lawson

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Legal Duties of Athletic Personnel: A Review of Compliance and Areas for Improvement in a High School Athletic Program

Presented in Partial Fulfillment of Requirements

For the Degree of

Master of Arts in Coaching and Athletics Administration

In

The School of Health and Human Sciences

by

Robert Lawson

Concordia University-Irvine

(please leave these blank)

________________

Culminating Project Instructor

________________

Approval Date

Table of Contents

Chapter I Statement of Purpose Page Number

Acknowledgements PREFACE

Abstract PREFACE

I. Statement of Purpose #

II. Philosophy of Coaching Athletics #

III. Research Methods and Analysis #

IV. Ethics and Sportsmanship #

V. Legal Aspects and Considerations #

VI. Program Development #

VII. Insert name of elective course used here #

VIII. Insert name of elective course used here #

IX. Closing Statement #

Appendices (Starting page numbers are not required in the appendices)

A. Current Resume

B. Course Descriptions

C. References

D. Three Letters of Recommendation

E. Risk Management Plan or Emergency Action Plan

F. 14 Legal Duties of Athletic Personnel

G. 10 Christian Virtues/Civic Responsibilities from 530 course/Any additional documents, projects, etc. (remove this heading if none are added)

Chapter I

Statement of Purpose

Working as an athletic director and/or coach at the high school level comes with great responsibilities. It entails much more than training players or seeking success in the competitive arena. Coaches and athletic directors have a legal and ethical obligation to safeguard the physical, emotional, and developmental safety of each player under their watch. Because many participants are involved in any activity and injuries are bound to occur, there is no room for complacency. Failure to adhere to acceptable standards of care may have disastrous outcomes.

This portfolio analyzes the legal responsibilities of athletic staff by examining compliance and areas for improvement in a high school athletics program. This portfolio is based on the principle that coaches and athletic administrators owe a special duty to the student-athlete. Courts have ruled time and again that this special duty creates certain affirmative duties of care. These duties include proper planning, supervision, facilities and equipment, instruction, risk warnings, emergency preparedness, and athlete evaluation for readiness. Compliance with these duties creates a safer environment and sets an example of how educational institutions should act.

In preparing this portfolio, my aim is to demonstrate knowledge of these legal obligations and apply it to improve programs in practice. Drawing on what I have learned throughout my Master of Coaching and Athletic Administration program, I will highlight common compliance challenges for high schools and suggest effective ways to improve risk management. Avoiding lawsuits is not enough; the goal is to create an environment where coaches, administrators, and others involved understand that compliance goes hand in hand with success.

Subsequent chapters will address several interrelated topics. First, I will develop my own philosophy of coaching and leadership, grounded in legal and ethical accountability as a defining principle of the program. In subsequent parts of this portfolio, I will analyze duties and responsibilities specified by the case law and professional guidelines, assess compliance of our organization with these requirements, and identify actions to take to enhance the performance of our staff in such areas as emergency plan development, inspection procedures, employee training, documentation, and communication with parents. Throughout this portfolio, I will consistently emphasize that risk management is not merely a bureaucratic process; it is an essential element of leadership and of teaching our athletes responsibility and accountability.

The goal of this paper is to prepare me to lead an athletic program where legal responsibilities are not seen as difficult obligations but as vital parts of any thriving, ethical program. By analyzing areas of non-compliance and proposing ways to improve the situation, I want to show that high school athletic personnel can meet their legal responsibilities while also creating an environment that develops strong character in competition participants. Winning and losing in an athletic contest matters, but what counts most is coming out stronger than you were before.

Chapter II

Philosophy of Coaching Athletics

An effectively formed coaching philosophy is necessary for any coach who strives to make a positive impact on youth while complying with the occupation's legal and ethical requirements. In high school sports, philosophy cannot remain abstract. It should direct everyday decision-making regarding planning, supervision, instruction, risk management, and communication. With an appropriate philosophy, there would be no doubt about expectations, standards of care, and commitment to both athlete development and the law.

A coaching philosophy is the set of values, beliefs, and strategies that guide how a coach views, speaks, and interacts with his or her players. This entails a conscious commitment to values one is ready to maintain with his/her team and oneself. A clearly stated philosophy eliminates ambiguity about what to expect in training, style of play, discipline, and behavior (Piskala, 2026). This also provides the basis for meeting legal obligations for coaches under court rulings. In my own personal development journey in the MCAA program, I have evolved from being result-oriented to embracing a philosophy of success and safety.

Mission Statement

The mission of this athletics program at this high school is to nurture character, competence, and responsible student-athletes in an environment that is safe and well-organized, operating at the highest level of excellence in ethical and legal care. Every aspect of our program, from practice through competition and even administrative activities, will focus first on the health of our athletes, personal development of our coaches, and integrity of our educational institution. Success is determined first by how prepared our athletes are for the challenges of life and then by our competitive success because of our preparation.

Vision Statement

The program will be held up as an example of excellence in both competitiveness and safety. The athletes will be competing hard and fairly, in a context in which fulfilling their legal responsibilities such as planning, supervision, safety, appropriate coaching, and emergency plans is not negotiable. Coaches will model continuous learning, open communication, and ethical behavior. Parents and the whole school community will feel that kids join activities with full consent, under responsible supervision, and with safety precautions. In the long run, the program will develop individuals who know success comes through self-improvement, rule observance, and care for others.

Core Values

The core values form the program's practical foundation. These values guide how to act under pressure and provide common terminology for coaches and athletes. We chose the following values for their direct contribution to the athletic training process and for meeting all legal obligations.

Integrity

All decisions will be based on complete honesty and openness. Coaches must disclose all risks, follow all procedures, document the event properly, and never take shortcuts that undermine the safety and integrity of the process. It is important to acknowledge mistakes, fix problems immediately and set an example for student-athletes in terms of ethics.

Accountability

Both coaches and athletes are responsible for setting standards within the program. Coaches are responsible for appropriate planning, supervision, training, and risk management. Athletes are responsible for following instructions, disclosing injuries and meeting all the standards of the team.

Safety and Preparedness

Athlete safety is essential to the profession. This principle is demonstrated through written practice plans, inspection of facilities and equipment, emergency action plans, head injury procedures, and staff training. Safety will never be compromised for a competitive edge. Preparedness entails both risk prevention and response.

Respect

Respect encompasses not only the athletes but their competitors, officials, parents, and the rules that govern the game. It also includes respect for the laws that exist to protect everyone involved. Coaches show respect by matching up athletes appropriately, informing them of the risks involved, and respecting everyone regardless of skill level or position on the team.

Continuous Improvement

Improvement will involve regularly reviewing policies, training, and compliance. Coaches will seek to improve their professional status through education in legal obligations, risk management, and athlete safety. Input from athletes, parents, and outside review will help identify and correct deficiencies.

Leadership Type and Style

I use transformational leadership with a cooperative-situational style. According to Bashori et al. (2022), transformational leadership involves developing followers’ goals, values, and skills so they internalize a sense of purpose. Transformational leadership involves encouraging athletes to think beyond winning and recognize the importance of discipline and preparation, while also modeling good behavior not only in athletics but in life in general.

In this transformational leadership model, I use the cooperative-situational approach. In the early years of my coaching career, I relied more on the command approach, where I gave orders and expected athletes to obey. While direction is key, I have learned that sustainable commitment comes only when I explain why a decision was made and give athletes an opportunity to participate. The cooperative approach enables the coach to set non-negotiable rules for safety, eligibility, and conduct while giving athletes room to have a say in other matters, such as practice focus, performance standards, and leadership responsibilities (Zeng, 2024).

This approach aligns with sports professionals' legal responsibilities. Structured approach helps ensure that the processes of planning, supervising and risk warnings are carried out in a uniform manner. The co-operative aspect increases the likelihood that athletes take on board safety requirements and raise issues. Transformational aspects help maintain focus on athlete development and not competition.

Conclusion

A well-thought-out coaching philosophy lays the foundation not only for success at the competitive level but also for adhering to the law. When the program philosophy is built upon the mission, ambitious yet realistic vision and values of integrity, accountability, safety, respect and constant improvement, the coaches will be in such an environment where legal obligations will arise from their normal practices without being imposed. Transformational leadership, implemented through the cooperative-situational leadership style, helps build the mutual commitment needed in the program environment. As I develop further in the MCAA program and in future leadership positions, the philosophy above will guide my decisions.

Chapter III

Research Methods and Analysis

It is a privilege to influence the young men in our high school football program. The opportunities we offer them may not be something they would otherwise have elsewhere in their lives. As a coach, I am responsible for several areas, including developing the sport, supervision, safety, and ensuring the experience is positive and enjoyable. This range of responsibilities extends beyond the sport into the classroom as well. Over the course of my career, I have established core values that guide me when I lead people: accountability, communication, preparation, and consistency. It gives me great satisfaction to be a graduate student and to look into these values more deeply. This chapter is divided into three sections. In the first, I will set out the problem statement, the purpose statement and the guiding questions. Then I will discuss the importance of this problem and its impact on our industry. Finally, I will provide a brief history of the subject and review the existing literature.

Problem Statement

As coaches, our responsibilities go beyond designing plays and drills to run in games. We must also carry out our administrative duties efficiently to create the most favorable environment for our student-athletes' growth and development. Safety is paramount because the sport we coach involves physical contact and carries a higher risk of injury. Coaches must follow protocols set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), such as removing any athlete who may have suffered a concussion and having that athlete assessed and cleared up by a medical professional before returning to competition. Coaches are expected to monitor conditions during games and practices and ensure the equipment is safe and working properly. Our decisions and actions directly affect our student athletes, the school, the parents, and the wider community. Coaches need to be familiar with emergency procedures and Title IX, which mandates that female and male students have equal opportunities to participate in athletics regardless of sex, and they must also follow regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Education. They must also follow Section 504, which gives students with disabilities the opportunity to take part in athletics and other extracurricular activities. Our role goes well beyond coaching the sport and enforcing CDC guidelines; it also includes promoting equality, enforcing the relevant laws, and reducing risks. These issues have wide-reaching implications for student-athletes and athletic programs. Coaches are leaders who have a duty to protect our athletes. The complexity of these responsibilities can be hard for athletic staff to manage. This becomes an issue when the athletic staff has not received sufficient preparation to meet these responsibilities.

Purpose Statement

This project examines the legal responsibilities expected of people involved in high school sports. To safeguard our student-athletes, athletic personnel must understand these roles and carry out these duties consistently. Coaches are responsible for caring for young men and women. Both coaches and athletic personnel have a legal obligation to ensure that interscholastic athletics take place in a safe and fair environment. To reduce the risks involved, athletic personnel must understand their duties and adhere to them.

