Dear Bay High School Students, Parents, and Guardians,
As we prepare for another exciting school year, I’d like to take this opportunity to share essential values that define Bay High School —values that go far beyond wins and losses. At the heart of every successful team or group is a culture of respect, trust, and accountability. In that spirit, I want to remind everyone what it truly means to be a great teammate.
What It Means to Be a Great Teammate At Bay High School, we are proud partners with the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), an organization that promotes not only performance but also character development. PCA outlines 12 qualities of a great teammate:
- Humble – Puts team or group success above personal achievements.
- Hardworking – Gives full effort, every practice, every game, every performance.
- Encouraging – Supports students during highs and lows.
- Respectful – Honors coaches, directors, and students.
- Dependable – Shows up prepared and on time.
- Selfless – Prioritizes the group over individual recognition.
- Optimistic – Maintains a positive mindset.
- Resilient – Bounces back from adversity.
- Communicative – Listens well and shares constructively.
- Coachable – Accepts feedback and strives to improve.
- Inclusive – Welcomes and values all teammates.
- Servant Leader – Leads by example and lifts others.
Whether you are on the field, in the classroom, in the locker room, or in the community, we challenge every student to live out these qualities daily.
Hazing Has No Place in Bay High School
To be absolutely clear: As stated in the Bay Activities Guide, hazing of any kind is strictly prohibited.
“Hazing is defined as participating in any act or coercing another, including the victim, to perform any act of initiation into any class, team, or organization…that causes or creates a substantial risk of causing mental or physical harm to any person, including coercing another to consume alcohol or a drug of abuse.”
Consent is not a defense. Hazing is not tradition—it’s abuse. It violates our policies, our values, and more importantly, it endangers others. Any student involved in hazing—on or off school property, including online—will face serious consequences, including possible suspension from the team for up to one calendar year. We count on our students, coaches, and families to help maintain a safe and respectful team environment.
A Note on Team Bonding and Sleepovers
We understand the desire to build camaraderie outside of practice and competition. However, we want to be clear: while we cannot control what occurs in private homes, the Bay Athletic and Activities Department highly discourages team or group sleepovers as a method of team bonding. These events can unintentionally lead to exclusion, risky behavior, and/or inappropriate conduct. Instead, we encourage coaches and team leaders to work with our staff to organize supervised and inclusive team-building activities that reflect our values and that support team unity in a healthy way.
Let’s continue to represent Bay Village with integrity, class, and Rocket pride. I look forward to seeing you this season and thank you for your continued support in helping us shape not just great students, but exceptional people.
Sincerely,
Matt Spellman, Athletic/Activities Director