Player Manual

2017Remember,

This is Burke.

The following player’s manual has been constructed as an aid to members of the Burke High School Girl’s

I only ask this of you. I won’t tell you off if you misplace a pass, or miss a header that costs us a goal, as long as I know you are giving 100 percent. I could forgive you any mistake, but I won’t forgive you if you don’t give your heart and soul to Burke. When we have the ball, we can’t lose it. When that happens, run and get it back.

That is it basically.

-Borrowed and adapted to Burke from Pep Guardiola’s first speech to FC Barcelona

Philosophy

The philosophy of the Girl’s Soccer Program encompasses many things. Our first goal is to live up to the standards set in the Burke High School motto, Loyalty, Integrity, & Honor. In doing so, we hope to create and maintain a winning attitude through teaching young women the value of leadership, teamwork, discipline, toughness (mental & physical), and self-sacrifice.All of this will be integrated into a competitive environment. You will compete against yourself, your teammates and your opponents. We hope each young woman will a have a positive experience and develop a sense of pride in Burke High School.

We will teach you to make good decisions.

We will teach to you not be afraid to fail.

We will teach you character through winning and more importantly, through losing.

We will teach you to have a competitive drive on and off the field.

Keys to Success

CompeteitionWe will compete every day against opponents, teammates and ourselves. Competition is not just a part of athletics, but of life. Those who are unwilling to compete at all times, no matter how small the reward, will have a difficult time making it in athletics or in life.
Hustle- “Good things come to those who wait, but only the things left behind by those who hustle.” -Larry Jacobsen

Hustling must become a mentality for us if we are to be successful. Whether it is on the training ground, in the weight room, or on the match field, we must always strive to get the very most out of our time there. The most efficient way to do this is by hustling all the time.

Tradition- The Burke High Girl’s Soccer Program was forged long before any of you were born and will continue to thrive long after you graduate. Remember we are playing not only for Burke 2017 students and staff, but for Burke 1963 and every class since then. Take the time to look at the pictures in the Hall of Fame and the banners in the gym and remember who and what we represent. “To become truly great, you must be willing to fight for something bigger than yourself.” –Dean Smith
Team- "A team above all, above all a team."We must be willing to work together to achieve our goals. We cannot afford to rely on individual talents. Burke athletic teams pride themselves on playing hard as a team and the Girl’s Soccer Program will be no different. You must be willing to put the team before yourself or you will have no place in the program.

Behavioral Expectations

Remember, your actions represent the entire Girl’s Soccer Program. Unacceptable behaviors, whether on or off the field, will not be tolerated in any way, shape, or form. You are responsible for your own actions. Do not allow negative attitudes or peer pressure to jeopardize your future in the Girl’s Soccer Program. There are multitudes of distractions out there. Being a student-athlete in 2017is not easy. Student-athletes may not be able to do all the things their friends do. It takes a special person to be a successful student-athlete.

Be on time! (There is no good excuse for being late.)

Do not miss school.
If you skip a class or are tardy to a class on a non-game day, you will have sprints for every minute you missed.
If you skip a class or are tardy to a class on a game day, you will lose playing time for every minute of class you missed.
If you serve a detention for any reason during the season, you will sit out a full game
Work hard on your own without having to have someone looking over your shoulder all the time.
Do not be a troublemaker on the field, in the classroom, in the lunchroom, etc. (Teachers & students love to tattle on athletes!)
Have a positive attitude towards education, the staff, the administration, the facilities, and the student body.
Be willing to accept any role in order to benefit the team. (e.g. starter, 12th Man, training player, etc.)

Team Rules

Any successful organization has rules that govern it; the Girl’s Soccer Program is no different. Adherence to these rules is mandatory for all members of the program at all times. All of the rules that appear below are to be followed not only during practices and games, but when not at soccer related events as well.

Training Sessions

No foul language.

Adults will be referred to as “Mr./Ms. (last name),” or “Coach (last name).”

If you are unable to train due to injury or illness you are still expected to attend training sessions.