Guiding Questions

What legal obligations and compliance procedures should athletic staff observe in order to safeguard student-athletes and decrease the legal and administrative risks in a high school athletic program?

Importance of the Study

People in the athletic department have to make decisions that have an impact on student-athletes and other interested parties. They have a legal obligation to maintain a safe, fair environment for athletes. A coach's responsibilities extend well beyond just coaching a sport. For instance, athletic staff must ensure emergency action plans are available and understood by all staff members in the event of serious injuries or weather-related emergencies. They must regularly inspect athletic facilities and equipment, including football helmets and soccer goals, to ensure the equipment meets safety requirements and is properly maintained. Furthermore, coaches must follow Title IX by giving male and female athletes equal practice time, access to equipment, and opportunities to travel. When working with athletes with disabilities, personnel must work with special education staff to arrange reasonable adjustments, such as providing adaptive equipment or altered training schedules, so athletes can fully participate. Some student-athletes might feel that they should keep taking part in sports even if they show signs of a concussion. Coaches must be careful and remove athletes from games and practices if they suspect a concussion. This is just one of the many task’s coaches have beyond coaching the sport. Athletic personnel should always put student-athletes first. Although winning and developing the sport matter, the student-athlete's well-being must take priority. By fully understanding and consistently carrying out these responsibilities, such as enforcing the CDC's concussion guidelines, keeping an eye on the condition of the facilities, communicating clearly with parents about injuries or incidents, making sure that federal laws are followed, and keeping a record of all relevant actions, risk is reduced. These steps directly help protect student-athletes and reduce legal and administrative risk in a high school athletic program.

Prior Research

Even though high school athletic programs have rules in place for safety and staff duties, these policies may not achieve their intended results if staff don't understand them or apply them consistently. Coaches should adhere to and enforce the CDC's concussion guidelines, Title IX, and all other pertinent policies. To examine this issue, Smith et al. (2023) surveyed athletic directors and found substantial variation in awareness of these legal obligations, revealing clear inconsistencies in how policies are implemented. This inconsistency points to a research gap since the legal responsibilities of athletic personnel in high school sports have not been adequately investigated. More thorough analysis is needed to determine why these gaps persist and to evaluate how inadequate knowledge and inconsistent application lead to broader unresolved issues in K-12 educational policy and practice. The rest of this chapter will address these research gaps by critically reviewing the existing literature on legal duties in high school athletics.

Statement of Problem

High school athletic staff must understand their legal responsibilities to provide the safest environment for student-athletes and reduce risk to the school. If they don't know about these responsibilities, the risk to the organization increases. Smith et al. (2023) examined high school athletic directors' knowledge of established legal duties and found this area needs further research. Any weakness in these areas places student-athletes, the staff members, and the organization at risk. Inadequate supervision could result in injury. Failing to keep records showing that proper supervision took place could mean the supervision could not be defended if challenged.

As both a graduate student and a high school football coach, I want to strengthen my understanding of risk management and ways to reduce risk in athletics. I care about this subject since high school coaches place a strong emphasis on sport development and on winning. While these aspects matter in sports, student-athletes' safety and well-being must take the highest priority. Although many people in athletics have experience in the sport, not all are adequately prepared to handle the legal issues that arise in high school athletics. My life is guided by four key principles: accountability, communication, preparation, and consistency. I think it is important to be accountable to all the different groups that I serve and to keep in regular contact with them. When we set expectations and explain procedures, preparation follows naturally. It is also essential to apply policies and procedures consistently. Policies and procedures are useless unless they are communicated, understood, and put into practice. This study will contribute to both my personal and professional toolkit in athletic risk management. This study examines risk management and the legal responsibilities of high school athletics. What legal duties and compliance practices should athletic personnel follow in order to protect student-athletes and to reduce the legal and administrative risks in a high school athletic program?

Literature Review

Recent Studies

Williams et al. (2023) examined the legal awareness of athletic directors in high schools and found that legal responsibilities in high school athletics have been understudied. Athlete Safety and Supervision is key. The safety of student-athletes is a major concern for all those involved in athletics. To be effective, supervision must include both knowledge of and adherence to the school's policies and procedures for athletic activities. Coaches should be ready for bad weather, and lightning procedures must be established. Supervisors must ensure facilities and equipment are safe for athletic activities, which means frequently checking equipment and removing any defective items. Supervisors also need to know the emergency procedures so that they can act quickly if necessary. Given the nature of the sport, supervision in football is especially important. Any contact drills such as blocking and tackling, as well as conditioning and strength training, should all be closely supervised.

Concussion Management

The CDC states that if a student-athlete is suspected of having a concussion they should be taken out of the activity right away and should not return until they have been seen by a licensed health care professional, has received permission from that professional and has gone through a step-by-step return-to-play procedure. It is possible that student-athletes might not want to adhere to these steps because of the nature of the sport and the pressure from their peers to remain in the game. A strong safety culture should include reporting injuries as responsible athletic behavior. Coaches need to be familiar with the common signs and symptoms and should follow the appropriate procedures when dealing with concussions on school premises. Coaches cannot make medical decisions, as these should be left to trained medical professionals. Student-athletes themselves should not make the decision. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stresses the importance of ongoing education for coaches rather than assuming that a single training session is enough.

Title IX and Equal Athletic Opportunity

The U.S. Department of Education says that Title IX stops schools which get federal funding from discriminating based on sex. When assessing an athletic program, Title IX takes the entire program into account and the circumstances relating to one team should not be used to determine whether the program complies. In its evaluation of athletic programs, the Department of Education looks at the equipment and supplies, the practice and game schedules, travel, coaching, facilities, medical and training services, and publicity. The U.S. Department of Education keeps an eye on compliance.

Disability Access

The U.S. Department of Education states that Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requires schools to give student-athletes with disabilities the same opportunities to participate in sports and other extracurricular activities as students without disabilities. Coaches cannot make decisions based on assumptions about a student's disability. It is against the rules for coaches to stereotype and they must work with the school authorities to ensure that such opportunities are provided. Coaches cannot make decisions without first understanding what constitutes a reasonable accommodation that enables participation. Each individual case has to be considered separately in order to achieve a balance between participation and safety. The U.S. Department of Education is responsible for keeping an eye on compliance.

Documentation and Communication

One of the most effective ways coaches and athletic trainers can strengthen legal compliance in interscholastic athletics is to maintain thorough documentation. Records on participation requirements, injury treatment, medical clearances, emergency incidents, staff training, and communication with parents establish a clear, defensible account of the program's practices and decisions. This not only strengthens compliance but also improves communication among coaches, athletic trainers, school administrators, medical professionals, student-athletes, and families.

Aspects for Improvement

The same applies to better information on injuries, illness, accidents, safety, and other reports, as this will improve legal compliance in high school athletics. Coaches, athletic trainers, and other members of the athletic staff should receive training to report accidents, injuries, illnesses, safety issues, or other emergencies in accordance with the emergency action plan, the rules of the athletic association, school policies, or relevant state or local laws. Clear reporting procedures enable athletic programs to respond appropriately to incidents and keep in touch with families consistently and promptly. Apart from having an emergency action plan, high school athletic departments should make sure that coaches, athletic trainers, and other athletic staff receive adequate training and understand the policies and procedures for communicating with families, administrators, medical professionals, athletic associations, or law enforcement officers about injuries, illnesses, accidents, safety concerns, and other important events.

Population and Sample

High school athletic staff can improve legal compliance in interscholastic athletics by providing regular education and training, maintaining up-to-date policies and procedures, keeping effective records, and improving communication among athletic staff, student-athletes, their families, and other concerned parties. Stay informed about relevant rules, laws, policies, procedures, and best practices, since expectations can change; practices that were acceptable several years ago may no longer meet the requirements of current athletic association policies, school district policies, medical recommendations, or applicable laws. By keeping legal compliance at the forefront, coaches, athletic trainers, and other staff members can avoid violations, enhance their ability to ensure a safe environment for student-athletes, and prevent confusion. Taking steps to deal with compliance issues before an accident, a lawsuit, or some other controversy is a form of proactive risk management just as one would when planning for success in other aspects of coaching.

Research Design

A descriptive research design was used because the primary research question aims to identify the duties and methods by which coaches, athletic trainers, and other high school athletic staff can improve their efforts to comply with relevant rules, laws, policies, and procedures. The population under investigation includes athletic directors, coaches, athletic trainers, and other high school athletics administrators with a wide range of coaching and administrative experience. It is assumed that expectations regarding high school athletics may vary from one state, athletic association, or school district to another, and that a clearer understanding of applicable rules, laws, policies, and procedures will enable athletic personnel to manage legal compliance in interscholastic athletics. Although a descriptive research design will help clarify the duties, challenges, and possible solutions, it has limitations because it does not establish causal relationships or definite links between variables; its purpose is to provide an overview rather than determine cause and effect.

Data Collection

Data will be obtained from scholarly literature, government publications, athletic association publications, and other relevant sources. Sources will be limited to those relating to safety, supervision, reporting of injuries and illnesses, concussion management, emergency action plans, medical care, Title IX and equal opportunity, disability accommodations, record-keeping, communication, education, and training.

The primary research tool will be a review of the literature and documents. It may also be possible to conduct a survey to athletic directors, coaches, athletic trainers, or anyone else responsible for supervising student-athletes during practices, competitions, and other events. This survey would gather information on policies and procedures, emergency action plans, disability accommodations, supervision, and related topics. The survey questions would be clear and concise; the same format could be used to gather demographic and other data, a small number of answer options would be provided, and the survey would be pilot tested before use.

As a high school football coach, my job is to look after and ensure the safety of student athletes at all football events. In order to carry out this responsibility, I have to have a thorough knowledge of emergency action plans, how to manage concussions, the procedures for reporting injuries and illnesses, the requirements under Title IX and those relating to equal opportunity, arrangements for disabled students, the need to keep accurate records, and the relevant laws and rules. Student-athletes and their families trust coaches with safety, fairness, and accountability, which means coaches must be responsible for all decisions and actions taken at sporting events. High school athletic success should not be judged solely by wins and losses; coaches must stay up to date with applicable regulations to prepare effectively. Failing to attend to these aspects of legal compliance doesn't just put the student athletes in danger but also puts the coach's career at risk.

