Fall Kickoff Meeting

August 22nd, 2026 - 10:30am

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If you need Spanish translation support please come forward. We can help.

Agenda

1. Welcome - Introductions
2. Luisa Espinosa-Lara
3. Giants Club - Barbara Finfer (Parent-Booster Organization)
4. Athletic Department Philosophy, Expectations, Communication/Problem Solving, Sportsmanship, CSL Hate Speech Protocol, Injuries, Transportation and Parent/Player Expectations, General Information

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Luisa Espinosa Lara

School/Community Liaison

Family Engagement Specialist

lespinosalara@dist113.org

About me

24 years in education

13 years as a high school Athletic Director-2 previous schools-Larkin HS in Elgin/Wauconda HS

9 years teaching-PE/Driver Ed

Coached a variety of sports throughout my career

Live in Grayslake

Wife is a PE/Driver Ed teacher at Lakes HS

11th grader-varsity athlete-Competitive Dance

7th grader-Dance/cheer/flag football

Family of educators

Motivating factors

Process over results

Watching students and coaches grow

Making decisions based on what is best for students

Relationships

Meaningful experiences for your child in our athletic programs

Demanding, not demeaning

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Play 2/3 Banner program

Seniors

Based on what sports they did as juniors and what they will play as seniors

Banners are be displayed in the hallway by the Giant gym

Fall/Spring athlete-Banner will be up in the fall and spring

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COME JOIN OUR TEAM

BE A PART OF THE TEAM - WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT

Booster Club Mission

• Who we are
• All volunteer parent booster organization that promotes school spirit and provides supplemental funds that benefit athletic teams

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• What we do
• Support student athletes on all teams
• Increase school spirit through selling merchandise
• Supplement athletic teams and their needs

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Misión de la Asociación de Padres

• ¿Quiénes somos?

Somos una organización de padres voluntarios que promueve el espíritu escolar y proporcionar fondos adicionales que benefician a los equipos atléticos.

• ¿Qué hacemos?

Apoyamos a los deportistas de todos los equipos. Aumentamos el espíritu escolar vendiendo mercancía promocional

Suplementamos las necesidades de los equipos deportivos

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Just a Few Examples of Giants Club Purchases

• Fitness Center Equipment
• Wall Pads in IM Gym
• Backpacks for Boys and Girls Volleyball
• Jackets for Girls Soccer and Girls Field Hockey
• Track & Field Record Board for Wolters Field
• Parkas for Tennis and Girls Lacrosse
• Basketball Shooting Machine
• Partnered to fund 50% of Wolters Field scoreboard renovation
• Partnered to fund new swimming pool scoreboard and record boards
• Partnered to fund new gym scorers table for the Giant Gym.
• Next Level Board

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Merchandise and Yard Signs

• In lobby

• Website

• Games

How to Get Involved

• Giants Club Board
• Various Committees

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• Meet one hour per month during the school year
• Sports Liaisons for one of the 32 programs in athletics
• Reach out to parents of athletes of your sport’s teams to encourage membership and share information about Giants Club/upcoming activities
• Talk about Giants Club at a breakout session
• Attend one 1-hour Giants Club Meeting each month

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HPHS Motto

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DREAM

BELIEVE

ACHIEVE

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We Are HP!

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FALL SPORTS

• Boys Cross Country - Steve Buti - Head Coach
• Girls Cross Country - Steve Buti - Head Coach
• Girls Field Hockey - Kelly Derrig - Head Coach
• Football - Anthony Kopp - Head Coach
• Girls Flag Football - Colleen Boilini - Head Coach
• Boys Golf - Curt Hanson - Head Coach
• Girls Golf - Jess Berens - Head Coach
• Jammers and Poms - Kristin Blair - Head Coach
• Boys Soccer - Rodrigo Pozo - Head Coach
• Girls Swimming & Diving - Matt Bacinich - Head Coach
• Girls Tennis - John Whitehead - Head Coach
• Girls Volleyball - Beth Peterson - Head Coach

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ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT PHILOSOPHY

PARTICIPATION IN EDUCATION BASED ATHLETICS ENHANCES STUDENTS EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES EQUIPPING THEM WITH ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR POST SECONDARY ENDEAVORS

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ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT PHILOSOPHY

WE WANT OUR STUDENT ATHLETES TO HAVE A POSITIVE AND MEANINGFUL ATHLETIC EXPERIENCE

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ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT PHILOSOPHY

We want our teams to win with class and show dignity in defeat modeling appropriate behavior at all times

Athletic Registration

Online Registration on the HPHS Athletics website - Bound

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No more paper physicals or permit cards

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Upload your physical

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Remember your login information-Create your own account, one account per family

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Physicals are good for 13 months. Students who do not have a current physical are unable to practice or compete.

