This philosophy is the underlying basis to what we value. By modeling integrity, promoting respectful, fair and just behaviour to others and property we believe learning will occur and grow when these high expectations are set. We believe all people can and will learn and grow and be successful when high expectations are set.
Manning Aurora Composite recognizes that extracurricular athletics promotes sportsmanship, team building, good citizenship, high academic standards, and community responsibility. Extracurricular athletics provide an opportunity for students to explore their unique talents outside of the classroom setting. These activities demand a high level of commitment, excellence, and self motivation, which will help prepare students for the challenges they will meet outside the school community.
It is a privilege for students to participate in extracurricular athletics. Participation is voluntary and is not a requirement, nor an entitlement. Therefore, extra time and effort are required of those who participate.
Since the reputation of the school is often judged by its extra -curricular programs, high standards and good spirited competitions must be maintained. Those who earn the privilege of representing Manning Aurora Composite in extracurricular athletics are expected to accept greater responsibilities as school citizens. We expect all of our coaches, athletes and parents to conduct themselves in such manner to bring honour and respect to Manning Aurora Composite. The guidelines in this document are meant to work with Peace River School Division #10 policies. Participation in extracurricular athletics is open to all students provided they meet the general requirements as outlined in this handbook, and any requirements specific to the activity of their choice.
Manning Aurora Composite offers opportunities for students to participate at both the junior high and senior high level within the Alberta Schools Athletic Association and the North West Zone governed sports of
School staff will always have the first opportunity to coach a team. If needed community coaches are used. Community members are welcome to reach out to the Athletic Director about their interest in coaching. The final decision will be made by the Athletic Director and Principal.
All coaches must provide a Criminal Record Check and a Child Intervention check to the school. All coaches, both staff and community members must complete coaching courses. The list may be amended from time to time but currently included courses on safety and respect and on concussion management.
All gym usage shall be booked through the Athletic Director
League games and home tournaments have booking priority over practices
Junior teams have priority for after school practice times
Any activity under way shall have priority over the following season of play (e.g. volleyball over basketball)
There must be a coach or staff rep present at all practices and games.
Coaches and teams need to ensure they are leaving the gym in good condition. No garbage on the stage, extra belongings are put in the lost and found bin and equipment is put away properly.
Students must be in attendance in school on the day of a practice or game in order to participate in that practice or game. They must also be in school on the Friday preceding a weekend game/tournament that begins on Saturday. Legitimate reasons for an absence, which would allow a student to participate on the same day as the absence, are:
Legitimate reasons for absences must be communicated to the office in a timely manner.
Students who are absent from classes for a portion of the day due to illness are not eligible to participate for the remainder of that day/weekend.
Students must be in good standing in all classes. This means that they must be working diligently in class. Students on all school teams must also ensure that their academic performance as well as their behavior in school and their attendance is at acceptable levels. Furthermore, all course assignments must be complete and handed in and be considered up to date.
If a student is falling behind in their course studies, their teacher shall inform the Athletic Director. That student will receive one warning from the Coach or Athletic Director to get caught up on missing assignments. Failure to do so may result in one of the following consequences:
An athlete under suspension from school is also suspended from participation in extracurricular activities, until such time as the student has been reinstated to classes.
Manning Aurora Composite School participates in competitive leagues and tournaments. As such, there will be few, if any instances where playing time for each player on the team will be equal.
Playing time will be at the coach’s discretion!
MACS strongly encourages that fair playing time occurs at the Junior High level. Senior athletics are competitive. It is expected all players will have an opportunity to play in at least one tournament; however, the amount of playing time is at the coaches’ discretion given the game situation.
Student athletes are representatives and ambassadors of Manning Aurora Composite School, the community of Manning, and Peace River School Division.
Student athletes are expected to provide strong examples of leadership and citizenship both on and off the court/field of play, and both in and out of the classroom.
Regardless of when or where an athletic event occurs, it is a school sponsored activity. The use of tobacco, drugs, e-cigarettes (vaping), or alcohol is prohibited and consequences shall be strictly enforced.
If a student athlete does not conduct him or herself in a manner that reflects favorably on the school, the privilege of participation may be suspended or revoked by a Coach, the Athletic Director, or Principal.
Injury is a possibility in all school sports and all athletes need to understand the risks.
It is required that the student athlete or their parents indicate all medical conditions that could have an impact on the safety and well being of the athlete while at practice or in a game situation.
Any student injured on or off the field of play, and requiring medical attention, must present a note from a physician indicating when it that student is eligible to return to play.
Being a member of any school team is a privilege, which each athlete must earn. A key to earning that privilege is commitment to the team. Team success can only be achieved if all participants are committed. This type of commitment includes;
While it is acceptable for a student athlete to have a job, it is not reasonable to expect the coach to accept working as a legitimate reason for missing practice or a game.
MACS is a place where students should be able to go to feel safe and secure. Therefore, the Raiders' sports programs will not tolerate any form of bullying or cyber-bullying.
