Team Rules & Expectations

Practice Rules


Expectations: 
The swimmers must be on deck at 3:15 pm – this means equipment is ready, the pool is set up with lane lines, and team stretching has begun. If the swimmer arrives after the first set has been given, it will be considered a tardy. 

Attendance Policy:
We require that you attend every practice and swim meet the team has scheduled.  
The only reason to miss a practice or a game is because of an excused absence. 

Excused absences include:
  1. Sickness: which means you have not attended school that day. If you are not attending that day due to illness, or if you leave school early, please complete the Google form.
  2. Sickness (but attended school): In some cases, the athlete attends school but clearly isn’t healthy enough to attend practice; in those unique circumstances, practice is also excused, but Google form must be completed.
  3. Family Emergencies: the coach has been made aware of these situations
  4. Injury/Non Communicable Illness: If you are unable to participate in practice due to an injury, or ear infection, you still must attend practice and/or the meet. An alternate or modified workout will be designed for you if you are still able to be active.
You must communicate your absence with completing the Google for prior to the absence.
Each swimmer is permitted 3 Excused Absences.

Unexcused Absences Include:
  1. Missing a practice/meet without making the coach aware of your absence.
  2. A school detention causing a missed practice.
  3. Being suspended from school.
  4. Going home to do homework/study for a test.
  5. Taking make-up exams or getting extra help without prior knowledge from the coach.
  6. Vacation
If an Unexcused Absence occurs, the swimmer will sit out 1 competition, but will attend that competition.
Two unexcused absences may result in dismissal from the team.


Academics are a student’s first priority. Every student has the opportunity to receive additional help or use the library or study centers during their 2nd hour and study hall. Therefore, it is generally not acceptable for a swimmer to use practice time for these reasons. However, if a student is in a unique situation or has accommodations and needs to use practice time to make up an exam, they must give the coaching staff prior notice as well as a note from the teacher they took the exam with. NO note and/or prior notice equals an unexcused absence.

Tardies:
A swimmer must be prepared for practice every day at 3:20 pm as well as on both weekday and weekend Saturday mornings. If you are tardy 3 times for practices or meets, it is an unexcused absence. A fourth tardy equals a second unexcused absence, and may result in dismissal from the team.

General Rules


  1. Absolutely no food or drink in the locker room.
  2. You must lock your belongings and equipment in your locker. CSHS is not responsible for stolen items. Please lock your locker!!
  3. Pick up your towels and place them in the towel bins after practices and meets.
  4. Throughout a meet, the swimmers will remain on deck for diving competition and the divers will remain on deck for the swimming competition.
  5. No parents, friends, etc. are allowed on the deck at any time during a meet, unless they are specified meet workers.
  6. Phones should not be in use during practices or swim meets. Occasionally, there might be a photo op moment, take the picture and put the phone away. 
  7. No swimmers are allowed out of the pool area at any time during a swim meet. Swimmers may not meet their parents, friends, etc. out in the hallway to talk, nor may they use their phones or the vending machines. If a swimmer is found outside the locker room or pool areas, they may not swim in the rest of the meet. 
  8. All swimmers and divers will stay for the completion of the meet.
  9. All swimmers and divers are a part of a team. Therefore, they will support and cheer their team members on to success.
  10. Each week there will be a set-up and take-down team for pool equipment. These team members need to arrive 15 minutes prior to the meet warm-up and will stay approximately 10-15 minutes after the meet is over to take down the equipment. The teams will work on a rotating basis. No athletes can leave until the pool i sclean and the coaches release them. 
  11. Respect one another and your coaches.
  12. Swearing and obscene language is unacceptable.
  13. Behave Responsibly. You represent both yourself and Carl Sandburg High School.

Personal Responsibility

Code of Ethics
Before the start of our season the Athletic Department had you read and sign our Code of Ethics.  This document covers all of our rules in the areas of Attendance, Eligibility, the Illinois High School Association by-laws, and the use or possession of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.  Our program is bound to these rules and regulations and will honor and fully support any decision that the Athletic Department makes.  There will be zero tolerance for the use of any drugs, alcohol, or tobacco.
Note:  Any athlete who knowingly disregards or fails to act on a coach’s directive, or acts inappropriately (i.e. as stated in the Parent-Student Handbook) may be subject to suspension from the team.  The penalty will be determined by the head coach after consultation with the Athletic Director and/or Athletic Board.  The Athletic Board consists of the Principal and/or Associate Principal, Dean of Students, Athletic Director, and Athletic Coach.

Hazing/Bullying
D230 and the IHSA has zero tolerance for hazing and/or bullying, and thus, any behaviors that are interpreted as such will result in disciplinary action. According to the IHSA and D230, the policy reads as follows:

Soliciting, encouraging, aiding, or engaging in hazing is prohibited. "Hazing" means any intentional, knowing, or reckless act directed against a student for the purpose of being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization, club, or  athletic team whose members are or include other students. Bullying/verbal aggression includes that which would occur through social media and digital sources as well as inter-personal. 

One or more of the following disciplinary actions:  
1) Removal from the extra-curricular activity
2) Conference with parent/guardian
3) Referral to appropriate law enforcement agency  

Students engaging in hazing that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of another may also be subject to:  
1) Suspension for up to 10 days
2) Possible recommendation for expulsion

Academic Eligibility
The I.H.S.A. sets the standard for the eligibility of your daughter.  Eligibility is set on a weekly basis and is checked by our Athletic Director on each Wednesday.  It is at this time that eligibility is determined. The IHSA. rule states that your daughter must pass a minimum of twenty hours a week. That works out to passing at least 5 full credit courses.