St. Philip Athletic Association

Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to the most 
frequently asked questions regarding St. Philip Athletics.

If you need further assistance, please contact any of the SPAA Board 
Members via email.

1. My child missed school today but they're feeling better now. Can they go to their game tonight?
2. I have an issue with my child's coach.
3. My child has not made as much progress as I thought they would.
4. There have been some changes made in the program. Who decided on these changes?
5. I don't have all my clearances. Why can't I still help? I have a few kids in the school and the coaches know me.
6. My child has other activities that conflict with team practices. Can something be worked out so they can still be on the team?

My child missed school today but they're feeling better now. Can they go to their game tonight?

The school policy states that if a student misses school then 
they should not participate in any school related activities that 
night.

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I have an issue with my child's coach.

Please contact your child's coach and ask to discuss the issue. 
Please do not meet with the coach immediately before or after 
practice unless mutually agreed upon. Please do not approach the 
coach immediately before or after a game, meet, or match. If 
after discussing the matter with the coach, you are not 
satisfied, please contact the appropriate VP. They will then 
arrange a meeting or discuss the matter with the coach and 
respond to your concerns. If after these steps, you 
are still not satisfied, please contact the President of the 
Athletic Board via email-gregcrossey@aol.com and your matter will 
be added to the agenda for the next regularly scheduled board 
meeting. If time is of the essence or the meeting is scheduled 
more than two weeks in the future from your contact, the board 
will address the matter outside of the board meeting and respond 
to you via email.

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My child has not made as much progress as I thought they would.

Attend a practice and watch the practice. Do you think your child 
is understanding the drills that help develop their skills? Are 
there other teammates distracting your child? Do they ever pick 
up a basketball, kick a soccer ball, etc. when they're not at 
practice. Understanding and repetition builds confidence while 
their skills improve.

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There have been some changes made in the program. Who decided on these changes?

They've been in progress for some time. Parents have been asking 
for these changes for years and our registration numbers dictate 
that we change to better serve the entire school and all sports 
programs. Over 2/3 of all SPS students participate in athletics 
and that's a statistic to be proud of. To give all 
the kids the best experience possible during their time at St. 
Philip, we felt it was in the best interest of all the kids to 
add more teams and provide more opportunities for playing time in 
games. It is all about the kids and the changes don't reflect 
only a desire to be more competitive though that will surely 
result from the kids being able to develop their skills more 
fully and enjoy the thrill of working at something, improving, 
and succeeding.

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I don't have all my clearances. Why can't I still help? I have a few kids in the school and the coaches know me.

It's a Diocesan rule that will be enforced fully this year and in 
the future. The rule is meant to protect the children and also to 
make sure the volunteer adults are up to date on the best ways to 
look out for the welfare of the kids. No person is supposed to 
volunteer without having completed Protecting God's Children 
seminar, received background clearances, and signed the Diocesan 
Parish Code of Conduct.

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My child has other activities that conflict with team practices. Can something be worked out so they can still be on the team?

Part of participating in a sport and being on a team is showing 
up at practice and working to improve and help your teammates 
improve. Regular attendance at practice shows commitment, 
improves skills, and helps the team. Every team has individual 
practice attendance policies approved by the SPAA board. We 
encourage parents to be proactive in addressing any scheduling 
conflicts between activities with the coach as soon as the 
conflicts are known.

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