Burton Academy Athletic Manual
For Students and Parents
 
 
 
Mission Statement
 
The mission of the Burton Academy athletic program is to provide a setting in
which students can experience the joy of movement through the medium of sport in
a Seventh-day Adventist, Christ-centered environment as they engage in activities
that promote the development of the whole person physically, mentally, spiritually,
emotionally, and socially.
 
Introduction
 
The key to a successful athletic program is Christ-centered, competent leadership.
We must have leaders who emphasize the thrill of participation and the challenge of
doing one’s best. We should be known for our outstanding sportsmanship and
should display Christian principles in our play. Our school, players, and spectators
must learn that sport is not an activity in which we suspend Christian values but one
that is transformed by such values.
 
Athletic Philosophy
 
Burton Academy personnel believe that every student who commits to the athletic
program will learn valuable lessons about how to be a better Christian and how to
be successful in meeting the challenges of the competitive society of his or her
future.
 
Students at Burton Academy should strive to be both mentally and physically alert.
It is important to learn the responsibilities inherent in the commitments of life. One
must approach life positively with a sincere desire to realize one’s own dignity and
self-worth as well as that of his or her fellow man. A person must learn to work
industriously not only for his or her own well-being, but for the well-being of people
with whom he or she is associated. One must learn to accept victory gracefully and
to bounce back in the face of defeat. Burton Academy teams strive to win on the
scoreboard while demonstrating a Christ-like behavior.
 
Burton Academy personnel believe that being a Christian athlete requires great
commitment and sacrifice. Athletes must strive to be dignified, honest, moral,
forgiving, understanding, and responsible.
 
 
 
 BURTON ACADEMY ATHLETIC GOALS
 
1. GLORIFY JESUS CHRIST
This has to be our ultimate goal. No matter what we accomplish - how many games and
championships we win, how many records we set, how many individual honors we attain
- if we do not glorify our Savior we are failures and all of our accomplishments are
worthless.
2. TREAT PLAYERS AND COACHES WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT
Failure to achieve this goal will devastate even the most talented team. Every member of
the team and staff deserves to be respected and valued as a member of the team. Any
team will always have a diverse group of personalities and individual players will tend to
gravitate to people they are most like. The danger in this is that cliques may form and
rivalries and jealousies begin to tear the team apart. No matter how different members of
a team are they CAN be bound together by one common cause: THE DESIRE TO WIN!
If this desire is strong enough in an individual, he or she will overlook negative feelings
about a teammate and value him or her as an important part of the team.
3. WORK HARD
This involves more than just doing what is required. This is an attitude that recognizes
every practice, every drill, every lift, every sprint, every film and every meeting as an
opportunity to get better. You don’t do things right once in a while, you do things right
ALL THE TIME. No matter how little or insignificant the task (e.g. being on time, being
dressed out, etc.) you make the commitment to do it right and to the best of your ability.
Eighty-five percent of people take short cuts and look for the easy way. The other 15%
sacrifice to do things right ALL THE TIME. THEY ARE THE WINNERS!
4. OPERATE WITH PRIDE, INTEGRITY AND CLASS
You should have pride in being a member of the Burton Athletic Program and in BAA.
Team and school pride will bind you together uniting you with a common cause: to bring
honor to BAA. This will also result in treating others (teammates, cheerleaders, other
students, teachers, etc.) with respect and dignity.
Your moral integrity is the most priceless thing you possess. It is being able to say “yes”
and “no” to the right and wrong things even when it is not the popular thing to do. It is
being true to yourself and being honest with your teammates and coaches.
Class involves winning with honor and being gracious in a loss. It is keeping your poise
and your mouth shut when the other team is talking trash and taking cheap shots. It is
refusing to make excuses or blaming others (refs, teammates, coaches, etc.) for our
failures. A state champion that lacks class is like a diamond ring in a pig’s snout.
5. NO EXCUSES
We want to be a program that makes no excuses. When a loser is corrected, he or she
gives you an excuse. When winners are corrected, they keep their mouth shut and resolve
within themselves to correct their mistakes. This is the greatest display of leadership I
know. An athlete who refuses to be corrected is telling his or her teammates that they are
perfect and know better than their coach. Their actions encourage others to resist
correction and deny the team the opportunity to improve.
I. GENERAL CONDUCT
 
