Oakton Cross Country

OAKTON CROSS COUNTRY

PARENT/ATHLETE RULES PACKET 2012Cougar Parents and Athletes,

Welcome to another season of cross country! We have been looking forward to this season all summer long. This packet is designed to give you an idea of our expectations for our runners during this season. It will also provide you with information on the sport of cross country, injuries, lettering, and several other policies we have put into place.

Cross Country is a simple sport, but the intensity and requirements are very high. You would be hard pressed to find a sport that requires as much hard work day in and day out all year round as our runners continue into the winter and spring seasons. Our expectations are particularly high as over the last decade Oakton has established itself as one of the most successful Cross Country / Track and Field programs in Virginia. The secret to this success is quite simple. It comes from the commitment and hard work of our athletes, coaches, and parents. The healthy lifestyle and positive attitudes our athletes show guide them to great friendships and fun as they work their way through the year.

One thing our parents love to hear, and our athletes should take great pride in, is their success in the classroom. Our Cross Country athletes have displayed incredible academic ability consistently maintaining high G.P.A’s throughout the year. In the last six years over 70 % of our athletes were able to maintain a G.P.A average of 3.5 or higher! Over 80% of the girls met these standards for the third straight year! Our athletes consistently boast some of the top G.P.A’s of any team in the school. Our athletes have great perseverance, dedication, and desire.

We welcome you to the program and hope that you will decide to become involved with the program, training, and success of your son or daughter. Running in general has an immeasurable impact on the character development of tomorrow’s leaders. We hope that you will jump on board and help us continue to build our great program through a dedication to running!

The following information may answer some questions you have about the program and the sport. If there is anything else you need please feel free to contact us, we are here to help. We are looking forward to a great season and continued success! Go Cougars!

Yours in Sport,

Alisa Byers Hallie Eilerts Susanna Sullivan Paul Tucker Oakton Cross Country Cougar Team Titles: These are just our TITLES and 2nd-3rd place finishes at state. The list becomes much longer when we add in the District and Regional Top 3 finishes! 1978 Cross Country Boys District Champions 2005 Cross Country Boys State Champions 1978 Cross Country Boys Regional Champions 2005 Cross Country Girls State Runner-up 1978 Cross Country Boys State Champions 2006 Cross Country Boys District Champions 1997 Outdoor Track Boys District Champions 2006 Cross Country Boys Regional Champions 1998 Cross Country Boys District Champions 2006 Cross Country Boys State Runner-up 1998 Cross Country Boys Regional Champions 2007 Outdoor Boys Track District Champions 1998 Cross Country Boys State Champions 2007 Cross Country Boys District Champions 2000 Indoor Track Boys District Champions 2007 Cross Country Girls District Champions 2000 Indoor Track Girls District Champions 2007 Cross Country Girls State Runner-Up 2000 Outdoor Track Boys District Champions 2008 Cross Country Boys District Champions 2000 Cross Country Boys District Champions 2008 Cross Country Boys Regional Champions 2000 Cross Country Boys Regional Champions 2008 Cross Country Boys State Champions 2000 Cross Country Boys 3rd Place State Team 2009 Indoor Track Girls District Champions 2001 Indoor Girls Track District Champions 2009 Outdoor Track Boys District Champions 2001 Indoor Boys Track District Champions 2009 Cross Country Boys District Champions 2001 Outdoor Girls Track District Champions 2009 Cross Country Boys Regional Champions 2001 Outdoor Boys Track District Champions 2009 Cross Country Boys State Runner-Up 2002 Indoor Girls Track District Champions 2010 Indoor Track Girls District Champions 2002 Indoor Girls Track Regional Champions 2010 Outdoor Track Girls District Champions 2002 Outdoor Girls Track District Champions 2010 Cross Country Girls District Champions 2002 Outdoor Boys Track Regional Champions 2011 Indoor Track Girls District Champions 2002 Outdoor Girls Track Regional Champions 2011 Indoor Track Regional Runners-Up 2002 Outdoor Girls Track State Runner-up 2011 Outdoor Track Girls District Champions 2003 Cross Country Boys 3rd Place State Team 2011 Cross Country Boys District Champs 2004 Cross Country Girls District Champions 2011 Cross Country Girls District Champs 2004 Cross Country Girls Regional Champions 2011 Cross Country Boys Northern Region Champions 2005 Cross Country Boys District Champions 2011 Cross Country Boys 3rd Place State Team 2005 Cross Country Girls District Champions 2012 Indoor Track Girls District Champs 2005 Cross Country Boys Regional Champions 2012 Outdoor Track Girls District Champs 2005 Cross Country Girls Regional Champions

