Quincy Public Schools

ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

HANDBOOK

for

Student-Athletes and Parents

2026-2027

North Quincy High School                                        Quincy High School                

Daniel Gilbert, Principal                                                Keith Ford, Principal        

Kevin Mahoney,

Director of Athletics & Wellness

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Athletics Director’s Message                                                        p. 3

Athletics Program Philosophy                                                p. 4

Student-Athlete Responsibilities                                                p. 5

Getting Started with QPS Athletics                                        p. 8

QPS & MIAA Athletics Policies                                                p. 10

Parental Responsibilities                                                        p. 16

Additional Resources                                                                p. 19

Welcome to Quincy Public Schools Athletics

In the Quincy Public Schools, we have longstanding athletic traditions of performance with dedication, intensity, and skill.  High school athletics can be a wonderful and exciting educational opportunity and it is our hope that you will make the most of this opportunity.  

This booklet contains information regarding policies, practices, and regulations that govern the athletic programs at both North Quincy and Quincy High Schools. Quincy Public Schools is a member of the Patriot League and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletics Association (MIAA).  For further information about your sport, please contact your coach directly or reach out to me with any general inquiries.

I look forward to your being part of the Quincy Public Schools Athletic programs!

Kevin Mahoney

Director of Athletics & Wellness

617-376-3347

kevinmahoney@quincypublicschools.com 

I. ATHLETICS PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY

The purpose of athletics is to provide learning experiences, which contribute to physical, mental, social, and emotional growth. Athletics should foster the development of positive self-esteem and a climate among coaches and team members where mutual respect is valued. Athletics fulfills an important function in the educational process throughout the Quincy Public Schools.

Athletics is an extension of the school day. Our coaches are tasked with the responsibility to teach the values of accountability, citizenship, sportsmanship, tolerance, leadership, participation within the rules, performing under pressure, persistence, work ethic, physical well-being, responsibility, self-discipline, social skills, striving towards excellence, taking instruction, and teamwork.

Athletics are open to all students, providing they are in good standing academically, are good citizens, and are physically fit to participate. Participation is a privilege which students earn by maintaining these standards.

II. STUDENT-ATHLETE RESPONSIBILITIES

1. COMMITMENT High school athletics demand a higher level of commitment than students may be used to in prior athletic endeavors. QPS student athletes are expected to attend all practices and games of any team that they are trying out for or become a member of.  Practices will average two hours in duration, exclusive of prep time.  Weekend practices vary by sport and should be expected. (Sunday practices are only held when scheduling dictates and must be approved in advance by the Principal and Director of Athletics.) In addition, coaches may have individual team expectations which will be communicated during the tryout process.  NOTE: Due to MIAA scheduling parameters, many of our teams practice and/or play during school vacations. Student-athletes planning on being absent for an extended period of time, due to vacation or a planned extended absence, should discuss the situation with the coach prior to trying out for the team.

2. ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY  To be eligible for high school sports, a student may not have more than ONE failing grade during the last marking period preceding the contest.  To be eligible for fall sports, a student may not have more than ONE failing grade on the previous academic year final report card.  All incoming grade 9 students are eligible for fall sports.  The academic eligibility of all students shall be considered as official and determining only on the date when the report cards for that ranking period have been issued.
3. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND TARDINESS  Quincy Public Schools student-athletes are reminded at the beginning of each season of the requirements for good school and team citizenship. They are as follows:

1. Student athletes are expected to arrive on time to school each day and be in school for a full day in order to participate or practice on that same day.
2. Student athletes are expected to be on time for classes and complete assigned work on time.

4. BEHAVIOR Student athletes must behave respectfully at all times and maintain proper behavior to maintain their athletic eligibility.

1. A student-athlete who is on any type of suspension shall not participate in any extra-curricular or athletic activity on the day(s) of suspension. A student whose suspension includes a Friday or the last day of school prior to a holiday or vacation shall not participate in any extra-curricular or athletic activity over the weekend, holiday, or vacation period.
2. A student who is in any manner suspended twice during a quarter shall be dropped for the remainder of that quarter from any and all extra-curricular and athletic programs in which he/she was participating during said quarter.

5. ATHLETIC ATTENDANCE  Prior notification must be given to coaches of absences for a practice or a game.  Athletes are expected to be present at all team-related activities; practice is critical to prepare for upcoming contests. Multiple unexcused absences may be grounds for suspension or dismissal from the team.
6. MEDICAL ELIGIBILITY All student-athletes must provide written proof of a current examination signed by their physician as part of the registration process. A physical is good for 13 months from the exam date.

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III. GETTING STARTED WITH QPS ATHLETICS

1. TRYOUTS  Participation in athletics is a privilege extended to students who meet all requirements set by the MIAA and QPS. The first step for a student-athlete is to participate in tryouts.  During the tryout period, the coach will provide his/her expectations for the team. It is the responsibility of candidates to demonstrate to the coach that he/she can meet these expectations. Students not invited to be on a team’s final roster are encouraged to try out for another team, provided there is space.  Students not selected for a team should be informed as to the reasons by the coach. After tryouts have begun, no athlete may leave one team and tryout for another team without being given consent by both coaches and the Athletic Director.

