Ankeny Centennial Jaguars Girls Cross Country Team Handbook

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1 If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn t lead anywhere. Frank A. Clark Ankeny Centennial Jaguars Girls Cross Country Team Handbook Practices Practice as if you are the worst, compete as if you are the best. Olympic Training Center, Colorado We will practice 6 days a week all season long, generally following the schedule below. o Monday Friday from 4:00 pm 6:00 pm o Saturday morning from 7:00 am 9:00 am Some days will be done earlier due to the nature of the workout. These are usually Tuesday and Friday, so picking up a 6:00 PM work shift would probably work on those days. A few days will have a special schedule that could extend later due to meetings, handing out uniforms, team photos, special events, etc... These will be clearly communicated in advance. Saturday "I hope I run well" is not said by champions. You re in charge, make success happen. - Hanson Distance Project Some schools do not practice on Saturdays. For the top teams in the state, it is business as usual. It is our most important workout day of the week. When we face those other schools, we beat them. There are 12 Saturdays over the entire season. Letting those opportunities go to waste is like losing two and a half weeks of our season. Absences Champions are made when no one is looking Attendance is required at every practice and absences should be communicated to Coach Cogdill in advance whenever possible so alternatives can be discussed. We will follow guidelines very similar to excused absences as the district handbook. o Illness If you are present at school, you must come to practice or will be marked unexcused. Conversely, head coach may determine you unhealthy to practice and send you home to recover w/o penalty. o Family Excused Absences Time-sensitive events that are communicated in advance such as hospitalization/hospice of relative, weddings/funerals, house fire/flood, or religious holidays/observances are excused. o Other Activities (FineArts/Swim/Soccer/Dance/etc ) Competition takes precedence over practice unless previously arranged. Coaches/sponsors will determine the schedule and communicate with athlete. XC s need for sunlight and training in groups for safety will be a factor in arrangements. o Personal Day Each athlete gets a free day off. It can be used for non-excused events such as college visit, ACT, b-day party, watching sibling, state fair, college FB, or family vacation. Additionally, seniors are allowed 1 extra personal day specifically for ACT/college visit. Family vacations prior to start of school use that athlete s personal day. If you have used up your personal days, you will miss the next meet due to above items. All other absences are unexcused. Also, be mindful of our daily start time. If you are tardy, you may get left behind as we hit the roads for our workout. This also makes you unexcused. o First unexcused absence conference with coaches and cannot run at the next meet o Second unexcused absence conference with family & coaches and cannot travel to next meet o Third unexcused absence dismissal from team Ankeny Centennial Jaguars XC Handbook Page 1 of 6

2 Following your Workout There are only two options regarding commitment: you re either in or you re out. There s no such thing as life in between. Unknown Each girl will be given a workout goal for each day. The workout is based on ability as evidenced by time trials, race results, coach observations, health, or recent feedback. No one will be asked to do something that is impossible, but everyone will be challenged during the season. Deliberately cutting a workout is cheating and lying and will result in not traveling for the next meet. Stay on the assigned route, with 70+ girls, we need to know where you are! If you aren t feeling it that day, discuss it with your coach that day who will find an accommodation to keep you progressing that day. We expect this to happen. We have all been there before. If a teammate is having a medical event (asthma attack/heat stroke), do not leave them alone. If a teammate is just not hitting the times for the day, encourage but do not sacrifice your own workout. Similarly, social walking is unacceptable; don t drag a teammate down when you are having a rough run. Stay safe/rules of the Road Keep your EYES UP and don t simply follow the person in front of you. o Never cut in front of a car! 10 seconds at a stoplight is better than 10 days in a hospital. o Move to a single file line for bicycles and oncoming joggers SHARE THE PATH No dog is trustworthy. Stay safe and pass wide. Uniforms Because running fast is fun Each girl is issued a school uniform consisting of jersey, shorts, jacket, and pants. Replacement cost for each is: jacket $75, pant $55, jersey $55, shorts $35. Athletes are expected to take great care of these uniforms and may be billed for damages or loss. o They are NOT to be worn at practice or at other events such as FB games. o They are to be washed after each use and before turning in at the end of the season. Time Trials Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present Buddha We will hold a time trial at the first practice for the purpose of assigning training groups. We most likely will NOT hold a longer (>2 mile) time trial this season for these reasons: o Conducting a time trial affects our ability to get in other, more beneficial workouts. o Time trials are majorly stressful days for our team members. o Our first meet does not require selecting a top7. o Training groups continue to change throughout the season based on meet results. If the Centennial meet is cancelled, we will probably run a meet simulation/longer time trial. Meets Risk everything, regret nothing Olympic Training Center, Colorado Over the course of the year, the team is scheduled to run about 8 regular season meets. o All team members will compete at all meets unless told otherwise. Some will be intentionally rested for health or varsity rotation purposes o For non-varsity runners, the last meet is the conference meet on Oct 11th. o All meets should run a race distance of 5km (3.107 miles) unless shortened due to heat. o Team members need to have completed at least 8 practices before their first race opportunity. Towards the end of the season, there are 2 post-season meets. o The first is State Qualifying on Oct 18th and the second is the State Meet on Oct 27th. o The coaching staff will select the top 7 runners who compete at those meets. o The coaching staff will select a small group of athletes to travel with the team as alternates. Athletes are expected to wear the team uniform to and from meets or wear other Centennial XC items given or purchased throughout the season. Injured athletes will not return to competition until they are able to complete runs on two out of the three days preceding a race opportunity. This is to decrease the rate or re-injury. Ankeny Centennial Jaguars XC Handbook Page 2 of 6

