Where Players Play, Coaches Coach, and Parents Cheer

Doherty Track & Field Where Players Play, Coaches Coach, and Parents Cheer

Thomas B. Doherty High School 4515 Barnes Road Colorado Springs, CO 80917 719-520-2609

DOHERTY TRACK 2016 SEASON

TO THE PARENTS OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS:

Welcome to the 2016 Spring outdoor track season at Doherty High School. First and foremost, the safety and well being of the athlete are the top priorities of our coaching staff. Each coach is CPR/First aid certified and is also required to possess a working knowledge in specific areas of Track and Field. We sincerely believe every team member has something positive to contribute, and we will do our best to make this experience enjoyable and fulfilling for the athlete.

Practices are after school and usually will last two hours. There is a special schedule for bad weather days, so we expect your child to attend. JV meets are on Wednesdays and Invitational meets are on Fridays and Saturdays. Points scored in the invite meets will count toward letter points. The Saturday meets usually restrict entries to two or three per event; consequently, not all of our team members will compete on Saturdays. We do request their support at as many meets as possible. A complete schedule has been handed out to your student at the start of the season.

The support of your student/athlete is vital to his/her well-being. I am asking for your help ensuring that your child gets the proper rest and nutrition. This will compliment their academics as well as their athletics.

On behalf of the entire track coaching staff at Doherty High School, thank you.

Rob Duensing Bob Guthrie Jeff Krumlauf Adam Truex Joy Warrington

Track and Field Coaches Thomas B. Doherty High School SUGGESTED GUIDELINES FOR PARENT/COACH COMMUNICATION

Parents and coaches are important role models for students; they both provide necessary guidance to young adults in their development and in their understanding of the world in which they will live and work as adults. By understanding and respecting each other, parents and coaches, working together, can greatly benefit children. When your children become involved with the athletic program at Doherty High School, you, as parents, have a right to understand the expectations that will be placed upon them. Clear communication between parents and coaches facilitates this understanding.

The following information is intended to be used as guidelines to establish an environment in which open communication and mutual respect are fostered.

Communication You Should Expect From Us

1. Philosophy of the coach 2. Locations and times of all practices and contests 3. Explanation of athletic department training rules 4. Team requirements (i.e., special equipment, fees, off-season conditioning recommendations) 5. Procedures if your child is injured during participation 6. Explanation of excused and unexcused absences from practice/contests 7. Discipline that results in denying your child a participation opportunity

Communication Coaches Expect From Parents

1. Concerns expressed directly to the coach rather than passed from parent to parent to child... 2. Notification of any schedule conflicts well in advance 3. Specific concerns regarding a coach’s philosophy and/or expectations

Appropriate Concerns To Discuss With Coaches

As your children become involved in the athletic program at The Doherty, they will experience some very rewarding moments. It is important to understand that there also may be times when things do not go the way your children wish. Some are appropriate to communicate with coaches.

1. The treatment of your child—mentally and physically 2. Ways to help your child improve 3. Concerns about your child’s behavior

Issues Not Appropriate To Discuss With Coaches

It is very difficult to accept that your child may not compete as often as you had hoped. Coaches are professionals. We make judgment decisions based on what we believe is best for all athletes involved. As you have seen from the list above, certain things can be discussed with your child’s coach. Other things must be left to the discretion of the coach.

1. Which events they will compete in each week 2. Number of events in which they will compete 3. Other Athletes

There are situations that may require a conference between the coach and the parent. It is expected that you will call the coach first to set up an appointment. If the outcome of the meeting warrants a third party, call the Athletic Director's office to set up a meeting.

PROCEDURES FOR CONCERNS 1. Call to set appointment. Please do not attempt to confront a coach before or after a meet or practice. These can be emotional times for both parent and coach. Meetings of this nature do not promote resolution. 2. The next step if a satisfactory solution was not achieved would be to seek the input of the principal or a school athletic director.

Research indicates that participation in other activities has a great impact on success in adult life. Many of the character traits required to be a successful participant are exactly the same that will promote a successful life after high school. We hope this information will help in enabling your child and you to have a positive experience with this program.

