
At John Adams Academy, athletics extend our mission to develop servant-leaders who demonstrate teamwork, discipline, and integrity on and off the field. Each campus offers a robust program that builds character, fitness, and leadership.
Our high school program offers a variety of competitive sports that promote leadership, commitment, and school spirit. For the upcoming school year, our high school teams will compete within the Sacramento Metro Athletic League, a Division VII league of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section.
Our middle school athletics program provides an opportunity for younger scholars to develop skills, sportsmanship, and school spirit in a supportive, character-building environment. Middle school teams compete in the El Dorado County Sports League (CSL), which emphasizes participation, growth, and enjoyment of the game above all else.
All Scholar-Athletes participating in a sport at John Adams Academy must have athletic clearance paperwork on file - Athletic Clearance Instructions
All High School scholars must have a physical signed by a doctor prior to participation - Preparticipation Physical Exam Form
Welcome to John Adams Academy Athletics! We look forward to a great year of participation. We are excited to see competitive play, outstanding sportsmanship and personal growth for all the scholars participating in athletics. Athletics contributes to the positive connection of scholars to their school experience and lifelong enrichment. The athletics program is meant to enhance, never to supersede the classical education offered by John Adams Academy.
Participation in athletics is a privilege for John Adams Academy scholars in good academic standing. Athletic participation is meant to enhance the academic experience and personal development of the scholars. As coaches and players we represent John Adams Academy to the community and seek to exemplify the Ten Core Values in our efforts. Our coaches, scholar-athletes and parents are expected to display exemplary sportsmanship in all ways.
Athletics is a self-funding program and requires a substantial amount of funds to operate. We do not receive budget funds to make these programs possible. Your contribution helps offset the costs of facilities, referees, league dues, equipment, uniforms, and many other necessary expenses our program incurs.
The Athletic Contribution is voluntary, and your supportive contribution will allow our athletic programs to flourish and succeed. Please refer to the Athletics section on the John Adams Academy website for suggested donation amounts for each sport. Without your help and participation, these programs are not possible... THANK YOU!!!
Athletics are an important opportunity to enrich our scholars’ lives and futures. We are striving to offer quality athletic opportunities for your sons and daughters, and hope you will share our commitment by contributing. It is our sincere hope and desire that this athletic contribution causes no hardship to your family. For this reason, John Adams Academy will accept all contribution amounts; please contact your athletic director if there’s a hardship.
All scholar-athletes need to be committed to giving full effort to every practice as well as every game/match/meet. This demonstrates respect for your fellow team members and coaches.
Items required for participation in athletics:
*HIGH SCHOOL scholar-athletes are required by CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) to have a physical examination to participate (This is NOT required for middle school athletes). This is a CIF mandated rule that will be strictly followed.
All required forms must be submitted PRIOR to beginning practices.
The conduct of a scholar-athlete needs to be above reproach. Because of the nature of athletics (i.e. practices, games, road trips), much is required of the scholar-athlete in the areas of self-discipline and commitment.
“One of the most important benefits of athletics is that it is a microcosm of life. Competitive athletics provide us with a mirror for our real attitudes. It is interesting that frequently the same attitudes we show in athletics are those we show in non-athletic activities when situations are similar.”
— Wes Neal, The Handbook on Coaching Perfection
In the area of athletic competition, a scholar-athlete never uses profanity or illegal tactics. A quality athlete should be gracious in defeat and modest in victory. It is always courteous to congratulate the opponent on a well-played game after the contest whether in victory or defeat. This will mean there will be no fits of temper, disrespectful behavior, ridicule, etc. When things fail to go as desired, or when being replaced by a teammate, a scholar-athlete’s goal is to have complete self-control at all times; GREATER THAN SELF.
Officials in a game are there for the purpose of ensuring that both teams will play fairly. Officials do not “lose” a game for you. It is an athletic tradition and rule that no one except the appointed captain can talk to the official, and he/she should speak in a tone of respect and only for the purpose of clarifying a rule, not to question their judgment.
Any behavior contrary to these guidelines is a negative reflection on the school, team, and coaches. Violations of a serious nature may result in suspension and possible expulsion from the team.
