A PARENT’S GUIDE TO CROSS COUNTRY
Congratulations! Your son/daughter has joined the Dunlap Cross Country Team.
WHAT IS CROSS COUNTRY?
Cross country is a team running sport that takes place in the fall on a measured 3.0 mile course, that loops over varied surfaces and terrain. While our home course is usually on our school campus, many Cross Country meets are held on dirt trails, park grounds, and sometimes on golf courses.
HOW CROSS COUNTRY IS SCORED
A cross country meet is scored by each team adding up the places of it’s top 5 finishers. As in golf, the low score wins. For example, a team that scores 26 points places ahead of a team that scores 29 points, as follows:
Dunlap Opponent
1 2
4 3
5 7
6 8
10 9
_______ ______
Score 26 29
(Dunlap wins!)
A team’s 6th and 7th finishers can also figure in the scoring if they place ahead of other team’s top 5 finishers. When that is the case, they become “pushers” by pushing up their opponents’ scores, as follows:
Dunlap Opponent
2 1
3 4
6 5
8 7
9(10)(11) 12
_______ _____
Score 28 29
Dunlap wins!
Only a team’s 6th and 7th finishers can be pushers, regardless of how many of its runners may finish ahead of an opposing team’s top 5 finishers.
LEVELS OF COMPETITION/PARTICIPATION
All team members can participate in our dual and triangular meets during our season. In invitational meets, we are limited to 7-10 runners at the various levels, but everyone usually gets a chance to run every meet. Beginning at regional time, teams are narrowed down to the top seven runners and an alternate for the boys and girls teams.
WHAT IT TAKES TO BE SUCCESSFUL
More than anything else, success in Cross Country takes time...time to learn; time to train; time to sleep, rest and recover; before-school time; after-school time; weekend time; time away from family and friends; and time away from other interests. With the academic responsibilities of being a high school student, most student-athletes are busy all the time. The willingness to devote the time that success demands is called DEDICATION.
Being a member of Dunlap Cross Country carries other expectations and responsibilities. Doing what is expected of every team member is called COMMITMENT. Attending team practices every day is one of thecommitments I expect. Your son or daughter will receive information on team rules and policies, our athletic code of conduct and academic eligibility requirements. You should review all these things with them. Our goal is to develop team loyalty and individual responsibility and accountability among all our team members. High school sports are a wonderful vehicle for personal growth. I hope that you as parents will appreciate this and support my goals.
Another commitment we expect is COMMUNICATION with the coach. If a problem or illness is going to force your son or daughter to miss practice or a meet, I expect him or her to tell me about it personally and in advance. (This does notmean relaying amessage through a teammate or friend.) Many such problemscan be solved when athletes communicate with me. I have a mailbox at the high school for any URGENT messages.
HOW YOU CAN HELP YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER BEFORE THE SEASON STARTS
I strongly encourage our runners to be on a self-training regime during the summer. Pre-season summer training is essential to build a fitness base for intensive workouts and races during the season. As your aspiring young runner begins the first weeks of training, you may wonder what you should expect and how you can assist him or her as a parent in terms of recovery, eating, sleeping, and mental attitude. As a rule, I don’t recommend you change any aspect of your normal routine of home responsibilities, family meal planning, bedtime, and social guidelines. A normal consequence of beginning to train is muscle soreness, which will soon go away. If your son or daughter has not participated in sports before, this may persist up to 2 weeks. They should communicate this to me so I can adjust their training. Any athlete engaged in intensive training and competition can be subject to injury. More injuries can be prevented when runners tell me about their aches and pains before they become disabling, so I can have them treated by our athletic trainer. A nutritious, well-balanced diet is essential for an athlete. Especially on race days, fatty and fried foods, and carbonated or acidic drinks should be avoided. Small portions of easily digested foods eaten at least 3 hours before competition are best, but water intake should never be limited. Most athletes feel best when they race a little hungry. You should see your runner gradually starting to eat more carbohydrates.
HOW TO BUY RUNNING SHOES
If possible, go to a store that deals primarily with running footwear and apparel. These stores have experienced runners as sales persons who can help you choose the right shoe with the right fit for your athlete. There is no getting around the fact that running shoes are expensive. The best way to prolong the life and function of a new pair of shoes is to wear them for running only, not as school dress or for P.E. class. It is not necessary to purchase special running apparel. Loose fitting T-shirts and shorts are adequate for daily training, and your athlete will be issued school uniforms and warm up suits.
