Ocean Breeze WaveRunners Team Hand Book

Ocean Breeze WaveRunners Team Hand Book Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex 625 Father Capodanno Blvd. Staten Island, NY 10305 718-351-7923

Introduction Dear Parents, First, we would like to thank you for your constant support of our programs here at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex. We are excited to begin the 2018-2019 Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field season with our WaveRunners program. The program, which was developed in 2015 was established to give back to the community by teaching our youth key life skills such as; the importance of healthy lifestyles, team work, dedication and most importantly to believe in their selves. Over the past four years the WaveRunners have made significant strides! Our student-athletes have represented Ocean Breeze and NYC Parks at various National Championships in locations such as Kansas and North Carolina, as well as right here at home during the USA Track & Field Hershey National Youth Championships that take place annually at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex. We are very proud of all our athletes accomplishments regardless of the level or the size. Our team consists of Association, Regional and National Champions as well as beginners, that with hard work will one day also become champions! I would also like to remind you that the key to success for our program does not only come from our coaches but also from you, the parents! Your dedication and commitment to the program has made a huge difference in the lives of all the children that have proudly wore the WaveRunners uniform. I would encourage you to take some time and read the Ocean Breeze WaveRunners team handbook with your children to have a clear understanding of our expectations of them as well as what they should expect from us. We look forward to working with the student-athletes as well as you for a successful 2018-2019 campaign. Please visit OceanBreezeNYC.org/WaveRunners for weekly updated and current team information GO WAVERUNNERS! Lauren Primerano Lauren Primerano Ocean Breeze Park Administrator

Getting Started We hope you are excited to be a WaveRunner, because we are excited to have you on our team! Things to do prior to starting with the team: 1. Medical forms must be submitted. 2. A copy of your child s birth certificate must be submitted in order to participate in competition. 3. Please carefully read the code of conduct. This form must be signed by both the athlete and parent. 4. Travel and photo waivers must be filled out prior to any trip that the child is being transported by official Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex Staff. 5. Athlete dismissal form. All these forms will be provided at the parents meeting prior to the start of each season. About Cross Country Cross Country is the sport of running. Student-Athletes will learn the art of endurance training that is supplemented by strength, flexibility and speed work. Typical practices include warm-ups, drills, workout or a long run and cool downs. Typical competitions referred to as meets will take place mostly on the weekends and typically last four hours. About Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Track & Field is the sport of running, jumping and throwing there is something for everyone! New studentathletes will learn many disciplines of the sport as a WaveRunner. Some will specialize in one event discipline and some might do multiple. Typical practices include warm-ups, drills, workout and cool downs. Typical competitions referred to as meets will take place mostly on the weekends and typically last six hours. Prior to the competition all athletes will be provided a tentative event schedule which will outline the approximate times they will actually be competing.

Practice Information Just like any other sport practice is mandatory for all athletes who wish to participate with the WaveRunners track team. Athletes will need to attend at least two practices a week and complete at least six practice sessions prior to being able to compete in their first meet. This will be strictly enforced for the health and safety of all our athletes. Practice schedules will be posted weekly on OceanBreezeNYC.org and normally last two hours. It s practice time what should you bring? 1. A comfortable pair of running sneakers to run and jump in. We do not allow open toe or hard sole shoe. 2. Athletes should always dress warm for practice, this includes sweats, hats and gloves. It is always easy to take off a layer then to put on a layer you might not have. 3. Athletes are encouraged to always have a water bottle with them during practice. Ocean Breeze will do our best to make sure water is supplied at all times as well. 4. Any type of medication or light snack that might be needed during that two hour time period. 5. Your NYC Parks identification card. 6. Always bring a positive attitude and a smile. What happens during a typical practice? 1. The team will meet at a predetermined location and attendance will be taken. 2. Athletes will then be split up into groups and will be lead through a warm-up which can include running, stretching and dynamic drills, these sessions can be lead by coaches or team captains. 3. Athletes will then participate in the daily workout with lead by their coaches. 4. Athletes will then cool down which will include jogging, stretching and other drills as directed by the coaching staff. 5. Children will be dismissed and released to their parents or previously designated adult. Practice locations: Parents are responsible for all transportation to and from practice and to ensure that athletes are arriving and departing on time. Practice locations will be available at least 7 days prior to the scheduled practice. Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex 625 Father Capodanno Blvd. Clove Lake Park 1150 Clove Road. Midland Beach Splaza Intersection of Father Capodanno Blvd & Seaview Ave.