TELEPHONE NUMBERS Coaches Rob Duensing 520-2609 Chris Noll 328-6443 Athletic Director

DOHERTY TRACK TEAM POLICIES We follow the guidelines of School District 11, the Colorado State High School Activities Association and the following rules:

I. ELIGIBILITY 1. One F on grade checks taken every week means you have study tables at lunch. Missing study tables makes you ineligible to compete that week. th 2. 2 F’s or more on or after March 18 , 2016 and your season is over 3. Our goal is for each student athlete to learn and practice balancing a highly competitive training with academics. 4. By letting yourself down academically you end up letting down the team.

II. ATTENDANCE 1. If late to practice a note must accompany. You must make up missed time. 2. An unexcused absence pulls you out of the next meet. 3. All absences must be made up. See Coach Duensing before your next practice. 4. Tardies will be made up at the beginning of practice. 5. All training room activity must be completed by 3:30 with clearance through Coaches 6. If calling in an absence from school, Please have attendance people place a note in Coach Duensing’s mailbox to notify me of absence. 7. Not having appropriate clothing in which to practice constitutes an unexcused absence.

8. All athletes who miss practice the week of CSML or State will not compete for the remainder of the season.

III. ATTITUDE 1. Be honest and compete fairly. 2. Have pride in the knowledge that you did your best and that you can do even better. 3. You are a member of a team. They will support you, you will support them. 4. You are expected to do your best. By cheating yourself you cheat your teammates 5. Do not do anything that will embarrass yourself, your school, your family or your teammates. 6. You can control two things at practice, Attitude and Effort. We expect you to give your best in both areas.

IV. PRACTICE/MEETS/LOCKEROOM 1. Practice 3:25 (Meet as a team prior to breaking off into event specific practices). You must be at practice every day and you must be on time. If you cannot do either, you MUST notify one of the coaches before practice in writing. Failure to do so may result in not participating in the meet. You also run the risk of being dropped from the team. Excused absences need to be communicated to the coach. 2. We leave early for some Saturday meets. YOU must be on time as the bus will leave those athletes who are not there. If you miss the bus you don’t compete. 3. You must take care of all the equipment that is checked out to you. You will be charged replacement cost for any lost items, repair costs for damages. 4. You are expected to travel with the team to meets that are scheduled out of town. You should bring money and/or food. Team members are allowed to return home with parents only. When this is the case, you must report to one of the coaches who will personally dismiss you to your parents after your parent/guardian sign you out, YOU MUST COMPLY WITH THIS RULE ABSOLUTELY. 5. When you are not at your locker, keep it locked!! 6. Keep the locker room clean and locked

V. PRACTICE EXPECTATIONS Any outside training without our knowledge could be detrimental to the athlete. All workouts outside of practice or in place of one of our programs MUST BE CLEARED BY THE COACH. The following is a guide: 1. Athletes are required to use our training and strength programs. 2. Any variance of our event or strength program must be cleared through the coach. 3. It is in the Athlete’s best interest to stay with one program in order to progress and peak at the appropriate time. Training without our knowledge could be detrimental to the athlete’s health.

VI. TRANSPORTATION POLICIES: 1. Busses are provided for meets outside of El Paso County only. 2. Arrange for your own transportation for El Paso County meets. 3. Arrange for your own transportation to ALL practices. 4. We will pre-determine the practice sites (consult calendar), it is the athlete’s responsibility to get there on time. Not every event coach holds practice at the same site. 5. Parents need to call if there are transportation problems. 6. Garry Berry are scheduled in advance. Coaches are not responsible for transportation of athletes. 7. While at Garry Berry or any meet, Athletes need to be picked up within 15 minutes of practice ending.

