Cicero-North Syracuse

NORTHSTARS FOOTBALL PROGRAM

Program Goals:

 1.  WIN at the varsity level & develop talent at lower levels.

           2.  Put the student/athlete at the heart of the program.

 3.  Achieve and exude recognizable class.

Our Motto:  DISCIPLINE WINS!!

Mission Statement:  To instill in our student/athletes the fundamental attributes that will help them win on the field and succeed throughout their lives. 

     *Winning attributes are:

Discipline, Commitment, Accountability, Responsibility, Integrity, Trust, Respect, Dependability, Pride…

THE FUNDAMENTAL ATTRIBUTES A PERSON NEEDS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE CAN BE LEARNED THROUGH PARTICIPATING IN TEAM SPORTS.

Off-Season Expectations (Commitment Level)

          Our student/athletes will remain active in the off-season during the school year and throughout the summer months.  During the school year, they will be actively involved in our strength/agility training program or compete on another school sports team.  We will not discourage them from participating in other sports.  Being involved in other sports only helps to improve an individual academically (eligibility) and athletically (different movement/skills).  It also continues to give the student/athlete structure throughout the school year and ultimately a more well rounded individual.  During the spring/summer months, they will be involved in our Spring mini-camp, Strength/Agility & Speed Camp, Northstars Camp and passing league practices.

1.  Strength/Agility Training

We will establish an extensive strength/agility training program during the off-season.  Our strength/agility training program will enable our student athlete’s to enhance their physical capabilities.  The training facility at our high school is second to none and will allow our team to be bigger, stronger, faster and more durable than our opponents.  Our athletes will also have Vinnie Corasaniti (a certified personal trainer) working with them every day taking them through our off-season strength/agility training program.  Attendance will be expected for all those individuals (grades 9^th & up) who are not competing on another school sport team during the school year.  We will monitor each student/athletes attendance over the course of the off-season.

2.  Spring Mini-camp

We will have a spring mini-camp at CNS for approximately 8-10 days near the end of the school year before finals start.  It will be open to any individual who attends our high school.  Attendance will be expected for any student/athlete who intends to play for the Jv or Varsity level in the upcoming season and who is not currently competing in another school related sport. 

3.  Northstars Football Camp

We will hold our annual Northstars Football Camp during the month of July at CNS High School.  This camp will be open to all student/athletes who are between the ages of 11 years old to those who are entering 12^th grade.  Attendance will be expected for any student/athlete who intends to play for our program in the upcoming season.  

4.  Strength/Speed & Agility Camp

We will hold a strength/speed & agility camp beginning the last week of June and ending the 2^nd week of August.  The camp will be held 4 times/week at CNS High School.  This camp will be open to all student/athletes who are entering 9^th grade or their senior year in the fall.  Attendance will be expected for any student/athlete who intends to play for the Jv or Varsity level in the upcoming season.

5.     Passing League/practices

We will hold passing league/practices at CNS on Tuesday & Thursday evenings during the last 2 weeks of July and the 1^st 2 weeks of August.  Some evenings we will hold a skelly scrimmage against another school when the opportunity presents itself.  If another school isn’t available, we will still practice against each other with our focus being on our passing game.

Our student/athletes commitment to improve themselves during the off-season will have a profound impact on how successful we are as a team the following season.  Strength/agility training, competing on another school sport team, spring mini-camp, Northstars football camp, Strength/Speed & Agility camp and the passing league practices are the ways in which our student/athletes will improve during the off-season. 

Holding Cuts

          One focus of the program will be to draw student/athletes interests and increase our numbers within the program.  However, we will make cuts.  Cuts will be made at the varsity level only.  We will make our cuts at some point during the pre-season practices. 

Holding cuts will benefit us in the following ways:

1.     More practice time for athletes.

2.     Increases overall talent level of team.

3.     Increases competitiveness & commitment 

     level of athletes.

4.     Gives meaning to wear our uniform.

5.     Promotes better team cohesion & unity.

Student/athletes will be evaluated on the  

following criteria:

1.     Skill – Overall athletic ability… skill at position.

               Aggressiveness, competitiveness & desire to

               learn (coachable).

               Results of skills test from 1^st day of camp…

               Bench & Squat max, 40 yd. dash, VJ, AG &

               Shuttle run.

2.     Knowledge – Overall football knowledge…knowledge at

                          position.

3.     Off-season (Commitment Level) – Strength/agility training, another school sport, academic study-table, fundraising events, team meetings, spring mini-camp, Northstars football camp, strength/speed & agility camp and passing league practices.

5.  Character – How do you carry yourself? 

     Would you be a distraction/discipline

      problem or would you represent the

      program in a first class manner?

          6.   Team needs – The needs of the team will also play a role in deciding who will make the Varsity team.  For example, if we have 10 kids trying out for QB and your son is unable or unwilling to change to a different position to help benefit the team, he subjects himself to possibly not making the team strictly based on the needs of each position.

          All of these criteria will be considered when we determine who will make the team.  Each student/athlete’s evaluation will be documented and placed on file.  Also, any student/athlete who does not make the team will be given an exit interview with the position coach and myself. 

It must be noted however, that once the team is established, any student/athlete may still be dismissed from the program at any point in time during the pre-season, regular season or post-season.  Reasons for such a dismissal are outlined in the District Athletic Code of Conduct and the Northstars Football Player Code of Conduct.

