murrieta mesa high school girls basketball · basketball is an excellent tool for building...

Murrieta Mesa

High School

Girls Basketball

Parent/Player

Handbook

2017-2018

MMHS Girls Basketball Player/Parent Handbook

Welcome to the Murrieta Mesa Basketball Family!

Enclosed in this handbook is all of the information you will need to prepare for

your involvement in the MMHS Girls Basketball Program. While it would be very

challenging to cover every situation, we have tried to create a reference for you in

preparation for the season. We are excited about the future and direction of our

program. Please refer to our website (www.gomesaramsbasketball.com) our

Facebook page (www.facebook.com/mesagirlsbasketball) and our blast page

regularly as some of the data in this packet is yet to be finalized.

T OGETHER

E VERYONE

ACHIEVES

MORE

http://(www.gomesaramsbasketball.com/

http://www.facebook.com/mesagirlsbasketball


Dear Parents/Guardian

Welcome to the 2017-2018 basketball season and what should serve as a very positive and exciting

experience for your daughter. Our MMHS women’s basketball program has put together an expectations

package for you in the hopes of helping you to better understand the program with which your child is

involved. Our goal is to produce fine, upstanding people first and great basketball players second, as

basketball is an excellent tool for building character and teaching fundamental important life skills. This handbook is a look into what we believe to be important information and facets to our program.

High school basketball should be a positive and memorable experience for all involved. Our program and

coaches’ goals are to provide players the opportunity to be the best basketball player they can be and to

reach their goals and potential. We intend to teach the game of basketball, instill discipline, encourage being a

student first, prepare players through offseason workouts, and build a basketball family through hard work

and having a group commitment to being successful and finding out what true success really is. In order to be

successful everyone involved must be positive and maintain their character. There are not many things in life

that come easily, and if they do come easy the reward isn’t as great. Difficult times require a positive outlook

and an unwavering mental attitude. Our motto is to do the best at which you are capable all the time and to

have zero regrets at the end when you look back on the season and on your 4 years of high school as a

student and an athlete. A player’s level of improvement is directly related to the amount of work and effort

they put forward in every activity the team undergoes. We as coaches have high expectations, and we

expect players to give great effort in everything we instruct them to do. While we expect great effort from the

players, there are also high expectations of the coaches as well; it would be unfair to ask more of a player

than a coach is willing to give him or herself. In order for every person to understand her role, everyone in the program needs to realize and understand the concept of “Team Before Self”. The coaching staff will show

a genuine and high interest into the well-being and potential of each individual player. However, coaches,

players, parents, and administrators cannot put their interests before the teams’ best interest. As a program

and coaching staff we will emphasize accountability and individual responsibility, as you, the athlete, are

solely in charge of your priorities. Players need to be responsible for their own choices and actions and not

count on someone else to bail them out or hold their hand. Everyone needs to remember that playing high

school basketball is a privilege and not a right. There is no room for special privileges on any team, and

everyone is expected to abide by the same standards and serve the same consequences when they do not. In

the event an individual player becomes “a thorn in the side” of the teams’ goals and potential, that player will

be removed.

The MMHS Girls Basketball Program demands a lot of time from our student athletes and we do not

tolerate absences or lateness for our practices, games or other scheduled events. There is generally a lot to

learn in a somewhat short amount of time, so good attendance helps both the player and the team. We need

you to support us in this effort and make sure that your daughter is available for the scheduled practices,

games and other events such as teambuilding and fundraising. In return we the coaching staff will make sure

the communication and scheduling is always available to you.

Thank you for allowing your daughter to be a part of our program. Together we will have a lot of fun while

working hard toward the common goals of the program.

Coach Rouse


Program Philosophy

As legendary coach John Wooden said, “Success comes from knowing that you did your best to

become the best that you are capable of becoming.” We follow this motto along with the fact

that winning isn’t everything; it’s the path to get there that counts. We feel if you do the best

that you are capable of doing all of the time, the outcome is going to be what you want anyway.

Basketball is a demanding sport once you get to this level and beyond. It is a sport that requires

discipline, determination, a strong work ethic, and a “never give up” attitude. Basketball is not

for everyone. However, being a part of something like this will always give you back way more

than it will ever demand of you.

