"Excellence is not an act but a habit." - Aristotle

Stamford Peace Basketball Club is as deeply concerned for the academic performance and conduct of its players, as it is for any measure of their purely basketball success. 

With the foregoing in mind, we want to emphasize to both players and parents alike our commitment to the following key principles:

1. Attendance at school is a #1 priority, and trumps any basketball requirement imposed by us. 
Accordingly, you will not be permitted to attend any basketball practice, game or other event on a day you are either absent from school, or leave school early due to illness. If it is later found out that you have attended practice on a day on which you failed to attend a full day of school, you run the risk of disciplinary action by us, including the possibility of extra in-practice running, benching, suspension and/or even permanent dismissal from the program.

Regardless, you must notify your coaches as far in advance as possible if you intend to miss any practice, game or other regularly scheduled Stamford Peace event. 

2. Respectful behavior, listening (as opposed to just hearing), and positive leadership are significant contributors to overall academic achievement (as well as basketball success). While we do not demand perfection, in the event you receive low conduct marks at school, or otherwise receive continuous reprimands for your behavior, we will not hesitate to take disciplinary action which may affect your future with Stamford Peace.

You are responsible for providing us a copy of your most recent report cards and/or other academic progress reports as soon after each academic quarter-end as possible. Remember: this is a requirement, and something you committed to providing when the program began.

3. Among the most important determinants of your overall academic success is your timely completion of all homework assignments and projects, as well as your ongoing focused preparation for all quizzes and tests. Your basketball practice time will not be permitted to get in the way of your effort in these academic areas.

At the same time, it is also vital that you eat well and get sufficient rest -- and these too are your responsibility.

4. Stamford Peace's basketball teams practice two days per week, generally for no more than two hours per day. While we are not opposed to you coming early, staying late, or even attending the practice of a Stamford Peace team in addition to your own -- making a sincere effort to improve your basketball skills -- by doing so, you are making the "statement" to us that you have already completed your assigned homework and/or any required studying. If it later turns out that your nightly academic work has not been completed in proper fashion, you will from then on lose the privilege of staying after-hours, and may even become subject to other more onerous time restrictions.

Of course, it is the primary responsibility of parents to know when your children have basketball practice with us, so that appropriate rules/limits can be established regarding their outside basketball practice versus academic study time.

Our players' overall "education" is of tremendous concern to us -- and is and remains a major rationale for our ongoing personal investment and development of Stamford Peace's basketball program.

Coach K, Coach Latta and others are available to help our players academically, but for us to do so requires that players first demonstrate the maturity and courage to ask for help. Just as we know you would not hesitate to ask for our basketball help, if you believe you need tutoring and/or other academic help you should not hesitate to ask for that either. We are here to help -- but can only do so if you ask before it becomes too late!

We really are so proud of all of the current participants in Stamford Peace. Guided by this Academic Policy Statement, we hope you and we together can help you achieve your utmost potential, both on and off the court. Inspiring your pursuit of all-around excellence remains one of our most important goals!!!

If you have any questions or concerns regarding any aspect of this policy, please feel free to speak with Coach K, Coach Latta, or your specific team coach at your convenience.

Peace on 3 ... P E A C E!!!

-- Coach K and Coach Latta