The conduct of BAA athletes should always demonstrate integrity and sportsmanship. In
every situation, our athletes must remember that they are representing Jesus Christ as
well as Burton Academy. A. Any misconduct by a student athlete that is determined by the head coach and school
administration to be detrimental to the athletic program or school will result in counseling
by the head coach, athletic director and a school administrator with possible suspension.
B. A display of unsportsmanlike conduct toward an official or opponent or the use of
profanity during a practice or contest will result in counseling by the head coach and
possible suspension. An ejection from an athletic contest will result in a one game
suspension and the athlete will be required to pay the fine due to TAPPS.
C. Use of any illegal drug, alcohol or tobacco will result in a 30-day suspension from all
practices and games.
D. Unexcused absence from scheduled practice or game will result in a suspension for
one contest following the violation.
Excused absences (illness, family emergencies, school trips, or family vacations that have
been cleared through the coach ahead of time) will not result in any suspension.
However, parents and athletes need to be aware that coaches will start and play the
players that give the team the best possible chance of winning.
Athletes who miss practices and/or games may not be as well prepared to contribute to
the team's success as those athletes who are present. Coaches will use practices and
games to evaluate their personnel and determine playing time.
 
II. GAME CONDUCT
A. NEVER question an official about a call, whether you are participating in or observing
a game.
B. When cheering for a BAA team, only cheer FOR the Blue Angels. There is NEVER
any reason to cheer against the other team. Athletes at BAA should never be involved in
taunting or “talking trash” to an opponent. Never laugh at or ridicule another school or
athlete from another team. Always treat the visiting school as guests before, during and
after the games. Play hard and play to win, but with an attitude of Christian
sportsmanship.
C. Noisemakers are prohibited at athletic contests held in gymnasiums. 
Body paint and like decoration shall not be permitted by players or spectators.
D. Athletes at BAA should never start or contribute in any way to a fight on or
off the field or court. No player should ever leave the bench during a fight.
E. Never abuse or misuse the facilities of another school. Remember, you are a guest.
 
III. SCHOOL ACADEMIC AND ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS
A. Any student who scores less than 70% in one class at the end of a grading period will
be suspended from game participation until the student brings the grade back to 70% or
above. During this time, the athlete may continue to practice with the team, but will be
prohibited from suiting out or participating in any athletic contest. If a student is failing 2
classes, he/she will be suspended for 3 weeks, before being re-evaluated.
-The grading periods are every 4 1/2 weeks
-Suspension will begin on the first Friday of the new grading period at 3:15pm.
  -Grades are evaluated by the athletic director each 4 ½ weeks.
  -Grades in all classes (not just the failing grades) are evaluated.
 
B. A student must be in school for four periods in order to participate in an activity that
day. An exception would be made if the student had an approved medical appointment,
funeral (etc). In this case the student must present a signed statement from the
parent/guardian. C. Any student who is ineligible for athletic competition due to grades or cannot miss any
classes or school days to attend an athletic event.
 
IV. MEDICAL POLICY
A. All athletes must have a physical, TAPPS Form and a signed release for treatment
form on file in the athletic office.
B. Any injury which requires medical attention must be reported to the head coach and
athletic director. The athletic director will file a Student Accident Report for insurance
purposes. Burton Academy carries a policy that covers expenses that are not covered by
parents’ personal insurance policy. Accident Claim Forms may be picked up at the
administration office.
C. A student that has been injured and has had medical treatment cannot participate again
until the date indicated by the student's doctor.
 
V. ATHLETIC DRESS
A. All athletes in ALL sports must wear BAA Workout Gear for ALL practices.
 
VI. PLAYING TIME
A. In the 6th, 7th and 8th grade every athlete will receive coaching instruction in practice
and will play in every game (including tournaments, championships,
etc.) in which he/she is in uniform. Some of the reasons a player might not be allowed to
suit up for a particular game are: discipline problem or missed practices. In the 6th, 7th
and 8th grades, participation takes greater precedence over winning games.
B. At the varsity level the emphasis is on making a commitment to excellence as a team.
Therefore, we will make every effort to play as many athletes as possible with out
jeopardizing the team’s opportunity to win. Playing time at the varsity level is determined
by the coaching staff and is based upon player evaluation in practices and games.
 
VII. CUTTING
A. Although we would prefer to allow every athlete to participate in any sport, there are
circumstances that may require try-outs and the cutting of athletes.
Some of the reasons for cutting may include:
1. The number of athletes that come out for the particular sport
2. Limited number of teams
3. Limited number of coaches
4. Limited amount of gym availability
The decision on whether or not cuts will occur will be on a sport-by-sport,
season-by-season basis.
 
