Mission Statement:
To provide competitive sports for homeschoolers who seek to honor God through athletics.
Philosophy:
We believe that God gives physical abilities that can be developed and used to bring Him glory. We provide competitive sports to homeschool families in order to facilitate spiritual, emotional, physical, and social growth. Devotions, character-building, skill development, and prayer are an integral part of the program. It is our desire that Jesus Christ is expressed and glorified in the lives of coaches, parents, and players in both words and actions.
Scripture:
Our key verse: “Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor." Proverbs 21:21
HRK Eagles - HRK stands for Honor, Righteousness, and Kindness.
Honor in Athletics
Righteousness through Christ
Kindness in Action
Statement of Faith:
God’s inspired Word is a completely accurate, reliable guide on what to believe and how to live. There is one true God, who eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Every person has rejected and neglected God, resulting in separation from Him in this life and the life to come. Jesus Christ, God the Son, was sent into the world and died on the cross in order to rescue people from sin and its consequences.
Turning away from a lifestyle of sin and believing in Jesus is the only way to restore our relationship with God by placing our trust in Him. The Holy Spirit makes people aware of their need to turn from sin to Christ, and empowers Christ’s followers to live a life that honors God. The Church consists of all people in the world who follow Jesus and work together to spread the good news about Him. Jesus, our living Lord, will someday return to earth.
Ultimately all people will be raised from the dead and will stand before Him to be judged. Those who reject Christ will face eternal punishment and those who turn to Christ will spend eternity in heaven.
Eligibility:
Participants must be homeschooled in at least one academic class. They may be taught by parent(s), other relatives, an adult sibling, legal guardian, another homeschool parent or tutor, take an online course or be enrolled in correspondence school.
Players may take college-level classes for advanced credit but they cannot have officially graduated from high school. There is no four year limit on high school playing eligibility since HRK is not an IHSA program. For WIAA high school competitions, only high school students may compete. Participants must NOT be a member of a team associated with a public or private school in the same sport they are playing in with HRK Eagles during the same season. Students need to be homeschooled in more than 51% of their classes each year to participate in the Regional and National Home School Championships. They must also meet any additional requirements as specified by tournament directors.
Team Placement:
Athletes will be assigned to particular teams based on a variety of factors: age, skill level, maturity, and experience. Consideration will be given to what is best for the individuals, the teams, the families, and the program. Upon completion of tryouts, coaches will discuss the athletes and teams. They will arrive at a team roster based on the criteria outlined above. If the coaches are unable to reach an agreement regarding the placement of athletes on a team, the Athletic Director makes the final decision. For various reasons, athletes may practice or play on more than one HRK team, however, one team will be their primary team. In the event of a scheduling conflict, priority is given to the primary team, unless otherwise agreed upon by both coaches.
Team/Age/Gender:
A player's age group is determined by his/her age on September 1, of the current school year. (This means the deadline is August 31st.) For example, a player who is 16 on August 31, with a September 1st birthday, who turns 17, is considered eligible to play in the 16-and-under age group.
A player is only eligible to play in the gender division that the player was born, as recorded on their birth certificate.
Flag Football: Brown Bears (7-9 year olds)
Grizzly Bears: (10-13 year olds)
Other sports (ages may vary depending on experience/ability):
5th/6th - 10-12
7th/8th - 12-14
Junior Varsity
Varsity (18 or younger)
Fees:
Fees are expected to be paid fully upon registration. If a family cannot do so, then a payment plan can be set up with the athletic director. A minimum down payment is still due. Some Full or Partial Scholarships are available as well. Please contact the Sports Director to inquire about these. Those requesting scholarships and those requiring payment plans MUST
BEFORE registering, and BEFORE late registration begins otherwise this option may not be available.
Tournaments:
Participation in tournaments is expected, and all travel arrangements must be made by the parents of the athletes. Parents are responsible for travel to and from tournaments and for arranging overnight hotel stays and supervision if desired. An overnight stay is not required but may be practical in some cases. The parents of the athlete must personally arrange with another parent to be responsible for their child if they themselves are not able to be present. Payment for hotel stays must also be arranged by parents of the athletes.
Generally, athletes 14 and older can stay in rooms without an adult, but an arrangement needs to be made to have a parent who is responsible for the athletes in that room. Coaches will not assume that responsibility. Parents are ultimately responsible for their athlete's actions at the hotel.
Athletes 13 and under should stay in a room with 2 adults. There may be 1 adult in the room only if approved and arranged by the parents of all athletes in the room.
Playing Time Guidelines:
Although our goal is to be competitive, we recognize that children develop at different ages and we value the contribution of ALL children, even newer athletes. Participants will be given as many opportunities at practice to improve their skills and earn game playing time. Our goal is to be as competitive as possible while emphasizing team efforts and still attempting to get game time for all. This is sometimes very difficult at the higher levels and during more competitive contests. It is beneficial for coaches to discuss any potential limitations of playing time ahead of time with individuals, especially for away tournaments and games.
The decisions regarding the participation of individual student-athletes (game time, positions, etc.) are left to the discretion of the coaches. It should be understood that playing time is not a right; it is a privilege earned by attendance at practices and games, hard work, a good attitude, being a team player, skill level, punctuality, etc. It is also affected by other coaches ’ requirements. Coaches strive for balance and fairness in determining playtime at all levels. Because of the formative aspect of our program, it is expected that coaches will adhere to the following guidelines at each level:
Elementary Program (14 and under): Athletes playing at the younger level (5th/6th grade) are expected to receive nearly equal playing time. Older players (7th/8th grade) should receive some playing time in every competition, but it may not be equal. However, the goal should be to have quality playing time throughout the season for all middle school players. This is a time of learning & growing for all players at this younger age level (5th-8th grade).
JV & Varsity Program: Amount of game time is solely at the coach’s discretion. The coach decides which players will maximize the team’s ability to compete at the highest level. Players who miss a practice immediately prior to a game will typically not start that game.
Playing time guidelines for all levels:
- Saturday practices are not mandatory and will not be considered for penalization.
- Tournaments may be more competitive so coaches may prioritize more skilled and older players at these events.
- Playing HRK sports is a privilege and responsibility. Difficulty following the player guidelines may affect participation at all levels.
Team Unity Policy:
HRK Eagles is a program of love and inclusion. HRK teams sit, talk, eat, etc. together. It is a privilege and an honor to be on a team. Christ commands Christians to be unified. At a game, practice or tournament, there are no individuals- only team!
Biblical Conflict Resolution:
All participants and their families are expected and encouraged to exercise personal self-control, restraint, and genuine kindness toward others. In dealing with any offense that may arise, it is our desire that the Biblical approach to conflict resolution is applied (Matthew 18:15-17):
“If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along...”
If a problem arises concerning a player or a coach, the first step is direct communication between the parties involved. Please follow the following guidelines to handle conflicts Biblically. Disagreements with coaching styles or methods should never be made in front of your child or at the time of the incident. Instead, follow the below guidelines…
- At the time of the incident – do nothing.
- After 24 hrs – contact the coach via email or phone asking for a 1 on 1 meeting. (No details discussed via these communication methods)
- During the meeting – express your concerns objectively, the coach may offer an explanation or simply an apology. Please understand that coaches are fallible plus you may not always understand their decisions.
All aspects of this issue should be kept confidential. Even during disagreements, your child must understand that you and the coach are a team and both want the best for your child. If additional steps are necessary, then the Sports Director will be consulted. If there is still no resolution, then the Sports Director will be consulted. If a resolution cannot be reached, then the HRK Eagles Board will resolve the situation.