If you cannot attend training, YOU must personally contact Coach Anderson at

402-676-6112, Coach Heida at 402-209-0164, or Coach Queen at 402-312-3362.

You must call/text before the scheduled training time. Sprints and/or missed playing time will be
administered for breaking this rule!

Absence from a training session may only be excused with proper calling procedure.

We train in all weather conditions. Do not ever assume practice has been cancelled unless told so directly by a coach or office announcement.

Player cell phones should NOT be out during practices or during games (even on the bench).

If you need to see the trainer for taping, ultrasound, etc. allow time before practice, so you will not be late for training. No excuses!

Remove muddy shoes before entering the building. Never clean shoes by banging them on the walls of the building.

Mentally prepare yourself to train at your highest level everyday. The only way to get better is to practice as if you are playing in a game.

Walking or sitting is not permitted on the training ground unless instructed to do so by a coach.

If you are sent in from training due to a poor attitude or a lack of effort or choose to leave training, you will be subject to, but not limited to, extra conditioning and/or suspension.

If you “skip” practice with no prior notification you will be suspended from the next match and are subject to further disciplinary measures. (see attendance policies)
Proper equipment will be worn to training everyday (e.g. shinguards, cleated soccer shoes, training apparel, etc.) Without proper training attire, no practice.
No jewelry of any kind is to be worn during training or games(e.g. necklaces, earrings, watches, etc.).

NSAA ATHLETIC BYLAWS RULE 4.2.4:

Jewelry shall not be worn except for religious or medical medals.
a. a religious medal must be taped and worn under the uniform
b. a medical alert must be taped and may be visable.

No apparel bearing any club name or logo is permitted at training sessions..

NSAA ATHLETIC BYLAWS RULE 3.5.1:

Any student who participates in any athletic contest other than as a representative of his/her high
school during the season of the sport involved becomes inelligible to represent his/her school in that
sport for one or more contests or the remainder of the season.

Social Media

Behave as if the reputation of your teammates, coaches and Burke itself hinge on your actions.
Act appropriately on SOCIAL MEDIA – What happens in cyberspace, stays in cyberspace, FOREVER. It does not go away. Think before you post. It doesn’t matter if you’re in season or not, it can affect your entire life. Most college and university coaches will take away scholarship offers based on social media posts and activities. And MOST serious employers will look at your social media history before offering a job. I am not asking you to stay off of social media, but be appropriate and positive for Burke at all times.

There will be consequences if issues arise from misuse of social media.

Criticism

There will be times when each player will be criticized by a member of the coaching staff. Criticism will always be constructive in nature and will emanate only from the coaching staff. The key to making criticism a positive aspect of training is to not take criticism as a personal attack, but instead feel as though it is a coach taking a specific interest in a player’s progress and attempting to aid the player become better as an individual and as part of the team. Those who immediately begin pouting and lose confidence after receiving criticism will have a difficult time being a positive member of the program.

Competition

We will compete at all times. A huge issue in girl’s soccer can be a lack of competition and intensity at practice. It is easy to get up for games, but it doesn’t always happen in practice. It is okay to compete against friends. There is always room for improvement for ANY player. When you compete at your highest level, you will get better and you will force your teammates to get better. We will be keeping stats at almost every chance we get. These stats will be posted throughout the season. This includes practices as well as games.

“ I will never be perfect, but I can be better.” - Anonymous

Games

Players not dressing for Varsity matches are strongly encouraged to attend matches.
Non-dressing players may often have other match related duties that will be listed on the board (e.g. video taping, statistics, etc.).

Varsity players are encouraged to attend Junior Varsity matches.

Only dressed players, injured/ill players, and those performing special duties will be allowed in the bench area.

Players are to keep all equipment on until entering the locker room after the match unless told to do otherwise by a coach or trainer.

Once on the field warming up, players will wear either their match top or team warm-up.

Players not in the match are to remain focused while on the bench.