CROSS COUNTRY VOCABULARY
dual meet...a meet between two teams
triangular meet...a meet between three teams
invitational meet...a multi-team meet
top 7...the scoring members of a Cross Country team
course...the marked and measured route of the race
starting box...designated area to which a team is assigned on the starting line
false start...leaving the starting line before the gun sounds
finish chute...a rope bordered funnel past the finish line that moves runners into their single file order of finish
pace...running speed over a particular distance
surge...a tactical increase in pace during the race
kick...a burst of speed at the finish of the race
pack...a group of runners in close proximity
personal record...best-ever performance on a given course
racing flats...special, lightweight shoes designed for racing, rather than the daily training
training flats...running shoes designed for long wear in daily training
warm-up...a running and stretching routine that gradually warms up the body for intense running
cool-down...a jogging/walking routine that allows the muscle to purge themselves of lactates and the body to gradually lower its temperature to normal
workout...a daily training session
PREPARING TO WATCH YOUR FIRST CROSS COUNTRY MEET
When you arrive at the meet site, ask to see a map of the course. First, locate the start and finish, then try to scout central points where you can see as much of the race with as little moving around as possible. Many schools share our maroon and gold uniform colors, so try to observe the differences while teams are warming up before the start. Most meets take about an hour yet some of the Saturday invitationals, however, have as many as 50 teams and a schedule of races that lasts all morning and much of the afternoon.
Do not expect the attention of your son/daughter once we get to the meet. The athletes need time to warm up on the course, be briefed by their coach, and prepare for the race with their teammates. Many parents are initially surprised at the seriousness their child shows prior to and during a race. The intensity of competition may reveal a side of your young athlete’s personality you haven’t seen before.
During the race, you can move from point to point along the course to cheer the runners as they pass. Be careful, however, to stay off the runners’ path and out of their way. Rules also forbid running alongside a competitor to pace or encourage him or her.
At the finish of the race, the runners file through a finish chute. It’s OK to greet them then, but they may have to turn a place card into their coach ASAP so scores can be tabulated. Our runners have other responsibilities after a race. I expect them to jog and cool-down as a team and actively support their teammates who have yet to race. Some runners are more spent than others after a race. Typical symptoms of their effort and fatigue are breathlessness, general weakness, rubbery legs, glassy eyes, salivating, and sometimes nausea. A mistake parents sometimes make is to take their child off by themselves to try and take care of them. Please do not do this!!! Coaches are experienced in dealing with these symptoms, trained in first-aid, and responsible for their care. To aid recovery, water is the best thing for them to drink immediately after the race.
Expect the possibility of some disappointment by your athlete after the race if his or her team did not win, and/or if your child failed to achieve all goals. Athletes may need some emotional space afterward from both you and their coaches. Later on, they will need verbal support rather than criticism.
Once an away meet is over, if your child came on the bus, please do not take them without first checking with me. I am legally bound by the state law for athletes’ safe transport to and from the meet. You need to know that high school athletes are not allowed to drive themselves to a meet, and afterward, I can release them only to you.
Thanks for all of your support!
Go Eagles!
Coach Wenskus
[email protected]
Congratulations! Your son/daughter has joined the Dunlap Cross Country Team.
WHAT IS CROSS COUNTRY?
Cross country is a team running sport that takes place in the fall on a measured 3.0 mile course, that loops over varied surfaces and terrain. While our home course is usually on our school campus, many Cross Country meets are held on dirt trails, park grounds, and sometimes on golf courses.
HOW CROSS COUNTRY IS SCORED
A cross country meet is scored by each team adding up the places of it’s top 5 finishers. As in golf, the low score wins. For example, a team that scores 26 points places ahead of a team that scores 29 points, as follows:
Dunlap Opponent
1 2
4 3
5 7
6 8
10 9
_______ ______
Score 26 29
(Dunlap wins!)
A team’s 6th and 7th finishers can also figure in the scoring if they place ahead of other team’s top 5 finishers. When that is the case, they become “pushers” by pushing up their opponents’ scores, as follows:
Dunlap Opponent
2 1
3 4
6 5
8 7
9(10)(11) 12
_______ _____
Score 28 29
Dunlap wins!
Only a team’s 6th and 7th finishers can be pushers, regardless of how many of its runners may finish ahead of an opposing team’s top 5 finishers.
LEVELS OF COMPETITION/PARTICIPATION
All team members can participate in our dual and triangular meets during our season. In invitational meets, we are limited to 7-10 runners at the various levels, but everyone usually gets a chance to run every meet. Beginning at regional time, teams are narrowed down to the top seven runners and an alternate for the boys and girls teams.
WHAT IT TAKES TO BE SUCCESSFUL
More than anything else, success in Cross Country takes time...time to learn; time to train; time to sleep, rest and recover; before-school time; after-school time; weekend time; time away from family and friends; and time away from other interests. With the academic responsibilities of being a high school student, most student-athletes are busy all the time. The willingness to devote the time that success demands is called DEDICATION.
Being a member of Dunlap Cross Country carries other expectations and responsibilities. Doing what is expected of every team member is called COMMITMENT. Attending team practices every day is one of thecommitments I expect. Your son or daughter will receive information on team rules and policies, our athletic code of conduct and academic eligibility requirements. You should review all these things with them. Our goal is to develop team loyalty and individual responsibility and accountability among all our team members. High school sports are a wonderful vehicle for personal growth. I hope that you as parents will appreciate this and support my goals.