Bullying is defined as “an act of repeated aggressive behavior in order to intentionally hurt another person, physically or mentally. Bullying is characterized by an individual behaving in a certain way to gain power over another person.”
Acts that will be considered bullying include:
Any bullying that is witnessed by a staff member/coach, or has been shown to take place may result in the following punitive actions taken:
Any of the above actions can be applied at any time as warranted by the action triggering it, or multiple occurrences of the same offense as determined by the Coach, Athletic Director and/or Principal.
Hazing or negative initiation activities are considered to be an act of bullying and as such prohibited by Manning Aurora Composite School. The planning, initiation of, or participation in such activities shall be dealt with under the behavioral expectation of Raiders Athletics and may lead to suspension or removal from a team and/or school.
The above Athlete Code of Conduct was created in accordance with the following PRSSD Administrative Procedures:
AP 146 Responsible Use of Social Media
AP 352 Student Harassment and Bullying
AP 356 Alcohol, Restricted and Illicit Drug use by Students
Complete the form linked below indicating that you have read this page and are prepared to follow and respect the guidelines as laid out. Students will not be allowed to compete until the form is completed.
The following guidelines are to be considered a code of conduct for Manning Aurora Composite School coaching staff.
The Coach is foremost a teacher. The chief objectives of school athletics are to build leaders and to develop athletic skills. Winning games is secondary to these objectives. Coaches who do not make a positive contribution to the total educational process are not meeting their obligations.
Manning Aurora Composite School coaches are required to follow the "RULE OF TWO" when having one on one conversations with athletes. Following the Rule of Two means that any one-on-one interaction between a coach and an athlete, both on and off of the field of play, must take place within earshot and view of a second coach, adult or the team, with the exception of medical emergencies. One of the adults should be of the same gender as the athlete.
The Coach should be diligent in attention to routine details. This includes getting in all reports when due, keeping necessary records, phoning in results, and forwarding any receipts when required.
The Coach should instill in the team an attitude of sportsmanship on and off the court, during the game and afterwards, in school and out.
The Coach should use acceptable language at all times. Vulgarity and profanity have no place on the athletic field or court, in the gym or in the classroom.
The Coach shall not use alcohol or non-prescription drugs in any form while with the team.
The Coach should, when faced with unpredicted disciplinary situations, let the common law prevail. Situations are to be assessed on a rational basis.
The Coach should accept the responsibility as a counselor to the athletes under her/his direction. The coach is in a unique position among all teaching staff in the relationship with the students. Many students complete their high school program because of, on part, of their interest in athletic participation and the influence of the coach. In this way, the coach can play a major role in the problems now confronting high schools in drop-out rates and related issues.
The Coach should be mindful of their position of guardianship entrusted by the athletes and their parents. While acting as a counselor to the athletes, there must also be a necessary social separation, so that over-familiarity or impropriety does not occur or is not perceived to have occurred.
The Coach should work to instill with their players respect for the officials and establish that they alone shall discuss aspects of the game with the officials.
The Coach will respect the rights and feelings of other coaches and will never use tactics that take unfair advantage of others. The coach should be friendly and courteous at all times and never argue with an opposing coach in front of the team or spectators.
The Coach should teach the team to be respectful of and friendly towards opponents.
It is in the best interests of the student athletes to have coaches who are well trained. In support of this, coaches will be reimbursed (in whole or in part) for registration in approved professional development activities that are directly related to their coaching assignment. Approval will be made by the Athletic Director, in consultation with the Principal, and must be supported by receipts.
All activities are open to all students at Manning Aurora Composite School who meet the requirements of grade, gender, and general eligibility.
Coaches must conduct an open tryout and may not make final cuts until after the second practice after the conclusion of the preceding activity.
Final selections should be based on attitude, coachability, and skill.
Once the team has been selected, the coach must promptly submit a roster to the Athletic Director.
If there is enough interest to form two teams the first team with consist of Grade 8 and 9 students and the second team will consist of grade 7 and 8 students.
The Grade 8/9 team will be entered into leagues as an 'A' level team, compete in 2 or 3 tournaments and will represent the school at districts and/or zones.
The Grade 7/8 team may be entered into leagues as either an 'A' or 'B' level, based on ability, and compete in 1 or 2 tournaments.
All practices will be scheduled by the Athletic Director.
A change, addition, or cancellation to a game or practice should be made with as much advance notice as possible. Such changes may affect player and parent commitments and may have an effect on other teams.
Manning Aurora Composite School participates in competitive tournaments. As such, there will be few, if any instances, where playing time for each player on the team will be equal. The amount of playing time may vary from game to game, or from week to week. Neither the player’s grade nor prior years of playing experience will be a factor in determining playing time.
During the regular season, coaches are encouraged to consider the following recommendations for minimum playing time for athletes, but ultimately decisions regarding playing time shall be at the discretion of the coach.
Junior B ............................................... approximately 50%
Junior A................................................ approximately 30%
Senior JV ..............................................approximately 40%
Senior Varsity........................................ approximately 20%
For zone and provincial playoffs there are no recommendations.