Basketball can bring an awesome sense of accomplishment and pride. It can create confidence,

courage and help create lifelong friendships. Being a basketball player is a personality, and it is

an honor and a privilege to be one of few people who get to do this on our campus. Although

winning is always nice, we believe that it definitely isn’t everything. You can actually lose a

game that you win, and win a game that you lose. This quote from John Wooden sums it up,

“Remember, results aren’t the criteria for success — it’s the effort made for achievement that

is most important.”

“How can I make the team better?” should be the question regularly asked throughout the

season. Hard work, discipline, commitment, and sportsmanship are imperative. They are how

we define a successful season and basketball program.

Being a committed member of the Murrieta Mesa Girls Basketball team translates directly to

behaving as a responsible member of Murrieta Mesa High School and the community. We must

always remember who we represent. Each player and player’s parents/guardians must sign

the Player/Parent Contract, created by the Murrieta Mesa Basketball program, located at the

back of this handbook.

Murrieta Mesa Tradition

It is a privilege to be a part of the Murrieta Mesa Girls Basketball program. The time, effort, and

energy we all spend in making our program a success is based on a strong conviction that

basketball and an education will provide some of your greatest values and most rewarding

moments. Take pride and ownership in everything you do as a part of our program, because

with basketball, as in life, the success you enjoy is a direct result of the effort in which you have

put forth. Remember, you are setting an example for all that came before and all that will come

after into this program.

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/johnwooden386888.html




Freshman Basketball

Program Setup

Purpose: Teach the players the strategies, rules, and fundamentals of high school basketball along

with the specific strategies and expectations of the Murrieta Mesa Basketball

program.

Emphasis: Preparing players both mentally and physically for their next level of play, and ultimately for

the varsity team. Learning the fundamentals of the game is a must at this level because

without them, it will be very difficult to move on to the next level.

-One of the main differences between JV and Freshman is you need to have

the mental and physical capability to understand and react to most

basketball situations.

-In order to get past this, we encourage you to stay and watch JV/Varsity

games and practices to continue to learn the game and what is expected of

you.

Junior Varsity Basketball

Purpose: Teach the players the intermediate/advance strategies, rules, and fundamentals of

high school basketball along with the advanced strategies of Murrieta Mesa

Basketball.

Emphasis: Preparing the players both mentally and physically for varsity basketball.

One of the main goals is to specifically be able to learn everything varsity is doing and

being able to do it consistently. We also want to build your knowledge of the game to a

point where in most situations, you understand what is expected.

-One of the main differences between JV and Varsity is a player may not fully

understand the game and they may play slower or possibly be confused at

times. Being able to play physical and smart consistently is another

difference.

- Same as with the freshman team, the best way to help yourself is to never

stop learning. Come to varsity practices, talk to the coaches and maybe watch

film with the varsity team.

Varsity Basketball

Purpose: Teach the advanced strategies, rules and fundamentals of high school basketball as well

as the advanced strategies of our program.

Emphasis: Work with players who are both mentally and physically prepared to play basketball at the

varsity level. Get our players to their fullest potential and have the highest expectations.

Prepare potential college athletes for the collegiate level.

We are always looking out for the programs best interest and each

individual’s best interest as it applies to the team. All players know

that being a part of this program is a privilege and not a right. With

that said, at any time if a player is not pulling their weight on their

respective level, they may be moved down accordingly. At the same

time, if a player is going above and beyond and show reasons to be

pulled up, that can happen as well.


Physical and Health Paperwork

All student athletes must have a current physical and be cleared to play at Murrieta Mesa and

be cleared by CIF Southern Section. In order to be cleared you need to get your physical done

by your local physician and turn that in with the online paperwork on our athletics website.

Here is the link in order to do that: http://www.murrieta.k12.ca.us/Page/27510


Expectations of Our Coaching Staff

Be a positive role model. Carry yourself in a professional manner at all times, on the

court and in the community. Players and community members are always watching, as a

representative of the program your actions will reflect on everyone, not just yourself.