Competition Information All athletes are required to attend all team competitions as outlined in the team schedule. Any athletes who can not attend competition for a valid reason MUST inform the coaching staff 7 days prior to the event. All of the events that the WaveRunners attend require pre-entry along with payment to be processed online prior to the event. Athletes that do not notify coaches prior to the entry deadline will face disciplinary action which can result in suspension from the team or being asked to leave the team. It s competition time what should you bring or not bring? 1. Your team issued uniform that is clean. Athletes should always have a team warm-up and/or sweats to warm-up and cool down in. Running sneakers and event specific spikes or rotationals if applicable. 2. Athletes should always dress warm for competition, this includes sweats, hats and gloves. It is always easy to take off a layer then to put on a layer you might not have. 3. Athletes are encouraged to always have a water bottle to meets as well as a snack or lunch. Many of our venues have concession stands or food trucks available to purchase food. 4. Any type of medication or light snack that might be needed during that four - six hour time period. 5. Your NYC Parks identification card. 6. HOMEWORK! - One of the things great about the sport there is always downtime where the our studentathletes can complete school work or study for an upcoming test! 7. Please do not bring valuables, or a large sum of money if you need to for any reason please make sure your belongings are left with a responsible teammate. 8. Always bring a positive attitude and a smile. What happens during a typical competition? 1. The team will meet at a predetermined location and attendance will be taken. Athletes will be issued their bib number or running labels for that days event, and told what time they will need to warm-up and then race. 2. Athletes will then be split up into groups and will be lead through a warm-up which can include running, stretching and dynamic drills, these sessions can be lead by coaches or team captains. 3. Athletes will compete in their respected events(s) 4. Athletes will then cool down which will include jogging, stretching and other drills as directed by the coaching staff. 5. Children will be dismissed and released to their parents or previously designated adult. 6. Once the competition is over results will be posted on OceanBreezeNYC.org.

Competition Information (continued) 2018-2019 Meet locations: Transportation will be provided for all local meets that are within driving distance. Any meet outside of that radius the parents will need to provide transportation or pay for airline flight. Cross Country Van Cortlandt Park Bronx, New York Bowdoin Park Fishkill, New York San Rafael Regional Park Reno, Nevada Track & Field Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex, Staten Island, New York Prospect Park Armory, Brooklyn, New York Armory Track & Field Center, Manhattan, New York Icahn Stadium, Manhattan, New York Mitchell Field Long Island, New York University of North Carolina Durham, North Carolina Mt. Sac College Sacramento, California Travel Information Local Events: Transportation: Ocean Breeze will provide transportation for all meets within a six hour radius of the facility. Athletes may also travel with their parents. Any trip that is over sixty miles will have two drivers per vehicle. Ocean Breeze will provide light snacks and water during the trip. Housing: Ocean Breeze will provide hotels for athletes, we will have the right to put up to four children in one room, but we will not mix genders at anytime. When overnight trips are taking place there will automatically be one male and female staff member attending. What to bring: uniform, sneakers, clothing, warm-ups, shoes, spikes, rotational, and any personal items you might need for an overnight trip. Please make sure your children have money for all meals. Some meets might sell merchandise such as t-shirts, hats, or sweatshirts, that is up to you as the parent if you would like to send money for your child to make a purchase. Non-Local Events: Basically the same as above but the cost of transportation will be passed onto the parent. Airline tickets tend to cost anywhere between $300-800 depending on the location of travel. The only meets the athletes will fly to would be the USATF Youth National Championships or the USATF Junior Olympic Championships. Prior to each trip a full itinerary will be provided outlining all important information regarding the trip. The itinerary will include items such as travel schedule, competition times, addresses of facilities, curfew and contact information.