Clear communication between coach and player, player and parent, parent and coach, and between players is critical to avoid misunderstanding. This communication can be initiated and maintained in a number of ways:
It is at times necessary for student athletes to be absent from classes, or to be released from the last class of the day prior to the end of the class. In these instances, coaches are required to provide notice to all school staff through the staff rep.
The notice may take the form of a hard copy to be distributed to all staff members or an e-mail to all staff members. The notice should be provided as early as possible, and must contain the following;
From time to time issues may arise from decisions made by the ASAA or the NWASAA zone or other body. Neither the zone or the province will respond if the complaint or appeal does not come from the school (Athletic Director or Administration).
If there are any complaints or issues regarding the zone this form must be submitted. The Athletic Director along with administration will determine the next steps to be taken.
The budget will be completed by the Athletic Director prior to the start of the season
Coaches are required to provide the Athletic Director with their picks for award winners within two weeks of the season ending.
Large teams may select 3 winners, small teams may select 1 winner. Winners can be from any of the 3 categories, but may not exceed the team limit.
The categories are:
The following are the only banners that will be hung in the gym
The school will not purchase banners for league champions or zone participants.
Complete the form linked below indicating that you have read this page and are prepared to follow and respect the guidelines as laid out. Students will not be allowed to complete until all coaching staff have completed this form.
Parents are integral part of the Athletic Program at Manning Aurora Composite School. As a part of the Raider program, we ask that you agree to the following:
As your son or daughter becomes involved in the sports programs at Manning Aurora Composite School he/she will experience some of the most rewarding moments in their high school career. It is important to understand however that there will be times when things do not go the way you or your son/daughter wish. At these times, discussion with the coach is encouraged.
We ask that that parents follow the 24 hour rule:
It is difficult to accept your child’s not playing as much as you or they may hope. Coaches make judgment decisions based on what they believe to be the best for all students involved. While there are certain things that should be discussed with your child’s coach, however there are also certain things that should not be discussed. Those decisions will be left to the coach’s discretion.
These are issues not appropriate to discuss with coaches:
There are situations that may require a conference between the coach and the parent. These are to be encouraged but the following procedures should be followed to help promote a resolution to the issue of concern:
If you are not satisfied with the resolution of the meeting, the next steps are to:
The coaches at Manning Aurora Composite School recognize the importance of extra-curricular activities. We provide a program that strives to provide your child with a positive and meaningful experience.
From time to time issues may arise from decisions made by the ASAA, the NWASAA zone or some other body. Neither the zone or the province will respond if the complain or appeal does not come from the school (Athletic Director or Administration).
If there are any complaints or issues regarding the zone a form must be submitted. The Athletic Director along with administration will determine the next steps to be taken.
Complete the form linked below indicating that you have read this page and are prepared to follow and respect the guidelines as laid out. Students will not be allowed to complete until the form is completed.
Players can expect to pay the full amount approved by school council. Every effort will be made to ensure it is as reasonable as possible, following the budget the Athletic Director creates.
Volleyball - October 1
Basketball - Last day of school before Christmas Break
Cross country, golf, curling, badminton, track and field - as soon as costs are determined
**Any player that does not pay by the deadline will not be allowed to play in tournament or league games until it is paid in full.**
Extenuating circumstances will be considered on a case by case basis. Students in this situation must talk to the Athletic Director prior to the payment deadline.
A full refund will be given if the athlete quits within 2 weeks of the start of season - minus $50.00, kept to cover insurance and registration expenses.
If a player quits after the first 2 weeks but before the half way mark of the season of play a refund of half the fee paid, minus $50.00, will be given.
There will be no refunds after the half way mark of the season.
Injuries or extenuating circumstances will be dealt with on a case by case. Must be discussed with and approved by Athletic Director and Administration
For teams qualifying for provincials an additional $50.00 per athlete will be collected if there are not enough funds remaining in the team account to pay for registration fees and coach/staff rep accommodation.
All other fees are the responsibility of players.
To become a Registered Volunteer Driver, drivers must complete the following
AP 260 - Off-site Trips, Excursions and Activities
AP 563 - Transportation for Off Site Excursions
Decisions regarding the suspension and resumption of practices or contests and/or travel to games/tournaments will be based on the following guidelines:
In the event PRSD Transportation Department has cancelled busses in the area of Manning, no Manning Aurora Composite School teams will be allowed to travel to or hold games or tournaments.
In the event of weather where the Principal, Athletic Director, or Team Coach feels the weather is not conducive to safe travel, they shall cancel travel to away games.
Parents have the rights to approach the Athletic Director or Team Coach with their concerns regarding the weather conditions. The Athletic Director and Team Coach are encouraged to take these concerns into account when making the decisions to travel.
If a Manning Aurora Composite School team is stranded by a blizzard or severe weather while at a game or tournament, the team will stay in suitable accommodations while waiting out the storm. Decision to travel will always be based on the safety of all involved. Cost for these accommodations will first be deducted from the team's fees account and then the school will assist with the rest.