The pilot questions should highlight any confusing wording or differing interpretations. The survey's validity stems from its basis in legal requirements, relevant literature, guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, and the policies of the association and schools. Each item should be relevant to the research question and should not ask participants to provide a legal interpretation beyond the scope of their expertise. Using consistent procedures to check that the resources are authoritative, relevant, and appropriate to the research focus contributes to the study's reliability. The study's validity is also strengthened by literature, federal resources, and information on sports safety.

Data Analysis

The responses will be analyzed by grouping them according to the specific legal duties central to the research question, such as athlete supervision, safety, concussion management, recordkeeping, communication, Title IX compliance, disability access, emergency preparedness, and education. This method will enable a structured evaluation of which duties and compliance procedures are understood and implemented most consistently within high school athletic programs. The responses will be summarized using frequencies, averages and percentages, in a way that directly addresses the main research question concerning the legal duties and practices which protect student athletes and help to reduce legal and administrative risk. Where appropriate, comparisons will be made by role and level of experience to identify differences in understanding or practice among different types of athletic personnel.

The following sources were identified to help with the analysis: Taylor et al.'s (2023) study on athletic directors' knowledge of their legal responsibilities (Taylor et al., 2023); the concussion education materials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2023); the information on athletic opportunities under Title IX from the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (U.S. Department of Education, OCR, 2023); disability access resources such as the OCR's equal-opportunity guidance and the Section 504 Resource Guide (U.S. Department of Education, 2020); the regulations of the athletic associations (National Federation of State High School Associations, 2023); the policies of the school districts; and the relevant state and local laws. These resources set expectations for compliance and serve as benchmarks for interpreting responses related to knowledge and program practices.

Anticipated Findings

Based on literature and real-life examples, effective legal compliance in high school athletics stems from understanding and carrying out legal duties, rather than merely having written policies. Key areas, including athlete safety, concussion management, supervision, documentation, communication, Title IX, access for people with disabilities, and emergency planning, should be emphasized as ways to reduce risk and support equitable programs. The findings could show differences between athletic staff members who have received thorough legal training and those who have received only limited training. The study might identify professional development, regular policy reviews, clear communication, and consistent recordkeeping as practical ways to improve. The study will show that legal compliance strengthens athletic programs by encouraging proactive risk management, ensuring accountability, and better protecting both student-athletes and staff. As a result, legal knowledge should be an essential component of athletic administration, not just a separate duty.

Personal and Professional Implications

As a high school football coach, I can easily understand the impact legal responsibilities have on my job. These responsibilities involve the actions you must take when interacting with others, and if you fail to meet them, you risk disputes and/or being sued. I know winning and losing matter as a high school football coach, but a good coach is judged by how they lead their program, how they treat people, the care they take in preparing their team, and how they hold themselves accountable. Coaches are expected to meet a certain standard, which means following the rules of interscholastic athletics, their association, their district, and state laws. Student-athletes and their families place their trust in coaches and the athletic staff regarding the safety, success, and development of their children. Coaches must understand their legal duties so they can be held accountable. I have been told since I was a football player that being well prepared before game day matters; the same goes for planning for the legal responsibilities involved in your program. You have to be ready for the unexpected and do everything you can to prevent problems from turning into issues. When dealing with student-athletes, parents, officials, other coaches, administrators, and/or the community, communication is essential. Good communication can help to reduce complaints or lessen problems before they turn into disputes. As a coach, I need to make sure that I am familiar with the procedures concerning concussions so that I can react appropriately, provide proper supervision during practices, games, and travel, follow the rules of the athletic association in order to keep the athletes eligible, comply with Title IX regulations to promote equity, comply with the rules relating to disability access, follow the district's policies, understand my obligation to keep records, understand the emergency procedures, and so on. In my role as an athletic leader, if I expect my student-athletes to follow the rules, then I must follow them too and clearly understand how to communicate with and advocate for those under my care. By fulfilling our legal obligations in this role, student-athletes and their families can be confident their needs are met fairly and equitably. All those involved in interscholastic athletics should treat compliance with statutory duties as a top priority. Although the goal should not be to avoid lawsuits, athletic staff can help create a safe, supportive, and positive experience by fulfilling their statutory duties.

Chapter IV

Christian Virtue and Civic Responsibility

Coaches and sports administrators are leaders and role models of proper sportsmanship and ethics. They have the task of ensuring adherence to the codes of conduct and behavior as well as integrity of all the individuals in the program from the coaches and their support team to the athletes. "The 10 Christian Virtues and Civic Responsibilities of Coaches and Administrators as Leaders of Sport in the 21st Century" is the document that guides the men and women that teach, coach, and lead (see Appendix G).

Ethical

The word “ethical” means “conforming to accepted standards of conduct” (Merriam-Webster, n.d., Def. 3). Although ethical dilemmas often arise in people’s lives, it is important for each person to adhere to high ethical standards to enjoy a happy and successful life. In his book Maxwell (2003) writes: “There are really only two important points when it comes to ethics. The first is a standard to follow. The second is a will to follow it” (p. 17).

An example of someone adhering to his or her code of ethics can be a boxer James Braddock from the movie “Cinderella Man.” Although Braddock got money from the government as a relief, he decided to give back the money that was given to him since he had been paid to participate in the championship match. Braddock felt that returning the money was the right thing to do, which was quite surprising for both the clerk at the government building and media present at the press conference before the match when Braddock returned his money (Vieselmeyer, 2020, Video Presentation).

According to The Ten Christian Virtues and Civic Responsibilities of Coaches and Administrators as Leaders of Sport in the 21st Century, “Ethics are the code of conduct that act as a ‘moral compass’ for being the best in everything, at all times and in all places, for leaders in athletics and sports” (Vieselmeyer, 2020, para. 30). It is very important for coaches to develop and enforce high levels of ethical standards in the team and program.

One of the examples of the coach that exhibited high ethical values in terms of racial equality is John Wooden. Prior to becoming the Wizard of Westwood, Wooden served as a coach at Indiana State University. In 1947, Wooden and his team became invited to participate in the NAIA National Tournament. However, Wooden decided to decline the invitation because the tournament did not allow participation of any African American player. According to Brown (2003), “Ethical athletic leaders are capable of instilling respect and responsibility within each individual athlete and each team by serving as a model and motivating other individuals to strive for more than what they have ever achieved” (p. 36).

Relentless

“Relentless leaders have an insatiable desire to strive for excellence.” Relentless means having “the quality or promise of never showing any lessening of severity, intensity, strength, or speed” (Merriam-Webster, n.d., Def. 1). The capability to chase one’s goals with a strong passion and not being discouraged when things do not happen in one’s favor is essential to achieving success.

An illustration of how being relentless can bring one justice is the story told in the Parable of the Unjust Judge in to Luke 18:1-8. Then, Jesus told his disciples a parable which teaches that they should always pray and not give up. This is evident from His statement that, “There was a judge in a certain city which neither feared God, nor regarded man. And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, ‘Avenge me of mine adversary’. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me’” (KJV, 2001).

The woman was able to get justice for herself by her persistence in trying to appeal to the judge every day until the judge could no longer withstand her appeals. It proves that being dedicated to a particular pursuit usually brings success in the end. Babe Ruth stated once that “You just can’t beat a person who won’t give up” (Vieselmeyer, 2020, Video Presentation).

Relentless approach is a key to success of a coach, a player, or a team in sports activities. Spending long hours on the development of skills and preparation for competitions in the name of excellence is usually what sets one apart from others. Perseverance and the capability of moving ahead regardless of the difficulties helps to develop one’s character and reach one’s full potential. “You can always recognize those who will succeed in the future since they possess the strength to persevere” (Brown, 2003, p. 19).

One good example of a relentless leader is Gregg Popovich who is the head coach and President of Basketball Operations of the San Antonio Spurs. It is because of his detail-oriented and team-oriented nature that it has been possible for the Spurs to maintain their success for the past 24 years. He has had the luxury of working with some Hall of Fame players, but through his relentless pursuit of excellence and the team-first mentality, he has been able to lead his team to five NBA titles and winning seasons in 22 out of his 24 seasons with the Spurs.

Enthusiastic

As mentioned in the Ten Christian Virtues and Civic Responsibilities of Coaches and Administrators as Leaders of Sport in the 21st Century, “Leaders recognize that enthusiasm is contagious, passionate and motivating for accomplishing the impossible and possible” (Vieselmeyer, 2020). When leaders add enthusiasm to the team, it increases the spirit and motivation of all members in the team. As per Lumpkin et al., “Effective leaders motivate others to work enthusiastically on behalf of the common good” (2012, p. 22).

Good coaches know how to harness the power of enthusiasm to get their athletes to embrace the vision and standards of the program, as well as lift the spirit in order for the group to attain their peak performance. Dedicated athletes use enthusiasm to unite the team, carry their fellow teammates through rough patches, and instill positivity all around the program. Coach John Wooden was a believer in enthusiasm to such an extent that he put it as one of the basic blocks in his Pyramid of Success. One incident where a coach used enthusiasm to build up his team in order to get them through difficult times happened at Gilman High School football team in their season of 2001. Immediately after losing the second consecutive match to start the season and the worst start in five years, Marx (2004) described the words and actions of the coach.

Turning up both the volume and energy, Biff addressed his players saying, “I wouldn’t want to coach anybody in the whole wide world, anybody, but you guys. I can’t be prouder of a group of boys than I am of you. Look at me boys. I love you and I’m really proud of you. Really proud.” (p. 82) Despite having a poor start to the season like never before, Coach Biff was highly enthusiastic about his team and told them that their performance will not be judged by their wins and losses, but whether or not they were giving it their best shot and playing to their best abilities.

Conclusion

It is essential that leaders in sports exhibit the principles described in the Ten Christian Virtues and Civic Responsibilities of Coaches and Administrators as Leaders of Sport in the 21st Century. Many successful coaches exemplify the principles of Christian virtues and civic responsibility of ethical, relentless, and enthusiastic nature, and these principles become especially essential for leaders to exhibit.

Chapter V

Legal Aspects and Considerations

The coaches and leaders in sports have the duty of ensuring that their athletes and institutions are protected. This is possible through risk assessment and following the rules of the Fourteen Legal Duties of Coaches and Athletic Personnel. “Duty (as an element of negligence) refers to a responsibility toward others (arising from relationship between parties) to protect them from unreasonable risk of injury” (Cotton & Wolohan, 2016, p. 42).

