Heat Participation Agreement

Section 1 – Statement of Purpose:

The Tennessee Heat is a Christian home school organization prayerfully established to encourage and support the teaching of Christian ethics and the building of Christian character through participation in Christ-centered extracurricular activities related to athletics.

Section 2 – Academic and Eligibility Requirements for Athletes

  • High school athletes must not turn 19 before August 1 of the upcoming school year.
  • Middle school athletes must not turn 15 before August 1 of the upcoming school year.
  • Athletes must maintain a “C” or 2.0 average in school in order to participate.
  • Parents/Athletes must complete online Player-Parent Participation Form.
  • Athlete must not be enrolled in another public or private school.
  • Athlete must not have graduated from high school.
  • Athlete cannot be enrolled full time in college.

Section 3 – Required Paperwork:

The following registration/documentation will be required before athlete participates in any competition/match/game:

Section 4 – Parent/Athlete/Fan Competitive Event Expectations:

At all Heat competitive events, parents/athletes/fans are required to exhibit positive, encouraging behavior towards officials/referees/umpires, the opposing team’s athletes, coaches, and their fans.  Acceptable behavior includes loud, positive cheers and encouraging remarks supporting our athletes and coaches.  Derogatory remarks or harassment directed to officials/referees/umpires, the opposing team’s athletes, coaches, and their fans will not be allowed.  Heat families, should make guests that they may bring or invite aware of this policy and be responsible for their cooperation.  Officials/referees/umpires are authorized under High School and Middle School rules to remove any fan or parent from the field or gym for rude or disruptive behavior whether or not they have been warned by a Heat representative.  The Heat should be known for its competitive teams, encouraging presence, enthusiastic supporters and positive behavior.

Section 5 – Parents/Guardians Rights and Responsibilities:

The Heat athletic teams are not connected to any recreational or park leagues, but are involved in competitive school athletics.  No guarantee of playing time is implied or promised for any athlete/participant because they are selected for a team.  Coaches have the complete discretion as to whom they play and how much playing time a player receives based on their judgment of circumstances, athlete readiness, practice, athlete maturity, skill, cooperation, effort and other factors.

All coaching decisions are made by the coach, therefore, all discussion on coaching issues should be taken up first with the coach.  Parents should encourage their child to address the coach directly concerning any issues.  Parents must be encouraging and supportive of their child and counsel them to maintain a good attitude, continue to work hard and be patient.   This teaches them to take initiative, accept responsibility, and respect authority.  Parents agree not to interfere with the coaches or athletes during games or practices.  Continued parental interference may result in your child being removed from the team.

If a parent feels a problem has occurred during a game, discussion concerning it should take place the day after the game over the phone or in a meeting that is set up with the coach.  It should never take place immediately after a game.  Approaching the coach after a game in a negative or corrective way may result in the athlete’s suspension or removal from the team.    If a parent finds the coach to be unresponsive or is dissatisfied with the coach’s final decision on a matter, they can request to meet with the coach and the Heat Sport Liaison for the sport for reconsideration of this issue.  Should a parent still find the decision of the coach and the Sport Liaison dissatisfactory, the final option is to make an appeal to the Heat Board of Directors. Should the acting Head Coach of the sport in question or the parent of the athlete in question also be serving on the Board of Directors, said Head Coach or parent will recuse themselves from participating in the final decision of the Board.  The decision of the Heat Board of Directors will be final on the matter and parents and athletes will be expected to accept this decision or remove themselves from Heat Sports.  The parent should in no case discuss any problems or complaints with other parents or fans and certainly should not be talking negatively toward any of the Heat athletes or coaches.  This type of conversation would be nothing but destructive to the program and is grounds for suspension or removal of the athlete from the team.

Parents/Guardians agree to use social media (including texting or sending photo’s/video’s) in a way that is positive and reflective of Christ-like behavior.  This includes not using the Heat name or brand on social media sights in a negative way or establishing any pages or posts that could appear to be run by or established by the Heat organization.

All parents are required and expected to participate and serve in accordance with the expectations of the coach of each respective team as the coach deems necessary.  Failure to do so could result in the athlete’s removal from the team.

Section 6 – Athlete Code of Conduct:

Athlete conduct and behavior (on/off the field/court) will be that of a young man/woman of God.  It is expected that athletes will conduct themselves in a way that reflects Christ in all they say and do.  They will encourage and use words to build up all of their teammates, coaches, opponents, officials and fans.   Athletes will refrain from smoking, the use of tobacco products, drinking, drug-use, cursing, immodest or offensive clothing, fighting, gossiping, or any other questionable behavior.  They agree to submit to a random drug test, paid by the athlete’s parent, should the coach and the Heat Board deem it necessary (parents will be notified first).  Athletes agree to use social media (including texting or sending photo’s/video’s) in a way that is positive and reflective of Christ-like behavior.  This includes not using the Heat name or brand on social media sights in a negative way or establishing any pages or posts that could appear to be run by or established by the Heat organization.  Unexcused or excessive tardiness/absences may result in, but not be limited to sitting the bench at practices and games, being suspended, or removed from the team.  Attitudes and behaviors that do not unify the team, promote teamwork/dedication/commitment are subject to the above mentioned consequences.

Athlete also agrees to not treat games or practices as dating events.  No boyfriends or girlfriends will be allowed to sit together before or after games at the gym or field.  Heat teams should sit together as they watch games prior to, or after their own game.  This promotes team unity.  Boyfriends or girlfriends will not be allowed to attend any practices for any of the Heat sports/programs.  This is a time set aside for focused instruction and team building.

Section 7 – Coaches Rights:

All Heat coaches have been prayerfully selected and invited to lead their respective sports team by the Heat Board of Directors.  Therefore, all Heat coaches have the follow rights:

  1. To play or not play who he/she sees fit.
  2. To add team rules that may not be in this handbook.
  3. To lay down penalties that he/she sees fit to their athletes and team.
  4. To motivate, correct or instruct their athletes and team within his/her coaching style.
  5. To coach his/her team without any parental interference.
  6. To cut any athletes that may not be prepared or equipped to participate at a High School or Middle School level.