Overview

The Athletics office located at the ISM MS gymnasium oversees the competitive ISM sports program for MS/HS students.

ES/MS/HS students are also offered a comprehensive recreational/skill development sports/activity opportunities via the ES/MS/HS after school Activities programs coordinated by the Activities office.

At the MS/HS level our priority is to follow the IASAS range of sports via our seasonal sports offerings which allows a variety of sports to be offered throughout the school year and which serves as a feeder program from MS to HS. This program allows skill foundations and a competitive environment to be experienced at MS level that then leads into a full HS program of domestic and international level competition that serves our main purpose of athletic participation in the HS IASAS conference.

We do not offer year round training for seasonal sports teams as our fields and gyms are needed midweek/weekends to service the needs of the entire offering of sports required across the entire school year. Our facilities are used every afternoon and almost all Saturdays for training sessions and local league matches in order to prepare our teams for domestic and HS IASAS competition. Equity for all teams in our season based program is imperative such that one sport does not have extended or more access than others. Each year we get requests for some teams (typically soccer or volleyball) to play all year however this cannot be offered as indoor and outdoor field space is required for our S2 and S3 sports programs.  For those that wish to avail of a year round sport such as soccer this can be accessed via club teams outside of school or once the S1 Rifa League concludes via our ES/MS activities program.

Seasonal sports: 

S1 Aug-mid Oct- MS&HS Volleyball, Soccer, Cross Country 

S2 Mid Oct to end Jan- MS&HS Basketball, Tennis, Rugby, Touch, Swimming

S3 Feb to mid April- MS&HS Badminton, Track&Field, HS Baseball & Softball, MS gr.7/8&HS Golf, MS Mixed touch

S4 Mid April to end May- MS Softball and Baseball development programs, and off season team training

The Athletics office also oversees our All Year Round (AYR) teams program- Wall Climbing, Chess, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Gymnastics and Sailfish swim teams. All teams compete in domestic leagues/meets in and around Manila with Gymnastics/Sailfish programs having opportunities to compete at one overseas competition on an annual basis.

The Activities office coordinates the large range of ES/MS/HS recreational (non competitive) sports and activities

Mark Pekin, Director of Athletics pekinm@ismanila.org    

Andy Dutton Athletics Assistant duttona@ismanila.org  

Pam Picardal ATAC Administrative Assistant  +63 2 88408610 picardalp@ismanila.org

Rhyss Nora, ATAC Coordinator  +63 2 88408609 norar@ismanila.org 

The (ES/MS Activities) recreational programs are coordinated by Andy Dutton duttona@ismanila.org

Sydney Roselada (ES/MS Activities Secretary) roseladas@ismanila.org

For full details of what the ISM (Athletics) program supports and offers to our students please take some time to peruse this site and the ES/MS Activities site. Drop down links to relevant information are available on the side bar of this home page

Philosophy

The Athletics program aims to promote healthy, balanced and productive citizens, each actively capable of contributing to a global society in line with overall school mission statement. Our program is interwoven with our school mission/values. It is of great importance that our athletes/coaches and parents ALWAYS treat players, officials and spectators from other schools with respect both on and off the field of play and take pride in the demonstration of the highest qualities of ‘sportsmanship’ at all times.

The Athletics program aims to promote the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary for life long learning and believes that a variety of activities, in a comprehensive interscholastic and intramural program of sports, helps promote and supplement a balanced and well‑rounded education. As such, students should be given the opportunity to improve their self‑worth, athletic potential, and personal growth through a wide variety of activities which are not limited to all four walls of a classroom. It follows that exposure to a variety of educational experiences help students to recognise, and value, physical and recreational activities as viable lifestyle choices.

Program Goals

• Provide opportunities for students to develop their intellectual, physical and sporting abilities.

• Provide a broad program of offerings that will encourage social interaction, cooperation and leadership.

• Encourage attitudes that promote the development of a sense of responsibility, self-reliance and that contribute to a positive self-image.

• Provide opportunities for students to acquire useful and practical skills, within a full spectrum of activities that range from the highly competitive (ATAC/Athletics program) to the purely participatory (AFAC/Activities program)

• Provide a comprehensive interscholastic program where competitions are held locally and overseas (IASAS).