It is necessary for the athletics administrator, athletics personnel, and school personnel to assess the risk involved in the athletics program and facilities; this is referred to as risk management planning. “A risk management plan is the systematic analysis of one’s operations for potential risks or risk exposures and then setting forth a plan to reduce such exposures” (Cotton & Wolohan, 2016, p. 173). The Fourteen Legal Duties of Athletic Personnel guide all duties of coaches and athletic directors (see Appendix F). This ensures safety in the provision of the sporting activities.

Duty to Plan

Planning implies that coaches and administrators have the responsibility to develop a plan on a yearly basis. The annual plan covers issues like coaching proficiency, medical examination, activities appropriate for age and physical maturity, procedures for handling injuries, warnings to both players and their parents as well as advocacy in case of abuse or neglect of the young players. The benefit of planning lies in having an organized plan for getting ready for potential hazards that may occur during the season. Planning also allows considering issues related to safety of the athletes before practices and competition takes place. The football program planning is not limited to developing a practice and game schedule only; it also covers players' safety and preparation as well as responsibilities of the coaching staff.

Valley High School football program provides evidence of compliance with the above responsibility in terms of the planned season practice and game plan that the team develops. This plan is evaluated by the school’s athletic director prior to the commencement of the first practice, thus ensuring administrative review prior to the participation of the athletes. This helps develop an organized structure for the season and also provides the program with a chance to address any issues regarding coaching and the activities involved before commencing practices and games.

The parent meeting prior to the season is another critical element in the process of planning for the program. At this meeting, the presentation on emergency actions plans and insurance is done for the parents, and attendance sheets are kept for documentation purposes. By doing so, it will help make sure that families are informed of their responsibilities as participants. It will also serve as a means of documentation that such presentations have been made.

It can also be noted that there are still some elements that can be improved in the program. Currently, there is no plan that includes documentation of progression drill sequence for each position group on a yearly basis. Without having documentation, it will be harder to prove that athletes are introduced to advanced drills at the right time. This is crucial since introducing advanced drills at a wrong time can lead to injuries.

Duty to Supervise

The duty to supervise requires an obligation on the coaches and sports management to provide proper supervision to the student athletes and the facilities where sports activities take place (Doleschal, 2006). This means that the coach should be present, give proper instructions, design practice sessions well, avoid any predictable injuries, and also secure the facility when supervision is no longer provided. Thus, supervision is a continuing requirement that continues during practice and not only when the athletes are practicing drills.

Valley High School football shows compliance through the requirement that there must be at least one certified coach present on the field until the last athlete leaves. This creates a situation whereby the coaches will provide direct supervision to the athletes whenever they are in the practice field. It minimizes the risk of leaving the athletes alone with no certified coach in the practice facility. Another area of compliance is the locking of the gate of the practice field after 6:00pm.

Further, compliance with regulations can be seen in the fact that the athletic director will conduct regular observations of at least one practice per week during the season. The purpose of conducting observations lies in providing an additional layer of supervision, apart from the supervision carried out by the coaches. Observations will help the athletic director learn how practices are organized and whether there are any concerns regarding supervision and organization of activities.

However, despite these factors, there are still some deficiencies in the program which should be improved. First of all, there is a problem with early departure of assistant coaches. If an assistant coach leaves early and not all athletes leave the field, the coach will supervise more athletes than it should be done according to the plan. The second deficiency is the lack of a written checklists for entering/exiting the facility.

Duty to Assess an Athlete’s Readiness for Practice and Competition

The duty to assess an athlete's readiness for practice and competition involves making sure that athletes are prepared both physically and medically to take part in such practices and competition. Determining readiness in this sense involves considering aspects of the health, physical and skill readiness of an athlete, as well as making sure that the athlete undergoes the required medical screening. Readiness becomes particularly critical if the athlete has had an injury, as continuing without clearing the injury exposes them to further risk.

Valley High School football program fulfills this responsibility by including the use of the state physical form in their athlete assessment program. The utilization of the state physical form helps ensure that the athlete has undergone the proper medical screening before he/she participates. The program also requires a return to play form signed by a doctor following an injury which causes the athlete to miss more than one practice.

Another area where compliance can be found is the weekly check done for academic and attendance purposes to determine which athletes might need further assessment in terms of academic ineligibility. While this check is not a medical one, it still plays a role in assessing the readiness of the athlete in question to become a part of the program. With such an approach, the program can discover any possible problems rather than wait until they hinder the athlete’s participation.

However, there are two identified deficiencies. First, the program lacks a standardized functional movement screening for incoming freshmen athletes. In case there is no such screening process used by the program, it means that the program does not follow the same procedure of identification of possible movement issues with the help of this screening. The second one is that sometimes the participation of an athlete with a minor ankle sprain is allowed on the grounds of verbal assurance from the parents of the athlete.

Duty to Maintain Safe Playing Conditions

The duty to maintain safe playing conditions involves recognizing the existence of faulty equipment and/or hazardous environmental conditions that pose a risk to the health of players. This obligation also involves monitoring of the playing grounds and assessing weather conditions that may compromise the safety of the players. Environmental conditions, such as extreme heat and humidity, are crucial, since the environment calls for modification of normal practice activities.

This obligation is fulfilled by Valley High School football by conducting a daily inspection of the practice field. The field is assessed for holes, standing water, and debris before any use of the field. Inspections provide an opportunity to recognize physical obstacles to safe participation prior to starting of practice. It is crucial to conduct the inspections on a daily basis since the condition of a field may vary from one practice to another.

Additionally, the program employs a wet bulb globe temperature monitor to ensure the environmental conditions. When conditions are reached where some action needs to be taken, mandatory water breaks and adjustments in the practice are undertaken. This indicates that the program takes into consideration the weather conditions before determining the way of conducting the athletic activities and does not follow the practice routine regardless of the conditions. The monitor serves as a concrete means of determining the need for change.

However, the program has two deficiencies that need to be improved. First, it is the delay in the repairing of the visitor side bleachers due to the existence of the loose board. As soon as any hazard is detected, it is crucial to address it in time since it would mean neglecting the problem and leaving the hazard unattended. The second problem is the absence of a checklist that is prepared every time after the storm.

Duty to Provide Proper Equipment

The duty to provide proper equipment necessitates that athletic programs have equipment for athletes which is clean, durable, maintained well, and safe for use. In the case of football, proper protective equipment is particularly important because athletes will engage in physically challenging activities. Equipment needs to be fit for purpose and needs to undergo regular inspection for any damage or wear and tear. Helmets and pads need to meet relevant safety guidelines and should be individually fitted.

An example of compliance with this requirement by Valley High School football program is that all helmets get reconditioned annually through a certified vendor. The procedure gives a standard way through which helmet safety and maintenance can be ensured rather than letting the helmets continue to be used endlessly without being checked or professionally reconditioned.

The requirement that all players must wear a mouth guard during contact practices represents yet another layer of protection for the program. Such a requirement helps develop consistency of the expectation for the players participating in the activities that involve contact and minimizes the chances that any particular player will make their own decision about wearing protective equipment.

However, there are two issues that should be addressed further. First, the program still uses practice jerseys that are worn out and do not have proper padding anymore. Old padding can lower the level of protection that this equipment is expected to provide. Second, there is no official inventory system that monitors the age and quality of the equipment besides helmets.

Duty to Instruct Properly

This responsibility mandates that coaches train their athletes in a sequential manner while showing them techniques that will enable them to be safe when engaging in the game. The training must begin with proper fundamentals before the athletes engage in advanced maneuvers. Coaches have the responsibility of informing their athletes about certain practices that put them in danger.

Valley High School Football exemplifies compliance in the area of position group progression as evidenced by the training process highlighted in the coaching playbook. It helps the coaches have a structured way of training their athletes in various skills while at the same time making sure that it is done in a sequence. Another compliance area is the verbal and written warning on the illegal techniques of blocking and tackling.

The importance of teaching progressively cannot be underestimated as football players start from different experience levels. When organizing classes according to positions, the coach will be able to concentrate on teaching skills that are necessary for this particular position, and the process of training will take place within a certain framework. Warnings in oral and written form also indicate that the athletes should use the techniques learned properly.

There are two points where the program requires improvements. First, the program doesn't include video feedback classes that would help the younger athletes learn safe techniques. Because of the absence of this learning method, younger athletes might lack the opportunity to see their own mistakes. Secondly, there is no documentation about which coach gave what module of instruction.

Duty to Match Athletes During Practice

The responsibility to match athletes during practice entails taking into account various elements including maturity, level of skill, age, size, and speed when deciding on who will be practicing and having contact with each other. Matching is very essential since putting two athletes with varying abilities in particular activities might make injuries happen. Therefore, coaches should go beyond just considering an athlete’s position or level of experience when making practice groups.

Currently, Valley High School football satisfies this responsibility through the organization of some of the practices through ability groups. Grouping athletes by ability ensures that the coaches do not treat all athletes as if they are all of the same level. Another form of compliance is the avoidance of full contact games for freshmen against seniors.

The separation of freshmen and seniors during full-contact sessions is especially important since the athletes at various levels of high school will probably have different levels of physical maturity and experience. Likewise, ability-grouped practices mean that the coaches can choose practices that are related to the actual skill level of the athletes. These examples indicate that the program already takes into account some athlete-related characteristics for the practice activities.

One of the flaws is the lack of a systematic weight and maturity matrix for live scrimmage formation. While coaches create ability groups and refrain from putting freshmen and seniors together, there is no written procedure for the selection of the participants based on the corresponding characteristics. Another flaw occurs during late-season practice sessions of the junior-varsity and varsity programs, where athletes get mixed up due to small numbers.

Duty to Condition Properly

The duty to condition properly entails coaches formulating conditioning plans that will prepare athletes progressively for their sport. Conditioning will entail considering the maturity and preparedness of the athlete, as well as the environmental factors that surround the training process. A conditioning program must never subject athletes to strenuous exercises without due consideration for gradual progression.

Valley High School football can show how this is fulfilled by having its graduated summer conditioning plan. A graduated approach will give athletes conditioning activities that lead up to the physical demands of the football season instead of starting off at the peak of the workload. Moreover, Valley High School will follow heat-acclimatization protocols according to state association guidelines. This will help take care of the environmental factors in the conditioning process.

Use of a graduated summer program also fits with the requirement of taking into consideration athlete readiness. As athletes come into the season, there might be variations in their conditioning. This way, there is an effective method of increasing workloads. Guidelines on heat acclimatization constitute another preventive measure that takes into consideration the fact that athletes might take some time to get used to exercise in the hot environment.

