High School Missng Practices - What Do You Do?

[ellen495]

What do you do when someone misses practice (other than illness)?
We have:
Concerts
Headache
study for test
family obligations

Seems there are a lot of excuses. Thoughts?

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

I have a 10 demerit system. You begin the season with zero. If you get to 10, you're dismissed from the team.

My only excused absences are illness requiring Dr. note, funerals, or academic events for a grade.

Every unexcused absence (like, any time you are absent for any reason other than the ones I just listed) = 5 demerits.

It's amazing how priorities shift when you know you can only be unexcused absent TWICE before you're dismissed!

 

[GForce]

We had if you missed a certain amount of practices then you sat out a game, then if you missed a certain amount of games you didn't get to compete so the alternate would take your place. Luckily we never had to use these since no one every missed with more than three unexcused absences. If you were going to miss, you had to fill out an absence sheet and then our coach would decide if it was an excused or unexcused. Excused being a school concert, or family thing that you could not miss (funerals, not like birthday parties).

 

[Kate081]

The excuses at my gym are the same as onecoolcoachnowmom, and the coaches say to everyone else- if you're sick (non contagious) or if you need to study, still come to practice but just sit aside, that way you can keep up with changes in the routine etc. They also say, if you miss practices for no valid reason they'll give someone else your spot in stunts/ PYR and you'll just have to nugget in the back


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[AliciaM]

I had a lot of issues with absences this year and it's mini so you can't really do much. But if I had a child who missed a lot and they had a vital spot in the routine and it wasn't going repeatedly because they missed than they were replaced with someone else who could do the spot.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Studying is my favorite excuse.

By "studying" kids usually mean:

1. Instagram a little.
2. Facebook a little.
3. Watch Netflix.
4. Open a book for 30 min before giving up and going to bed

 

[Nvdw]

I have a 10 demerit system. You begin the season with zero. If you get to 10, you're dismissed from the team.

My only excused absences are illness requiring Dr. note, funerals, or academic events for a grade.

Every unexcused absence (like, any time you are absent for any reason other than the ones I just listed) = 5 demerits.

It's amazing how priorities shift when you know you can only be unexcused absent TWICE before you're dismissed!

Do you count excused absences as 1 demerit a time?


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[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

No. If you have an excuse, it's zero because you were in the hospital, someone is legitimately dead, or you are at an academic event FOR A GRADE. Now, if it gets to be a problem (like, you're legitimately at the doctor twice a month) you may end up becoming an alternate.

I also require proof and will not hesitate to revoke an excuse if instagram indicates that you were partying and not at Grandma Smith's funeral. And I will add 2 more because you lied.

In 7 seasons, I've removed a small number of girls for reaching demerits. It works. I get very few excuses.

With all stars, I just give 3 absences for you to use however you choose. They may not be used for a comp or choreography week. But once you're out, you're out. Then the 4th time you miss, you're an alternate.

 

[lisa G]

We are not allowed to remove girls for missed practices so at our school we have two different ways of dealing with it. If it is in the summer and you miss more than a couple you will be removed from halftime/rallys but if it is after school starts you sit out 1 qtr of the next game for each practice you miss. You sit with ME not your friends. If you miss more than a couple i will remove you from halftime and rallys. This has only been a problem a few times.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

See also: If you are unexcused absent that week, you do not cheer the game, rally, or competition. Then you also accrue an absence for that.

 

[cheernerd5678]

Studying is my favorite excuse.

By "studying" kids usually mean:

1. Instagram a little.
2. Facebook a little.
3. Watch Netflix.
4. Open a book for 30 min before giving up and going to bed

When people don't show up to practice because they're studying I want to scream. I'm not even a coach.

 

[MHSCheercoach]

The only excused absences are sickness (I must be notified before practice), death or serious family illness (if grandma is on her death bed then by all means go see her one last time), and approved school events (the athletic director keeps me informed as to when there are possible conflicts with school events). Only once have I excused someone from practice for studying because A)the girl came and talked to me a week in advance B) I knew she would really be studying, she's just that type C) it was a major test in a class she was struggling with and she's not a student who usually struggles. Now in this situation, I talked to her teacher (I sub there almost daily so I know the teachers real well) and he told me when they knew about the test, when it was, and how it was over half their grade for the semester.

I will occasionally excuse a girl from practice if I am contacted well in advance for a concert/game during the summer. This is rare, but I want them to enjoy their summer as well and who can pass up front row concert tickets that you score last minute. Heck, I'll admit to cancelling a practice for the same reason. I always ask them the question, when did you find out about it? If they have known for over a month then it's not excused, if it was a surprise from a friend/boyfriend/parent then I may allow it.

Family obligations are only excused if it is a joint custody thing. Family dinner is not excusable. If you are required to go to your other parents house then that is excusable but I still have to be notified a month in advance and I count it as "vacation".

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

The benefit to working in the building is that I know all the teachers.

As seen above, I only excuse for academic things that are for a grade.

Every once in a blue moon, someone will be like "I have to go see a play for Miss Walker for a grade in Honors English. "

I'll text Miss Walker asking "Hey when are your kids required to attend Macbeth?"

And her response is "What? I don't know what you're talking about."

Macbeth night is really MacJustinBieber.

It's cute really because I don't think they know sometimes that I really do know everything.

 

[cheer coach k]

Ugh, I get parents texting me saying Susie has homework, she's not coming to the game or practice. I can't argue w parents when it comes to school, so they know it's always a good excuse to use. I hate it.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

^^^^Studying doesn't pass muster with me. Practice is 3x/week from 4:30-6. You have from 6 to 11ish to study on practice nights. You also have NON-PRACTICE DAYS and *gasp* weekends to study.

Didn't get a chance to study on the days you have no practice?

That's not my issue.

Don't tell me you don't have time or that "cheer takes up all my study time."

Maybe you'd have more time if your evenings after practice didn't consist of:

My favorite thing is knowing (example) that everyone is freaking out at practice about needing to study for Miss Brown's AP Bio exam this Wednesday when I also know:

1. Miss Brown's exam has been public knowledge since April 26th.
2. They have had approximately 2 weeks worth of non cheer days between then and now to study.
3. They blame tryouts when that was ONE WEEK. And all clinics were over before 6:30.
4. Much of their free time has been consumed with shopping for junior prom, instagram, the pool, and their boyfriends. (no really, I can see it. On instagram.)