Make sure your interactions on the court reflect how you would want your own child to

be treated.

Coach every player. They won’t care how much you know until they know how much

you care. We will coach players to help prepare them to achieve their greatest potential.

Each player is putting in the time and effort to make the team better and it is the

responsibility of the coach to help him improve his skills.

Communicate. A basketball program consists of many parts, it is important that

everyone works hard to stay on the same page. All coaches should make sure to work

together to stay informed of what is going on with players, strategy, and the program in

general. Coaches should also strive to ensure the players understand the material being

presented in practice and be approachable if a player wants to talk.

Commitment. We ask our players to invest a lot of time into our program and therefore

the same commitment is needed from each coach. In turn, the program will try to place

a priority on using time wisely during meetings, practices, and team activities.

Communication to Parents

The Murrieta Mesa coaching staff will make every attempt to make sure that all players with

their parents/guardians are up to date on all the events happening within the Mesa basketball

program.

We have 4 ways of communicating with parents and players in our program.

A weekly email which includes all the events for the week that is upcoming. In order to

make sure you are in the email system, be sure to email Coach Rouse at

[email protected] to ensure your email is added.

Our website, which is updated daily and includes all information regarding our program

(schedules, coaches, practice times, etc…) The website address is:

www.gomesaramsbasketball.com

We also have a Facebook page which is current with happenings in our program

including pictures and fun stories about the program. You can get to our Facebook from

the website or the link is www.facebook.com/mesabasketball

Our MaxPreps page, which has our schedule and up to date scores and stats. This

doesn’t get updated until the beginning of the regular season in late November.

www.maxpreps.com

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.gomesaramsbasketball.com/

http://www.facebook.com/mesabasketball

http://www.maxpreps.com/


Player Expectations We will operate the Mesa Basketball Program in accordance with the rules, regulations, and policies as

outlined by the CIFSS, and the administrative policies of MMHS. Within that structure we will provide a

basketball program of the highest quality that meets the needs of our students, alumni, school and

community.

As Head Coach, I believe that our basketball program provides an important link between the school and

the community. Student, parental, alumni, and community involvement in our program helps to

enhance school spirit, develop sound minds and bodies, and develop skills and qualities which will last a

lifetime.

As a general rule, all players are to conduct themselves with class and dignity, both on and off the court.

Your behavior is a direct reflection of our school and basketball program. Any actions that will

embarrass you, your team, school, or parents is an action that should not be taken.

All players in this program will recognize and respect the authority of all coaches, teachers,

administrators, and support staff members or they will not be a part of the team.

Any violation of one or more of the rules covered in this handbook is an indication that this basketball

program, and being a part of it, is not important to you. Any violation will be dealt with accordingly,

ranging from suspensions to dismissal from the team. Those who work hard and adhere to these policies

are showing that being part of this team is important and will be rewarded with success, and the

satisfaction of knowing you did the best of which you are capable.

Attendance

All players are expected to be present, ready, prepared and on time (15 mins early) to every practice. You also must wear a practice jersey to every practice.

1. If you are late to practice as an individual, the team will (unfortunately) pay for it. If you are

continuously late, we will have to sit down and talk about why, then decide what actions to

take.

2. Any player who misses practice without notifying Coach Rouse in person or by email ahead of

time will be dealt with accordingly.

a. 1st unexcused absence will result in missing some game time. (ex. miss the 1st quarter,

etc..)

b. 2nd unexcused absence will result in being suspended for a game

c. 3rd unexcused absence could possibly result in dismissal of the team.

3. We know there can and will be emergencies, however, communication is a must. Please let

Coach Rouse know if one of these arises.

4. We have the schedule done far in advance so please schedule appointments i.e. doctor, dentist,

etc. at different times than practices or games.

5. Our season is during two main holidays and although the student athletes will be out of school,

we will still have practice on most days other than the actual holiday. (Christmas, Thanksgiving,

etc.)


Academics

You are expected to be a student first and an athlete second. Treat yourself with proper

respect. To be a member of this team, you must attend class regularly, and achieve a minimum

GPA of 2.0. A 3.0 or higher is preferred. Multiple F’s will be dealt with accordingly. Poor

behavior and low achievement make all of us look bad.

