YEAR 2021-2022
Mini Falcons Student & Parent Athletics Handbook
QUICK FACTS & CONTACT DETAILS The Athletics Department is responsible for after school sports and competitive interscholastic teams. This includes the Mini Falcons, JF6, MS Junior Falcons, MS Falcons, Junior Varsity and Varsity sports programs including golf, dance, swimming, volleyball, soccer, basketball, tennis, wrestling, cross country, cheer, softball, baseball, badminton, and track & field. The Physical Education Department is responsible for teaching required physical education courses, in school intramural competitions, and special events such as Sport Days. The Campus Recreation Department is responsible for recreation based activities, intramurals, and pay per session training programs which include a variety of sport-centered activities. The Booster Club is responsible for supporting and encouraging ASD athletes and coaches as well as fostering school spirit within the community. Booster volunteers participate in a variety of ways including organizing concessions for ASD hosted tournaments, selling spirit merchandise, helping to organize the seasonal recognition events and raising funds to support scholarships and the athletic program. ATHLETICS DIRECTOR Mark Buschini Tel: 04 395 0005 ext. 1810 mbuschini@asdubai.org ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR Jasmine Brawn Tel: 04 395 0005 ext. 1818 jbrawn@asdubai.org ATHLETICS ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Dina Odeh Tel: 04 395 0005 ext. 1820 athletics@asdubai.org SCHOOL COLORS Red and white MASCOT Falcon
CHILD PROTECTION POLICY The American School of Dubai is committed to the protection, safety, and welfare of our students. ASD has adopted a Child Protection Policy that guides our professional practices for the safety and security of students. In accordance with the child protection policy, ASD strives to ensure understanding of child protection issues by all members of the community. ASD hiring practices include steps to ensure safety of all children. Employees have mandatory child protection training at the start of their tenure and regularly thereafter, as requested by the school. All ASD employees sign a code of conduct affirming their commitment to child protection and understanding of this policy. ASD students receive age-appropriate child safety education as part of the school’s curriculum. ASD parents have access to this policy and handbook and to educational sessions at ASD. Child protection resources are available to all employees on the ASD website.
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Dear ASD Parents and Students, Welcome to Mini Falcons Athletics! While the landscape of the ASD athletic program may look unfamiliar, the goal is certainly the same: we continue to be committed to providing student-athletes with a variety of opportunities to engage in athletic activities. ASD core values drive all our athletic programs. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the world, ASD has been working tirelessly to provide students with a safe environment to learn and engage on campus, and this effort extends to the athletic program. While the directives set forth by KHDA provide their own challenges, we are prepared to adapt and create a path forward to safely and legally return to participation, offering the sports and activities our students are accustomed to. Our Mini Falcons teams represent ASD in the Junior Emirates Athletic Conference (JEAC) in the UAE. This developmentally focussed program prepares young athletes with the skills, attitudes, and opportunities they need to continue their athletic journey at ASD and beyond. Members of the conference have been in constant communication throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to coordinate and discuss various scenarios and return strategies that will be implemented as soon as it is safe to do so. The health and safety of our students, coaches and community is of the utmost importance and as such each member schools are committed to developing common agreements regarding hygiene expectations and other control measures for future event-hosting and travel. Our coaches focus on teamwork and building attitudes for healthy competition. The JEAC League is participation focussed. The Athletic Department looks forward to a fantastic year of Mini Falcons. Looking forward to seeing you all there. GO FALCONS!
Jasmine Brawn Associate Director of Athletics
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JEAC League Philosophy JEAC Mission Statement The Junior Emirates Athletics Conference (JEAC) offers students in Grades 4–5 an opportunity to have fun, participate in and learn the fundamental skills of soccer, track and field, and basketball. The focus of JEAC is to reinforce the value of sportsmanship, respect, teamwork and self-discipline through healthy and fair competition.
JEAC Philosophy Statement Grade 4 and 5: At this level the JEAC program is entirely inclusive and accommodating of all ability levels. It is focused on commitment to a team, fostering the enjoyment of organised sport, fundamental skill development, sportsmanship and learning through game play.