VII. MEET DO’S AND DON’T’S 1. Arrive when directed by your coach 2. Warm up 30 minutes prior to your event keeping warm, loose, mentally focused 3. Be independent (you don’t need to ask a coach where you need to be, when you need to be there or where the check in is for your event.) 4. Drinking 8 oz of water an hour in cool to warm weather and 12 oz an hour in hot to extreme hot weather 5. Bring complex carbohydrates and protein 6. Stay in the shade on warm and hot days when not running 7. No Jewelry. Beads, or hard objects in hair 8. No belly button showing 9. Shorts are on the hips or above 10. Warm ups remain on until the starter directs you to take your warm ups off. 11. Doherty warm ups or Doherty apparel only are to be worn to meets and kept on until the starter tells you to take them off, NO CLUB OR SPORTS LOGO TEAM APPAREL OTHER THAN DOHERTY. 12. Uniforms must be worn as intended. 13. No electronic devices on field at all. 14. You may be disqualified for warming up at a field event, getting steps, if there is not a coach or the field event judge present.

VIII. TEAM DISCIPLINE

1. SUSPENSION FROM TEAM FOR REMAINDER OF SEASON A. SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY In addition to the School District 11 substance abuse policy: Any use of drugs, alcohol or performance enhancing drugs ON OR OFF SCHOOL GROUNDS, DURING OR NOT DURING SCHOOL HOURS will be immediate grounds for dismissal from the team.

2. SUSPENDED FROM COMPETITION A. All school disciplinary actions resulting in school suspensions, automatically suspend athlete from next scheduled meet, to include the entire meet (multi-day meets include all days of that meet) this includes CSML and STATE.

The Head Coach, Coach Duensing, may use discretion to increase penalty to more than one meet suspension based on severity of infraction.

IX. PERSONAL EQUIPMENT (For Meets and Practice) 1. You will need an adequate pair of running shoes for practice. A separate pair of shoes in which you will lift. 2. You will also need a pair of spiked shoes (1/8 inch) for most running and jumping events 3. A large athletic bag is recommended for team travel. 4. Some practices and meets will be very COLD. Be sure to bring enough layers to keep you warm and dry (Hat, gloves, sweatshirt and LONG PANTS warm muscles work best) 5. Swimsuit and towel 6. Water bottle 7. Lots of Food (always try to eat a protein source within 30 min of workout or event completion.)

X. PROPER ATTIRE Dress warm for every practice and every meet. All athletes will wear warm up tops and pants for all warm up activities during practice or will not practice. You can always peel layers of clothing off if you are too warm. Bring gloves, hats, sweats. Missing practice for improper attire counts as unexcused. No Club T-Shirts or Uniforms Allowed During High School Season at Practice or Meets UNIFORMS 1. Each member will be issued a uniform. The following charges will be place on an obligation account in that athlete’s name for anything that is not turned in by Monday May 16, 2016 Singlet $35.00 Shorts $25.00 It is the Athlete’s responsibility to wash, keep track of, and return all parts of the uniform in the bag with the correct numbers originally issued to that athlete. 2. WASHING : Wash your uniforms in COLD WATER SEPARATELY from other clothes. We have too many baby blue panels on our uniforms that should be white. This causes a problem for relays. Uniforms that do not match, even if it’s because the colors ran, constitute a disqualification.

XI. TEAM PICTURES We will have team picture taken Tuesday March 31 after spring break. Team and individual packages are available at various price levels.

XII. VARSITY COMPETITION  Top three athletes in each event will compete Varsity. Some meets will allow only top two in each event, while still other meets will only take the best times or jumps from all schools that send entries.  Attendance: Unexcused absences and you don’t compete, Excused absences and you may not compete, continual tardies also limit competition  Attitude and effort during weekly practices affect competition chances  Coaches discretion  We Do Not Coach By Committee Parents, Please do not lobby for your child to be put in events. Meet Entries are set up by events coaches with input from head coach only

Suggested Standards to compete in these events Girls Varsity Athlete Minimum Times Boys Varsity Minimum Times Minimum Competitive Minimum Competitive 1 100m o 14.5 13.5 12.5 11.5 2 200m o 32.0 27.2 24.0 23.0 3 400m o 1:10 1:04 55.0 52.0 4 800m o 2:55 2:35 2:25 2:05 5 High Jump o 4’2” 5'0" 5’6” 6’0” 6 Long Jump o 14’0” 16' 0" 18’5” 20’0” XIII. VARSITY LETTER 1. Individual athletes earn fifteen points in varsity meets. Relays count as a quarter of the points earned by a team of four. Alternates do not earn points toward their letter. Points do not roll over to the next season. 2. Scoring top 8 at CSML in individual event or scoring top three at CSML in a relay 3. Qualifying for the State Track Meet earns you a letter. 4. Competing for three seasons earns you a letter

XIV. FUNDRAISING Our budget covers meet entry fees and one single bus trip. We need to supplement our budget with club funds for the remainder of our needs. The Spartan Invite will be our only fundraiser, we need volunteers to help out at this meet.