Another commitment we expect is COMMUNICATION with the coach. If a problem or illness is going to force your son or daughter to miss practice or a meet, I expect him or her to tell me about it personally and in advance. (This does notmean relaying amessage through a teammate or friend.) Many such problemscan be solved when athletes communicate with me. I have a mailbox at the high school for any URGENT messages.
HOW YOU CAN HELP YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER BEFORE THE SEASON STARTS
I strongly encourage our runners to be on a self-training regime during the summer. Pre-season summer training is essential to build a fitness base for intensive workouts and races during the season. As your aspiring young runner begins the first weeks of training, you may wonder what you should expect and how you can assist him or her as a parent in terms of recovery, eating, sleeping, and mental attitude. As a rule, I don’t recommend you change any aspect of your normal routine of home responsibilities, family meal planning, bedtime, and social guidelines. A normal consequence of beginning to train is muscle soreness, which will soon go away. If your son or daughter has not participated in sports before, this may persist up to 2 weeks. They should communicate this to me so I can adjust their training. Any athlete engaged in intensive training and competition can be subject to injury. More injuries can be prevented when runners tell me about their aches and pains before they become disabling, so I can have them treated by our athletic trainer. A nutritious, well-balanced diet is essential for an athlete. Especially on race days, fatty and fried foods, and carbonated or acidic drinks should be avoided. Small portions of easily digested foods eaten at least 3 hours before competition are best, but water intake should never be limited. Most athletes feel best when they race a little hungry. You should see your runner gradually starting to eat more carbohydrates.
HOW TO BUY RUNNING SHOES
If possible, go to a store that deals primarily with running footwear and apparel. These stores have experienced runners as sales persons who can help you choose the right shoe with the right fit for your athlete. There is no getting around the fact that running shoes are expensive. The best way to prolong the life and function of a new pair of shoes is to wear them for running only, not as school dress or for P.E. class. It is not necessary to purchase special running apparel. Loose fitting T-shirts and shorts are adequate for daily training, and your athlete will be issued school uniforms and warm up suits.
CROSS COUNTRY VOCABULARY
dual meet...a meet between two teams
triangular meet...a meet between three teams
invitational meet...a multi-team meet
top 7...the scoring members of a Cross Country team
course...the marked and measured route of the race
starting box...designated area to which a team is assigned on the starting line
false start...leaving the starting line before the gun sounds
finish chute...a rope bordered funnel past the finish line that moves runners into their single file order of finish
pace...running speed over a particular distance
surge...a tactical increase in pace during the race
kick...a burst of speed at the finish of the race
pack...a group of runners in close proximity
personal record...best-ever performance on a given course
racing flats...special, lightweight shoes designed for racing, rather than the daily training
training flats...running shoes designed for long wear in daily training
warm-up...a running and stretching routine that gradually warms up the body for intense running
cool-down...a jogging/walking routine that allows the muscle to purge themselves of lactates and the body to gradually lower its temperature to normal
workout...a daily training session
PREPARING TO WATCH YOUR FIRST CROSS COUNTRY MEET
When you arrive at the meet site, ask to see a map of the course. First, locate the start and finish, then try to scout central points where you can see as much of the race with as little moving around as possible. Many schools share our maroon and gold uniform colors, so try to observe the differences while teams are warming up before the start. Most meets take about an hour yet some of the Saturday invitationals, however, have as many as 50 teams and a schedule of races that lasts all morning and much of the afternoon.
Do not expect the attention of your son/daughter once we get to the meet. The athletes need time to warm up on the course, be briefed by their coach, and prepare for the race with their teammates. Many parents are initially surprised at the seriousness their child shows prior to and during a race. The intensity of competition may reveal a side of your young athlete’s personality you haven’t seen before.
During the race, you can move from point to point along the course to cheer the runners as they pass. Be careful, however, to stay off the runners’ path and out of their way. Rules also forbid running alongside a competitor to pace or encourage him or her.
At the finish of the race, the runners file through a finish chute. It’s OK to greet them then, but they may have to turn a place card into their coach ASAP so scores can be tabulated. Our runners have other responsibilities after a race. I expect them to jog and cool-down as a team and actively support their teammates who have yet to race. Some runners are more spent than others after a race. Typical symptoms of their effort and fatigue are breathlessness, general weakness, rubbery legs, glassy eyes, salivating, and sometimes nausea. A mistake parents sometimes make is to take their child off by themselves to try and take care of them. Please do not do this!!! Coaches are experienced in dealing with these symptoms, trained in first-aid, and responsible for their care. To aid recovery, water is the best thing for them to drink immediately after the race.
Expect the possibility of some disappointment by your athlete after the race if his or her team did not win, and/or if your child failed to achieve all goals. Athletes may need some emotional space afterward from both you and their coaches. Later on, they will need verbal support rather than criticism.
Once an away meet is over, if your child came on the bus, please do not take them without first checking with me. I am legally bound by the state law for athletes’ safe transport to and from the meet. You need to know that high school athletes are not allowed to drive themselves to a meet, and afterward, I can release them only to you.
Thanks for all of your support!
Go Eagles!
Coach Wenskus
[email protected]