Taylor Jr High Athletics – Jan 5 Season III – Cross Country, Football, and Girls Volleyball Season Dates – January 6 – February 27, 2016

Introductions If you have ANY questions… Admin Leadership and Athletic Director Team Leader – Aaron Rogers alrogers@mpsaz.org and 480-472-1502 Athletic Director – Scott Jones smjones@mpsaz.org and 480-472-1526 If you have ANY questions… start with your coach then move to athletic director. 

Team Coaches Competitive Coaches 8th Football – Coach Silva lsilva083072@gmail.com 7th Football – Coach Platt mjplatt@mpsaz.org 8th Volleyball – Coach Strawn amstrawn@mpsaz.org 7th Volleyball – Coach Hansen mahansen@mpsaz.org Cross Country – Coach Husbands jrhusban@mpsaz.org

Team Coaches cont’d Skill Camp Coaches (begins Jan 18th) Volleyball – Coach Cummard harhar8999@gmail.com Football – Coach Rodriguez fbrodriguez@mpsaz.org

Paperwork for tryouts Before your son or daughter may tryout a parent must fill out the “Permission to Participate” paper you received when you walked in. If that paper is not filled out, they may not participate in tryouts. Your son or daughter must also give the coach a copy of their first semester report card. If a player does not turn in their report card the coach will not consider them for the competitive team.

Team Tryouts Begin, Wednesday, Jan 6th at field, gym, and track Tryouts will be three days - ending on Friday (this may be adjusted due to weather) Tryouts are closed to parents - per new district policy Each team will consist of 12-15 players (coaches choice) There will be separate 7th and 8th grade teams If your son or daughter does not make the competitive team they will have the opportunity to play in the Skills Camp

Competitive teams Most participants will have played before - some at a high level (club or travel team) Definitive difference in skills and knowledge of the game NO GUARENTEED PLAYING TIME If selected to team and do not pay on time (Friday Jan 15th, they will be dropped from the team Practices will be more frequent and more intense with goals and drills to execute at a high level Weekly grade checks

Skill camp participants Participants may or may not have played at higher level Skills and knowledge demonstrated during tryouts are typically lower than others Camp will begin January 18th ALL PLAYERS GET TO PLAY IN END OF THE SEASON GAMES The first 12 payers to pay are part of camp Practices will be a minimum of 2 times per week Games will be scheduled at the end of the season and will most likely be a two day event. There are no grade checks

Competitive Team Practices Will begin Monday, January 11th Practices will end each day by 7 PM Players must have a ride home Practices will challenge the player to improve their skills, strategy, and knowledge of the activity/sport The objective of these teams is to give ALL players opportunities to improve their skills and knowledge in the sport so Taylor may be competitive in games and the player may be better prepared for high school Pictures are scheduled for February 5th after school

Required paperwork ALL PAPERWORK IS DUE Friday, JANUARY 15TH Registration When your son or daughter is chosen for a team they will stop by the bookstore and pick up a packet. The packet will include the following … Registration and payment form Emergency contact paper Ride home with parents paper and The Taylor Sports Contract All of these papers must be submitted to the bookstore to complete the process ALL PAPERWORK IS DUE Friday, JANUARY 15TH

payment You may pay on-line or through the bookstore On-line – 2 links: you may access the site through the Taylor home page http://www.mpsaz.org/taylor OR https://mpswebpay.mpsaz.org/signin.aspx OR here at Taylor in Bookstore: pay with check or cash

Expectations for all players Players will be at school at least 6 out of 8 classes and have very few behavior issues (less time at school results in missed practices or games) Players will attend every practice and game Players will have a ride home from every practice and game Players will ride the bus to and from away games unless a “Ride Home” permission slip is turned in to bookstore Players will represent both their family and Taylor Jr. High with their best effort, behavior, attitude and sportsmanship - both at practice and at games (home or away) Players will maintain a ‘C’ or above in every class to remain eligible to practice and play

Follow through If a player is not able to meet the expectations there will be follow through. Follow through could include, but is not limited to: Suspension from practice Suspension from games Suspension from travel with the team Removal from the team for current season and maybe the following season All of these circumstances will not lead to money being refunded

Grades – why? At the junior high level we are preparing students for the rigors of high school and high school sports. Most high schools have weekly grade checks so that the coaches are aware of the player’s academic standing. Since many of these players desire to play at the next level, it only makes sense for them to learn the responsibilities that come with the desire to play at the next level.

Grades - Process After teams are chosen-- Players will present their portal grade print out every Monday to their coach. This will determine if the player is eligible to participate in the practices and/or games that week Any player that is at school and does not turn in a print out of their grades from the portal, will be classified as ‘ineligible’ to practice or play that week If a student is absent on Monday they will be able to turn in the grade check Tuesday, before school, to the athletic director. If they don’t - they are ineligible for the week.

Skill Camps If your son or daughter is not chosen for the competitive football or volleyball team they may still participate in the Skill Camp. The registration for this will begin January 18th. They will pick up a packet from the bookstore and it will be due the 22nd. If a minimum of 12 players do not sign up for the football or volleyball camp there will be no camp for that sport. Camps will consist of skills and drills to get those players not chosen for competitive teams better prepared to play for Taylor next year, if they are 7th graders, or in high school. Games will be played at the completion of three or four weeks for the Camps. In addition to this, there will be no weekly grade checks. Games will not be exactly like the competitive games they will be adjusted to meet the needs of the players in the skill camps.

Break-up to Specific Sports At this time are there any general questions I may address? If you have individual questions, feel free to see me after the meeting. If there are no more questions… Volleyball – stay right here Football – to my right Cross Country – back right corner