remainder of the season. Ineligibility shall continue until the next sports season in which the participant wishes to participate unless the student accesses the assistance program outlined in B (below), but in no instance shall the athlete's suspension period be less than the Level One Suspension period as stated under "Severe Violations'' and ineligibility may extend into the next sports season. 

  • The athlete will be ineligible for participation in contests for the remainder of that interscholastic sports season and must meet the school's requirements in order to be eligible to compete in the next interscholastic sports season. The school principal will have the final authority regarding the student's participation in further interscholastic sports programs. 
  • The athlete may choose to seek and receive help for a problem with use of legend drugs or controlled substances. Successful utilization of school and/or community assistance programs may allow him/her to have eligibility reinstated in that athletic season, pending recommendation by the school. 

2ND VIOLATION - A participant who again violates any provision of RCW 69.41.020 - 69.41.050 or of RCW 69.50 shall be ineligible for interscholastic competition for a period of one calendar year from the date of the second violation. 
3RD VIOLATION - A participant who violates for a third time RCW 69.41.020 - 69.41.050 or RCW 69.50 shall be permanently ineligible for interscholastic competition.

APPEAL PROCESS

Any and all violations and penalties can be appealed through the Athletic Board. This board will consist of a principal or athletic director, one out-of-season coach, one in-season coach (excluding the coach taking the action) and one faculty member chosen by the accused athlete. The appeal must be requested in writing to the athletic director within seven calendar days of the violation assessment. The student and  /or parent / guardian may further appeal the Athletic Board ruling to the Ephrata School Superintendent and Ephrata School Board within three calendar days of the Athletic Board ruling by written notice. The decision of the Ephrata School Board is deemed final.
 

  • Athletic Code Procedure