Mustang student athletes must comply with the requirements stated on pages 16-19 of the MBA Student Handbook. These requirements must all be met, as stated, for a student athlete to become and to remain eligible for participation in any Mustang Athletic program.

Download the MBA Student Handbook, here.

Read pages 16-19 of the MBA Student Handbook, below.

 

Page 16

ATHLETICS
ATHLETICS and ATHLETICS CODE OF CONDUCT

Honor Code
MBA Athletics and Activities are an important and vital part of the total educational program at Meadowbrook. The athletic program serves to develop skill, promote teamwork, and build character and mutual respect between all players, cheerleaders, coaches, officials, and spectators. Athletics and activities are an extension of our mission statement. We believe that athletics and extracurricular activities play a vital role in moving students from where they are to where God wants them to be. This code of conduct applies to all sports and extracurricular activities
associated with MBA.

In order to accomplish this mission, parents, athletes, and spectators should maintain control of their emotions and treat all athletes, coaching staff, MBA and visiting volunteer and paid staff, and other spectators with respect. The following conduct requirements are intended to advance the mission and vision of MBA:

• Toward MBA students: Encourage all players to the limit of their ability. Cheer for your child and the entire team in a positive, supportive manner, even when your student isn’t playing. Place the emotional and physical well-being of the players ahead of any personal desire to win.

• Toward MBA coaches and staff: Encourage students and players to respect decisions of MBA coaches and staff. Do not question their roster decisions or game decisions to other parents or to your own child. Never treat any MBA coach or staff member in a hostile manner or with aggressive, disrespectful, profane, or intimidating language, gestures, or posture.

• Toward opposing players: Do not cheer against opponents, call out opposing players, or make any statements encouraging harm to any player. Demonstrate appropriate gestures of sportsmanship at the conclusion of a game, win or lose.

• Toward opposing coaches and staff: Do not yell at opposing coaches, staff, or fans from the sidelines, and never treat any opposing coach, staff member, or fan in a hostile manner or with aggressive, disrespectful, profane, or intimidating language, gestures, or posture.

• Toward officials: Respect the rules of the game and abide by decisions of officials. Refrain from conversing with them in a negative or distracting manner or questioning their decisions. Never address them in a loud, disrespectful, or abusive manner.

Coaches, staff, and officials have the authority to issue verbal warnings and/or eject any player, parent, or spectator from any game or match if the player, parent, or spectator violates this Code of Conduct. Any individual which MBA determines in its discretion has violated this Code of Conduct shall be subject to sanctions as determined by MBA.

Sanctions may include suspension of the student from participation, prohibition of the parent from attendance, or suspension or expulsion of the student from MBA. There will be no activity fee refunds because of any disciplinary action by MBA.

We encourage all students to be involved in our highly accomplished program, which includes opportunities for competitive action in several sports. Students must earn a position on a team through a try-out process. We desire all levels of our program to nurture development with an emphasis on competitive game action. Therefore, game-time experience is a result of ability, earned in practice and at the sole discretion of the Head Coach.

 

Game Time
Playing time is earned through performance and is not guaranteed to any student-athlete at Meadowbrook Academy. Student-athletes should request a meeting with their respective coaches regarding playing time if it is an issue. Coaches will provide honest feedback to the athlete and identify performance areas that can be improved to gain additional playing time and experience. Any issue that can’t be resolved by a team coach will be addressed by the Athletic Director.

 

Eligibility
MBA is a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), which is the governing body of high school athletics in Florida, as well as the Florida Christian Athletic League (FCAL). Questions pertaining to either organization’s rules or regulations should be directed to the Athletic Director.

No student may participate in the sport until the Mustangs "Ticket to Play" is completed and financial obligations are met. Families with financial hardships should contact the Athletic Director. It is not the goal to remove playing opportunities due to financial hardships.

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Academic Eligibility
Students must be regularly promoted from the previous grade to the immediate succeeding year; must be in regular attendance; must carry a normal class load, doing satisfactory classroom work with a satisfactory conduct record.

To be eligible for the following semester, a student must have a 2.0 GPA cumulative or above on a 4.0 scale in all courses as required by the Florida Statutes at the conclusion of each semester. Additionally:

• MBA students must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA in all courses taken, per quarter.

• If a student is in danger of failing a class (“D” or below), they will be placed on Academic Probation.

• If a student receives the letter grade "F" in any course, they will be placed on Academic Suspension.

A student on Academic Probation:

• Must attend Helps Class weekly.

• May attend practices and participate in athletic contests, but only after attending Helps Class.

A student on Academic Suspension:

• May participate in tryouts with hopes of becoming eligible to play once Report Cards are issued but will
not be guaranteed a roster spot nor playing time once the student becomes eligible.

• May not participate in either athletic practices or games.

• May not travel to away games but can attend home games as a spectator.

• Must attend Helps Class weekly.

Students on Academic Suspension must raise the grade(s) in question to a “B” level or above by the next report card in order to be removed from Academic Suspension. This will allow the student to pass the class for the semester with a “C.” If the student raises their grade to a “D” by the next report card, the student can be moved from

Academic Suspension to Academic Probation. In this case, the rules of Academic Probation will apply. At the interim of the period of ineligibility, the student-athlete may be reevaluated by administration and the Athletic Director to determine if eligibility may be reinstated. Interim eligibility review applies to MBA eligibility requirements ONLY!

Homeschool Students
Eligible homeschool students may participate in athletics with Meadowbrook Academy. In accordance with the policies and procedures set forth by the Florida High School Athletic Association:

• Home education students who meet the standards for participation in interscholastic extracurricular activities (s.1006.15 F.S.) and the requirements of the Home Education Program (s.1002.41 F.S.) are eligible.