Rules, Policy and Regulations As part of the team you will receive: 1. USATF Youth Membership ($20 value) 2. Entry fees paid for all meets ($10-15 value per meet) 3. A team uniform prior to your first meet ($40 value) 4. Nutritional Snacks (athletes only) 5. Transportation to all local competitions (athletes only) 6. Hotel accommodations for all overnight trips (athletes only) Parents are responsible for: 1. Airline travel to Regional or National Championships 2. Optional team warm-up ($75 value) for more information please ask the coaches. 3. Transportation to and from practice Team Rules 1. All team members must have a valid (free) NYC Parks Recreation Center membership. 2. All forms must be filled out each season and prior to the first day of practice for new members. 3. Athletes are expected to attend at least two practices per week as well as all team competitions. 4. All athletes must have a year physical and a note from the doctor clearing them to participate or showing any type of restrictions. 5. Please clean up your area after meets and practices, do not leave a mess for others. 6. Athletes must attend at least six practices prior to their first competition. 7. Athletes that are participating with the WaveRunners are not permitted to race outside of the clubs competition schedule without prior approval from the WaveRunners coaching staff. This will be strictly enforced for the safety and health of the student-athlete. 8. Athletes and parents will be asked to sign a standard of conduct. Any athlete or parent to be found in violation of these guidelines will be suspended or asked to leave the team. 9. All athletes and parents are asked to be respectful to one another. Bullying, name calling or any other conduct unbecoming to Ocean Breeze will not be tolerated at any level. All incidents will be fully documented and placed in the athletes file. 10. All athletes must submit a copy of their birth certificate at the time of registration. Proof of age is required by USATF for all age group competitions. 11. Parents are not permitted to work out on the track, this incudes running and walking during practice. Parents are welcomed to become an athletic complex member and workout on the first floor. 12. All athletes on the team will be required to complete one community service project with the team. One project will be offered in the fall, winter, spring and summer months.

Age Groups As per USATF rules athletes will compete in two year age divisions which are determined by year of birth. Division 1 (8 and under) 2011+ Division 2 (9-10 year olds) 2009-2010 Division 3 (11-12 year olds) 2007-2008 Division 4 (13-14 year olds) 2005-2006 Division 5 (15-16 year olds) 2003-2004 Division 6 (17-18 year olds) 2001-2002 Volunteering We encourage our parents to be involved with our program and volunteer when appropriate or time allows. New for 2018-2019 all volunteers will be required to following the United States Olympic Committee SafeSport guidelines. For the safety of our athletes, particularly our youth athletes, USA Track & Field has committed to providing a safe environment in which our athletes compete and train. We believe this is paramount to the success of all our programs. The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) recommended USATF implement the program in 2014 and it was required of all Olympic national governing bodies (NGB s) by 2015. Coupled with our Coaches Registry, our goal is to gain awareness and protect the participants in our sport at all levels. The SafeSport course is an online training module put together by the U.S. Center for SafeSport. The course covers lesson areas that include, but are not limited to, sexual misconduct; emotional and physical misconduct; and mandatory reporting. The training videos in total are approximately 90 minutes long and include quizzes and final exams. All USATF National Staff, Board Members, Youth Committee members, registered agents, Coaches Registry members, youth club coaches and youth club administrators and volunteers are required to be USATF SafeSport Compliant. To become SafeSport compliant: 1. You will need to become a USATF member 2. Complete the USATF background screening program 3. Complete a free online SafeSport class Once all three steps are completed you will appear on the USATF list of verified volunteers.

Ocean Breeze WaveRunners 2018 Cross Country Schedule Date Meet Location Start Time Sunday, September 23, 2018 USATF New York Cross Country Series~ Away (1) 9:00 a.m. Sunday, September 30, 2018 USATF New York Cross Country Series~ Away (1) 9:00 a.m. Saturday, October 06, 2018 USATF New York Cross Country Series~ Away (1) 9:00 a.m. Sunday, October 14, 2018 USATF New York Cross Country Series~ Away (1) 9:00 a.m. Sunday, November 11, 2018 USATF New York Championship~ Away (1) 9:00 a.m. Sunday, November 18, 2018 USATF Region 1 Junior Olympic Championship^~ TBA 9:00 a.m. Saturday, November 24, 2018 Nike Future Stars Race Away (2) TBA Saturday, December 08, 2018 USATF National Junior Olympic Championship^ Away (3) 9:00 a.m. Meet Locations: (1) Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, New York (2) Bowdoin Park, Fishkill, New York (3) San Rafael Regional Park, Reno Nevada Meet Type ~ Team events and participation is mandatory ^ Qualification is required For more updated information, results and news visit: OceanBreezeNYC.org