There are two main things to improve. The first one relates to the development of individualized recovery measures for athletes coming back from injuries. While all the athletes might have been involved in the conditioning program, the recovery measures for the athlete coming back from injury might differ from those of the healthy athletes. The second thing concerns more exact calculation of cumulative workloads for athletes playing different sports.

Duty to Warn

The duty to warn requires that the coaches warn the athletes as well as their parents or guardians of the risks that come with participating in the sport. Athletes and their families should be aware that there are some risks that can occur while participating in sports, and some of the risks will depend on the type of activities that are being undertaken. When it comes to football, where the athletes engage in contact sports, warning them of such risks becomes an important aspect for the coaches.

The Valley High School football program is compliant with the duty to warn, considering that it uses a risk acknowledgement form for the sport which is signed both by the athlete and the parent. It is important that the program signs the athlete and family in this way since they acknowledge the risks involved in participating in the program. They are not just having verbal discussions to warn the athlete of the safety issues of participating in the game.

Preseason communication is critical and can be used as a basis of communicating before the athletes start playing. The use of a signed risk acknowledgment together with concussion and heat-related illness is an indication that both the risks associated with football and the special risks are catered for in this program. Signed acknowledgment acts as a piece of documentation to prove that the communication was done.

There are two shortcomings of this program. One, there are no sport-specific risks refreshers during the season. It is true that the preseason meeting is significant; however, it would also be beneficial to have some kind of refreshers to keep athletes and parents updated after the season starts. Two, there is no signed acknowledgment of athletes who join the program after the preseason parents' meeting.

Duty to Ensure Athletes Are Covered by Injury Insurance

Ensuring that the athletes are covered under the injury insurance obligation necessitates the need for the athletic program to confirm that student-athletes are adequately covered for their health or injury insurance prior to practice or game time. Insurance information is one of the aspects of participation clearance and should not just be assumed.

Valley High School football program complies with this obligation through requiring the online submission of insurance information prior to the first practice. The submission of the information prior to participation clearly defines a cut-off line when athletes are expected to fulfill the insurance obligation. It ensures that the athletic program does not just enroll the participants and seek to fill up the necessary information later on. Another aspect of compliance is the provision of hard-copy emergency cards by every coach. This makes the information readily available to coaches during practice and games.

The insurance information pre-requisite prior to first practice creates another administrative barrier to participation. Coaches are given the chance to assess whether the required information has been provided prior to allowing athletes into the regular practice sessions of the program. Emergency forms also serve as another protection because the coaches will have the necessary information available while overseeing the athletes.

There are two weaknesses still existing in the program. One weakness is that there is no means by which it can be verified that the insurance policies of the athletes are still active throughout the whole season. Gathering the information before first practice does not guarantee that the policy stays current for the duration of the season without some sort of check on its validity. The second deficiency is that the program sometimes relies solely on the athletic trainer to possess the insurance information while the practices are ongoing.

Duty to Provide Emergency Care

The obligation to offer emergency services means that coaches and athletics staff have to be ready for offering the right response whenever any athlete gets injured or gets into any other medical emergency. It is the responsibility of the coaches to know the appropriate measures they have to apply based on the approved first-aid procedures. It is important for coaches to have emergency preparedness as athletes get injured during both practice and contests.

Valley High School football meets this obligation in a number of ways. First, it is the obligation of all coaches to have the current CPR/AED and first-aid certification. With this, it means that coaches will have training necessary to handle emergency cases and that they renew their certifications regularly rather than once. The second way in which this obligation is fulfilled is through having an AED available for all the practices and contests.

The combination of current certification and availability of an AED provides the program with an already set foundation for responding to emergencies. The coaches must be up-to-date with their CPR, AED usage, and first-aid certification, and there must be an AED during the activities of athletes. Thus, the program is well-prepared for an emergency in terms of both people and equipment. However, it is important to keep these requirements due to the fact that an emergency response should not be based on the assumption that medical personnel will be available during each athletic activity.

There are two issues which need to be addressed in this program. Firstly, there should be some regular drills related to emergencies other than the required certification. Certification is needed for training; however, some practical drills would help coaches practice their responses in an athletic environment. Drills may also help determine individual responsibilities in an emergency situation. Secondly, there should be more coaches trained in managing spinal injuries.

Duty to Develop and Follow an Emergency Response Plan

The duty to develop and follow an emergency response plan necessitates the athletic program to have protocols on how to handle emergency situations including dealing with the injury of players, monitoring other healthy players, availability of emergency equipment, provision of medical help and paths that can be used to access the location where the situation occurs.

Valley High School Football program fulfills the requirement of creating and maintaining an emergency action plan since it maintains its own written emergency action plan that is reviewed yearly. Yearly reviews give the program a chance to assess the emergency action plan and make sure that the staff members are aware of the existing protocols. Posting of the plan in the athletic training room and coach’s office is another area that shows the program meets this requirement.

The written plan will also create a structure in which various responsibilities can be handled during emergencies. Emergency management is not only about taking care of the injured athletes but also about managing other team members, making sure that the emergency equipment is ready, and bringing in medical assistance. The existence of a written plan will help with the management of these responsibilities.

There are two aspects of the program that should be improved. The first thing is that more rehearsals are needed, where all coaches should participate together. A once-a-year written plan review cannot substitute for a rehearsal since there is no chance for coaches to practice their responsibilities in the actual sport environment. Secondly, there should be a clear designation of roles when the athletic trainer works at several sites.

Duty to Provide Proper Transportation

Proper transportation involves making sure that the athletic program has organized ways of safely transporting the student athletes to and from athletic events. The responsibilities of the athletic program in terms of transportation include having to use the appropriate school or district transportation where necessary, keeping accurate records of the athletes that are travelling and having people transport the athletes that meet the necessary requirements.

Valley High School football shows compliance through the use of district transportation for all their away games. Using the district transportation ensures that the program has an established means of transporting the athletes as opposed to letting the athletes find their own means of transportation to the away games. The other aspect of compliance is the written roster check before leaving and upon return.

The written roster checks are especially significant because the transportation means creating time when the athletes are not at the school and athletic center. Conducting the check before departure helps the coach know who exactly will be participating in the transportation, while conducting the check after the arrival is another chance to check the athletes. The use of the district buses along with such procedures shows that there is already an organized transportation process in the program.

Nevertheless, there are two weaknesses in the program which should be taken into account. First, parent carpooling is sometimes used without completing volunteer-driver forms. While the use of parent transportations might be necessary in some cases, it leads to inconsistency in the transportation process if the required papers are not completed. The second weakness is the absence of the alternative procedure of communication in case of bus delay. There is no alternative procedure of communication in case of bus delay in the program.

Duty to Select, Train, and Supervise Coaches

It is the responsibility of the Athletic administrators to make sure that coaches have what it takes to be able to discharge their responsibilities towards the student athletes (Mirsafian, 2016). The role here goes beyond simply appointing people to become coaches. It is important that coaches are well trained to enable them to handle their responsibilities effectively.

In Valley High School football, one can see compliance with regard to the training of coaches since it requires that all paid and unpaid coaches undergo the state coaching education course. This creates a uniform training program for those who have been appointed coaches regardless of whether they get paid or not. The second form of compliance comes from the annual safety training program undertaken by all the coaches.

Coaching education and annual safety training provided by the state create a solid base for preparing a coaching staff of the program. At the same time, the application of the requirements to paid and voluntary coaches equally creates consistency across the whole coaching staff, which is necessary since the student-athletes can have interaction with any member of the coaching staff during practices and competitions. Setting up equal training expectations will enable the coaches to be aware of their responsibility.

However, there are two areas that can be further developed. First, the program does not have an efficient mentoring system for first-year assistant coaches. While these assistant coaches might have received education and training according to all the requirements, they do not necessarily receive the same amount of practical advice as mentors. The mentoring process will allow the first-year coach to learn about the practical approach of the program to its safety and legal-duty responsibility. Second, there is no mid-season safety and legal-duty performance review in the program.

Conclusion

The fourteen legal duties need to be fulfilled for the safety of student athletes and minimizing the liability of institutions. There are many instances where Valley High School football shows compliance in various legal duties. However, the process of documentation, verification and training needs improvement. Attention to all legal duties will make the chances of injury and litigations minimal for all participants. Living in the age of increased consciousness of litigation demands that policies are drafted, communicated and enforced consistently.

Chapter VI

Program Development

A great interschool football program functions as a unified system, wherein organizational structure, practice design, coaching philosophy, well-being of athletes, development of staff members, character development, resource creation, and community relations support each other. This model outlined in this chapter is based on the experience of a full program at a comprehensive high school that has managed to fulfill the fourteen legal responsibilities of athletic programs and that purposefully nurtures such Christian virtues as ethics, excellence, and enthusiasm. As Maxwell (2003) noted, “There are really only two important points when it comes to ethics. The first is a standard to follow. The second is a will to follow it” (p. 17). Every practice, every meeting, and any kind of community relations become a means for protection of athletes, development of character, and winning without ignoring the educational purposes of the school.

The discussion explores each of the necessary domains of program development one-by-one. The organizational structure creates the framework for communication, documentation, and accountability. The practice by team puts that structure into practice through effective, productive, and safe training. The coaching behavior determines whether or not the coaching instruction is delivered to all athletes in a dignified manner. Growth and wellness make sure that the athletes stay physically healthy, academically sharp, and drug-free. The development of the coaching staff spreads the knowledge throughout the coaching chain of command. Character development creates the moral framework for appropriate behavior both on and off the field. The fundraising and booster relationships provide the tangible resources needed for safety and fair competition. The relationship building with parents and the rest of the community surrounds the program with a friendly environment.

Organization

Good organization starts with proper, redundant, and prompt communication of three main groups of people like athletes, parents, and coaches (Kerr et al., 2023). Before the first practice of each season, the Athletic Department sends out an annual calendar that includes all practices, games, film sessions, strength and conditioning sessions, study halls, and mandatory parental meetings. The same calendar is published on the athletic website of the school, distributed via email to all households, and included in the Players Handbook. Weekly updates are distributed each Sunday night, allowing all families to make proper adjustments in their schedule of work and transportation. In case of emergencies, weather cancellations, facility issues, or sudden ineligibility for academics, communication is done through a multi-step process of a text message, email, and a voice message on the voicemail line of the program.

