Upper Darby High School believes that the opportunity for participation in a wide variety of student-selected activities is a vital part of a student's educational experiences. Such participation is a privilege that carries with it responsibilities to the school, to the activity, to other students, to the community and to the athletes themselves. These experiences contribute to the development of learning skills and emotional patterns that enable the student to achieve maximum benefit from his or her education.
Sports are an extension of the classroom. Student-athletes' experiences begin in the school and extend to every aspect of life. Participation in sport is far-reaching, with competition on tracks, courts, fields, ice, in pools and gymnasiums. At its best, athletic competition can hold intrinsic value for our society. It is a symbol of a great ideal: pursuing victory with honor. Interscholastic sport should instill educational values, build positive character, cultivate sportsmanship, and enhance personal welfare.
The interscholastic athletic program shall be conducted in accordance with existing Board of Education policies, rules and regulations. While the Board of Education takes great pride in winning, it does not condone "winning at any cost" and discourages any and all pressures, which might tend to neglect good sportsmanship and good mental health. At all times, the athletic program must be conducted in such a way so as to justify it as an educational activity.
