<strong>Duluth East High School – </strong><strong>Athletic Philosophy</strong>

<strong>Positive Self-Concept</strong>—The athletic programs at the Duluth Public High Schools work to develop positive attitudes about self, teammates, opponents and school.  A positive self-image is a must to help our athletes realize their full worth as human beings  We believe in high-key recognition and low-key correction.

<strong>Competition</strong>—Student participation is predicated on the principle of competition and the coaches’ responsibility to put the best team on the field.

<strong>Goal Setting</strong>—Through goal setting, our athletes can find positive channels to work toward developing their own value systems.  Goals, if they are reasonable, reachable and positive, provide a healthy way to develop individual and team skills.

<strong>Social Skills</strong>—We strive to develop social skills that are vital to living in modern society.  These skills include working with others, learning sportsmanship, courtesy and respect, and recognizing the worth of others and their efforts.

<strong>Leadership</strong>—Leadership is exemplified by initiative, self-discipline, self-motivation, standards of excellence and respectful conduct.

<strong>Responsibility</strong>—We strive to develop responsibility through participation.  Emphasis is placed on appropriate behavior at practices, in school, in the community, and at athletic contests.

<strong>Academics</strong>—We stress the philosophy that places academics above athletics. The athletic program is an integral part of the total curriculum which strives to develop a well-rounded individual.

<strong>Development of Skills</strong>—Acquisition and development of skills involved in the sport should constantly be encouraged and taught by coaches.  Athletes should strive to develop their skills to their fullest potential.

<strong>Conflict</strong>  -We teach that conflicts will be resolved by direct communication, listening, and discussion.

<strong>Playing Time</strong>—All players are given responsibilities which permit them to have a sense of contribution towards the total team effort.  Playing time is not a right which comes with joining a team, but is earned through developing skills and positive attitudes.

<span style=”color: black; font-weight: bold; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: ‘Times New Roman’; mso-devanagari-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-bengali-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-gurmukhi-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-oriya-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-tamil-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-telugu-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-kannada-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-malayalam-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-thai-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-lao-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-georgian-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-hangul-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-kana-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-bopomofo-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-han-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-halfwidthkana-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-fareast-language: ja;” lang=”en-US”>Injuries—</span><span style=”color: black; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: ‘Times New Roman’; mso-devanagari-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-bengali-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-gurmukhi-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-oriya-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-tamil-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-telugu-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-kannada-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-malayalam-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-thai-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-lao-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-georgian-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-hangul-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-kana-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-bopomofo-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-han-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-halfwidthkana-font-family: ‘Arial Unicode MS’; mso-fareast-language: ja;” lang=”en-US”>When injuries occur, coaches will try to identify them and treat them effectively.<span style=”mso-spacerun: yes;”>  </span>All follow up goes through the Trainer and the athlete’s parents.</span>
<p style=”mso-pagination: none;”><span style=”language: en-US;” lang=”en-US”> </span></p>
<p style=”mso-pagination: none;”><span style=”language: en-US;” lang=”en-US”> </span><strong>RESPECT</strong></p>

<ul>
<li>For yourself.  As an athlete set goals, follow eligibility rules, attend practice, eat healthy foods, get adequate rest, become a student of your event, and extend effort at meets and practices.</li>
<li>For your teammates.  Be positive, encouraging, and supportive.  Being unselfish and considerate of others is essential to having a successful team.</li>
<li>For your school.  You are representing East High School, your team, your coaches, and your parents.  The impact you have as an athlete is something you will never be fully aware of.  Being a member of the East Track team is a tremendous opportunity for you to be a positive role model for others.</li>
</ul>

<strong>COMPETITIVENESS</strong>

The East Track Team has a long history of intense competitors.  That competitiveness shows at many levels.
<ol>
<li>You compete with yourself.  A distance runner may fight the body telling them to stop and walk for a bit on a long run.  A shot putter has to fight giving in when the body tells them to skip the last few repetitions.  A sprinter has to fight the urge to just go through the motions when practicing starts.  The discipline you have the opportunity to learn through this Track team the will stay with you the rest of your life.  In practice and meets your goal should always be to improve your performance and intensity of effort.</li>
<li>Competitiveness is measured in you placing against competitors from other schools.</li>
<li>Competitiveness is measured in how the team places in the conference, section, and other meets.</li>
</ol>
<strong>HAVING FUN!!!</strong>

Enjoyment of track takes many forms.

Setting, striving for, and reaching your personal goals develop personal discipline.  From this stems enjoyment, satisfaction, and a sense of accomplishment.

Participating in meets, practices, pizza socials, and long bus rides are just a few of the memories of the track season.  Enjoyment comes from sharing the season and developing these memories with your friends and teammates.   They will last a lifetime!
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