Each scholar-athlete directly represents John Adams Academy, the team, and the coaches at home and when traveling. Athletes are to conduct themselves in a quiet and respectful manner. Following weekday competitions, scholar-athletes are expected to be on time to school the next day.
A scholar-athlete is to display good citizenship and succeed academically. Time must be carefully planned to provide sufficient energy for studies to ensure grades are in good standing. At John Adams Academy, an athlete must maintain eligibility standards both in academics and citizenship. Failure to meet these standards will result in the scholar-athlete being declared ineligible to participate in athletics. In addition to maintaining eligibility standards, an athlete should give respectful attention to school and classroom activities and show respect for scholars, staff, faculty, and administrators at all times. If a scholar-athlete is suspended from school, he/she will automatically be suspended from the next athletic contest.
Scholar-athletes are expected to arrive to practice on time, ready to participate at the starting time specified by the coach. This demonstrates respect for the time invested by your coach and teammates as well as the resources allocated to make practice and play possible. Scholars must communicate with coaches about missing a practice or a game before the start time of the practice or game. A scholar-athlete will sit out for a set amount of time for missing a practice as determined by the coach (i.e. missed practice = sit out for one quarter). Practice clothing needs to meet JAA standards.
Scholar-athletes are personally and financially responsible for all equipment and uniforms checked out to them. If lost, misused, or destroyed, scholar-athletes are responsible for REPLACEMENT COST of the items. Items that are returned must be the same item that was checked out to the athlete at the beginning of the season. Treat all equipment with the utmost respect. Do not share or abuse the equipment. Failure to return the school's uniform within one week of final contest will result in billing to replace any article not returned.
A team cannot function as a “TEAM” in the purest sense of the word without several expectations placed on its members. The following expectations are placed on scholar-athletes in an effort to reinforce the “TEAM” concept:
Scholar-athletes who are ill and/or medically excused from school will also be excused from practice and/or games. Following are the guidelines for illnesses:
When a scholar-athlete is required by his/her parents to be absent for a family function, this is to be accepted as a pre-arranged absence from practices and/or games. When the athlete returns, he/she is not guaranteed his/her previous position on the team (i.e. starting position). Other pre-arranged absences will be considered on an individual basis.
Scholar-athletes should make every effort to schedule non-emergency medical or dental appointments so as not to conflict with practices or games. If an appointment is scheduled which conflicts with a practice or game, the coach must be notified in advance. If this notification does not take place, the athlete may be considered unexcused, and therefore may not be allowed to practice or participate in a game. If the athlete has a medical appointment in the morning or afternoon, he/she must come to school and endeavor to attend more than half of the school day on the day of the game or practice, and must have a written note from his/her doctor or parent in order to play or practice that day. Scholar-athletes who miss more than half of the school day for dental, medical, or other non-emergency appointments will not be allowed to practice or play in a game that day.
Scholar-Athletes who have competed, in good standing, an entire high school varsity season will be eligible for a varsity letter and a patch for the sport they participated in. Each additional season of any one sport will qualify the scholar to receive a bar for that sport.
Varsity letter distribution will be at the discretion of the Coach and/or Athletic Director. In order to place an order for a letterman jacket, a contract must be signed with the Academy’s athletic director.
Grade checks will be conducted bi-monthly. A scholar will be ineligible under any of the following circumstances:
A scholar will be ineligible for a minimum of two weeks. After two weeks, the scholar's grades will be reviewed. The scholar must be receiving at least a 70 percent (70%) academic score in each class and satisfactory (“S”) citizenship grades in each class. If a scholar's academic or citizenship grades are not up to the reinstatement standard after two weeks, his or her progress will be reviewed every two weeks thereafter to determine eligibility.
Athletics provide an excellent opportunity for scholars to learn life lessons about success, failure, teamwork, and discipline. Studies indicate that participation in athletics results in higher self-esteem and academic achievement. We encourage scholars to participate in the sports that are offered at John Adams Academy.
On occasion, extenuating circumstances may need to be considered related to policies or procedures contained in this Handbook. The school administration will make the final decision regarding implementation of policies and procedures when extenuating circumstances apply.
John Adams Academy reserves the right to change any policy or procedure of the school at any time, when in the sole discretion of the school, it determines that such change is in the best interest of the school or the scholars; changes will be communicated to all families.