• According to Florida Statute a parent must choose one way to comply with regular attendance under the compulsory attendance law. o F.S.1003.01 (13) “Regular school attendance” means the actual attendance of a student during the school day as defined by law and rules of the State Board of Education. Regular attendance within the intent of s. 1003.21 F.S. may be achieved by attendance in:

A. A public school supported by public funds;
B. A parochial, religious, or denominational school;
C. A private school supported in whole or in part by tuition charges or by endowments or gifts;
D. A home education program that meets the requirements of chapter 1002; OR
E. A private tutoring program that meets the requirements of chapter 1002.
NOTE: Notice the OR between (d) and (e). It is not an AND. Although many organizations tell parents that they can “home school” their children three ways, Florida law provides only one way.
These are only the main components of a homeschool student playing for Meadowbrook. For full policies and procedures, please contact our Athletic Director, Bert Thomas, at 352-861-0700.

Attendance
Students must be in "regular attendance" to engage in practice or participate in a contest. Students may still attend or participate in practices or games if they miss classes due to an excused absence such as school trip, doctor appointment (with official documentation), etc. Decisions regarding the validity of an excused absence are made by the administration.
Please Note: MBA reserves the right to impose higher academic and discipline standards than those listed above.

Students on academic or discipline probation may be restricted by the school from participating in athletics.

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Student-athletes are expected to be at all practices and games unless absent from school. Students who have an unexcused tardy the day after a game will not start in the next game. Students who have an unexcused absence the day following a game will not play in the next game. Chronic absences will result in disciplinary action. Student-athletes may be dismissed from a team due to excessive absences and/or tardiness.

AAU/CLUB Sport Participation
Participation by a student in non-school competition (i.e., AAU, USVBA, American Legion, club settings, etc.) such as a member of a team that is affiliated with any school other than the school that the student attends, followed by a transfer by that student to that school, shall be considered prima facie evidence that the student was recruited by the school to which he or she transferred. Unless prima facie evidence of recruiting is disproved by the school and the student to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of the FHSAA, the student shall be ineligible to represent that school in interscholastic athletic competition for a period of 365 consecutive days from the date of his/her enrollment in that school.

A team affiliated with a school is one that is organized by and/or coached by any member of the coaching staff or any other person affiliated with that school and/or on which the majority of the members of the team (participants in practices and/or competitions) are students who attended that school.

MBA games, practices and events take precedence over all non-MBA sponsored events (i.e. AAU/club games, practices and/or events.) Exceptions may be considered if arranged in advance with the approval of the MBA Coach and Athletic Director. Generally, missing MBA games, practices, or events to attend non-MBA sponsored activities can result in loss of game time or dismissal from a team.

Athletic Dress Code
Students must travel to and from games in team uniforms, shirts and ties, dresses, or school dress code. Volleyball uniform cover-ups are provided as part of the uniform and are required to be worn during non-game times. Students are not permitted to wear jewelry or bandanas during practices or games. "Team Spirit" wear, including team uniforms or clothing approved by the administration, may be worn to school on HOME game days and approved
AWAY game days, provided the entire team participates in the event. Approval for "Team Spirit" wear on AWAY game days must be approved by the Athletic Director.

Sportsmanship
Student Conduct: As members of athletic teams, students are high-profile representatives of MBA. Students are expected to act in an appropriate manner. Athletes are required to adhere to the Honor Code that they will receive from the Athletic Director.

Unsportsmanlike conduct: Any act of unsportsmanlike or inappropriate conduct will be dealt with swiftly. If the act occurs during an athletic event, the student will be removed from the event. A student who strikes, curses, or threatens an official, coach or opponent during a game or at any other time because of resentment over occurrences or decisions, or who fails to maintain a standard of conduct satisfactory to the FHSAA and/or the MBA administration, shall be ineligible to participate in interscholastic athletics for a period of up to six weeks. A student who is ejected from an athletic event for a flagrant foul or unsportsmanlike conduct cannot participate in any event for one week, or if no events are scheduled during that week, the next two events. Rude or disrespectful behavior, taunting opponents or officials, or destruction of property will not be tolerated.

Students who exhibit any of the above behaviors may be suspended from athletic competition for a period of time, per FHSAA regulations or MBA Administration. Additionally, the student may face school disciplinary action.

Parent and Spectator Conduct: Everyone associated with an athletic event plays an important role in seeing that standards of sportsmanship are upheld. Fans are reminded that their sportsmanship and behavior reflect upon the reputation of MBA.

A Spectator should:
Demonstrate good sportsmanship.
Respect, cooperate, and respond enthusiastically to cheerleaders.
Respect the property of the school and the authority of school officials.
Booing, taunting, or intimidating the officials, athletes, or spectators is not permitted in accordance with FHSAA Code of Conduct.
Never criticize the athletes or coaches for the loss of a contest.
Accept the decisions of the officials.

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Parents or spectators, who do not adhere to sportsmanship guidelines, may be removed from an athletic contest(s) for a period of time as determined by MBA administration.

A 24-hour period immediately after each contest is in place during which there is no discussions with a coach except for the transportation arrangements of student-athletes. Coaches have many post game responsibilities and must be allowed to focus their attention to these areas.

Student Drivers
Students are not permitted to drive themselves or any other MBA students to away games outside of Marion County. Students may drive themselves only to games within Marion County if the game start time is after regular school day dismissal. Students must ride the bus or be driven by their parent to any game requiring early release from school. Due to FDLE requirements, parents cannot transport any other MBA student.

Athletic Recruiting
Meadowbrook Academy abides by the FHSAA Policy 36. For detailed information visit fhsaa.com