The playbooks and instruction manuals exist in both electronic and paper copies. The offensive, defensive, and special teams’ playbooks are updated annually following a comprehensive evaluation of video from the past season performed by the coaching staff in the spring. Each play has coaching points focusing on proper techniques, proper leverage, and injury prevention cues. The position group instruction manuals contain progression series starting with individual technique, moving into group drills, and finishing with full team drills. These instructions are distributed to coaches no later than June 1st, and to the athletes in the first week of summer conditioning. The creation of progression series is an answer to a well-documented problem of many programs, lack of evidence that advanced drills are conducted after mastering basic skills.

Master checklists and expectation forms also comprise another essential organizational element. Students get a one-page code of conduct form that specifies their educational, behavioral, and sporting requirements. Parents get a similar form that specifies their requirements regarding transport, insurance, and backing of the coach's decision. Coaches get a comprehensive job description that also contains their legal obligations like the daily inspection of the facilities, the weekly checking of the academic progress, and the procedures of rejoining after an injury. All the forms are signed and kept at the athletics department.

The organizational chart will help in understanding the supervisory chain. The athletic director will directly supervise the head coach. The head coach will supervise the position coaches and strength-and-conditioning coach. The athletic trainer will be under dual supervision from the head coach for everyday decisions on practice and the athletic director regarding adherence to medical protocol. Volunteers will be supervised by an assigned varsity assistant and must attend the same state coaching education and annual safety training programs as paid coaches. This will ensure that all adults that interact with athletes are supervised by trained professionals, with no uncontrolled period between the conclusion of practice and leaving of the last athlete, which is a requirement for duty to supervise.

Key dates are listed in a comprehensive schedule, which starts twelve months before the first tournament. The schedule contains deadlines for the maintenance of equipment, physical tests, insurance verification, parental meetings, heat-acclimatization periods, and drills for emergency action plans. This way, through incorporating the dates in the annual schedule, the program transforms general legal obligations into definite actions. Thus, what is formed is an organization culture where planning is not an infrequent thing, but a consistent process.

Team Practice

Practices embody the philosophy of the program in terms of progressive skill development, effective use of time, and athlete safety. Every practice is based on a plan developed the day before and distributed to the coaching staff before the start of the practice session. It specifies the schedule of all periods, how long each of them will last, which drills will be held in each period, what will be the focus of coaching at that period, and what will be the necessary equipment for it. A standard practice is 110 minutes long and includes a warm-up and stretching period (12 minutes), technique (20 minutes), installing/reviewing (25 minutes), team work (30 minutes), special teams (15 minutes), and cool down and conditioning (8 minutes).

The drills are performed in accordance with a position-oriented progression that starts from performing a drill at a basic skill level up to performing a drill at full speed in a multi-player environment. Thus, for example, the offensive line performs drills related to stance and first-step techniques, followed by one-on-one pass-blocking against a static defender, and live pass-blocking against a mobile defender before becoming incorporated in the whole offensive line versus defensive front combination. Defenders perform drills starting from backpedal and break drills to coverage drills against receivers. The coaching staff has an official record of the day when the drills are being introduced to certain groups of athletes.

Verbal instruction is kept brief so that athletes can spend most of their time on motor practice instead of listening passively. The coaches have been instructed to give at most three teaching points per drill, to show the correct way once, and then put the athletes through repetitions straight away. Feedback is given in short and succinct sentences either during or right after the repetition. In the event of any technical problem that occurs on a large scale within a group, the whole group comes to a halt and starts all over again.

Organization of practice rotates between small groups and full groups. In the initial days of the week when the coach introduces new plays and schemes, small groups of practice dominate because individual attention from the coach is more important. As we move into the middle of the week, practices start rotating into larger groups and team sessions so that timing, communication, and decision-making skills get better. The Friday Walk through practices are run slowly and are designed to prepare the players mentally for the upcoming games and special teams training.

Conditioning is an integral component, not an addition. Brief conditioning exercises in specific sports are done during practice sessions to ensure that the athletes are fatigued in a manner similar to their gameplay situation. Extended aerobic and anaerobic exercises are undertaken during summer and early seasons when the athletes undergo heat acclimatization, and the workloads are progressively built up in line with state association recommendations. A cumulative load-tracking method is employed, where the estimated loads of contact, non-contact, and conditioning activities done by each athlete are documented (Cheng & Bergmann, 2022). The athletes coming back from injury follow recovery programs that are customized to their requirements and supervised by the athletic trainer and strength coach.

The education about nutrition is also conducted under two circumstances, either in-season or off-season. During the in-season, each week the players are supplied with one-page nutrition tips on how to take care of their hydration needs, pre-game nutrition, and post-game meals. During the off-season, the athletes are offered six weeks long workshop on nutrition conducted by a registered dietician hired by the athletic department. The flexibility and strength training programs are periodized throughout the year with increased volume in off-season and increased intensity and specificity in the in-season.

Coaching Behaviors

The ability to gain and keep the attention of the athletes is essential for any good training process (Low et al., 2023). The coaches in the program are instructed to use a voice signal, a sharp whistle followed by the words “eyes and ears”, which alerts the athletes to stop what they are doing and pay attention to the coach. Once the attention of the group is gained, the coach gives instructions from a place where he or she can be easily seen, and speaks in short sentences. Should any one of the athletes lose his or her attention, the coach makes use of proximity, a verbal correction, or a physical gesture, but not any form of embarrassment.

Fast versus slow learners are differentiated right from the start of every practice period. Position coaches are supposed to be able to pick out who are the fast learners and who need more repetitions within two weeks of the beginning of the season. The fast learners are assigned extra assignments such as giving extra coaching tips, leading smaller groups of players, or coaching another player while the slow learners get extra coaching during the initial minutes of every practice session or during certain "catch up" times after practice. This program does not believe in differentiating players in terms of their fast or slow learning abilities; rather, the coaches are graded on how well they can make all the players functionally competent.

The concept of dignity is also ensured by the way that feedback is provided. Coaches are required to frame any technical correction using a praise for their effort or past achievements. In case the athletes face difficulties with executing a skill time and time again, then coaches transfer the discussion to a private or semi-private environment, rather than proceeding with public criticism. Suspension of athletes from a drill for their safety is not regarded as punishment, but rather as protection. All of these strategies correspond to the ethical principle of treating athletes as persons of value, not just as means to an end.

The ability to adjust during practice sessions is not only expected but also evidenced. The practice session plan is treated as a blueprint for what needs to be done rather than an absolute rule. In case a certain exercise is causing too much tiredness or a high percentage of players are suffering from small-scale injuries, the head coach or the position coach can decide to reduce time allocated to it, replace it with a less demanding one or focus on the mental aspect. The change is put down on paper to allow for analysis later on regarding the impact on the players.

The list of unacceptable coaching practices is quite comprehensive and is sufficient reason for termination from their post. It involves, but is not limited to, the use of corporal punishment, verbal humiliation that focuses on the personal characteristics of the player in question and does not target the particular behavior of the athlete, intentionally organizing practices involving athletes whose physical size or maturity is completely different, and any kind of retaliation against the athlete who brings up a safety issue. The athletic director makes surprise visits during at least one practice each week and maintains an open line of communication with the athletes and their parents.

Growth and Well-Being of Athletes

Injury prevention and treatment are very much a part of the day-to-day workings of the program. Each practice starts off with an inspection of the facilities to ensure there are no holes, debris, puddles of water, or defective equipment. The wet bulb globe temperature is taken prior to any outdoor exercise and water breaks and adjustments are made per a preset schedule of what temperature requires which action. A certified provider yearly reconditions the helmets, while all contact equipment is catalogued and inspected for padding prior to each season. Athletes cannot take part in contact activities without having had a functional movement screening and approval from the athletic trainer.

The chemical well-being of the athletes is not only preached but also taught and encouraged. Coaches are supposed to stay clear of smoking and drinking when they are around the athletes. The team works together with the counseling services offered at the school for the annual lessons on dangers of using performance-enhancing drugs, recreational drugs, and alcohol. Those athletes who go against the school’s chemical well-being policy will face various kinds of punishment in an attempt to rehabilitate them.

The standards set out for the athletes go beyond the playing field to encompass academics, behavior in school, and off-season activities. There is an academic progress report that is updated on a weekly basis, and this highlights any athlete who is below a certain grade point average. These athletes are supposed to report to supervised study sessions prior to practice until their grades improve. The classroom teacher has the liberty of contacting the coaching staff about any behavioral or academic problems and receives feedback from the coaching staff within 24 hours. Off-season athletes are supposed to keep track of training schedules and take part in one community service activity per season.

In the event of improper conduct or attitude, the program uses a step-by-step process of intervention. The first step is a one-on-one talk between the athlete and his or her position coach to discuss the particular improper conduct, its effect on the whole team, and how he or she can correct the problem. If this does not solve the problem, the head coach gets involved and a written plan for improvement is made. In cases where the problem is recurrent, the athlete may be suspended from practices or games, until finally expelled from the team.

The idea that the athletes come first as students comes through in scheduling, policies, and the general culture of the program. No practice can begin until after the formal end of the academic day. Athletes that do not make it to practice because they have missed time due to tutoring sessions or college visits are not penalized in any way. The coaching staff highlights academic successes such as making honor rolls, improving academic performance, and college acceptances with the same energy as they highlight athletic successes.

Coaching Staff

The development of the knowledge of all coaches is considered to be an ongoing professional development task. Coaches, whether paid or volunteer, go through the mandatory coaching education course and safety training provided by the state authorities and are only allowed to coach once these tasks have been successfully fulfilled. Moreover, there are a number of internal clinics organized each summer for scheme installation, teaching progressions, and legal duties. Outside clinicians are invited from time to time for specific topics such as recognition of concussions, heat illness, and positive coaching skills. New assistants get matched with a veteran mentor and receive feedback on their practices in the beginning stages.

Staff meetings happen on a weekly basis throughout the season and bi-weekly throughout the off-season. Meeting agendas are sent out in advance, consisting of video review, critiques of the practice plan, injury updates, academic issues, and character development matters. Notes are taken and shared so that those coaches who may not be able to attend stay up-to-date. Staff

meetings are also where coaches feel comfortable raising any issues that have to do with the health or safety of athletes or the quality of the facilities without repercussions.

The standards of game-day conduct follow the same guidelines as those in practice. Coaches are supposed to exemplify calmness, respect to officials, and positive reinforcement of the athletes irrespective of the outcome of the game. The pre- and post-game conferences are all about preparation and learning rather than yelling. The positive reinforcement is systematic and constant; coaches are trained to notice when athletes are performing positively and to identify what is being reinforced. Demanding conduct remains a characteristic feature of the coaching culture, but it follows standards rather than loudness.