VIII. MULTI-SPORT PHILOSOPHY
A. At Burton Academy, we encourage our athletes to be well rounded, participating in as
many sports as possible. As a small school, it is vital that we have athletes who are
willing to participate in activities other than their primary or favorite sport. Different
sports challenge athletes in different ways, and the skills developed through the training
methods used in one sport will often help the athlete in another sport.
 
IX. MAPS/DIRECTIONS/CANCELLED GAMES
A. Maps and directions to games may be viewed online by visiting the Athletics section
of the school website, burtonacademy.org. Simply click on the event listed on the
calendar for up to date info on that specific contest. In event of late game cancellations (due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances), students will be notified as soon as
possible and will be encouraged to call their parents to notify them of the change in
schedule. We encourage all parents to check the website prior to every game. 
 
X. TRANSPORTATION
A. BAA does not allow athletes to drive vehicles to games. The head coach must either
drive a van/bus or make arrangements for a parent to drive.
THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY! Students may ride home from
games WITH LEGAL GUARDIANS ONLY.
 
 
XI. TAPPS
Burton Academy participates in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools
for grades 9 through 12. TAPPS, which just celebrated its 30th year,
is one of the largest state associations of private schools in the nation with over 250
member schools that compete in five classifications. The purpose of TAPPS is to
organize, stimulate, encourage and promote the academic, athletic and fine arts programs
in an effort to foster a spirit of fair play, good fellowship, true sportsmanship and
wholesome competition for the 38,000 boys and girls in its member schools. Parents must
provide the school signed consent each year to allow their son/daughter to participate in
any TAPPS event. Parents may film or videotape any game in which their son/daughter
participates, but the film/videotape may not be viewed by the athlete or coaches until the
game is over. Parents may not film or videotape any contest in which their son/daughter
is not participating. No member of the BAA community should engage in the inducement
of non-BAA students for the sole purpose of athletic participation.
Inducement includes but is not limited to providing or arranging the payment of tuition,
lodging, transportation, payments of cash or promise of a college scholarship.
 
XII. COMMUNICATION
A. Clear communication between parents and coaches will facilitate a positive athletic
experience for our athletes. Listed below are a number of steps to enhance parent/coach
communication. It is important also to remember that the first link in the communication
network is the one established between coach and student. Encourage your child to
exercise the opportunity to speak directly with his/her coach about any topic and
preferably before a parent/coach conversation is scheduled.
Communication you should expect from your child’s coach:
1. Philosophy of BAA Athletics
2. Evaluation of your child’s strengths/weaknesses in that sport
3. Recommendations for improvement of sport skills
4. Location and times of all practices and games
5. Explanation of BAA athletic rules and procedures
6. Team requirements (i.e., special equipment, fees, off-season conditioning
recommendations)
7. Procedures if your child is injured during participation
8. Discipline resulting in decreased playing opportunities 
 
Communication coaches expect from parents:
1. Concerns that are expressed directly to the coach
2. Specific health concerns or injuries dealing with your child
3. Notification of any practice or game schedule conflicts well in advance 4. Specific questions regarding BAA athletics and or parent expectations
As your child continues their participation in the BAA athletic program they will
experience some very rewarding moments. It is also important to remember that there
will be times when adversity and disappointment inevitably occur. At these times
discussion with the coach is encouraged.
 
Appropriate issues to discuss with coaches:
1. The mental and physical treatment of your child
2. Ways to help your child improve
3. Concerns about your child’s behavior
It is very difficult to accept that your child may not play as much as you, or perhaps they,
hoped. Coaches are professionals. They are charged to make judgment decisions based on
what they believe is equitable and best for all the athletes involved. As you have read in
the list above, certain items are open for discussion with your child’s coach. Other
decision-making must be left in the hands of the coach assigned the responsibility of
coaching your child’s team.
 
Issues not appropriate to discuss with coaches:
1. Playing time
2. Individual Position Assignments
3. Team Strategy
4. Play calling
5. Other student-athletes
 
There are situations that may require a conference between the coach and parents. These
conferences are encouraged. It is important that both parties involved have a clear
understanding of the other’s position. When conferences are necessary, the following
procedure should be followed to help promote a resolution to the issue of concern.
 
