handbooks - writing policies & guidelines for coaches, students, parents

Handbooks, Policies & Procedures

Dr. David Hoch, CMAA

National Athletic Directors’ Conference

December 15, 2013

Policies

• Emanate from board or superintendent levels

• May ask athletic administrator for data & input

• Writing a draft may be AD’s responsibility

• Need to communicate policies to athletes, coaches & parents

Procedures

• Are guidelines, step-by-step directions based upon policies

• Normally created by athletic administrator

• Have to be communicated to athletes, coaches & parents

Handbooks

• A vehicle to communicate & educate a segment of your shareholders

• Created by athletic administrator• Approved by principal or

superintendent; initialed & dated• Should include policies,

procedures & all materials pertinent to your program

All Handbooks

• Should be the ultimate resource or reference

• Can eliminate phone call & questions by educating parents & coaches to look in the handbook

• Need to constantly update handbooks; cover loopholes, new developments

• Should include every form, guideline & procedure you use

Updating Handbooks

• Make notes in margins with red pen to mark items to be improved

• Set time aside during the summer to update handbooks

• User a folder to accumulate notes for improvement

• Make immediate changes for critical issues

Hints to Improve Writing

• Use concise style – simple, straight-forward sentences

• Limits paragraphs to 3-4 sentences. Easier to understand!!

• Avoid jargon & SAT words of the week

• Use the ‘Journalistic Cues: Who, what, where, when, why and how

• Only use one tense in a paragraph

More Writing Hints

• Use 2nd or 3rd person for professional writing!

• Don’t repeatedly use the same word sentence to sentence or paragraph to paragraph; use a thesaurus

• Use Spell Check – although not infallible

• Give yourself time (before deadline). Good writing is rarely achieved in one draft.

• Have someone (2-3 individuals) proofread the document

Give Credit

• Borrow from colleagues• Don’t have to reinvent the wheel• Do give credit – otherwise

plagiarism• “The preceding material taken

from …”• “This section was adapted from

…”• “This unit was modeled after …”• … and other “credit” statements

Table of Contents

• Use the normal technique – sequential

• Also include – alphabetical listings

• List topics under different headings – user friendly.

• Example:

Anti-Hazing Policy

Hazing Policy

Policy covering hazing

Topic Examples forAthletes’ Handbook

• Eligibility requirements• Pre-season paperwork• Practice expectations• Reporting injuries• Team travel

requirements• Participation on outside

teams• Requirements to earn a

letter

• Sportsmanship expectations

• Athlete Code of Conduct

• Responsibility for uniforms & equipment

• Concussion protocols• Dangers of energy

drinks• The role of a captain

Coaches’ Handbook

• State & district regulations – NFHS concussion & heat courses

• Necessary paperwork• Team travel requirements• Care of injuries• Job description for head,

assistant & JV coaches• Supervision of locker

rooms

• Sportsmanship expectations

• NFHS Coaches’ Code of Ethics

• Evaluation of coaches• Care & inventory of

uniforms / equipment• Media relations• Communication with

parents

Parents’ Handbook

• Athletic Mission Statement

• Concussion protocols• Reporting injuries• Guidelines – contacting

a coach• Chain of Command• Advantages of multi-

sport participation

• Team travel• Postponed games

notification• Practice requirements• Athlete Code of

Conduct• Dangers & reporting of

hazing, bullying & cyber-bulling

In General …

• Remember – the previous lists were not all-inclusive

• Include anything & everything specific to your setting!

• Seek input for Coaches’ Handbook. Input from parents?

• Readjust page numbers when you add sections / pages

Appendix

• Include all procedures, guidelines & forms

• Provide examples of anything that you use in your program

• List by multiple headings – easier to find

• Ensure that forms can be downloaded from website

Distribution

• Distributed at pre-season meetings

• Available in main office• Sent home to ‘selective’

challenging parents via Certified Mail.

• Posted on website• Have a few in the ticket

booth?

Signoff Sheet

• Indicates that individual received & read

• Does not mean that he/she necessarily agrees

• Have both parents sign• Keep sheet on file• Use this signed form as

1st line of defense

Policies, Procedures & Handbooks

• Policies & procedures are basic parameters for program

• Handbooks – ultimate resource / reference• All documents have to be well-written for

professional image• Constant updating is critical• Well-crafted policies, procedures and handbooks

should translate into fewer problems