• Provide opportunities for all ISM students to join a range of both AYR (all year round) and seasonal athletic sports/activities.

• Provide a high level of training, competition, and supervision within the context of a school-based program.

• Provide coaching staff who will uphold the school philosophy and prevailing sense of dignity and pride along with sportsmanship and high personal and team values.

• Provide a safe and healthy climate through the collaborative efforts of the Athletics Director, ATAC staff and coaches.

Guidelines

Eligibility

Interscholastic sports activities at ISM are available to all students in good standing. Any student may try out for a team provided that the student meets the requirements of the activity or organisation.

Students involved in sports or activities must maintain a high academic level. Should a student fall below an acceptable level, then a decision on that student’s eligibility and continued participation will be made after consultation with parents, counselor, ATAC Director and Principal. Academic checks are done for all IASAS trips to ensure students who represent ISM are doing do with a good academic record.

Students who show recalcitrance with regard to their academic work, school rules, general behaviour, attention to responsibility, etc. may forfeit their rights to participate in activities.

It is recommended that all students, and especially (varsity athletes) engaging in strenuous physical activities, undergo an annual medical examination prior the start of the season. Please submit a copy of the medical clearance to the school clinic. *Note an ECG test at St. Luke’s can be done for approximately 700-900 pesos. ECG is now a part of admissions enrolment (for all new students) and the enrolment process (for certain grade levels)

Quitting a team

1. Students who quit a team shall be ineligible to rejoin the team for the remainder of the season of that team.

2. A student who quits his/her team will be charged 100% for their team uniform once measuring and ordering has taken place. Students/parents have a responsibility to inform their coach if they quit a team. If a uniform is made and students have not informed ATAC or coaches they are quitting a team the student is responsible for full cost of the uniform and will be billed accordingly.

3. Once selected to a team students will not drop out or switch sports. Coaches will not speak with nor encourage students to switch from one sport to another once tryouts are concluded and team selections have been finalized.

Uniforms

The school will pay forty percent (40%) of the basic seasonal team uniform up to a value of 600 pesos. This does not include jackets, sweatshirts, footwear, bags, or team t-shirts, etc. The rest of the cost of the team uniform plus additional items (eg: team t-shirts) will be charged 100% to the school account of the students concerned. Varsity Teams will get two sets of uniform and one set for JV Teams except the Basketball JV Teams which will get two sets.

Practice uniforms that may be issued from time to time must be returned, otherwise the replacement cost will be charged directly to the school account of the student concerned. It must be understood that once a student is measured it is automatically charged to his/her school account of their share for the uniform cost.

Overseas Travel

Students who intend to participate in co-curricular programs should be fully vaccinated and have had booster shots for the Covid 19 virus. 

Students participating in IASAS events will have 40% of their airfare paid by the school; all other costs/taxes and charges are borne by the parents. Trips by teams or groups other than IASAS (e.g. Pre-IASAS exchanges, Gymnastics, Sailfish , Wall Climbing trips ) are considered to be exchanges and students are required to fund 100% of these trips.

All ticketing and documentation needed for overseas trips will be processed and collected in the ATAC Office. All school trips are supported and coordinated via the the school affiliated travel agent. Individual parent organised travel or use of other travel agents for school trips is not allowed, this includes internet/direct online purchasing of tickets!

During overseas trips it is the coaches’ responsibility to make curfew calls each night of the trip, including the night of arrival.

For all ATAC school trips students must travel with the school team/group on both the outward/inward sectors of the trip.

For all MS/HS events where housing is offered ISM participants must stay with host families and not stay with parents in hotels. This is an ISM and IASAS rule.

Insurance

ISM school medical insurance will cover up to 100,000 pesos (approx US $2000). If your child has an accident on a school trip or at a sports event locally or overseas that requires a visit to a doctor or and or there is any medical expense incurred please collect an insurance claim form from the ISM clinic and submit to the insurance company with appropriate supporting documents within the required time period after the injury. Failure to submit within the time period may result in a claim being denied. It is recommended that students who take part in the school sports program and who may travel for overseas competition have their own full/private medical coverage and do not solely rely on school coverage alone. Parents must have their own adequate personal medical coverage. 

