PLAYER EXPECTATIONS
The opportunity to participate in the Camas basketball program is a great privilege and a responsibility. Players are representatives of not just themselves but the entire team and our larger community. Remember that everything players do says something about themselves, our team, and the school. Players should behave in a manner that shows respect for all people and property. We expect that players will conduct themselves with personal integrity and do nothing that is detrimental to themselves or the team. This expectation is in effect at all times and in all situations. Detention or referrals will automatically prevent a player from playing in the next game.
ACADEMICS
As the name implies, our “student athletes” are students first and should always prioritize their academics ahead of sports. Basketball is an EXTRAcurricular activity. The coaches believe that our student athletes create far more opportunities in life by taking full advantage of the educational opportunities provided at Camas High School than they can get through sports. Players are expected to be model students in the classroom. The expectations of our program are high and we demand excellence in all areas of our players’ lives.
We want our student athletes to have every opportunity available following their high school career and expect them to be in good academic standing. Our strong commitment to the educational process is highlighted in the following expectations for different levels of academic standing.
ACADEMIC
MONITORING
GPA below 3.0 or any classes with grades lower than a C.
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Players must attend after school conference period every day with a teacher or study hall with a coach.
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Players are penalized practice or playing time if they do not honor their commitment to conference period.
ACADEMIC
PROBATION
GPA below 2.0 or any
classes with an F.
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Players must attend after school conference period every day with a teacher or study hall with a coach.
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Players are required to attend practice but must study or complete homework in the gym during that time.
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Players are not allowed to attend games until their grades improve and probation is removed.
ATTENDANCE
Being a part of this team is a serious commitment. Practice is essential to our growth and everybody is relying on the attendance of their teammates to maximize our success over the course of the season. We need players to be on-time and ready to go for all team events.
COMMUNICATION: Athletes are personally responsible for communicating directly with their coach ahead of time if they know they will be late or absent. We expect that players should be able to notify coaches no later than noon on any day there is a schedule conflict. However, we appreciate knowing as early as possible in order to minimize the impact on the team.
TARDIES: We understand that there may be unavoidable circumstances that force a player to arrive late to team events. These may be excused if coaches are given advanced warning and players also provide a note from a parent or teacher that explains the situation when they arrive.
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Tardies should be a rare event and excessive tardiness may impact a player's role on the team.
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Arriving late to team events without a valid reason will not be excused. Players will be subject to consequences imposed by the team before they can participate in any team event.
ABSENCES: Absences may be excused when a player must miss practice due to certain academic and family obligations or unavoidable circumstances such as emergencies or illness. In these situations, the player must communicate with the coaches as early as possible. Absences also include when a player misses a significant portion of a team event (more than 15 minutes).
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If excused absences prevent a player from being fully prepared for the next game, they may experience a loss in playing time. This is not meant as a penalty.
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If players are absent for any other reason, it may result in a suspension for the next game. More than three unexcused absences may result in dismissal from the team.
To balance issues related to family vacations and game preparation, player safety, and fairness, players who miss team events due to family vacations will be expected to make up an equivalent number of team events upon their return. This could include any combination of practices or games.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE: Players are expected to be in attendance for all of their classes in order to be eligible for any team events later that day. For weekend events, school attendance on Friday determines a player’s eligibility. Any exceptions to this rule must be approved by the athletic office.
INJURIES: Players are expected to attend team events while injured and unable to play. They can still contribute from the sidelines and stay informed with what the team is learning while they heal. For their safety, we expect players to be cleared by a doctor or the school’s athletic trainer before rejoining practices or games.
TRAVEL: Players must travel to and from away games on the team bus. On game days, there will always be a player arrival time and a bus departure time.
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Players who are tardy for the arrival time will be subject to team-enforced consequences before they are eligible to play.
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The bus must leave at the scheduled time and will depart without players who have not arrived on time.
Parents can take their sons home by making personal contact with their team’s coach and signing them out. Players are generally expected to stay and support the other teams in the program and this request is subject to the coach’s discretion. Players may only leave with another adult if it has been pre-excused by the athletic office.
COMMUNICATION
The coaching staff believes in open communication between all members of the Camas basketball family (players, parents, and coaches). With most issues, it is our preference that players are the first individuals to approach the coaching staff with their concerns. We are trying to build trusting relationships with our players. We are also trying to prepare them for life beyond high school. It is important for these young men to learn how to take the initiative and advocate for themselves with authority figures. However, coaches are more than happy to speak with parents regarding any questions, concerns, or ideas provided it’s a respectful conversation at the appropriate time and place.
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We prefer to schedule in-person meetings to discuss any concerns. Please give us a quick email or phone call requesting a meeting along with a description of what you would like to talk about.
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We prefer to avoid speaking about concerns or other issues on game days. This includes all hours before and after the game.
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While we are open to discussing most topics, we don’t feel it’s appropriate to discuss other players on the team with parents. Meetings should focus on the parents, player, and coach.
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When we do meet with parents, we request that players also attend unless there are specific reasons requiring their absence.
Open communication includes observation. Parents are welcome to attend practices and appreciate the hard work invested by your sons. We only ask that you respect our process by maintaining your role as a silent observer from the upper gym balcony.
PLAYING TIME
Coaches will constantly evaluate student-athletes to determine playing time. While it is of great importance for us to ensure that every player has a great experience, the coaching staff must also make hard decisions that are best for the team. We will base our decisions on the following criteria that we believe helps us win basketball games:
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Which players are best representing program core values on and off the court?
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Which players possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to positively impact the game?
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Which players are the most prepared to execute our game plan?
Our primary goal at the freshman and junior varsity level is to develop our players for the next level of competition. This philosophy will be reflected by all players getting meaningful opportunities to play in games. These teams are still striving for victory and playing time is not equally distributed. Game situations and how well players demonstrate the above criteria during practices will all influence the amount of time earned.
Playing time at the varsity level is determined purely through merit and is not guaranteed. The players who are best able to contribute towards the team’s success will receive the most minutes. While the coaching staff seeks opportunities for every individual on the roster, some games may result in limited or no playing time. A player’s game time may vary over the course of the season based on their most recent efforts or contributions in practices.