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Inscripción para Deportes

Inscripción en línea en la página de ATHLETICS de HPHS.- Bound

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No más físicos en papel ni tarjetas de permisos

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Suba su exámen físico

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Recuerde su información para acceder a la cuenta’ cree su propia cuenta, una cuenta por familia.

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Los exámenes físicos sirven por 13 meses. Estudiantes que no tienen un examen físico actualizado no ṕdran practicar ni compatir.

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Interscholastic Sports & Doctor Signature

Athletic Web Page/Schedules

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Dates to Remember

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• 9/1, 9/3-Picture days
• 9/3 - Open House - 6:30pm (Early Dismissal)
• 9/7- Labor Day - no school-Check about practices
• 9/11 - Eve of Rosh Hashanah (practice must end at 5:00pm)
• 9/12 - Rosh Hashanah (no practice)
• 9/21 - Yom Kippur - no school or practice
• 10/9 & 10/10 - Homecoming Weekend
• 10/12 - No School - Institute Day

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Academic Eligibility

• Weekly monitoring - Must be passing 5 classes per week

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• Ineligible athletes must sit out Sunday-Saturday from competitions.

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• Semester Eligibility - 10th, 11th and 12th graders needed to pass 5 classes 2nd semester of last year

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• Transfer Students

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Elegibilidad Académica

• Monitoreo semanal: Debe aprobar 5 clases por semana.

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• Los deportistas no elegibles deben ausentarse de las competencias de domingo a sábado.

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• Elegibilidad semestral 10,11 y 12 necesitaba pasar 5 clases 2do semestre del año pasado

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• Estudiantes de transferencia

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Attendance

• Student athletes are required to be at school at least 3 periods per day, or 50% of their school day in order to be eligible for participation that day, if not they cannot participate in practices of competitions
• Students need to be in school.
• ATTENDANCE: Coaches will be taking attendance and will have a report that shows attendance during the school day
• PE Exemptions (Juniors and Seniors Only)

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• IHSA rules prevent an athlete from playing for their high school team and a club team of the same sport at the same time.

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Compromiso

• Nos importan nuestros deportistas y queremos que disfruten de lo que hacen.
• Hacemos lo mejor para el equipo en el ámbito deportivo y lo mejor para cada individuo fuera de él.
• Las normas de la IHSA impiden que un deportista compita para el equipo de la escuela preparatoria y un equipo del club del mismo deporte al mismo tiempo.
• Asistencia: Por favor comunicate con tu entrenador si surge algún problema de horario. Haz lo posible por planificar tus citas de forma adecuada
• Exenciones de ed. física (solo para estudiantes de penúltimo y último grado)
• Importancia de la asistencia escolar

Las normas de la IHSA impiden que un atleta juegue simultáneamente para el equipo de su escuela preparatoria y un equipo de club del mismo deporte.

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Sports Medicine

• ATHLETIC TRAINERS - Brie Montmarquette, Tayler Strand and Bethany Kelley
• IF YOU SEE YOUR DOCTOR, BE SURE TO NOTIFY YOUR COACH AND THE TRAINING STAFF IMMEDIATELY. RULES FOR RETURN.
• ATHLETIC TRAINERS SERVE AS THE GATEKEEPER – PROTECT OUR ATHLETES AND ASSIST IN REHABILITATING INJURIES.
• TRAINING ROOM IS LOCATED BY THE POOL ENTRANCE AT HPHS AND ACROSS FROM THE LOCKER ROOMS AT WOLTERS FIELD.

Hazing/Bullying/�Hate Speech

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• Hazing, bullying, and hate speech have no place here.
• If you see something – say something!
• District 113, CSL, IHSA Governing bodies.
• Athletes protect each other.
• Model appropriate behavior at all times
• CSL Inclusivity Workshops
• This includes social media posts

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Acoso/Intimidación/

Discurso de odio

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• El acoso, la intimidación y el discurso de odio no tienen cabida aquí.
• Si ves algo, ¡di algo!
• Cuerpos directivos del Distrito 113, CSL, IHSA.
• Los deportistas se protegen unos a otros.
• Modela un comportamiento apropiado en todo momento. Talleres de Inclusividad CSL Esto incluye las publicaciones en redes sociales.