2. ONLINE REGISTRATION  Registration for all high school athletics is to be completed online at the following website: Arbiter Sports

Quincy High School Link: https://students.arbitersports.com/quincy-high-school

North Quincy High School Link:

https://students.arbitersports.com/north-quincy-high-school

The following sections of the online registration must be completed:

1. Medical Questionnaire (Fill in all appropriate information)
2. Athletic Permit (Check the box indicating consent)
3. QPS Concussion Policy (Check the box indicating consent) 
4. IMPACT Baseline Concussion Test (Check the box indicating consent) 
5. QPS Academic Policy (Check the box indicating consent)
6. QPS Athletic Handbook (Check the box indicating consent)

3. ATHLETICS FEES

IV. QPS & MIAA ATHLETIC POLICIES

1. SPORTSMANSHIP  All QPS Athletes are expected to conduct themselves with respect and integrity on and off the field of play. If any action during the course of the school day or at an after school QPS sponsored event is deemed unsportsmanlike, or detrimental to the QPS Athletic Philosophy in any way, by either NQHS or QHS administration suspension and/or removal from athletic games/teams may be administered by the principal/AD of your child’s school. 
2. HARASSMENT POLICY  It is the policy of the Quincy Public Schools to provide learning and working atmosphere free of harassment, including sexual harassment. The Quincy Public Schools expect all members of our community to treat each other with dignity and respect. Harassment or any of its manifestation, on the basis of race, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, or disability will not be tolerated. Harassment may include:

1. HAZING  Hazing is defined as any conduct or method of initiation unto any student organization which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or person. Incidents of hazing must be reported to the appropriate law enforcement officials as soon as reasonable.
2. BULLYING  The repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal, or electronic expression or a physical act or gesture of any combination thereof, directed at a victim that Causes physical or emotional harm to the victim or damages to the victim’s property is prohibited.  Bullying includes actions that:

• Place the victim in reasonable fear of harm to himself or of damage to his property.
• Create a hostile environment at school for the victim.
• Infringe on the rights of the victim at school.
• Materially and substantially disrupt the education process or the orderly operation of a school.

3. CYBER-BULLYING and ACCEPTABLE USE OF TECHNOLOGY  Cyber-bullying is defined in Chapter 92 of the Massachusetts Acts of 2010 as bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication, which includes but is not limited to any transfer of signs, images, signals, writings, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by such things as electronic mail, internet communications, instant message, text message, or facsimile.

• Any QPS team-named site/group/chat must be monitored/managed by head coach or his/her designee
• A coach or his/her designee, must report any issues to Athletic Director and/or Principal.  Issues will be handled on a case-by-case basis by building Principal, Dean(s), and Athletic Director.

3. MIAA POLICIES  The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association is a private, non-profit association organized by its member schools to govern, coordinate and promote education based programs for high school students.  

1. PARTICIPATION LIMITS  A student shall be eligible for interscholastic competition for no more than 12 consecutive athletic seasons beyond the 8th grade. A student must be less than 19 years of age as of September 1 of the current school year.
2. INTENT TO INJURE RULE  MIAA Rule Number 55.7 states, any student who willfully, flagrantly, or maliciously attempts to injure an opponent shall be removed from the contest immediately and shall be ineligible in all sports for one year from the date of the incident. (“Fighting” does not apply to this section unless warranted in the judgment of the game official.)
3. OUT OF SEASON SPORTS INVOLVEMENT  According to MIAA rules, “Neither a coach nor any other representative of the school may require an athlete to participate in a sport nor training program outside the MIAA defined sport season.” Voluntary conditioning sessions open to all students in the school and which are entirely devoid of sports-specific activity may be conducted between sessions provided no candidate is either required to participate or penalized for not doing so.  A “candidate” is defined as a varsity or sub-varsity athlete who participated in the high school program at some interscholastic level in that part the previous season.  Participation in out-of-season clinics, camps, leagues, or other related sports activities is strictly up to the discretion of the student-athlete and his/her parents. Participation in such activities will have no bearing on a student-athlete’s participation on a Quincy Public Schools athletic team. The Athletics Department encourages all students to take full advantage of the activities offered and become involved in more than one sport.
4. MIAA BONA FIDE TEAM MEMBER RULE  A “bona fide team member” of the school team is a student who is regularly present for, and actively participates in, all team practices and competitions. Bona fide team members are precluded from missing a high school practice or competition in order to practice or compete on a non-school team (i.e. club teams, AAU, town teams, etc.).

• A coach does not have the right to excuse a team member from practice so that he or she may practice or play for another team. The Principal may request a waiver from the MIAA of the rule only in special circumstances.
• A violation of the Bona Fide Player Rule is subject to the following penalties:  First Offense: the student-athlete is suspended for one (1) contest and shall not participate in the next scheduled interscholastic competition that is part of their regular season schedule or in tournament play.  Second Offense: the student-athlete is suspended for an additional 25% of the season and is ineligible for tournament play immediately upon confirmation of the violation.

