Dear Parents and Student-Athletes:
Hello from the Seven Hills Athletic Department! We hope this letter finds you well and you are as excited for the 2012-2013 school year as we are. The Athletic Department has been very busy preparing for the upcoming school year.
The staffing in the Athletic Department has changed a bit. I, Brian Phelps, have officially taken over as the athletic director and Dick “Duke” Snyder will be my assistant. Amy Ilg begins her second year as the administrative assistant for the athletic department splitting her time as the administrative assistant to Carolyn Fox in Lotspeich. Roger Schnirring continues his role as the middle school athletic director and Katie Forster and Marty Gerhardt are in place again as the lower school athletic coordinators. Our medical staff is comprised of our athletic trainer, Carrie Ottopal and our team doctor, Dr. Peter Cha.
At the beginning of each season in the middle and upper school, we will host a parent meeting with the coaches. Coaches will discuss policies and procedures for the upcoming season along with their philosophy. Coaches will be in contact with you to schedule this very important meeting. Please plan to attend.
As your child’s sports season quickly approaches, I would like to pass on information to you that should be helpful.
Q. Where can I obtain an OHSAA physical form?
A. You can go to the Seven Hills website at
www.7hills.org and click athletics, then go to the bottom of the page under athletics downloads and click on the OHSAA Pre-participation physical form.
Q. Can my child practice without a physical?
A. No, an athlete cannot participate in a practice, game, match or meet without a physical form on file in the athletic office.
Q. How long is my physical good for?
A. School physicals (per the OHSAA) are good for each school year, not necessarily each calendar year. Any physical taken after May 1st is good for the entire next school year. Any physical taken before May 1st will have to be retaken before your child’s first practice in August.
Q. If we live out of the state, can my child participate in athletics?
A. No, with two exceptions. 1st exception: you can move to Ohio. 2nd exception: if your child enrolled into Seven Hills before the 4th grade and has continued at Seven Hills since that time, he/she is eligible to participate in athletics in the middle and upper schools. If your circumstance does not fall into one of these two exceptions, an appeal can always be made in writing to the Commissioner of the OHSAA.
Q. Can you explain the transfer rule?
A. The transfer rule states that when a student chooses a school to attend for their 9th grade year, they have chosen their school of record for their next four years. If a student decides to transfer to another school, he/she will be ineligible for one calendar year.
Exceptions include:
Bylaw 4-7-2, Exception 4 - If the bona fide residence of the student’s parents is annexed to a different school district or consolidated within a school district, the student may be ruled eligible upon transfer to a school in the annexed or consolidated district subject to modification by formal action by the Boards of Education concerned. A copy of such action by Boards of Education must be on file in the Association office before the Commissioner’s office can rule the student eligible.
Bylaw 4-7-2, Exception 8 - A student transferred to the State School for the Blind or State School for the Deaf shall be eligible upon enrollment.
Q. If my child is participating in high school or middle school soccer, baseball, basketball etc., can they continue to play on a club/ select team?
A. Yes, as long as the club/ select team is not during the same time of the year as the school team. Once a choice has been made to play interscholastic sports in grades 7-12, any other teams that your child is on in that sport must cease.
These are just a few answers to frequently asked questions. If you have other questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Our website is your best source for the most current schedules, athletic information, coaches’, pictures, links, directions, etc. If a contest is cancelled or times have changed, we will update the website immediately and also update our bee line (728-2444).
Sportsmanship:
As a member of the Miami Valley Conference (MVC) all participants and fans attending all practices and contests will be held to the highest standard of sportsmanship. Parents and spectators are encouraged to cheer for our athletes and not against the other team. Allow coaches to coach; let the players play; and let the officials officiate so everyone can enjoy the athletic event.
Yours in Sports,
Brian G. Phelps
Athletic Director