Athlete evaluation, placement of talent and playing time

7^th & 8^th Grade Modified Levels       

One program goal of ours is to develop talent at the lower levels so they will be able to compete at the varsity level once they arrive.  It will be mandatory for each athlete to learn to play a position on both offense and defense.  Ideally, they will get some playing time at each position, but not in all cases.  This philosophy will create a more well-rounded and knowledgeable football player.  It will also increase their chances of making the varsity team as well as find a way to play and contribute at the varsity level when they arrive.  The A-B-A-B format of the game allows us to give more athletes on these teams playing time.  Also, if both schools competing that day have the required number of players on their roster, an additional 5^th quarter will sometimes be played to allow for 3^rd & 4^th team type athletes the opportunity to play.

Coaches at these levels will not focus on winning games.  Instead, these coaches will focus their energy on teaching the fundamentals of the game, establishing the concept of teamwork and developing as many athletes as they can through practices & games to give them the best chance of being successful at the Freshmen & JV levels.

Freshmen & Junior Varsity Levels

Because these two levels are played with the same rules and guidelines as the Varsity level, (ie. no restrictions or limitations on game play and no A-B-A-B format to allow playing time for the lesser skilled player) the competition for playing time is increased dramatically from the 7^th & 8^th grade modified levels. Therefore, student/athletes at the Freshmen & JV levels who have proven themselves during practice, will have a fair amount of playing time to establish game experience.  Student/athletes who have not proven themselves during practice may see minimal or no playing time at all from game to game.  These players need to gain the coaches confidence/trust with their performance in practices before a coach will feel comfortable enough to put them into a game situation.  If a game is unfolding in a manner that allows them to play everyone they will certainly do so. 

Coaches at these levels will continue to concentrate on developing fundamental skills and a team 1^st mentality as they prepare them for Varsity try-outs in the upcoming year(s).  

Varsity Level

            During the first day of pre-season practice each athlete will go through a series of drills to test for speed, agility, endurance, strength and power (bench press, squat, VJ, AG, 40 yd. dash & the shuttle run).  The results of these tests will be documented for coaches to use in conjunction with the athletes performance in practices (which will be filmed) to evaluate talent at each position. 

  Athletes will practice at their desired positions.  However, it will be understood that any player may be moved by the coaching staff at any time to best serve the interests of both the athlete and the team.  It will also be understood that not everyone will be able to see playing time every game.  One program goal of ours is to win at the varsity level.  Therefore, we will play to win the game.  We will play the athletes who we feel give us the best opportunity to win.  Like the Freshmen & Jv levels, if a game is unfolding in a way that allows us to play everyone we will do so.

Note:  Section III allows an athlete to compete in one football contest per week. 

           Therefore, it is possible for juniors and sophomores to play in a varsity

           game one week and a Jv game the next week.  This is at the coach’s

           discretion and is based on the needs of the Varsity level on a week to week

           basis.

Practices/Meetings   [Varsity & Jv]

          There will be a team meeting each Monday during the season that will start promptly at 3:00pm with a practice to follow that will end at 6:00pm.  Tues. & Wed. practices will start at 3:20pm and end at approximately 6:00pm.  Thurs. practice will either be at 3:20pm or when the opportunity presents itself, will take place in the evenings so we can practice under the lights.  Saturday morning the Varsity players will come in to lift and watch film from 8:30am to 11:00am.  If the JV team doesn’t have a game, they will come in from 9:30am to 10:30am to get their lift in.  The coaching staff will meet following practice on Tues. & Weds. to watch film, practice plan and game plan. 

Student/athletes will [All levels]

          - Be at every meeting and practice.

          - Be on time to meetings and practices.

          - Wear all issued equipment.

          - Listen and make eye contact with any coach who is speaking.

          - Keep chinstrap buckled.

          - Wear only our colors (blue, green, white, gray or black).

          - Not swear.

          - Not wear jewelry.

          - Not wear bandanas.

          - Play until the whistle and finish all drills.

·        The only reason for missing a meeting or practice is if the student/athlete is home from school ill. 

·        No student/athlete may leave early from practice.

·        Injured athletes must still attend meetings and practices unless circumstances permit otherwise.

·        Missing meetings and practices may result in a suspension of playing time or dismissal from the team.

·        During the season, NO student/athlete may take part in any other practices,

games, tournaments…etc. of any kind!!

·        Any student/athlete who does not finish the season with the team for any reason (quit, removed or otherwise) will not be invited to our banquet.

·        Any senior student/athlete who does not finish the season with the team for any reason (quit, removed or otherwise) will not receive a senior gift

·        The season is over the day after we finish our last playoff or cross-over game.

Any appointments of any kind should be scheduled for weekends, nights, vacation days… etc.

PARENTS

TD Club

          Our TD Club will consist of parents who are interested in volunteering to help support our student/athletes in the football program.  Ideally, we would like to have at least two parents to represent each level of our football program.  We would also need a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, sergeant of arms & public relations liason to head the booster club.  The club will meet once a week during the season and approximately once a month in the off-season depending on the need to meet.

          This club will help to both promote our program and organize booster club activities.  Examples of such activities are; bottle/can drive, golf fundraiser, banquets, …etc.

          Parents involved in the TD club must realize they are volunteering their time for the good of the program.  These parents must understand that they are in a position to support the football program and that this position in no way means they will dictate the program or influence any coaching decisions as they are separate entities. 

Expectations

          We understand that parents will not always agree with the coach’s decisions, but we do expect parents to respect the decisions made.  We ask that the parents have faith in their coaches and their knowledge of football.

          Also, we expect our coaches and student/athletes to achieve and exude recognizable class.  Therefore, we also ask that the parents do their part in achieving this goal as they represent our community, district, school and program in the stands.