1. MIAA CHEMICAL HEALTH RULE: ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, DRUGS  From the earliest fall practice date, to the conclusion of the academic year or final athletic event (whichever is latest), a student shall not, regardless of the quantity, use, consume, possess, buy/sell, or give away any beverage containing alcohol; any tobacco product; marijuana; steroids; or any controlled substance. This policy includes products such as “NA or near beer”. It is not a violation for a student to be in possession of a legally defined drug specifically prescribed for the student’s own use by his/her doctor.

• This MIAA statewide minimum standard is not intended to render “guilt by association”, e.g. many student athletes might be present at a party where only a few violate this standard. This rule represents only a minimum standard upon which schools may develop more stringent requirements.
• In QPS, students are in violation of this rule when they are “knowingly in the presence of” alcohol, drugs, tobacco, steroids, or any controlled substance.
• If a student in violation of this rule is unable to participate in interscholastic sports due to injury or academics, the penalty will not take effect until that student is able to participate again.
• MINIMUM PENALTIES:

• First violation: When the Principal confirms, following an opportunity for the student to be heard, that a violation occurred, the student shall lose eligibility for the next consecutive interscholastic contests totaling 25% of all interscholastic contests in that sport. No exception is permitted for a student who becomes a participant in a treatment program. It is recommended that the student be allowed to remain at practice for the purpose of rehabilitation. All decimal part of an event will be truncated, i.e. all fractional part of an event will be dropped when calculating the 60% of the season.
• If after the second or subsequent violations the students of his/her own volation becomes a participant in an approved chemical dependency program or treatment program, the student may be certified for reinstatement in MIAA activities after a minimum of 40% of events. The director or a counselor of a chemical dependency treatment center must issue such certification.

V. PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Participation in athletics should be an enjoyable experience for all parties involved: students, coaches, and parents. There is no doubt that participation can be emotionally charged, and dealing with these emotions constructively can be an excellent learning experience. In most cases, athletic competition is extremely positive and complements the educational experience enjoyed by students in the Quincy Public Schools. Occasionally, because of the high emotional level present during athletic competition, conflicts arise between coaches and students. These conflicts must be addressed and resolved so that the many benefits of athletic involvement may continue to contribute to the emotional and physical growth of our QPS students.

1. COACH~PARENT COMMUNICATION  Coaching can be an extremely difficult responsibility, with decisions having to be made for the good of the team. By establishing an understanding between parents and coaches we are better able to provide greater benefit to the student-athletes. Clear communication from your student's coach will help you understand the expectations for the team.  You should expect to learn about the following from your student's coach:

• Coaching Philosophy
• Expectations for your student and all the players on the team
• Locations and times of all practice and games
• Team requirements, special equipment, out-of-season conditioning expectations
• Procedures followed in case of an injury during participation

2. PARENT~COACH COMMUNICATION  In turn, parents will often wish to communicate with coaches.  Most coaches have email addresses that they share with students and parents.  Some also share cell phone numbers or set up some other social-media based form of communication.  Parents can use these more informal means of communication in order to contact the coach about:

• Potential schedule conflicts, as far in advance as possible
• Minor concerns or requests for clarification about coach's expectations

More serious concerns are better suited to a conference between the coach and parent(s).  In that case, please contact the Athletic Department for assistance with scheduling a meeting between the coach and parent.  It is best not attempt to discuss a serious concern with the coach before or during an athletic contest or practice.  Meetings under these circumstances do not promote the optimal resolution.  The Athletic Director is available to assist with issues that cannot be directly resolved between a parent and coach.

3. CONCUSSION INFORMATION  A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that changes the way the brain normally works. A concussion is caused by bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. For more information, please see the Concussion Policy on the Quincy Public Schools website (https://quincypublicschools.com/cms/One.aspx?portalId=22782402&pageId=47717347 ).

4. INSURANCE  A non-contributory supplemental insurance program is provided for all participants in interscholastic sports. In general, coverage begins after limits of the family’s insurance have been exhausted. Details regarding insurance coverage can be obtained from the Athletic Department.  It is the obligation of the athlete and the family to complete necessary form to qualify for benefits.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

QHS Teams/Schedules/Scores/Contact Information

https://qhs.quincypublicschools.com/our_school/athletics

@QHSAthletics

NQHS Teams/Schedules/Scores/Contact Information

https://nqhs.quincypublicschools.com/our_school/athletics2

@NQRaiders

Channel 22-Quincy Education Channel

Quincy School Committee

The Honorable Thomas P. Koch,

Mayor and School Committee Chair

Kathryn E. Hubley, Vice-Chair

Paul L. Bregoli

Tina M. Cahill

Kate Campbell

Tom Leung

Courtney Perdios

Kevin W. Mulvey, J.D., 

Superintendent of Schools and

Secretary to the School Committee

The Quincy Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, gender identity, national origin, or disability, in its educational activities or employment practices.

https://quincypublicschools.com/