The academic progress of all team members will be monitored throughout the school year. Missing assignments and tardies are monitored as well, be sure you are getting everything done.

School Behavior

Our expectations of our student athletes are to be responsible and act with integrity and pride

on campus. Any student who can’t abide by the school rules that have been set by our school

administration will have to meet with coaches to determine consequences, which could lead to

dismissal from the team if necessary.

Hazing

Under NO circumstances will hazing be tolerated. No player will ever be ridiculed by another

player either in the locker room, training rooms or on the court. The freshman will be respected

by the JV/Varsity, the Junior Varsity players will be respected by the Varsity team and frosh

team, and all the way around the program.

Locker Room

The locker room will be kept clean and exactly how you left it. Respect the facility you are using

and treat it respectfully and with maturity. This goes for our locker room and any visiting locker

room we find ourselves in.


Social Media

The use of your social media sites should be used responsibly. There shouldn’t be any negative

criticism of your teammates, your program, or your school. If there is anything found that needs

to be addressed, we will address it which could lead to suspension from the team.

**Please view attached social media ideas in information packet**

Drugs and Alcohol Use

The use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco will not be tolerated. The use of these products is illegal, and damaging to your health and to the image of our basketball team. The possession or use of drugs or alcohol during school and/or basketball activities will result in dismissal from the team.

Equipment Responsibility Each player is responsible for purchasing practice gear and needs to wear this during every practice. You need to have the proper shoes and socks for games and practice as well. Wearing incorrect shoes, i.e vans, converse, etc. will not allow the player to practice that day.

Game Jerseys will be provided by the program to every individual on all the levels in the program. It is your responsibility to maintain care of this jersey for the remainder of the season and return it to the program at the season end. Each player is provided with instructions on how to wash their jerseys and should abide by these directions so that the jerseys maintain their quality.

All other necessary equipment will be provided by the basketball program. Anything that is a “want” by a player but not a requirement by the program will need to be purchased by you.


Spring Responsibilities

We know and understand that some athletes choose to play multiple sports, which is great and

we encourage that. So if you are an athlete that plays a spring sport, that is your priority, just

like basketball is your only priority during our season. For all those that don’t participate in a

spring sport, we do spring workouts and a spring league leading into the summer. These

workouts usually start around spring break and end a couple of weeks before graduation. The

spring league is usually held on 3 separate Saturday’s in our gym. Basketball is growing and

becoming a year around thing and in order to stay competitive and prepared, spring workouts

are a must. We also do a lot of 1-on-1 training during this time to help you improve individually.

Summer Responsibilities

Every summer we have our summer camp, which includes practices, games, and tournaments.

This always begins the first Monday of summer break and lasts until around the 2nd or 3rd week

of July. This is a mandatory camp for all returning players and incoming freshmen, and if you

don’t come it definitely reflects poorly on you for the upcoming season. The summer creates a

lot of team bonding and experiences that you will regret missing. We ask that if you plan

vacations you plan them for the last week of July and the first two weeks of August to solve the

problem of missing practices and tournaments. We want committed athletes in our program

and this is a vital part of our program becoming what it will be.

Fall Responsibilities

The fall consists of a lot of conditioning and plyometric training to prepare us for the fast

approaching season. We usually start fall practices and workouts after the first two or three

weeks of school. If you are on the JV or Varsity team, you will be required to take 7th period PE

and most of these workouts will take place in this class. We like the athletes to be able to get

comfortable with school and the work load before we begin anything. Fall workouts consist of

doing physical training, i.e weight room, conditioning, torque, and usually 1 day a week in the

gym working on basketball fundamentals and team strategies. The schedules for this will be

known ahead of time and will be given out at the fall meeting each year.

Winter Responsibilities

From November to March is our season for basketball, in which no other sports should be

happening but ours, as we give the same respect to the spring and fall sports. The second

Saturday in November is normally the first official practice for all of our levels, and after that we

have practices 5 days a week, unless there are games scheduled. When league starts, we have

two games and 3 practices every week. The schedule for winter is usually up and ready for you

to view in October.


