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Should you keep an athlete from competing when they have missed practices during the week before the competition?

If an athlete misses a practice and it is considered 'unexcused', I do not let them run in the next race. I find that the athletes who attend all the practices can then sometimes move up to a higher spot on the team that day and be rewarded for making practices a priority.

I feel that it depends on the situation. I have given contracts to athletes at the beginning of the season which stipulate what is an excusable absence and what is not. I also strongly suggest and require that dental and doctor appointments be scheduled for after practices or scheduled the day before a meet so it will not effect the athletes training. I am sympathetic to deaths of loved ones and feel that the death of someone close to you is excusable. I definately will hold an athlete out of a meet if the absence is not excused.

I have the same policy as jenni on unexcused absences.

If an athlete misses practice because of an excused absence, then I ask them if they feel up to racing.

If an athlete misses practice due to injury, I usually will not allow them to race that week.

Every case is different, so I take excused absences on a case-by-case basis.