Positive encouragement only from the bench.
Tired Signal: If at any time during a game you become fatigued to the point where it affects your ability to perform at your highest level, signal to the bench by tapping the top of your head. We will substitute for you as quickly as possible (until you can be subbed for it is always better to concentrate your remaining energy more defensively than offensively). When a player requests to be substituted by signaling to the bench she retains the right to reinsert herself back into the line-up when she feels recuperated. This is done by telling the coaches she is ready to go back in, receiving necessary instructions, and then reporting to the scorer’s table.
Any time a player is substituted she is expected to run off the field and the substitute is expected to run on the field.
When a player is substituted for everyone on the bench will stand as the player leaves the field to acknowledge their effort.
Any player receiving a red card for descent, unsportsmanlike conduct, or a malicious act will be suspended for the next game (state mandated). In addition, there will be an additional one game suspension for team discipline not to be served simultaneously but consecutively.
Any player receiving a second red card for descent, unsportsmanlike conduct, or a malicious act will be immediately dismissed from the team. We MUST be in the business of representing Burke in the best light possible and any behavior that suggests otherwise will NOT be tolerated.
While on the bus for away games all players will be sitting down, not talking, and focusing on the upcoming game. If you like to listen to music you may; however, it must only be at a level on your headphones that you can hear it and not others. This is a good time to start mentally preparing for the game. Bus behavior is mandatory!

Commitment

Being part of a varsity athletic program is a big commitment. The expectations of coaches, teammates, teachers, and peers can seem overwhelming at times. Therefore, it is important for players to arrange their priorities properly. Below is a list (in order of importance) of priorities for high school student-athletes in the soccer program.

Family
Religion
School
Soccer
Friends

Evaluation

In order to maintain a certain level of intensity and quality in both training and matches, squad selection is a necessity. There are many factors that enter into the selection process. As a coaching staff we realize each athlete’s desire to be a part of the Varsity program and are sympathetic to the disappointment involved with not being selected. There are ways to earn a spot on the Varsity team. The majority of the evaluation process is subjective. Subjective evaluations are primarily based on the coaching staff’s opinions. The coaching staff is made up of professionals who have been hired for their expertise in making these types of decisions. You will meet with the coaches at least once a season to set goals. These should be personal goals and will vary greatly from player to player.

Lettering Requirements

To earn a Varsity letter you must finish the year in good standing and meet one of the following criteria.

Participate in 12 regular season halves.

Participate in 2 district tournament halves.

Participate in a State Tournament match.

Academic Requirements

The Soccer Program adheres to the Burke High School established rules for Academic/Athletic standards. (See Student Handbook for questions) In addition to the rules in the Student Handbook, no player will play in any game if she is failing more than one class at the time of grade checks until the F/F’s are brought up to passing. Starting with the class of 2018, athletes will be ineligible for 2 weeks, if at any time you are found to be failing any course. Any member of the team who is found to be failing any number of classes will be required to attend the Wednesday night study sessions with Ms. Little. No exceptions! Remember you are a STUDENT/Athlete.The actual OPS guidelines can be found on

Schedules/Information
Please constantly check the team website for any updates to practice and game schedules:

TWITTER: @burkegirlssoccr

REMIND APP : ALL players and parents are asked to join this group.

It is the way we will be communicating the most news besides posting on the website

remind.com/join/burkegi

Some Saturday practices may be necessary, especially during the pre-season and in preparation for the District and State Tournaments. Schedules for these will be given as soon as possible. Please also understand that we practice and WILL have games during Spring Break. As a spring sports athelete you are expected to give up that vacation time in order to prepare as a team to create the best product we can. Those early days are CRUCIAL to the development of our teams, I expect 100% attendance during Spring Break.

The Burke High School Girl’s Soccer Program will operate under the rules as described in the Bulldog Player’s Manual, Burke High Athletic Code, and the Code of Conduct set up by the Omaha Public Schools. All participants in the soccer program are responsible for their own conduct. Any violation of the rules will be acted upon as described in the Player’s Manual and the Code of Conduct. Any athlete refusing to abide by the above rules will be suspended from participation until she chooses to do so.

Athlete’s Signature: ______Date: ______

Parent’s Signature ______Date: ______

Please check this box if you agree to allow your daughter’s photo to be posted on the team website and twitter account.