CODE OF CONDUCT AND TEAM RULES/EXPECTATIONS FOR WRESTLING AND WRESTLING PE

 

 THE KNIGHTS CODE

1. The team comes first!!!  No wrestler is greater than the team.
2. We will not make excuses!!!
3. We will not blame others!!!
4. We will never quit!!!
5. We will lift each other up, not tear each other down!!!
6. We will display proper sportsmanship at all times!!!
7. We will give 100 percent effort at every practice, every dual meet, and every tournament!!!

DESIRED OUTCOMES

1. Enjoy the sport.
2. Develop a sense of responsibility, commitment, and teamwork within the team. The Wrestling Team belongs to all of us.  We all own it.  It’s an extension of our family.  With ownership comes the responsibility for its success.  The staff will stress that no individual is more important than the team.  Everyone is equal and must do their individual jobs to make the team successful.  With team success, individual success follows.  When one succeeds, we all succeed.  Each wrestler is responsible for him or herself as well as his or her teammates.
3. Develop solid wrestling skills.
4. Mentally and physically prepare for the rigors of wrestling.  Wrestling is a combat sport played within the confines of specific rules.  The quicker each wrestler understands this and develops this mindset, the better off he or she will be.  This is a hard sport that requires hard work.  Hard-nosed wrestling with intensity is expected.  We will encourage all wrestlers to wrestle hard and tough, but within the confines of the rules.  No one ever feels 100 percent during the wrestling season.  Soreness is common and should be expected.  The quicker everyone understands this, the better.
5. Compete at an elite level through hard work, discipline, and an unbending will to be the best.

EXPECTATIONS FOR THE WRESTLERS

Participation in high school wrestling is a privilege.  Accompanying that privilege is the responsibility of each wrestler to conform to the standards established by CIF, the San Marcos Unified School District, and San Marcos High School.  With this in mind, we expect the wrestlers to:

1. Have fun.
2. Have a positive attitude.
3. Represent the team and the school in a positive manner.  Do not do anything that would embarrass the school, the program, or each other.
4. Be on time for all practices, dual meets, and tournaments.  Wrestlers are expected to be fully dressed, on the mat and prepared to practice at the designated time.
5. Academics are Important!  You are students first!  You are expected to maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average.  Take your schoolwork with you to dual meets and tournaments.  
6. Wrestlers are expected to manage their time wisely.  Missing practice due to schoolwork means you did not manage your time wisely.  This will be considered an unexcused absence.
7. Work hard and give 100 percent at all times.  This is the building block for success.  If you don’t work hard you will not succeed as an individual.  Lack of success as individuals means a lack of success as a team.
8. Support your teammates.  Some kids are more skilled and developed than others.  Stronger and older wrestlers should encourage the younger wrestlers and help them improve.
9. Respect your coaches.  Inappropriate comments will not be tolerated.  Know the boundaries between athlete and coach.
10. Put the team ahead of yourself.
11. Communicate directly with the coaches.  This will help establish a positive line of communication between coach and wrestler.
12. There is a zero tolerance policy toward hazing.  Any wrestler caught hazing will removed from the team.

EXPECTATIONS FOR PARENTS

1. Have fun.
2. Help your wrestler understand the team comes before the individual.
3. Have realistic expectations of your child.
4. Stress punctuality to your wrestler.
5. Schedule appointments and vacations so they do not conflict with practices or games.
6. Support your wrestler.  If possible, be at the meets and tournaments for them.  Cheer them on and have a good time.
7. Let the coach’s coach.  The wrestling staff will coach your son or daughter.  This is your time to sit back in the stands and just be a cheerleader for the team and your wrestler.
8. Support the staff.  We are all in this together and are working for the same goal.
9. Act like an adult.  Do not argue or make negative comments to other parents, coaches, or officials.  Especially in front of the wrestlers.  It undermines the team, it’s embarrassing to the wrestlers, and it only makes the wrestler hate the sport.
10. If you have an issue that you would like to discuss with a coach, please do it before or after practice in a private setting.  Taking up an issue with a coach before or after a meet or tournament is never appropriate.  The coach's will be very busy and emotions often run high during this time and it is my experience that nothing productive comes from it.
11. The team’s success is determined by the involvement of everyone to make our kids experience a positive one.  If asked to help during a meet or tournament, please do.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM THE COACHING STAFF

1. We will have fun.
2. We will stress “The Team” concept above all else.
3. We will treat wrestlers with fairness, firmness, and respect.
4. We will be at tournaments and practices on time and be prepared to coach.
5. We will not degrade a wrestler.
6. We will constructively correct behavior that we feel is inappropriate.
7. We will teach safe and effective wrestling techniques.
8. We will praise good, hard-nosed wrestling.
9. We will not allow wrestlers to haze other wrestlers.
10. We will be professional at all times.
11. We will keep you informed about all issues as soon as we are given the information.
12. If the staff has issues with a wrestler, we will take it up with the wrestler and we will try to solve the issue internally.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Be very selective and use common sense when posting on social media.  Never post negative comments about our program or another wrestling program.  Stay positive at all times, and NEVER post anything that could prove embarrassing to the program, our school or our community.