3 Leaving Meets with a Parent: Parents wanting to transport their own child home from a meet need to follow the procedure below: 1. Provide at least a 1-day advance notice via written note or . a. This allows the head coach to prepare a list to all coaches the day of meet. 2. The following must be complete All teammates races, athlete s assigned cool down, and GS a. Athletes may leave sooner if headed to another practice (marching band, show choir, soccer,...) 3. Make 3-way visual contact when leaving Coach-Parent-Athlete These procedures will make for a more streamlined approach. Both in a consistent departure time (all races done) and so that an athlete can check out with any coach (advance notice) Who Runs Varsity? Dreams come one size too big so we can grow into them. Our first meet has a 9/10 race and an 11/12 race. Both are considered varsity competitions by state. Coaches will then determine the 7 varsity runners for 2nd meet based on time trial(s), first meet results, practice effort, and coach discretion. This may not end up being the top 7 times from the first meet. We will rotate in additional runners for varsity competition as our schedule allows. o We feel it is vital to long-term team development and is a safety net in the event of injury. o We hope to see 10+ runners compete in a varsity race this year. Our lowest year we used 11. o In our first 5 seasons, we ve averaged 13 different girls in varsity races. o We hope to get JV runners who consistently finish within 20 seconds of a varsity finisher an opportunity to run in a varsity race. o All varsity opportunities are head coach discretion. The Iowa City West, Fort Dodge, and Conference meets will heavily factor into the state qualifying squad and alternates. The JV or Varsity division may be utilized for head-to-head races. Finally, there are many factors that go into selecting a post-season line-up. It is an honor to represent our school and our team in the post-season. In situations where the #5-#10 runners are close we will look at: o Current health/injury status Ability to handle big-meet pressure o Head-to-head racing comparisons Season average, season bests o Ability to perform well on courses similar to where the meet is being held. o Potential to beat other qualifying teams #5 runner based on prior races o Season average and season best times are not nearly as important as current performances. o Having an All-In approach evidenced by attendance and full follow-through with practices including warm-ups, hitting paces, doing the GS, icing after, rolling before, communicating, etc Lettering At first they will ask you why you're doing it. Later, they will ask you how you did it! To earn a Varsity letter in cross country, the athlete must meet the following 2 criteria: 1. Must finish the season in good standing according to district rules and team policies. 2. Must meet at least one of the following criteria: Run a season average faster than 22:30, or Be a senior who has completed at least twenty HS XC races over her career. 3. Athletes who were on track to letter, but season ends prematurely may also letter. Measuring Success The difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is how you use them. Unknown One mistake cross country runners make is they want/expect to run a personal record (PR) at the very first meet of a new season or want/expect to start the new season where they ended the last one. That simply is not going to be the case except in very rare occasions. So, then, how does one measure success? Beating an opponent who has previously beaten you. Running a faster time on same course than you did the season before (weather can be factor). Getting faster from meet to meet (but this is dependent on the course layout). Ankeny Centennial Jaguars XC Handbook Page 3 of 6

4 Staying Healthy Obstacles don t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. Michael Jordan Since our bodies are our device of competition, we must take great care of them in order to stay healthy. First and foremost, you must stay hydrated! Dehydration greatly decreases performance AND can be dangerous. Drink plenty of water through the day carry a water bottle to your classes. Sleep is vital to recovery. A runner s body need 8-9 hours of sleep every night to perform at its highest level. Shorting sleep can lead to injury as you try to perform on unrested/unrecovered bodies. Research shows that runners who get fewer than 8 hours of sleep each night are 1.7x more likely to get injured A healthy diet is important too. The cardinal rule of running is garbage in=garbage out. Try to eat nutrient rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and dairy while avoiding take-out or processed foods. Plan for a quick snack after workouts to aid in recovery. An iron supplement helps our bodies produce Red Blood Cells which carry Oxygen. If you have dead legs are fatigued or fade in races you probably need serum ferritin (iron) levels checked (need score >25). District-Wide Policies to Follow Attendance/Participation Students who wish to participate in District-sponsored activities must attend school [the full day] the day of the activity unless permission has been given by the principal for student to be absent. Students too ill to attend school for any part of the day may NOT participate, but may ATTEND any District-sponsored activity that afternoon or evening. This includes, but is not limited to concerts, performances, or athletic practices, competitions. Tobacco Products, Alcohol, & Drugs The use of any of these products is not only illegal and against district policy, but it is also very damaging to a runner s body. Let your commitment to cross country, your teammates and your coaches be your anti-drug. Also, be aware of the Ankeny Community School District s Policies on tobacco, alcohol,& drugs. Policy They can be found here: Harassment, Bullying, & Hazing Any form of this behavior is unbecoming of a cross country athlete and the family-like atmosphere Jaguar XC strives to develop. It will not be tolerated and it will be reported. Be aware of the Ankeny Community School District s Policy on bullying. Policy Found here: Good Conduct Rule Be aware of the Ankeny Community School District s Policies on good conduct. Policy They can be found here: Ankeny Centennial Jaguars XC Handbook Page 4 of 6