To ensure all ISM students attending overseas trips have adequate medical cover in case of accident/emergency surgery/death/disability etc whilst on an overseas trip all traveling members will be covered via mandatory travel insurance for the duration of the trip. If you have your own coverage and do not wish to be covered parents must supply a copy of your private medical coverage documentation one week prior to the trip to ensure you will not be billed under the school mandatory coverage. Parents will be invoiced for the mandatory coverage as a part of the billing process. If you require a copy of the insurance cover please contact Athletic office. Approximate cost per student for a 3 day trip is 700-800 pesos or a 5 day trip is 90-1100 pesos.

Travel for local competition:

MS students will receive permission slips prior to matches distributed by the coach the week prior to advise parents of match date/time/venue. HS students are advised verbally by coaches of mid week/weekend matches. Please note that all scheduled matches are available via the online ATAC game schedule page which is housed via the parent portal. Parents please note- It is advised that HS students selected to ISM teams and who participate in on or off campus matches will not be issued with a permission form for every match. Involvement with any team/group includes parental consent for all domestic bus trips and match play along with and including for ISM staff to administer first-aid/medications should the need arise. When games or activities are held off campus. Students must return to ISM after the activity (unless they have prior approval from the parent and of the coach to be dismissed from the playing venue….see below).

Students must travel to off‑campus venues in official transportation, unless they are traveling with their own parents. Parents MUST provide written confirmation at least 24 hours prior to departure to the coach. The coach will collect these permission slips.

Students may travel in the car of other students, provided written consent from both sets of parents is given 24 hours prior to departure.

To lessen security risks, buses will not drop off students en route, nor will they stop for food or other refreshments. Students should come well prepared for food prior to departure.

Dress Code

In activities requiring uniforms, all participants are expected to wear the official school uniform in competition.

During practice, students are expected to abide by the dress requirements of the school and coach.

Students traveling to off‑campus locations are expected to dress appropriately and should be guided by their coach/sponsor in this matter.

Students going overseas must travel in official travel uniform.

Housing

The ATAC Office will coordinate with the students and school community all aspects of housing for IASAS Events. The ATAC Office will then reconfirm with families 3-5 days before the event and schedules will be sent to families.

Schedules- All activities are bound by the general ISM School Board Policies and information in divisional handbooks.

It is the policy of the school’s Administration that ISM will try to avoid participating in competitions over long weekends or holidays unless absolutely necessary. It is also school policy that, during regular weekends, there will be no activities programmed for Sunday unless there are compelling reasons to support calendaring on that day. Such reasons may be: a tournament or competition promoted by an outside agency, sporting fixtures again promoted by an outside agency, that are only and exclusively scheduled on Sundays. In cases such as these, the relevant school principal or the school superintendent will need to give authorization.

ATAC Policy states that practices and games will be limited to no more than five (HS) and four (MS) contact times per week (inclusive of Saturday games) If extra games/matches are required, then practices times need to be reduced to ensure the “five contact policy” is adhered to. This allows students to bring intensity to training that mirrors the requirements of the game as well as achieving balance with their academic responsibilities.

If a student is not able to meet the minimum team training requirements as stipulated for MS/HS ISM seasonal or year round teams participation in local meets/competitions will not be allowed. For HS students failure to meet the minimum training requirements will deem them ineligible for IASAS selection (no matter of individual ability).

Any student who is an official member of a Philippine National squad must talk with their Head Coach to ensure they are able to meet the ISM minimum training requirements to be eligible for ISM team selection for seasonal and year round teams.

School ID

All school personnel (administrators, faculty, staff and coaches) are required to wear their ISM ID while inside the campus. Athletes and coaches are required to bring their school ID on all off campus and overseas trips.

Transportation Manifest 

For team trips to training facilities or off campus matches on ISM buses: Please complete 2 copies to take with you. One copy must be given to the bus marshal/security escort traveling with your group. This is the head coaches responsibility, if head coach for some reason cannot attend a match the assistant coach will complete this procedure. Manifest copies can be collected from Athletics office notice board