Ocean Breeze WaveRunners 2018-2019 Indoor Track & Field Schedule Date Meet Location Start Time Thursday, December 27, 2018 Ocean Breeze Holiday Festival~ Home (1) 9:00 a.m. Sunday, January 06, 2019 Ocean Breeze Freedom Games~ Home (1) 1:00 p.m. Sunday, January 13, 2019 (tent.) Park Slope Armory Winter Series~ Away (2) 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 9, 2019 Millrose Games Trials Away (3) TBA Sunday, January 20, 2019 Ocean Breeze Invitational~ Home (1) 9:00 a.m. Sunday, February 03, 2019 (tent.) Park Slope Armory Winter Series~ Away (2) 9:00 a.m. Saturday, February 9, 2019 Millrose Games^ Away (3) TBA Sunday, February 10, 2019 (tent.) Park Slope Armory Winter Series~ Away (2) 9:00 a.m. Sunday, February 17, 2019 USATF New York Pre-National Invitational~ Home (1) 9:00 a.m. Friday, February 22, 2019 USA Indoor Championships^ Home (1) TBA Saturday, February 23, 2019 USA Indoor Championships^ Home (1) TBA Sunday, February 24, 2019 USA Indoor Championships^ Home (1) TBA Sunday, March 03, 2019 USATF New York Championships~ Home (1) 9:00 a.m. Friday, March 15, 2019 USATF Hershey National Championships~ Home (1) TBA Saturday, March 16, 2019 USATF Hershey National Championships~ Home (1) TBA Sunday, March 17, 2019 USATF Hershey National Championships~ Home (1) TBA Meet Locations: Meet Type (1) Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex, Staten Island, NY (2) Park Slope Armory, Brooklyn, NY (3) Armory Track & Field Center, Manhattan, NY ~ Team events and participation is mandatory ^ Qualification is required For updated information, results and the latest news visit: OceanBreezeNYC.org

Ocean Breeze WaveRunners Code of Conduct Athletes 1. Arrive at practice ready to listen, learn and work hard. 2. Be supportive of your teammates at all times. 3. Be respectful to your coaches, officials, teammates and opponents. 4. Become a student of the sport by learning the rules of each event and competing by them. 5. Use appropriate language at all times. 6. Always conduct yourself in a way that promoted good sportsmanship and that will make your parents proud. 7. Do your best to listen and follow the direction of the entire coaching staff. Being well behaved at all events is ensure a safe and healthy environment for all. 8. You will not leave practice or competition sites without informing a coach (even with a parent). 9. All uniforms and equipment issued to you should remain in good condition and be cleaned prior to each competition. The Ocean Breeze WaveRunners are committed to providing a safe and fun environment for youth athletes to learn the sport of cross country and track & field. We reserve the right to ask your child to sit out at practice if he/she is disrupting a practice session and no behaving properly. If we need to ask the same athlete to sit out more than three times he/she will not be allowed to come back to practice for the rest of the season. Athletes can also be suspended from competition for conduct unbecoming to Ocean Breeze. Parents 1. Parents, volunteers and friends of the Ocean Breeze WaveRunners must be role models for the children by conducting themselves in a responsible, moral and ethical manner. 2. Parents are responsible for transporting their children to and from practices and meets on time. Parents are expected to e-mail the coaching staff at OBWaveRunners@parks.nyc.gov if your child will not be at practice. 3. Parents will also ensure that the children are picked up on time from practice and meets. Please be respectful of this rule! The coaching staff can not leave a child unattended. 4. Parents should not remove their child from practice, competition, team van or other locations associated with the team without first informing a coach. 5. Support coaches and officials at all level. Parental interference with coaching or meet management will not be tolerated. Parents are welcomed to discuss athlete training or competition with the coaches at appropriate times. 6. Parents are to inform the coaches of any special needs the children might have. 7. You will do your best to support all the members of the team. We want the children to enjoy the sport and to see you as a positive role model. Criticism of any child, coach, official or other parent is not welcomed. 8. Student-athletes will have good days and bad days during the season, focus on the positive and be supportive of your child at all times. By signing below, I acknowledge that I have received the Ocean Breeze WaveRunners team hand book and will to all rules and regulations Athlete Print Name Clearly Parent Print Name Clearly Athlete Signature Parent Signature Date Date