Training for the opposition involves detailed analysis of strengths, weaknesses, and habits. Each position coach is responsible for analyzing the opposition on film and reporting to the entire coaching staff. This game plan is then put into practice by focusing on skills that will help defeat the next opponent. Motivation involves both individual and team motivation. Personal discussions help pinpoint individual aspirations and points of pride, while team discussions involve the importance of common cause and the personal accountability of each athlete to all other athletes. An environment of enthusiasm is intentionally created where effort is rewarded and failures are considered temporary.

Character Development

A good-character athlete shows consistent behavior through punctuality, doing schoolwork without being prodded, treating teammates and competitors with respect, accepting coaching without feeling defensive, and dealing with errors without pointing fingers at other people (Veyran, 2024). This is clearly outlined in the written character blueprint in the program, which is discussed with the athletes and their parents in the preseason meeting. The blueprint is put up in the locker room, and whenever there is an issue of misbehavior, the discussion will always be centered around this prearranged guideline instead of the anger of the coach.

Behavior modification goes through a progressive process. The milder cases are dealt with immediately and personally. More severe and recurring cases result in a discussion involving the athlete, the position coach, and if necessary, the head coach. The suspension of the athlete from a practice session is done when the actions of the athlete threaten other people, or when the athlete becomes emotionally incapable of practicing in a safe manner. Expulsion from the game comes in when the actions of the athlete do not conform to the code of sportsmanship and when the actions have caused a threat to the reputation of the program. The final form of behavioral modification is expulsion from the team. This step is taken only after consulting with the athletic director and the parents of the athlete.

The program is very clear about what is and is not up for compromise. Winning, playing time, and even the goodwill of important parents for a short period of time may all be compromised when it comes into conflict with the safety of the athlete and with the values of the program itself. What the program will never compromise, however, is the safety of the athlete, the need for coaches to act ethically, and the educational mission of the school.

There are several ways of reinforcing good character in athletes. Character awards are given every month and are open to the public. These awards are based on nominations from both peers and coaches. Former players, community leaders, and sometimes even professional athletes give speeches on issues like perseverance, honesty, and serving others. There are quotes from the character blueprint used in the program that are put up on posters as visual prompts throughout the season. Weekly themes for the team are decided based on the virtues and coaches try to find chances to award those displaying the virtues.

Great teams are defined not just by their record but also by the fact that they are able to perform like one organism under pressure. This can be developed in teams by engaging in physical tasks that need cooperation. This includes providing leadership opportunities for athletes and ensuring that athletes of all classes and grades mix outside competition. Social dynamics are monitored by coaches who intervene at any signs of cliques or isolation. The result is a team in which everyone feels valued and responsible.

Fundraising and Boosters

Financial sustainability is necessary in ensuring there is safe equipment, good facilities, and learning beyond the competitive season for athletes. The program runs only a few successful fundraising campaigns rather than continuous but unsuccessful campaigns that will tire the parents. The key methods of raising funds are a yearly golf tournament, spaghetti dinner at the school involving the homecoming and a business sponsorship campaign whereby the companies get visibility for their participation in safety and equipment initiatives. All the fundraising activities must be approved by the athletic director and school administration.

The booster club operates as an organized and officially recognized supporting body that has elected officers, bylaws, and a clear mission statement, which aims at improving the safety, education, and competition in the football team without dictating to the coaches. The membership of the club is not limited but depends on one’s willingness to accept the bylaws. The meetings are held once a month during the season and three times in the off-season. The finances of the club are discussed at each meeting and can be checked by the athletic director. Booster members are expected to support decisions of the coaching staff concerning playing time and strategy, observe the code of conduct at games, and treat athletes equally irrespective of their parents’ donation.

The nature of the relationship between the coaching staff and the booster club has been carefully engineered in such a way as to ensure professionalism in the process. Coaches are never involved in any solicitation of personal favors and gifts. The money raised by the booster club is channeled into the program as a whole in terms of equipment, transportation, educational clinics, and safety improvements, as opposed to being used in favor of some particular athletes.

Building Relationships

Community engagement is seen as an integral part of athlete development and not as an optional extra-curricular pursuit. The team engages in at least two service-learning projects every season. Recent examples include a literacy program for children at the elementary school in the neighborhood, a food drive involving the community pantry and help with maintaining the facilities at the youth sport complex. This puts athletes in a position of accountability and visibility in the larger community and serves to strengthen the message that being part of the team also means fulfilling civic duties. These experiences also help athletes develop empathy, teamwork, and an understanding of the challenges faced by different groups. By working alongside residents, athletes learn to listen, contribute solutions, and recognize that leadership extends beyond competition. These projects also strengthen relationships between the team and the community.

Parents play an important role as partners and constituents. In order to make sure that the expectations have been set clearly from the start, the program places great emphasis on conducting a required parent meeting that addresses issues such as risk acknowledgment, emergency procedures, academic criteria, communication procedures, and the right way to express concerns. Parents are supposed to assist their children both emotionally and practically without criticizing any coaching decision publicly. The process by which any concern can be expressed follows a clear hierarchy whereby the parent first communicates his or her concerns with the position coach and then with the head coach before reaching out to the athletic director.

Email communication takes place every week in addition to a mid-season meeting for parents and coaches along with the welcome invitation to be spectators at designated practice times in silence. This particular program strikes a balance between complete parental exclusion and too much parental involvement. With the parents being treated as educated participants aware of the dangers involved as well as the learning aspects associated with interscholastic sports, there is less chance for confrontation and more chance of the same message being conveyed at home and school. Regular communication also allows parents to raise concerns, ask questions, and receive timely updates about their children's progress and team expectations. This collaborative approach encourages trust between families and coaches while ensuring that athletes receive consistent guidance. As a result, parents can support their children without interfering with coaching decisions or team responsibilities.

Conclusion

The qualities that define an excellent football program do not reside in one particular outstanding factor but rather in the harmonious integration of organizational structure, training methods, coach behavior, athlete health, professional development, character education, fundraising efforts, and community relations. Every element analyzed in this chapter plays a part in meeting two essential requirements of preventing athletes from being put at unnecessary risk while educating the youth in matters of integrity, strength, and passion. As Cotton & Wolohan (2016) state, "A risk management plan is the systematic analysis of one’s operations for potential risks or risk exposures and then setting forth a plan to reduce such exposures" (p. 173). The fourteen legal responsibilities of athletic staff provide the baseline of safety and responsibility that must never be compromised; the values of Christianity provide the ceiling to aspire to.

This model is intentionally practical in its approach, taking into account the fact that there are limitations on time, competing priorities for coaches, and the real world of adolescent development. At the same time, it assumes that through a conscious effort to document, educate, train, and clarify morals, what could have been an average program will be transformed into an outstanding program. When coaches consider each practice session, each conversation with a parent, and each effort to change behavior not only from the standpoint of fulfilling their legal obligations but also their moral obligation, then the program turns out to be more than just a business. It becomes a formative community where athletes learn how to achieve excellence without losing character.

A checklist approach to the content of this chapter is by design. Each section can be viewed as a series of specific questions to which any particular program might respond as follows: Do communication systems function redundantly and document procedures? Have practice sequences been created and adhered to? Have coaches ensured the dignity of each individual? Have injury prevention methods become part of daily procedure? Has staff development become an ongoing process and not a sporadic one? Has character development become expected, taught, and praised? Has fundraising and booster relationship structure been designed to promote integrity? Have parents been viewed as partners and not problems or clients? Responses to these questions will show where there are positive and negative aspects of a program that should be maintained or corrected.

The success of a football program cannot be measured only in terms of the scoreboard or lack of lawsuits. It can only be measured by the number of young men and women who walk away from the program having been better prepared for adulthood through their involvement: more physically safe, better educated, and of higher moral character than when they began. If everything from the organizational structure to the coaching and everything in between serves this goal, then the program has achieved its ultimate end. There will always be more work to do in the coming season.

Chapter VII or VIII

Football Program and Offensive & Defensive Systems

With the core values of C.O.M.P.E.T.E., Wolfpack Football will compete for Valley High School and the community as a representation of our integrity. This is something that will need to be shown by players, coaches, parents, and anyone else involved in our football program. We will instill a competitive team culture within our program that teaches the fundamentals of the sport of football in order to be competitive. Through practice, weight lifting, and conditioning in a competitive environment, we will teach our players how to do this. As our players go out into the community as representatives of our competitive nature through our games, they will realize that they are representing more than just themselves.

The core values of Valley High School Football can be summarized using the following acronym: C.O.M.P.E.T.E. These core values will play an important role in ensuring that our athletes become successful both in sports and life. Our first core value is “Character.” Our student-athletes will show integrity, respect, and fairness when representing our football program within our school and community. “O” refers to “Objectivity.” We expect our athletes to be objective when solving the problems which exist in our football program as well as in their own lives. They should not look at the problems from just one angle but instead view things from other people’s perspectives. “M” means “Mirror.” It is necessary that our student-athletes can look in the mirror and reflect on themselves, their decisions, and how it influences others. The letter “P” stands for “Purpose.” It is crucial that student athletes have purpose in their lives and that they live for something more than themselves. “‘Service to others is empathy and kindness in action. Service to others gives our lives meaning and sustains and dignifies the lives of others’” (Ehrmann, 2011, p. 122). They may choose to make their own mission, vision statements, and core values to help guide them in their lives. The first “E” stands for “Ethics.” In making their decisions on behalf of the program, their families, their church, or any other organization of which they are a member, a set of moral principles should guide them. Moral principles will help them decide how to behave when faced with challenging and confusing dilemmas. The letter “T” stands for “Teamwork.” Operating in the realm of our football program and elsewhere, players will be expected to operate in a teamwork setting: “The secret to stardom is the rest of the team” (Wooden & Tobin, 1988, p. 165). The last letter “E” stands for “Excel.” We want our student athletes to excel both on and off the field in everything that they do.

Offensive System

The development of an offensive strategy within high schools should be very flexible, based on the available talent each year.

Primary Attack

The main attack that will be used from the team will begin from the defensive stop or special teams play. Based on the game situation, the team will try to take advantage of the opportunity and gain tempo and play explosively. The main attack will use skill players to stretch the field both horizontally and vertically, as the quarterback will pass the ball through the air and use the run game. In this case, we will use our tight end or H-back going into the seam or flat and running back to the opposite side horizontally.