XV. BASIC FOOD GUIDE You would never put cheap gas in your car, don’t put cheap food in your body.

Good foods include: breads, grains, pastas, a variety of fruits, poultry, lean red meats, non fat dairy products. Try mostly whole foods without processing. Lots of fluids of which the most important is water but can include juices, avoid carbonated sugar drinks especially during the season. Vitamin supplements are good, Calcium is especially important to young women.

Foods to avoid: high fats, fried foods, sweets, salty food, (chips). Pre-competition foods: complex carbs, grains, pastas, (limit protein immediately before races 4 hours on digestion but not after), lots of fluid. Try not to change your routine before you compete. If you need further clarification please feel free to contact one of the coaches

Drinks: Keep hydrated with water or sports drinks. Do not consume any ENERGY DRINKS ie. Rock Star, Spike, Red Bull… or any caffeinated beverages. XVI. SPARTAN SPORTS MEDICINE

Athletic Training Room # 328-6491 Training Room Schedule o 2:30- the end of daily practices or competitions o Be in training room immediately after school to allow for rehab/treatment first come first served Player Injury/Rehab Procedures If an athlete goes to see a physician about an injury they need to bring the trainer a note from the physician before they can be cleared to participate

XVII. VOLUNTEER NEEDS  Spartan Invite 35 volunteers to run events, assist at events, and assist with coaches meals that are already ordered  Organizing pasta parties  Hosting pasta parties  Highlight video or slide show  Organizing end of year banquet in cafeteria XVIII. THOUGHTS TO PONDER

Your ATTITUDE will shape your SUCCESS

Optimism is contagious

Negativism works all the time

Always raise the expectations of yourself

Clarify your goals

Believe in yourself; Your coaches do

Be a risk taker, play to win

Help your teammates and respect them

Take problems seriously; Yourself lightly

Every day is “track day” The Team

No one is bigger than the team. When you arrive late or leave a meet early, the message you are giving to your teammates is that you are bigger than the team. This is the last chance for most of you to be a part of a team. Only 4.7% of you will compete on a college sports team, (NCAA research, 2015) which means that for 95% of you, this team is most likely one of the last times you will be a part of a team. Take advantage of it and be present in it. Being a part of a team teaches you the importance of community and the power that “We Before Me” can unleash. It is about the Team, the Team, the Team. We, The Spartan Track & Field Team will heed the promise that;

The Team does not sacrifice for you, you sacrifice for the Team and the Team will be there to encourage, and then ultimately guarantee your success.

What you need to know and do:

 Arrive at practice on time (Get up early to tutor, go to lunch tutoring, study at home)

 Leave practice when it ends (Make your TEAM your priority for the next 6 weeks)

 Arrive at meets with the TEAM (Make your TEAM your priority for the next 6 weeks)

 Leave meets with the TEAM (Make your TEAM your priority for the next 6 weeks)

 Check with your events coach on the events you will compete in prior to meet day

 Be aware there will be changes to entries up until meet time due to

o Unexcused absence prior to meet day

o Excused absences which don’t guarantee a spot in the meet

o Give your best at every practice

o Last minute changes by meet officials or your coaches, prepare for surprises

 Full dress for warm ups and movement preparation

 We look at the only two things you can control Attitude and Effort

I will put my team above myself and will, to the best of my abilities, do what I can to build up my teammates. I do understand the expectations set out in the team standards and will abide by this contract.

Parent Printed Name:______Parent Signature:______Date:______

Athlete Printed Name:______

Athlete Signature:______Date:______

(Student Athletes will not be allowed to compete in any practice or competition until this is signed)