5 Ankeny Centennial Jaguars Girls Cross Country First Week (August 6 th 11 th ) Practice for Centennial HS Mon through Sat (7AM 9AM) Two-a-Days for girls assigned to Alpha & Bravo groups Mon/Wed/Fri (4:00PM 5:30PM) Second Week (August 13 th 18 th and beyond) Practice for Centennial HS Mon through Fri (4PM 6PM) and Sat (7AM 9AM) Special dates for the season August 6 th First official Centennial 7:00 AM (team meeting after, done at 10:00 AM) August 11 th First Saturday Rock Creek 7:00AM Kick-off potluck breakfast & Parent meeting after Rock Creek 8:45AM August 16 th Fall all-sports kickoff Ankeny Stadium (Northview) Team photos & 3:30PM (be at Northview Stadium a few minutes early) Following photos (in team uniform), we will have practice (bring a change of clothes) Team introductions 6:00PM August 20 st First spaghetti dinner after practice At Celesta Cox house ~5:30PM August 21 st Centennial Early Bird DMACC 5:00PM 2 races (9/10 & 11/12) August 23 rd First day of school Centennial August 30 th Ames Iowa State XC Course 4:00PM 3 races (9/10, 11/12, Vars) September 1 st September 3 rd Labor Day weekend practices 7:00AM (normal time) 6:00PM (later to allow travel back to town) September 6 th Bobcat Marshalltown CC 4:30PM 3 races (9/10, 11/12, Vars) September 11 th Tom Karpan Valley Southwoods 5:00PM 2 races (JV & Vars) September 20 th Indianola Indianola Middle School 4:30PM 2 races (JV & Vars) September 24 th On the Prowl it has potential to affect your race so don t overdo it September 25 th ICW Univ of IA (Ashton XC Course) 4:30PM 2 races (JV & Vars) September 28 th Homecoming game Sept 25 th, Oct 4 th & Oct 11 th performances will heavily impact State Qualifying squad & alternates October 4 th Fort Dodge Lakeside Golf Course 4:00PM 2 races (JV & Vars) October 11 th Central Iowa Iowa State 4:30PM 2 races (JV & Vars) Uniform turn in for non-varsity runners after the meet October 13 th FUNDRAISER MidSchool State ACHS (athlete parent work 3-HR shift) October 18 th State Qualifying October 26 th First round state FB playoffs if competing at state, should leave game at halftime October 27 th State Fort Dodge 11:00AM November 3 rd Senior All-Star DMACC (seniors with season best <21:30) November 10 th (travel) & 11 th (race) NXN Heartland Regionals Sioux Falls, SD (optional) November 13 th Northview MS 5:30PM Ankeny Centennial Jaguars XC Handbook Page 5 of 6

6 Ankeny Centennial Jaguars Girls Cross Country Info for Team Potluck Breakfast & Parent Meeting Who: All girls cross country runners and their parents. Siblings are welcome too. What: Team Breakfast and Parent Meeting Where: Rock Creek Elementary Cafeteria When: Saturday, August 11 8:45 AM (following girls practice which starts at 7:00AM) Practice will begin at Rock Creek at 7:00 AM. Why: So our team and our parents can get to know each other before races begin. So our coaches can recap our parent meeting (which will be August 8 6:30PM). So our parents can sign-up to volunteer for various ways to make our season amazing. So our families can order Centennial XC clothing. What to Bring: Everyone should bring their own plates, utensils, cups, and napkins. Freshmen 8 gatorade, dozen water, or Juniors dozen rolls/donuts or 2 gallons of juice/drink bagels w/ cream cheese or PB Sophomores 9x13 breakfast casserole or breakfast pizza Seniors bowl fruit or dozen bananas Ankeny Centennial Jaguars XC Handbook Page 6 of 6

2013 Cheney High School Cross Country Schedule Cheney Middle School Cross Country Schedule. Welcome to Cheney Cross Country!

2013 Cheney High School Cross Country Schedule DATE Host Time Thursday, Sept. 5 Clearwater* 4:30 PM Thursday, Sept. 12 Hesston 4:00 PM Saturday, Sept. 21 Wichita Southeast 9:00 AM Thursday, Sept. 26 Oxford*