2012 Oakton Cross Country Practices Our practices will begin each day at approximately 4:00 and end at 6:30pm Monday to Friday. It is very important that athletes arrive early and start on time! We try to cover as much as we can in the short amount of time we spend with the athletes each day. Attendance each day is considered mandatory, primarily due to the building or “stair step” nature of our practices and season. Missing practice during the week will negate an athletes chance to participate in races for that week. Practices are highly specialized and lead to a specific performance goal for each athlete and for the team as a whole. Any athlete who misses practices puts him or herself at a disadvantage and detracts from the team nature of Cross Country. The time commitment we ask for is necessary for team success. Athletes need to schedule dentist/ doctor appointments, music lessons, driver’s education, and other activities around our Cross Country workouts as much as possible. We start practice late enough so that student-athletes can meet with teachers, do homework, or take care of their other duties before practice begins.

Please be aware that missing more than two practices without a valid note or acceptable reason in the eyes of the coach may result in dismissal from the team and will disqualify that athlete from participating in meets. Expectations and Responsibilities of an Oakton Cross Country Runner As an Oakton Cross Country team member we expect you to follow the rules and expectations.

 Attendance- Athletes are expected to attend all practices, meets, and team functions. If a conflict occurs, all we would like is the consideration of prior notice.

 Athletes are expected to be on time everyday. The School Attendance Policy for Athletes requires that all athletes are in at least half or their classes on practice days and all of their classes on meet days. This rule will be strictly enforced.

 Be a positive team player and work hard everyday to improve individual skills. Negative attitudes do affect the team morale and team performance.

 Respect your teammates, coaches, officials, and opponents. Disrespect for any of these individuals or the sport will not be tolerated and may result in dismissal from the team.

 Be prepared each day with the right shoes, dress attire (considering the weather), stretching ropes and other necessary equipment. Remember, the most important thing you bring to practice is your mental preparation, a positive attitude and your focus on the sport.

 We expect athletes to take care of themselves! That means getting enough rest, drinking water, eating the right foods, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

We cannot stress enough the importance of being at practice on time and with the right mental attitude each day. Athletes need to listen to their coaches and be positive with their teammates. Athletes need to come to practice each day with the understanding that they are there to work. We expect from each of you, each day, to put forth your very best effort. This is the route to success.

The times and locations of our practices were submitted by us and ultimately selected by the Fairfax County Park Authority. We request time in various parks and the parks then determine when and where we may practice. It is a frustrating process but one which we must try to follow. Please help us to abide by these times by bringing your son/daughter to practice on time and picking them up on time as well! There will be transportation provided to and from all meets during the school year held away from Oakton. Typical Training Day at OHS

3:15- warm up for workout or meet in weight room 3:55- warm up for workout 4:00 begin workout 4:35 begin workout 4:40 cool down 5:00 – 5:30 weightroom 5:15 cool down 5:30 Groups A and B stretch with the team, PS and Strides 6:00 dismissal for all

We show this to illustrate how practice can be run IF athletes are on time and focused every day. Not sticking to this schedule will cause us to finish later each day. Of course some days we may finish earlier, such as on a Friday when we have a race the following day. Some days an athlete may be asked to or choose to stay after for a few minutes to talk to coaches in preparation for upcoming meets.

Practice Materials . Appropriate Clothes—If it’s below 65 degrees, dress in layers . Appropriate Shoes . Rope (8ft long, 5/8th thick) -Get from Home Depot for < $3.00 . Water Bottle . Watch . Exercise Bands

The Body

Injuries Injuries suffered by Cross Country runners are generally minor. Most of the time injuries come from overuse. Injuries like tendonitis or stress related injuries like shin splints or bruises can occur during the season. When athletes take care of themselves and their bodies these injuries can be avoided. That means you must stretch everyday, ice when needed, and always have a good pair of running shoes with you. You must also communicate with the coaches and trainers. Many athletes feel they should not tell the coach if they are hurt. This is a big mistake; running through an injury only causes it to get worse. Be sure to keep the lines of communication open with your coaches and trainers.

Rest and Recovery Oakton trains on a hard- moderate-easy training system. We balance hard days and moderate days with of work easy recovery day. This helps to ensure we are not overworking bodies during times of rest and helps prevent injury and promote muscle recovery. Parents can help us in this area by making sure that athletes are getting enough sleep at night, 8 hours is the usual amount needed per night. Athletes may see they need more than this due to the amount of work they are doing at practice. Coaches cannot be with the athletes day and night and so parents can help by making sure their son/daughter is doing what he/she is supposed to be doing away from practice. It is not a coincidence that that the successful athletes in this program also have parents who are involved in their son’s/daughter’s development and our program.

