Athletic Program Home Page
Philosophy
The athletic program is an integral part of the educational process of Hancock College Prep. The program should promote a greater desire in our student body and community to take an active part in our athletics program, either as participants or as spectators.
Our aim is to develop a competitive athletic program, but not to lose sight of educational values, such as sportsmanship, health, and scholastic attainment. The program is to occupy a position in the curriculum that is comparable to that of other subjects or activities and to aid in promoting excellent student morals.
The number one priority of Hancock is to educate the whole child, first by stimulating the student’s intellect academically and then by providing a number of common experiences designed to develop the social, physical, and ethical values necessary to be a productive member of society. Extracurricular programs help to provide such experiences and thus are considered to be an integral part of our school’s curriculum. Interscholastic Athletics is an extension of the classroom.
Athletic / Eligibility Rules
Co-Curricular involvement is an essential part of the student's development as a well-rounded individual. In addition, highly selective colleges and universities look favorably on teamship experiences, found in athletics.
John Hancock College Prep HS follows all rules as outlined by the IHSA (www.ihsa.org) the Chicago Board of Education’s “No-Pass, No Play” policy, found here: https://policy.cps.edu/download.aspx?ID=213
- Attendance – A student who accumulates two (2) or more unexcused absences from class or school in a school week during the season shall be ineligible for the next week of competition. A student who is absent from school on the date of a game may not participate in the game.
- Academic eligibility – Academic performance is of utmost importance for student athletes. Because academic eligibility determines whether students can participate in athletic competitions, it is expected and required that GradeBook be updated and accurate, per the Grading Standards and Grading Practices Guidelines. Academic standing will be assessed on a weekly basis and eligibility for the following week processed on the final day of the preceding week. As such, it is essential that students’ grades be updated regularly in order to reflect real academic standing. Further information regarding academic eligibility can be found in the Board's Revised No-Pass, No-Play Policy.
- Grade Point Average – All athletes participating in interscholastic sports must maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or above. Any athlete with a GPA below this threshold will be conditionally eligible pending their adherence to required academic remediation.
- Athletes with a GPA below 2.0 are required to adhere to an individual study plan (ISP), which the principal must approve. Athletes with an ISP must adhere to their plan as a condition of their eligibility. If a student fails to fulfill the requirements of their ISP, the student’s eligibility to participate will be withdrawn.
- GPA and ISPs will be reassessed at the end of each academic semester.
- No Pass/No Play – Per the Board’s policy, all athletes are required to pass all of their classes each week. The failure of one or more classes by an athlete in a given week will result in temporary ineligibility for the following week.
- Semester Grades – In compliance with state and district athletic policy, any athlete who is passing 5 classes or 2.5 credits is eligible for the next semester.
Best Practices For Playing During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Parent Expectations
Parent Volunteers
Interested in helping out? Parent sports volunteers require a Level 1 clearance to participate. Please see the following website: https://cpsparentu.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=319488&type=d
Fees, Payment Plans, and Fee Waivers
Fees are collected to support programs that benefit the students. All athletes will pay a participation fee for each sport. The fee for participation in a single sport is $75.00, with a maximum of $150.00 regardless of how many sports are played.
Sometimes, families face financial hardships. Hancock wants all students to be able to participate in programs even when in the midst of a financial crisis. Payment plans and/or fee waivers are available for families who cannot afford to pay fees. Fee waivers apply only to the Hancock sports participation fee. Parents should contact the Main Office (773-535-2410) to obtain a fee waiver application, which are due December 1, 2020. Fee waivers are not applicable to debts and fines. A payment plan may be worked out for debts and fines with the approval of the Director of Finance and Operations.
Athletic Forms