 

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION BETWEEN COACHES, WRESTLERS AND PARENTS 

Electronic communication between coaches and wrestlers should always be of a professional nature.  Contact through social media between Coaches and Student Athletes is STRICTLY PROHIBITED.  Most communication should be done through the team’s email at smkwrestling@gmail.com.  Texting on a cell phone between Coaches and Student Athletes is STRICTLY PROHIBITED.  The only exception is when at an athletic event and a GROUP TEXT is generated between coaches and athletes notifying mat assignments.  Individual text between a single coach and a single athlete is NEVER acceptable and is STRICTLY PROHIBITED.  Personal phone calls between an Athlete and Coach is STRICTLY PROHIBITED.  Electronic communication should be conducted during regular business hours.  

Parents should refrain from texting coaches unless there is an emergency.  Parents should communicate through the team’s email or in person during regular business hours.       

 

TIME COMMITMENT/CONFLICTS/VACATIONS

Wrestling demands a great deal of time and effort.  The season runs from mid November through the first week in March. This includes the winter break period.  It is critical to the success of the team and the individual that every wrestler is present during the whole season.  A lengthy vacation in the middle of the season hurts the team as well as the individual.  If you plan on taking a two- or three-week vacation during the middle of the season, we recommend you not wrestle.  The coaching staff has made this commitment.  All we ask is that we get the same commitment in return.

 

WESTLING PE AND GRADING POLICY

1. All wrestlers at all levels are required to be in wrestling PE.
2. The Head Varsity Football Coach is aware of this and once football is over, he will allow football players who wrestle to come to wrestling PE.  The Varsity and JV sports PE classes are during the same period.
3. Freshman football players will need to officially change from freshman football PE to Wrestling PE at the break.
4. There are no exceptions to this policy as the majority of our practice is during PE.
5. Wrestling PE is designed for those on the WRESTLING TEAM ONLY.  It is not a general PE class.
6. Approval by the HEAD COACH is required.
7. Your grade in the wrestling PE class is based on your participation ON THE WRESTLING TEAM.  This includes attending all practices, tournaments, and dual meets.
8. If you quite the wrestling team during the DROP PERIOD, you will not be penalized.  
9. If you quite the wrestling team after the drop period, you CANNOT receive grade HIGHER than a C-.  

PRACTICE POLICY

1. Practice is Mandatory for all wrestlers.  Only the Head Coach has the authority to excuse a wrestler from practice (see smkwrestling.com for complete wrestling schedule).
2. Missing two practices for any reason during the week will result in the wrestler having to sit out the next competitive event.  A wrestler needs to prepare to compete.  Missing two days of practice prior to the event makes for a lack of preparation.  If a wrestler is too ill to practice then he is too ill to compete. 
3. Missing practice due to schoolwork shows a lack of proper time management on the wrestler’s part.  Missing practice because you have not managed your time is an unexcused absence.
4. An unexcused absence during the week will result in the wrestler having to sit out the next competitive event.  However, the wrestler will be required attend the event with the team.
5. More than three unexcused absences can result in expulsion from the team.
6. Being late to practice is unacceptable.  Wrestlers are expected to be fully dressed, on the mat and prepared to begin practice at the designated time.
7. A lack of effort or constant horseplay in practice will result in the wrestler being told to leave the practice room.
8. Multiple violations of the practice policy will result in expulsion from the team.

TOURNAMENT AND DUAL MEET POLICY

All wrestlers are required to attend all competitive events whether they are competing or not.  All wrestlers are expected to arrive on time.  All wrestlers will travel to and from the event with the team.  No wrestler will be allowed to leave early from a dual meet or tournament.

 

PROPER WRESTLING CLOTHING

All wrestlers are required to practice and attend events in approved San Marcos Wrestling Gear.  This includes the following:

1. San Marcos Wrestling shorts, shirts, Hoodies, sweatshirts, San Marcos HS approved PE uniform, San Marcos Wrestling PE uniform, non-descript navy blue shirts and shorts.  
2. No other gear should be worn from other schools or other colors.  
3. No clothing should be worn expressing social views or anything considered offensive.

HYGIENE

1. Infections are an issue in all sports.  Because of the close contact while wrestling, proper hygiene is critical.  All wrestlers will immediately shower after practice.  Skin checks are required every day before practice.  Any suspicious skin problem should immediately be reported to the coaching staff to avoid passing skin infections from one teammate to another.
2. Wrestlers are expected to wear clean workout gear to every practice.  They are expected to take used wrestling workout gear home after every practice.  No food, sweat pants, sweatshirts, or other dirty gear will be left over night in the wrestling room.  If it is it will be thrown away.
3. Use antibacterial soap every day.  Use a clean towel every day.  Use deodorant. 

WRESTLE OFFS 

All wrestlers who regularly attend practice will be allowed to wrestle off for their respective weight classes.  Wrestle offs will be conducted three times during the year.   A wrestler has to establish himself as the dominant wrestler in the weight class by winning 2 out of 3 matches.

 

CONFLICTS WITH OTHER SPORTS/EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

An individual who attempts to participate in too many extra-curricular activities will, undoubtedly, be in a position of conflict of obligations.  It is each wrestler’s responsibility to ensure these conflicts do not arise and affect the team in a negative manner.  Practice, dual meets, and tournaments are mandatory for all wrestlers.  It is the team policy that the wrestling team takes priority over any other extracurricular activity during the competitive wrestling season (November 9-March 1).  There are no exceptions!  If you cannot commit to this policy then do not wrestle.

 

 

Ryan Williams - Head Coach/Director of Wrestling Operations