Injuries and Health Concerns

If you have an injury or health concern, please see the Mesa Athletic Trainer, ore we would love

for you to see Dr. Steele one of our team doctors at ICare urgent care on Clinton Keith Rd. If a

player is taken to the hospital because of an in-game or in-practice injury, either Coach Rouse or

the Athletic Trainer will notify a parent. Players should report any updates in medical conditions

or medications being taken to Coach Rouse. Players should also report health conditions such as

skin rashes or mononucleosis to Coach Rouse so appropriate action can be taken to prevent

spreading to teammates.

Any player who is injured and not participating in practice will spend part of practice (as

determined by coaches and trainer) performing physical activity and part of practice getting

‘mental reps’ by analyzing practice.

Nutrition Try to stay away from soda, fast food, fatty foods, fried foods, and sweets. Pasta, breads, meat, fruits and vegetables, and milk are preferred to prepare your body for the demands of the sport. Drink lots of water, especially on practice and game days. On game days, do not consume soda and candy. Think healthy! The better you eat, the more energy you will have and you will feel and play better. It is also very important to get at least eight hours sleep per night.


Parent Expectations

Be positive with your athlete. Let them know you are proud they are part of the team. Focus on the

benefits of teamwork and personal discipline.

Encourage your athlete to follow all training rules. Help the coaches build a commitment to the

team. Set a good example in your personal lifestyle.

Allow your athlete to perform and progress at a level consistent with her ability. Athletes mature

at different ages; some are more developed than others.

Always support the coaching staff when controversial decisions are made. The coaches need your

backing to keep good morale on the team.

Insist on positive behavior in school and a high level of performance in the classroom. Numerous

studies indicate extracurricular involvement helps enhance academic performance.

Stay calm in injury situations. Parents can help minimize the trauma by being in control and

offering comfort. Allow the medical staff to perform their assessment of your daughter’s injury. No

parent is allowed on the court unless the training staff requests it.

Cheer for our team and players. Opponents and referees deserve respect. Realize that high school

players will make mistakes. Your support is needed during tough times.

Promote having fun and being a team player. Very few high school athletes receive scholarships.

Concentrate on what is best for the team. Preoccupation with statistics can be very distracting.

An athlete's self-confidence and self-image will be improved by support at home. Comparison to

others is discouraged. Encourage the athlete to do their best regardless of family or friends who

may have been outstanding players.

Winning is fun, but building positive team values is most important. As I said, you can lose a game

you win, and win a game you lose. The concept of working together to perform a task will have

lasting benefits. Winning takes place when all the little things are done correctly.

Find the time to be an avid booster of school activities. Help build a solid support system for

coaches and athletes.

Athletes must attend all practices, games and team events. Stress the necessity to make a

commitment to the team.

Persistence and being able to accept a role is extremely important for the team to be successful.

Not everyone will be a starter, but everyone is important to the team. Some players may not develop

until their senior season. Encourage them to be persistent.


Parent Code of Conduct

I will enjoy my child’s opportunity to experience the benefits of playing high school basketball.

I will trust in my child’s ability to have fun and to perform and achieve excellence on his own.

I will help my child learn the right lessons from winning, losing, individual achievement, and

mistakes.

I will respect my child’s teammates, as well as fellow parents and fans.

I will give encouragement and applaud only positive accomplishments, whether from my child

or his teammates.

I will support the efforts of the coaching staff.

I will not instruct from the sidelines, unless asked to by the coach.

I will ensure that my child will attend all practices and games and will inform the coach in

advance if unable to attend.

I will respect all facilities made available to my child.

I will respect the equipment and uniform loaned to my child for practice and play.

I will respect the officials and their authority during games.

I will never demonstrate threatening or abusive behavior.

Communication Process

Coaches have the authority over who becomes a participant of the team and when the

participant plays or is removed from the team. The coaching staff determines coaching

strategy. Acceptance of a position on the team includes acceptance of this policy. Therefore,

these issues are not appropriate topics for parent involvement and discussions with coaches

are discouraged. It is NEVER acceptable for a parent to attempt to discuss playing time with a

coach during a game or practice. It is also NEVER acceptable for a parent to attempt to discuss

the performance or playing time of another participant.