Base Offense from Half Field

In case we don’t have the explosive play or open window option, we would have a lot of base offenses depending upon the opponent and the way they play their defense. In case we think that we have the speed advantage and the opposing team is playing their man defense aggressively, then we would opt for our “X” series run-pass-option and drop-back options. In this way, the defender covering the boundary receiver will come under a lot of pressure because all our players from the outside will be able to get released, stem, and attack the leverage to get the reception or dump it off to the running back for YACs.

Chin Series vs. Man Coverage

Our teams that run a "softer" man or off coverage will be exposed to our "chin" offense. Chin series is a continuity-based offense that enables our main receivers to get their routes off rubs, picks, and meshes. If the teams choose to stay soft, they are going to give us openings for intermediate and deep shots. We can continue to run the mesh and options until we get the opportunity to throw the ball. Pressing man is easy to beat using the double move and the quarterback will have his option whether to throw or run if numbers dictate it.

Overplaying our mesh offense by teams leads to running our "rip" series that enables our outside receiver to stem inside and break back out or our running back to streak to the flats. Continuity will run until we score or run the pick and pop type concept from the tight end. The jet sweep, play-action boot, and different personnel will run off our offensive system. Different packages each year may change according to our personnel.

Five Wide and Empty vs. Man

Five wide formation is used from the chin personnel since we can then execute a different formation from the same setup without letting the defense know about our plan. The rules of empty offense will remain valid even if we begin by positioning the running back in offset position. The counters for switching defense will consist of the free releases, rub concepts and quarterback keepers when an advantage arises from the switches.

Clear and 40 vs. Zone

The basic principles of zone beating offenses will hold true for both of these plays. For “clear,” we will always have our permanent seams and flat men. Our perimeter players will look for the zones' weaknesses and try to attack them. We will also search for intermediate windows and check downs. For “40,” we will have a different middle of the field threat. Our middle man will get out and replace his man, and the quarterback will read the void area.

Wolf vs. Zone

Our Wolf formation allows us to isolate our best athlete on the perimeter against a slower defensive back. Wolf starts in the same alignment as our chin formation. With the quarterback’s play-action or motion, the featured player moves to the other side. As the play unfolds, he becomes a primary target for us. He may beat his man outside and get the safety help too late, leaving a passing lane available. If they cover down, then the intermediate window or the deep crossing route presents itself. Set plays are available out of either zone formation we are using.

Defensive System

On that side of the ball, we will “hang our hat” on gap sound and aggressive man/zone concepts. Although we will use other fronts and coverages, as a way of changing tempos and rhythms of our game plans, we will play base defense as much as possible. Our defensive skills will be developed through tackle circuit, pursuit and angle training and shell period. We will make sure to work our help-the-helper concepts, takeaway techniques and tackling skills through drills.

Half-Field and Base Defense

Man Pressure “1”

Our strategy for man pressure defense is going to be disruption. We’re going to put pressure on the quarterback and drive the ball through contested throwing windows if we can. Our pressure scheme will take the ball out wide and our help will come from the middle of the field and the deep thirds.

Sag “5 ”

Our “5” defense strategy will be a more gap control-based strategy. We’ll use this one and disguise it as zone to try and confuse the opposition. This scheme will be used if we aren’t getting pressure consistently enough.

2-3 / Odd Front “2”

Odd front defense will be a rare sight on the field for us and will just be used to disrupt the rhythm of the opposition.

3-2 / Even Front “3”

Even front defense will also be used for the same reason as “2” but against an opponent with great skill speed.

Full-Field Defense

Black

This is an adaptation of our "1" defense. Full-field man pressure and coverage.

Red

This is an adaptation of our "3" defense. Full-field 1-2-2 alignment. Keep the ball out of the middle and attack around midfield.

Blue

This is an adaptation of our "2" defense. Full-field 2-2-1 alignment. Force towards the sideline and attack around midfield.

Conclusion

The Valley High School Football offense and defense schemes are flexible, personnel-based, and fit in with the core philosophy of C.O.M.P.E.T.E. By stressing character, objectivity, introspection, purpose, ethics, teamwork, and excellence, the program aims to produce well-rounded student athletes who compete with integrity. Schemes that are regularly evaluated based on the talent at hand and communicated effectively to the athletes and their families will serve the program well by maintaining competitiveness and preserving the health and development of every player.

Appendix F

Fourteen Legal Duties of Athletic Personnel

Duty to Plan

· Have a yearly plan, keep it, and follow it

· Prevent or reduce injury and loss by developing responsive strategies in:

· Coaching competence

· Medical screening

· Appropriate activities that consider age, maturity, and environmental conditions

· Injury response

· Warnings to athletes and their families

· Child advocacy in cases of alcohol and other drug abuse or family neglect or abuse

Duty to Supervise

· A coach must be:

· Physically present

· Provide competent instruction

· Structure practices that are appropriate for the age and maturity of players

· Prevent foreseeable injuries and respond to injury or trauma in an approved manner

· This duty requires supervisors to ensure that facilities are locked and that students are denied access when a competent staff member cannot be physically present to supervise

· A coach must also supervise the condition, safe usage, maintenance and upkeep of equipment and facilities

Duty to Assess an Athlete’s Readiness for Practice and Competition

· Coaches are required to access the health and physical or maturational readiness skills and physical condition of athletes

· Athletes must be medically screened in accordance with CIF regulations before participating in tryouts, practice, or competition

· Injured athletes who require the services of a physician may not return to practice or competition without written permission of the physician

Duty to Maintain Safe Playing Conditions

· Coaches are considered trained professionals who possess a higher level of knowledge and skill that permits them to identify foreseeable causes of injury inherent in defective equipment or hazardous environments

· Weather conditions must be considered and athletes should not be subjected to intense or prolonged conditioning during periods of extreme heat and humidity

· A plan for monitoring and responding to dangerous weather conditions is necessary

Duty to Provide Proper Equipment

· Coaches must ensure that athletes are properly equipped with clean, durable and safe equipment

· Protective equipment must carry a NOCSAE (National Operating Commission on Safety in Athletic Equipment) certification and must be checked for proper fit and wearing

· Athletes must wear protective equipment any time they are exposed to the full rigors of contact in practice or competition

Duty to Instruct Properly

· Athletic practices must be characterized by instruction that accounts for a logical sequence of fundamentals that lead to an enhanced progression of player knowledge, skill and capability

· Instruction must demonstrate appropriate and safe technique and must include warning about unsafe technique and prohibited practices

Duty to Match Athletes During Practice

· Athletes in practices should be matched with consideration for:

· Maturity

· Skill

· Age

· Size

· Speed

Duty to Condition Properly

· Practices must account for a progression of cardiovascular and musculoskeletal conditioning regiments that prepare athletes sequentially for more challenging practices and competitive activities

· Consideration must be given to weather, maturational and readiness factors

Duty to Warn

· Coaches are required to warn parents and athletes of unsafe practices specific to a sport and the potential for injury or death

· A generic warning, signed by both athletes and parents is included in the physical packet but sport specific warnings should be included at the parent meetings for specific sports

Duty to Ensure Athletes are Covered by Injury Insurance

· Athletes must be cleared through the athletic office prior to participation and should not be allowed to participate without this clearance

Duty to Provide Emergency Care

· Coaches are expected to be able to administer approved, prioritized, standard first aid procedures in response to a range of traumatic injuries

Duty to Develop/Follow an Emergency Response Plan

· Plans must be in place to:

· Manage uninjured team members while emergency care is being administered to an injured athlete

· Ensure access to a stocked first aid kit, spine board and other emergency response equipment

· Access to a telephone and ensure a timely call to EMS

· Expedite rapid access by EMS to the injured athlete by stationing coaches or team members at driveways, parking lots, entry doors and remote hallways

Duty to Provide Proper Transportation

· District transportation should be utilized as much as possible for travel to athletic events

· Ensure that all athletes are on the bus before it departs from an away contest

· Coaches and/or parent drivers must have district volunteer driver forms to drive athletes

Duty to Select, Train, and Supervise Coaches

Athletic administrators will be expected to ensure coaches are capable of providing safe conditions and activities as outlined in the preceding list of 13 duties

Appendix G

The Ten Christian Virtues and Civic Responsibilities of Coaches and Administrators

As Leaders of Athletics in the 21st Century

Faithful

Leaders are loyal to others - family, friends, athletes, and peers - as God has been faithful and loyal to them.

Proverbs 3:3-4: Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.

Proverbs 28:20: A faithful man will abound with blessings

Psalm 31:23: The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.

Joshua 24:14-15: Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.  15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Serving

Leaders are committed to serving unselfishly and putting the needs of others above their own.

I Peter 4:10: Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well.

Mark 10:44-45: And whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Matthew 20:28: Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Loving

The leader believes in the power of unconditional love to positively impact and change human behavior.

St Paul said in I Corinthians 13:13: And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Romans 13:10: Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

John 15:12: Love each other as I have loved you.

1 John 4:12: My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

Humble

Leaders understand that humility is valuable, charismatic, and marked by valuing others above oneself. Humility is charismatic; arrogance is repulsive. The only time people follow an arrogant leader is when there is no choice.

Philippians 2:3: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves. Humility in life is charismatic – while arrogance is repulsive. The only time people follow an arrogant leader is when they have to.

IPeter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

Matthew 11:29-30: Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Proverbs 11:2: When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Forgiving

Leaders offer forgiveness to others for their mistakes as Christ has forgiven them.

Ephesians 4:32: Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Colossians 3:13: Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Poised

Great leaders exude a sense of dignified composure when times get tough. Swearing and fits of anger in the heat of battle shows diminished balance and never impresses those who have to listen.

Proverbs 29:11: A fool always loses his temper. But a wise man holds it back.

Proverbs 21:23: Whoever watches his mouth and tongue keeps himself from trouble.

Proverbs 13:3: Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.

Courageous

Leaders know that courage is not the absence of fear – but rather, accepting the risk of doing the right thing despite difficult conditions.

Joshua 1:9: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

II Timothy 1:7: For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self-control.

Ethical

For leaders in athletics and sport, ethics are the guidelines that serve as a “moral compass” for doing what is right and good at all times and in all places.

James 4:17: So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Colossians 3:17: And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Matthew 5:6: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Relentless

Leaders possess an unshakeable commitment to excellence and the time required to achieve it.

Mark 10:27: With man this is impossible, not with God; all things are possible with God.

II Corinthians 4:8-9: We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit. 9 We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going.

Ecclesiastes 9:10: Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.

Colossians 3:23: Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men

Enthusiastic

Leaders know that enthusiasm is contagious, passionate and motivates us to achieve the possible and the improbable.

Philippians 4:8: Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

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