Procedures to follow when you discuss a concern with a coach:
1. Contact the coach by school phone or email to set an appointment
2. Describe your specific areas of concern
3. Limit your discussion to your own child’s issues. Do not discuss issues pertaining
other athletes or parents unless they specifically involve your child
Please do not confront a coach before or after a game or practice. These can be emotional
moments. Meetings of this nature are not likely to promote resolution.
What can a parent do if the meeting with the coach did not provide a satisfactory
resolution?
1. Call and set up an appointment with the athletic director and the coach to discuss the
situation
2. At this meeting the next appropriate steps can be determined
 
XIII. PARENTS
 
BE SUPPORTIVE OF COACHES – In front of your child be supportive and positive
of the coaches’ decisions. If you have problems with what the coach is doing, it is best to
talk directly with the coach.
TEACH RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY – There will be times when you disagree with
a coach or official but always remember they are trying their best and are trying to be
fair. Show good sportsmanship by being positive. 
LET THE COACH DO THE COACHING BUT YOU CAN DO SOME OF
THE TEACHING – When your child is on the field or court, let the coach do the
coaching. Shouting out instruction or criticism may hinder the overall experience of the
student-athlete. You can teach sportsmanship and how to deal with success or failure.
Develop their character and teach life skills that athletics and activities bring to the
forefront.
 
MODEL GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP AT GAMES - When cheering for a BAA team,
only cheer FOR the Burtons. There is NEVER any reason to cheer against or “taunt” the
other team. Never question or “boo” an official about a call. Negative comments and
gestures of displeasure toward the coach, visiting team, or officials, only undermine the
efforts of all involved. Always treat the visiting school as guests before, during and after
the games. Cheer for the Blue Angels to play hard and play to win, but with an attitude of
Christian sportsmanship.
 
HELP YOUR CHILDREN LEARN THROUGH FAILURE – The way your child
handles failure can help them face the certain disappointment life will throw them in the
future. The worst time for you as a parent to give advice is immediately after a
disappointment. Encourage and support them, but allow your child to cope in their own
way.
 
LISTEN TO YOUR CHILD, BUT STAY RATIONAL – Always support and listen to
your child, but remember to stay rational until you have investigated the situation.
 
BE MINDFUL OF YOUR ROLE AS A ROLE MODEL – Take a good honest look at
your attitude, actions and reactions in the athletic arena. These actions are a big cue to
your child and to the others around you. 
SHOW UNCONDITIONAL LOVE – The most important thing…show your child you
love them, win or lose.
 
XIV. STUDENT ATHLETES
 
BE RESPONSIBLE
Be at practice – try to limit appointments, vacations or other family events that may
cause you to miss valuable practice time
Be on time
Keep your grades up – turn in your homework
Be an example in the classroom, hallways and outside of school
 
BE RESPECTFUL
Speak to teammates, coaches, parents and refs with kind words and respect
Dress modestly and appropriately
 
BE HONEST
Speak the truth in love
Avoid gossip or listening to gossip
Keep your speech clean and pure
 
 BE LOYAL
Believe the best about your teammates and your coaches
Keep team issues within the team
 
WORK HARD
Be diligent to take advantage of every opportunity to improve
Push and encourage your teammates
 
PLAY SMART
Know your plays and assignments
Take care of your body by eating right, staying hydrated and getting plenty of rest
Stay away from activities and habits that may harm your body and/or jeopardize your
athletic career
Drugs, alcohol, tobacco and steroid use will not be tolerated at BAA
 
TEAM BEFORE YOURSELF
Always consider others more important than your self
Encourage your teammates faithfully
Be a Multi-Sport Athlete – Don’t specialize. Participate in other sports to help your
school
 
BE COACHABLE
Respond with a “Yes, coach” or “Yes, ma’am/sir”, not with an excuse
 
ACCEPT YOUR ROLE
Be willing to sacrifice personal goals for the good of the team
Be good at what you are called to do. Not everyone can be an arm or a leg.
Trust that the coaches have your best interests in mind as well as the team’s.
 
HANDLE SUCCESS AND FAILURE
Always keep your head up
Be humble in your accomplishments, and be strong and gracious in your defeats
 
BE A COMPETITOR AND HAVE A WINNING ATTITUDE
Always strive to improve
Seek excellence in all facets of life
Keep your eyes on Jesus
 
XV. BAA ATHLETIC PROGRAM – The following sports are currently offered at
Burton Academy:
BOYS:
Fall Soccer: JH, Varsity
Basketball: JH, JV, Varsity
Baseball: JH, Varsity
GIRLS:
Volleyball: JH, JV, Varsity
Basketball: JH, JV, Varsity
Softball JH, Varsity
There is a $125.00 activity fee for JH and JV team sports. Varsity Fees are $160.