Head Coach, athlete, and/or parent meetings may help to resolve OTHER issues creating

concern or dissatisfaction. Such meetings MUST be scheduled beforehand and will be on

campus. Any meeting with a parent may also include an assistant coach, trainer, or an

administrator.

Meetings can be scheduled by contacting Coach Rouse through email. Contact should not be

made to an assistant coach as they are relieved from meeting with parents and will simply point

you toward contacting Coach Rouse. If a meeting is requested it should be done through the

proper channels; contact Coach Rouse only. The vast majority of player concerns will be worked

out at this level. If the player or parent were not satisfied with what transpired at the coach’s

level, the next step would be to involve the Athletic Director. If all else fails, the Principal will

become involved. Please respect the proper chain of communication, as we do not want to

waste your time or the time of our administrators.


Parents Attending Practice

All practices are closed to parents unless otherwise notified. It is important for practice time to

be only for the coaches and players. The time allocated for practice is short and all attention

needs to be on practice.

Always be a team player

Basketball: More Than Just a Game

Always be on time, whenever time is involved

Always be learning

Always be enthusiastic, dependable, and cooperative

Always be earning the right to be proud and confident

Always keep your emotions under control without losing fight or aggressiveness

Be spirited, not temperamental

Always work to improve, knowing you can never improve enough.

We are called to be polite as we deal with each other, face to face or in groups. Together

Everyone Achieves More.

Being on time is a sign of respect toward those we will work with or work for.

We will all work with someone else in our lifetime, cooperation is an absolute must.

We must believe in ourselves!

Never be satisfied, always strive to improve. “It’s what you learn after you think you know it all

that counts” -JW


Community Service

We associate educational athletics as being the intentional efforts of our coaches to teach skills,

behaviors, actions and attitudes that extend far beyond the X's and O's of our sports. Some of

these positive character traits are: hard work, discipline, teamwork, perseverance,

sportsmanship, respect and learning how to win and lose with dignity.

In addition to these we will add community service as another character trait that can be used

in our pursuit of educational athletics. We define community service as giving back to the

school and surrounding community through volunteerism. Service is doing something for

somebody else without any expectation of getting anything in return. It is a selfless way for our

team to give back to their community.

Throughout the year, the team will participate in a couple community service activities. These

activities will have the secondary benefit of being team building events as well as allowing the

players to claim hours that are required for graduation. Community Service is a Team Function!

Team Building

Team building has many key elements; the most important elements are earning trust,

communication, and teamwork. These elements can be built in many different ways. Through

team camps, recreational events, community service, fundraising events and standard team

preparation. Throughout the year (on and off season) the team will participate in several team-

building events. All the team building events will be posted on the website’s calendar of events.

Team Building Events are Mandatory!

We hope this handbook answers your questions and motivates you to become a superior

student-athlete. This handbook is not intended to substitute for coach-player communication.

Problems most often arise from misunderstandings, and/or lack of communication. We must be

willing to search for answers and solutions properly if we are to progress as coaches, students,

individuals, and as a team. As the 2014 season progresses, you may, at one time or another,

have questions in regards to a variety of different issues. Please feel free to contact Coach

Rouse and every effort will be made to provide you with the information you need.

“We don’t have to be superstars or win championships… All we have to do is learn to rise to every

occasion, give our best effort, and make those around us better as we do it.” –John Wooden


2017-2018 Player/Parent Contract (Submission required for participation)

I, (player), and

(parent/guardian), have read 2017-2018 Murrieta Mesa Girls Basketball Player & Parent

Expectations Handbook. By signing below, we acknowledge that we understand its contents

and agree to the terms of the handbook. We understand the guidelines for attendance,

punctuality, playing time, etc. We will do our best to work together to provide a positive

experience. We are aware of the commitment it takes to be a part of the Murrieta Mesa High

Girls Basketball Program and are aware that all decisions that are made are for the betterment

of the TEAM.

It is a privilege to play basketball at Murrieta Mesa High School, NOT a right!

Athlete Date

Parent/Guardian Date

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