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District 113 Co-Curricular Code

• The Co-curricular Code applies to all athletes, on and off campus (24 hours a day/7 days a week, 365 days a year).
• Participation in athletics is voluntary and a privilege.
• Participation = responsibility.
• We are all held to a higher standard.
• Make good personal decisions (athletically, academically, socially).

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District 113 Co-Curricular Code

• The Co-curricular Code applies to all athletes, on and off campus (24 hours a day/7 days a week, 365 days a year).
• Participation in athletics is voluntary and a privilege.
• Participation = responsibility.
• We are all held to a higher standard.
• Make good personal decisions (athletically, academically, socially).

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Officials / �Spectator Behavior

• National shortage of officials for high school and youth sports.
• COVID has made it worse.
• 8 out of 10 officials don’t return for a third year. Behavior of coaches and spectators is the main reason why.
• Players play, Coaches coach, Officials officiate, Spectators support.
• There are consequences when ejections and unsportsmanlike behavior occurs.

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Comportamiento Oficiales / �Espectadores

• Hay escasez nacional de árbitros para deportes de preparatoria y juveniles.
• El COVID ha empeorado la situación.
• 8 de cada 10 árbitros no regresan el tercer año. El comportamiento de entrenadores y espectadores es la principal razón.
• Los jugadores juegan, los entrenadores entrenan, los árbitros arbitran, los espectadores apoyan.
• Las expulsiones y el comportamiento antideportivo tienen consecuencias.

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Sportsmanship

(Athletes & Coaches)

• Represent yourself, teammates, family, school and community the HP Way.
• Demonstrate respect and loyalty toward each person in the organization.
• Deal appropriately with victory and defeat because neither defines us.
• Be willing to do what’s right - especially under stress.
• Show poise and self control - especially under stress

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Deportividad

(Deportistas & Entrenadores)

• Representarse a sí mismo, a sus compañeros de equipo, a su familia, a su escuela y a su comunidad al estilo HP.
• Demostrar respeto y lealtad hacia cada persona de la organización.
• Afrontar adecuadamente la victoria y la derrota, ya que ninguna nos define.
• Estar dispuesto a hacer lo correcto, especialmente bajo estrés.
• Demostrar serenidad y autocontrol, especialmente bajo estrés.

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Wolters Field/ Transportation

• Please do not drop off on streets adjacent to Wolters Field.
• Drop off by 1st base dugout of varsity baseball field - avoid blocking buses.
• Shuttle Bus Monday-Friday from HPHS to Wolters, Fink, Sunset Valley (3:15pm). Activity bus 5:45pm/5:50pm.
• Parking limitations. Be good neighbors. Dogs are not allowed - Sorry.
• Travel to contests. Know the pick up location for your program.

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IHSA Education and Resources

Reminders

• There will be ups and downs.
• Take pride in our daily effort and separate process from from results.
• Productive/Constructive Conversations.
• Parent Coach Communication Plan - Follow the 24 hour rule.
• Let’s work together to have our students be advocates for their own experiences

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Communication

• Coaches have my support when setting their levels, strategy and scheme and playing time
• Your lens and our lens
• Our relationship with you is vital
• Transportation-We want our student athletes to be on the bus with their team and coaches-however…

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Breakout Sessions

• Boys Cross Country - Meeting was last week
• Girls Cross Country - Meeting was last week
• Girls Field Hockey - Meeting was last week
• Football - Meeting was last week
• Girls Flag Football - Today at 9:45 am
• Boys Golf - Already happened
• Girls Golf - Already happened
• Jammers and Poms - Meeting after this
• Boys Soccer - Meeting was earlier this week
• Girls Swimming & Diving - Meeting was last Saturday
• Girls Tennis - Tennis Courts right after this meeting
• Girls Volleyball - Already happened today

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Mark Ribbens - Athletic Director mribbens@dist113.org

Colleen Boilini - Asst. AD

cboilini@dist113.org

Silvia Diego - Admin. Asst.

sdiego@dist113.org

Follow us on Instagram: hpgiantathletics

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