Participation in extracurricular activities is encouraged. It is also a privilege. Scholar athletes are expected to focus on school first and then athletics. It is recommended that scholar athletes dress professionally on game days. In addition, the following guidelines are in place to avoid conflicts and/or problems: 

1. While traveling, scholars must follow all school rules and demonstrate respectful behavior toward teammates, coaches, officials, and host schools. Any inappropriate conduct during travel will result in disciplinary action, up to and including, suspension from future competitions, removal from the team, and/or prohibition from traveling the remainder of the school year. 

2. Missing practice can be a cause for suspension from participation and may include multiple games, matches, meets, or performances. This does not include missing games due to injury, illness, or family emergencies cleared with the athletic director and coach.  

3. Games missed due to suspensions for behavioral problems will not be excused. These include mandatory suspensions due to infractions of WHS, team, or UHSAA rules. 

4. The Athletic Director, athletic coaches, music directors, and other activity advisors may add to these rules, but the rules must be written and outlined before the season or activity and approved by the principal. 

5. Participants are obligated to follow the requirements and conditions in the Scholar Handbook at all school activities and at all other times and places. Inappropriate behavior, as described below that results in a Referral or Aspire Behavior Infraction, will lead to the loss of participation privileges. Some infractions are listed below: 

1. Insolence, or disrespect, to a WHS staff member. 

2. Sluffing classes or activities, such as assemblies. 

3. Rowdy, disruptive in, or around, campus or activities. 

4. Theft of any kind on the school campus or at any school activity. 

5. Destroying, defacing, or vandalizing WHS property or another school’s property. 

6. The use of alcohol, marijuana, vaping, tobacco, and/or other drugs. 

7. Leaving with an unauthorized adult, or leaving without notifying the coach, director, or advisor. 

6. Penalties may include possible loss of eligibility and suspension from the team for the remainder of the season. A scholar athlete is in violation of the above training rules upon verification by the coaching staff or principal. Violations and subsequent action must be reported to the athletic director within 24 hours. The current head coach handles violations. After the athletic director is informed, an administrator contacts the parents notifying them of the violation and action taken. Any scholar athlete penalized for violation of this code and/or training rules is entitled to a fair hearing, if requested by the parent within five (5) days. The principal will meet with all affected parties (scholar athlete, parents, coach, athletic director, etc.) and render a written decision within three (3) days. 

7. The consequence for a deficient eligibility check is the loss of the privilege of traveling, participating, or performing/playing until the participant meets eligibility requirements. 

8. All scholar athletes must have a physical check-up, along with parent approval for medical assistance if needed, documented in Register My Athlete PRIOR TO starting practice. 

9. To eliminate distraction during all athletic/club/musical practices, no outside visitors (including parents, family members, friends, etc) may visit the team during practice. All practices, including those during Winter Break, are closed practices. 

10. Scholars must attend school on the day of the event.  

11. Scholars must either pay the associated cost of participating, according to School Board approved Spend Plans, OR apply for a Fee Waiver. 

Attendance at athletic events is strongly encouraged. Behavior should reflect good sportsmanship as outlined by the UHSAA. Inappropriate behavior, language, and/or gestures by athletes, cheerleaders, scholars, parents, or fans from WHS or any other school, is not tolerated. People who violate sportsmanship expectations will be warned and then removed from the facility if the poor behavior continues. 

Earning a varsity letter is a major accomplishment in the world of athletics. A varsity letter is evidence that you excelled, not only on the playing field or court, but also in the classroom. Criteria is as follows: 

Academic: A scholar athlete must pass all quarter eligibility checks per UHSAA guidelines. 

Attendance: Maintain excellent attendance at school (during season & off season). 

Behavioral: No major behavior referrals to the Front Office (during season & off season). 

Performance: A scholar athlete must make the varsity team. (Each coach may provide unique criteria for their sport.) Scholar athletes will be awarded their varsity letter and pins for their sport, where they have met the above requirements, at the end of the season.   

Expectations for scholar athletes/participants and parents will be explained in a beginning of the season parent meeting. Parents and scholar athletes/participants will be provided (in writing) the rules, regulations, and expectations of the sport/activity, including philosophy, purpose, goals, objectives, costs, and time responsibilities/commitments. This document is called the disclosure. Parents will also be given access to the UHSAA Bylaws and review the WHS Behavior Contract found in this Handbook. There will be a question/answer opportunity and the schedule of 

games/events and practices will be provided. Participants may not participate in any contest until the parent has met with the coach/advisor, either at the parent meeting or individually.   

Eligibility applies to all Activities/Athletics, including Band, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Speech & Debate, Theatre, Track, Volleyball, Wrestling, Art Competition, Science/History Fair, Spelling Bee, Career Day, College Exploration, College Tour, Leadership Training, Honor Roll Trips, Clubs, STUCO, Upward Bound, etc). 

At the end of the quarter, a scholar with a 2.0 GPA and no more than one F may participate under “academic probation” if they agree to a Learning Plan coordinated by Administration. (If the GPA is 2.0 or higher with no F’s, a Learning Plan will not be needed.) 

Eligibility will be checked approximately every two-weeks, on Fridays, to ensure no “F’s” are posted. The Eligibility Check takes effect on the following Wednesday. 

If a scholar is not eligible, they will not be able to travel/participate on Wednesday and Thursday. A scholar may be cleared for Friday, Saturday, and the following week’s events IF the scholar’s grades in Aspire show no F’s when the AD checks prior to 8 am on Friday. This doublecheck stands as the final decision until the next Eligibility Check. 

If there was an extenuating circumstance that caused a scholar to be ineligible on the initial Eligibility Check, they can fill out a Grade Dispute Form. The scholar needs to get a signature and brief explanation from the teacher whose class they are failing. Submit the form to Admin Support as soon as possible. For each F, a scholar needs to fill out a separate Dispute Form. Examples of extenuating circumstances might include: 

• The teacher was out and unable to update grades. 

• The scholar was absent and needs more time to make up their grade. 

• There was a clerical error, and a grade was not entered when it should have been. 

Additionally, scholars who want to participate in activities/athletics must do the following: 

1. Abide by the UHSAA Drug Policy which states a first offense results in suspension for 2 consecutive games; second offense results in a 6-week suspension from activities/athletics; third offense results in 18-week suspension from activities/athletics. After the second or third offense, participation in an assessment by a licensed substance abuse intervention or treatment program with prescribed follow-up is required. 

2. Understand they will be ineligible for participation for the duration of any in-school or out-of-school suspension. 

3. Understand that any scholar with a behavior referral may be ineligible for one or more events, depending on the severity of the referral. 

If a scholar-athlete who is on a sports team, and academically eligible to compete, but is injured or otherwise unable to participate, and would like to travel with the team, the following must occur: 

1. The coach must receive permission from the AD at least one week before the trip, and  add the scholar-athlete’s name to the trip roster on the Dashboard, 

2. The scholar-athlete must be fulfilling a necessary role, such as manager (temporarily). If they cannot fulfill this role because of an injury, they should not travel with the team, 

3. The coach must speak with the scholar-athlete’s parent/guardian and inform them of the circumstances, and 

4. All of the scholar-athlete’s grades must be C’s or better a week before the trip.  

The most up-to-date calendar may be found here and be sure to select the correct month!

1. Scholar athlete/participant meets with coach/advisor. 

2. If problem is not resolved, parent/guardian and scholar meets with coach/advisor. 

3. If problem is still not resolved, meet with athletic/activity director. 

4. If problems are not resolved at the athletic/activity director level, the parent, coaches/advisors, and/or AD may communicate with the principal.