JEAC Statement of Sportsmanship The purpose of the Junior Emirates Athletic Conference is to provide a venue for students from the member schools to participate in athletic events in an environment that is safe, challenging, professional, and educational. Each participant is given the opportunity to demonstrate her/his best ability while maintaining a spirit of respect and cooperation with fellow students from various international backgrounds. Each event involves students and adults in their different roles as athletes, competitors, participants, coaches, sports officials and spectators. All those involved in the event are expected to uphold the same spirit of respect and cooperation. This spirit is demonstrated by fair play among competitors, positive encouragement from participants and coaches, cooperation among participants, impartial judgments from officials and respectful enthusiasm from spectators. The behavior of the adults is crucial to the successful educational aspect of the event. The adults act as models for our students. Therefore profanity, the condemnation of coaches or officials, or any behavior that is disrespectful or degrading to the JEAC standard of sportsmanship, jeopardizes the purposes of the JEAC organization and, most of all, jeopardizes the quality of the experience for the participants. As the event ensues, we ask that all of our parents, coaches, officials and participants keep this vision of our purpose in mind.
Philosophy of our Program Mini-Falcons Mission The Mini Falcons teams offer students in Grades 4–5 an opportunity to have fun, participate in and learn the fundamental skills of soccer, track and field and basketball. The focus of the Mini Falcons program is to reinforce the values of sportsmanship, respect, teamwork and self-discipline through healthy and fair competition.
Mini-Falcons Philosophy Statement The Mini Falcons program is entirely inclusive and accommodating of all ability levels. The program is focused on commitment to team, fostering the enjoyment of organised sport, fundamental skill development, sportsmanship and learning through game play. Therefore every player should have the opportunity for: a. Skill Development: have the opportunity to learn and work on the fundamental skills of the sport. b. Teamwork: learn about roles and experience play as part of a team. c. Sportsmanship: cooperation, respect, fair play d. Have fun!
Overview of the 2020-2021 Mini-Falcons SEASON 1
SEASON 2
SEASON 3
SEASON 4
Sport
Soccer
Track & Field
ES Musical **
Basketball
Season
September – November
November – February
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April – June
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Being Part of a Team at ASD Expectations of Athletes: Athletes Code of Conduct Participation in school athletics is a privilege. For athletes to get their most out of their experience in sport they must make choices that reflect the outcomes they wish to pursue. These guidelines set the standard that allows for the greatest chance of success: 1. Maintain a positive attitude. 2. Accept responsibility for one’s actions and participation. 3. Listen. 4. Give best effort. 5. Treat coaches, other players and officials with respect.
Uniform & Equipment Policy Uniforms may be purchased at the Spirit Store in the Falcons Nest outside the ASD Field House during their open hours.
Practice & Competitions Participation Grade 4 - 5 Mini-Falcons teams practice Sundays and Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. each season. There is an exchange midseason working towards a culminating Jamboree at season end.
Playing Time Coaches will do their best to make sure that players in good standing who have attended practices, put forth their best effort in training and demonstrated respect to coaches and teammates will get equal playing time with all others in similar standing. An athletes’ commitment, attendance, behavior, attitude and demonstration of respect will play into an athletes’ standing for equal playing time.
The ASD Parent Expectations of Parents: Parent Sportsmanship Code ASD believes parents are an important part of all programs and students learn and develop best when the adults in their lives model the values we teach and hold dear. We are therefore asking all parents support their athlete in athletics by: 1. Serving as positive role models for their athlete, and maintaining the highest standards of conduct when interacting with students, other parents, coaches, and officials. 2. Remembering athletes participate in athletics to have fun. It is their experience. 3. Supporting the capable leadership of the coaches during events or games. 4. Emphasizing the importance of skill development, teamwork, and acquiring a greater understanding of the sport over the idea of being the “best” or “winning.” 5. Teaching their athlete to adhere to the rules and expectations of them as participants and to resolve conflicts in a positive and controlled manner. 6. Insisting their athlete treat students, coaches, officials, and spectators with respect regardless of race, gender or ability. 7. Recognizing the value and importance of the coaches and volunteers who provide athletics opportunities for their child.
The ASD Coach Expectations of Coaches ASD believes coaches are the cornerstone of our program. Athletes are motivated and excel in sport when they have a coach they respect and admire. We have the highest expectations of our coaches at ASD: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Respect: A coach shows respect towards others, one self, the sport, the organization and property. Fairness: The coach is fair to the athletes. The coach provides each athlete with equal opportunities regardless of race, gender or ability. Caring: The coach maintains a positive, caring and encouraging attitude. Integrity: A coach acts with integrity, keeping to their personal values and the core values of ASD in word and action. Responsibility: The coach’s role is to develop skills, confidence and self-esteem in every child. The coach promotes the values of team spirit and fair-play. The coach models leadership, composure, respect and fairness and makes decisions in the best interest of the learners. 6. Excellence: Coaches are expected to strive toward excellence in what they do, not in the outcomes for our program but in the process of working with our young athletes.
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