Descriptions of Sports Offered at SHS

BASEBALL - Baseball is a game played between two opposing teams.  Each team is permitted seven turns at bat during which it attempts to score runs by having its batters become base runners that advance to and touch first base, second base, third base, and home plate.  The team in the field attempts to end each turn at the bat of the opponent by causing three of its batters or base runners to be out. (National Federation of State High School Associations 2013 Rulebook)

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BASKETBALL – Basketball is played by two teams of five players each.  The purpose of each team is to throw the ball into its own basket and to prevent the other team from scoring.  The ball may be thrown, batted, rolled, or dribbled in any direction, subject or restrictions laid down in the following rules. (National Federation of State High School Associations 2012-13 Rulebook)

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CHEERLEADING – Cheerleading activities should center on “leading” or “directing” the cheering of student and adult fans.  In this role, cheerleaders can become the school’s most effective student leaders.  These activities should be focused on:  creating a cooperative spirit among the cheerleaders, athletes, student bodies, school administrators, and the communities; recognizing outstanding plays and examples of good sportsmanship on the part of both teams, and aiding the school and game officials in the promotion of good sportsmanship in the administration of the contest.    Spirit groups have evolved to include competition as athletes.  Participants must condition, practice, and warm up the same as other athletes in preparation for a performance.  Competition should be a secondary consideration for spirit groups unless designated as being a purely competitive team.  (National Federation of State High School Associations 2011-12 Rulebook)

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CROSS COUNTRY - Cross Country is a team championship sport of running on an open-air course over natural terrain.  The distance for both boys' and girls Cross Country will be approximately three (3) miles or five (5) kilometers.  The course may include surfaces of grass or earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground, and sometimes gravel road.  (National Federation of State High School Associations 2013 Rulebook.

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FOOTBALL - A game played by two teams of 11 players each on a rectangular field, 360’ X 160’ with the actual playing area being 100-yards long.  There are goal lines and goal posts at either end, the object being to gain possession of the ball and advance it in running or passing plays across the opponent's goal line or kick it through the air between the opponent's goal posts.  While the ball is “live”, there are intervals of progress called “downs”.  The team in possession attempts to advance the ball by carrying, kicking or passing it.  If a foul occurs, the penalty loss, if not declined, is enforced in the interval between downs.  The team in possession has a series of downs numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4 to advance the ball to the line to gain, which is usually 10 years in advance of where the series begins.  Points are scored by a touchdown, successful try, field goal or safety. (National Federation of State High School Associations 2012 Rulebook)

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GOLF -  Golf is a game in which clubs with wooden or metal heads are used to hit a small, white ball into a number of holes, usually 9 or 18, in succession, situated at various distances over a course having natural or artificial obstacles, the object being to get the ball into each hole in as few strokes as possible.

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GIRLS GYMNASTICS – Girls gymnastics is a state championship (GHSA) event open to schools in all classifications.  Competition in all meets includes the following events:  balance beam, uneven parallel bars, vaulting, floor exercise, and all-around (competition in the other four events).  Each competitor performs a practiced routine on any or all of the events.  Each competitor is scored by a panel of judges on each event.  Scoring includes point values being awarded based upon the difficulty of the routine, performance on the required elements for each event, composition of the routine, and execution of the required elements.

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GIRLS LACROSSE (LAX) – Girls LAX is played between two teams consisting of twelve (12) players on each team.  The object of the game is to score more points than the other team by tossing the ball into the opposing team’s goal.  The ball is advanced up/down the field by tossing it from one player to another using a “crosse” which resembles a stick with a basket on one end.

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SOCCER - A game played on a rectangular field with net goals at either end in which two teams of 11 players each try to drive a ball into the other's goal by kicking, heading, or using any part of the body except the arms and hands. The goalie is the only player who may touch or move the ball with their arms or hands. (National Federation of State High School Associations 2011 Rulebook)

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SOFTBALL – Softball is a game played between two opposing teams.  Each team is permitted seven turns at bat during which it attempts to score runs by having its batters become base runners that advance to and touch first base, second base, third base and home plate.  The team in the field attempts to end each turn at bat of the opponent by causing three of its batters or base runners to be out. (National Federation of State High School Associations 2013 Rulebook)

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SWIMMING – Swimming is an activity in which a person propels him/herself through the water by moving arms and legs.  For GHSA competition purposes, four (4) swimming strokes are used in competitive events:  freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly stroke. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary; GHSA Constitution and By-Laws for 2013-2014)

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TENNIS - A game played with rackets and a light ball by two players (singles) or two pairs of players (doubles) on a rectangular court made of grass, clay, or asphalt, divided by a net. Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. The object of the game is to play the ball in such a way that the opponent is not able to play a good return. 

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TRACK AND FIELD – A track and field meet consists of races of different lengths, called track events, and of contests in jumping and throwing called field events.  Competition is by individuals, except in the relays, which involves competition among relay teams consisting of four individuals.  (National Federation of State High School Associations 2013 Rulebook)

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VOLLEYBALL – Volleyball is a game played by two teams consisting of six players on a rectangular court separated into two areas by a net with an inflated ball.  One team serves the ball over the net, trying to make it land within the opponent’s playing area.  The receiving team attempts to return the ball over the net in such a manner that it will land within the opponent’s playing area.  (National Federation of State High School Associations 2012-13 Rulebook)

 

WRESTLING – A wrestling match is a competition between two individual wrestlers who are of as nearly equal weight as possible.  A “dual meet” is a series of matches, one in each of the NFHS weight classes.  A wrestling tournament may be either or both individually bracketed or based upon the results of each wrestler on the team.  (National Federation of State High School Associations 2012-13 Rulebook)