Grades 6-8 Athletics Philosophy
The athletic programs in grades 6-8 at Darlington School aim to encourage multisport athletes who experiment with many different activities and sports during their adolescent years. Although our programs will be competitive, we are first and foremost developmental programs that are focused on teaching student-athletes to respect the training, dedicate themselves to a collective effort, and to be gracious in all outcomes. We strive to create passionate student-athletes who desire personal improvement, work hard, and love their sport(s).
Darlington School Mission Statement
To empower students to learn with passion, act with integrity, and serve with respect.
Darlington School Athletics Mission Statement
To enable students to compete with passion, act with the highest regard for sportsmanship, and respect the opportunity to participate in athletics.
Sportsmanship at Darlington
Active support from fans is very important to student-athletes, the school, and the Darlington community. In order to ensure a safe and healthy environment at sporting events, please adhere to the following suggestions on being supportive as students, athletes, parents, and Darlington supporters.
Programs Offered Grades 6-8
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Male |
Female |
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Fall |
Football Cross Country |
Cheerleading Cross Country Softball Volleyball
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Winter |
Basketball Swimming Wrestling |
Basketball Swimming Cheerleading |
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Spring |
Golf Soccer Tennis Track & Field Baseball Lacrosse
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Golf Soccer Tennis Track & Field |
Darlington has made an effort to promote good sportsmanship by student-athletes, coaches, and spectators at all Darlington events. Profanity, degrading remarks, and intimidating actions directed at officials or competitors will not be tolerated. Student-athlete ejections from a game may result in penalties towards the athlete by the Athletic Director. We uphold Darlington's appropriate expectations for each athlete. All athletes should represent Darlington in an appropriate manner.
Locker Rooms
To ensure the health and safety of all student-athletes, while teaching them personal responsibility, it is the student-athletes duty to keep locker rooms clean and orderly both at Darlington and while visiting opponent schools. Each athlete will be assigned a locker in the Thatcher Hall locker rooms to store their belongings during events and practices during their season.
Facilities
Darlington School is very thankful for our exceptional facilities. Student-athletes, fans, and coaches should make every effort to take care of our fields and athletic spaces. Everyone should do their part to help keep our facilities in great shape for our student-athletes to enjoy. In addition, athletes should be conscious of leaving athletic spaces at other schools neat and orderly when they leave.
Personal Illness or Family Emergency
If a student-athlete is unable to attend a practice or event, please notify their coach immediately.
Multi-Sport Athletes
Darlington understands the importance of multi-sport athletes in Darlington’s small school setting. Therefore, we encourage, support, and allow students to participate in as many sports as they choose. If an athlete chooses to play more than one sport in a season, they must first have permission from the Athletic Director and all Head Coaches involved in order to plan accordingly. Multi-sport athletes should not begin a second season until their first season is complete and their uniform is turned in to their coach. Students who are still competing in a sport while their next season begins, will not be penalized and will be given the opportunity to join the team in-progress.
Class Attendance
Student-athletes who are absent for more than one half of the school day are not eligible to participate in extracurricular activities for that day. Students who leave school early for sickness are not eligible to participate or attend as a spectator in any afterschool activity that day. If a Darlington faculty member determines that a student should leave school (due to injury, sickness, etc.) the student is ineligible for any participation at the point they leave school.
Communication of Issues and Concerns
If a parent or student-athlete has any issues or concerns (related to transportation, spectators, players, officials, etc.), they should direct these issues to the Athletic Director and the Head Coach. For our programs to be proactive, issues and concerns should be communicated and addressed, either written or verbally, as soon as possible for immediate resolutions.
Inclement Weather
Events may be cancelled due to potential inclement weather. The AD and coaches will make every effort to notify participants in advance.
Lightning Disturbances
Heat-related Illness
https://www.ghsa.net/2020-practice-policy-heat-and-humidity
Game Day School & Travel Attire
Darlington athletic teams and coaches will distribute gear to student-athletes throughout their seasons. It is expected that this gear is well-maintained, kept up with, and respected. Parents are expected to wash the gear at-home after games. Once the season is over, student-athletes are required to return their uniform/gear to their coaches immediately.
On game days, Darlington allows students to wear their jersey or a team-issued shirt throughout the school day with approved uniform bottoms. Students are NOT allowed to wear hooded-sweatshirts to school.
Student-Athlete Requirements
Per FCAA rules, student-athletes are only eligible to compete in middle school athletics during six consecutive semesters.
Per Darlington rules, student-athletes are first and foremost students, therefore they must remain proactive and successful in the classroom before they are able to compete in athletic spaces. If a student is not maintaining our high academic standards, this could jeopardize their ability to participate with their team(s).
Students may be required to meet with an academic counselor, coach, and/or administrator to develop a plan to be successful in the classroom, while playing sports. If there is no academic progress shown, the student may be required to halt sports and focus on their academics for the time being.
Travel
When Darlington teams travel, we are always representing Darlington School. Darlington student-athletes and spectators should always be respectful of personnel from other schools, respect their property, and act in appropriate manners at all times.
Student-athletes should keep buses clean and neat. They must stay seated during bus rides and wear their seatbelts, if applicable. In order to ensure safe driving, student-athletes should be respectful and non-distracting while riding on Darlington buses.
Injury
If a student-athlete is seriously injured (concussion, break, etc.), he or she will need a doctor’s note to be cleared to continue with practice or games. The note should be turned in to their coach and/or the Athletic Director.