Athletes need to be experts in time management. Homework, rest, and nutrition are a must at home. Internet, TV, and video games must be put on the back burner for your success as a serious student-athlete.

Proper hydration is also a key factor in performance. When you leave practice after a run or workout, you will have lost many essential nutrients through sweat and these must be replaced for you to be ready for the next practice. Much of this can be done through drinking plenty of water each day. Both before and after practice! The rest of recovery is done from eating properly, stretching, icing, resting and sleeping! We rest prior to all big meets and always try to remind our athletes that the sleep they get 2 nights before the race is actually the most critical. In other words, the best sleep for a Saturday race is on Thursday night. For a Wednesday race the most important night is Monday for sleeping.

What is Cross Country? High School Cross Country is a 5000-meter (3.1 miles) race usually over undulating terrain, which will usually include grass, hills, dirt, and some road. A Cross Country meet is scored similar to golf, as it is the lowest score that wins the meet. A full team consists of seven runners. The first five for each team to cross the finish line score points for their team. The closer athletes are together and the lower they finish, the better the chances for success for that team.

For example, let’s say we had a meet between Oakton and the USA National Team. Team USA has the first two runners to cross the finish line: Oakton Team USA 3 1 4 2 5 6 7 9 8 10 12 11 13 14

Score: 27 28

As you can see, Team USA looked good taking the top two places until Oakton places their top three in front of Team USA’s number 3 runner. The 1st- 5th runners score, so Oakton scored 27 points whole Team USA scored 28. Team closeness is critical, but an individual top scorer cannot bring home a team title alone. It does take 7 runners to get the job done.

Many people ask, “Why have a sixth and seventh runner if only five score?” The sixth and seventh runners play huge roles in a meet as well. The sixth place runner is used if one of the top five runners drops out, is disqualified, or has a bad race. Also the placing of the sixth place runner would break a tie if both teams end in a tie. In the above example, if both teams tied, Team USA would get the win because their sixth runner placed 11th and Oakton’s sixth place runner place 12th. The seventh runner on the team plays a similar role to the sixth. To win in Cross Country, the team needs high finishers, all finishing closely together to keep the points low. The sixth and seventh runners also act as ‘displacers’ by finishing in front of the other teams top five scorers and inflating the opposing teams score.

Lettering Athletes will usually receive a letter if they run on or are an alternate for the District, Regional, or State qualifying teams. The coaches reserve the right to award or deny any athlete a letter. Simply making the District, Regional, or State team does NOT guarantee a letter. Coaches may deny a letter to an athlete if we feel they have not complied with our stated rules or met team expectations! All lettering depends on proper completion of the season. This means that the athlete should end the season in good standing, return all school equipment and uniforms and attend the end of the season banquet.

Substance Abuse Any serious athlete would not get involved with substance abuse. Runners who are involved in any substance abuse (drinking, smoking, or drugs) will see their performance in running and in the classroom negatively affected. We do not permit any substance abuse on this team. Anyone caught using any substances are subject to removal from the team at the coach’s discretion. The participation policy which all athletes and parents are required to sign also outlines the disciplinary measures that the school will follow. Personal Belongings Athletes often leave their belongings in the hallway by our track record boards. This WILL NOT be permitted. Athletes MUST keep their belongings in their personal locker, their car, or at times it may be acceptable to leave their belongings up on the track in our shed within view during practice. Leaving items unattended in the school hallways for several hours during practice time is a definite recipe for disaster. Please encourage your son or daughter to keep track of their belongings and to store them in a secure place.

Parents You help determine the ultimate success of your son/daughter and our program. This team belongs to the athletes and parents who actively participate in it. We encourage you and your athlete to take advantage of what Oakton Cross Country /Track and Field has to offer. Please help your son/ daughter to stay focused on their dedication and commitment to this program. We also need your help by coming to meets and cheering our team on and helping with fundraisers and banquets. There are many opportunities for this type of help. Both the athletes and the coaches do hope that you will find the time to come out and support us at our meets. Any parents wishing to help out can let us know via email [email protected] Keep in touch with us via our school website www.oaktonathletics.org

Again, we welcome you to Oakton Cross Country and we look forward to a season of success and fun!

Alisa Byers Hallie Eilerts Susanna Sullivan Paul Tucker

PLEASE RETURN THIS SHEET TO US BY Tuesday August 28th.

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I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE POLICIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT COME WITH BEING A MEMBER OF THE OAKTON CROSS COUNTRY TEAM.

ATHLETE’S NAME:______

ATHLETE’S SIGNATURE:______

PARENT’S NAME: ______

PARENT’S SIGNATURE: ______