2015 Flyers Fall Cross Country Competitive Team September 10th, 2015

RE: Fall 2015 Cross Country-Competitive Team

Dear Westfield Area Y Flyers Parents and Athletes,

Welcome to the 2015 Westfield Area Y Flyers Fall Cross Country Season! The competitive team practices every Monday/Friday at Tamaques Park in Westfield and Wednesday at Oak Ridge Park in Clark from September 9th through October 30th .

Please visit our website! This website is your hub to all Flyers information such as practice schedule, meet dates/registration, team records, uniform/spirit wear ordering, FAQs, and much more! To access the website type this address into your browser: www.YFlyersTrackClub.com

All spirit wear and uniforms are available on our Flyers website by clicking the “Apparel Ordering” tab at the top of any page. The next order deadline is on September 16th so all online orders must be made by that date. Those orders will arrive by the first week in October, delivered directly to your home address. Your athlete must have uniform in order to participate in a meet.

Our major team event this season is our Fall Run-A-Thon (more details available online). All proceeds raised will directly benefit the Flyers Track Club. You will also have the option of entering your child into any or all of the four meets on our schedule at no extra cost. If you are interested in competing in a meet, please go to our website (www.YFlyersTrackClub.com), click on the Events tab, and fill out the online registration form. An online RSVP for the 3rd Annual Fall Run-A-Thon will be available under the Events tab as well.

We hope that your athlete enjoys their experience with the Flyers Fall Cross Country Program. Once the fall season ends (10/30), we will be beginning our **Newly Revamped** off-season conditioning program. The updated conditioning class will be structured event-specific to cater to your athlete’s event interests and keep them motivated.

If you have questions regarding any of the information above, please contact Coach Paul at (908) 233-2700 x 239/256, or e-mail at [email protected].

Sincerely, Westfield Area Y Flyers Coaches

Competitive Team—Meet Information Your child may participate in any of the following meets. Meet registration forms for Lakeland Youth meets can be found online at www.YFlyersTrackClub.com. Please note the registration deadlines below:

Meet Date Location Registration Form Due By:

Sunday 9/27 Lakeland Youth XC Meet— 9/16 Greystone Park, Morris Plains, NJ (copy of birth certificate required for age verification) 10am course walk, 11:30am start Sunday 10/4 Lakeland Youth XC Meet— 9/16 Greystone Park, Morris Plains, NJ Sunday 10/11 Lakeland Youth XC Meet— 9/30 Greystone Park, Morris Plains, NJ

Sunday 10/25 Lakeland Youth XC Meet— 9/30 Greystone Park, Morris Plains, NJ Sunday 11/1 USATF Junior Olympic XC TBD Association Meet—Location: Greystone Park, Morris Plains, NJ Sunday 11/22 USATF Junior Olympic XC *must advance from Regional Meet—Location: Association Meet Niagara Region Saturday 12/12 USATF Junior Olympic XC *must advance from National Meet—Location: Regional meet Albuquerque, NM

Only if your child will be competing in the USATF Junior Olympic Association Championships they will need to be a member of the USATF (USA Track & Field). Membership will cost $20 for 1 year. A membership can be obtained by going to www.usatf.org and follow the link to become a member or use the web address below to go directly to the application. Under club information, enter the club number for our club. This will allow us to enter them into the Junior Olympic meet.

Online membership application: https://www.usatf.org/membership/application/

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Coach Paul at [email protected] or 908-233-2700 ext: 239/256

Welcome to the Flyers Track Team’s 2015 Fall Cross Country Season,

As your athlete starts the season there are several things of which you should be aware. First, all athletes and parents are valued members of the team. Not every athlete is going to win every race or every event. Each athlete can measure their individual progress, and success, by tracking their best times, distances, or even by how much fun they had at track practice. Secondly, the Flyers Track Team provides coaching to over 800 athletes throughout the year. There are a multitude of opportunities for each athlete to blossom and the find their niche. Last but not least, the vibrancy of this team, like most youth sports, is dependent on parent volunteers.

The Flyers Track Team’s Parent Assistance Committee (PAC) was started to provide support for the athletes of the Flyers Track Team. The PAC is responsible for activities such as team parties, community outreach, running the annual track meet, fall run-a- thon, fund raising and for providing on-going support to the coaches and athletes of the team. As the season progresses there will be a variety of opportunities for you to become involved with the team. The team needs volunteers for periods as short as a couple of hours at the meets, or to play an on-going role in the running of the PAC.

My daughters have been involved with the Flyers Track Club since 2009 and they both love the Flyers. As a parent I can honestly say that they have both learned the discipline needed to achieve their goals because of this team. If you are interested in volunteering please contact Stacy Sanchez, our PAC Volunteer Coordinator, at [email protected].

Very truly yours,

Anne Johnson Endy, Chair Flyers Parent Assistance Committee REACH YOUR FULL POTENTIAL Private and Small Group Training

Looking for a championship season? Plateaued and searching for extra advice that will lead to a break-out year? Here is your opportunity! Flyers USATF certified coaches will train athletes to excel in their choice of events. Training will focus on the athlete’s specific goals and be tailored to their individual needs. Sessions will emphasize skill development, precise form & mechanics and personal conditioning. Video analysis will be used so athletes can see and review details they need improve and monitor their progress toward ultimate success! In less than two years, 40 team athletes advanced to the USATF Junior Olympic National Championships under Flyer coaching leadership! Bring it to the next level!

 All lessons are one (1) hour and open to all ages/ability levels  Time/Location: Determined upon instructor/athlete availability  Small Group (3-5 athletes) Fee: 5 Pack @ $30/lesson 10 Pack @ $25/lesson  Private/Individual Fee: 5 Pack @ $275 10 Pack @ $500  Register at Flyers practice, online or the main Y facility  Goals questionnaire must be completed in advance by the athlete and parent * Parents are encouraged to stay for the small group lessons and MUST remain for the entire private lesson.  Session: 15FA2/Code: 1SLTRACKPRVT Questions? Contact Paul Garwood at x239/256 or [email protected]

WESTFIELD AREA Y ▪ visit us at www.westfieldynj.org Main Y Facility ▪ 220 Clark St., Westfield ▪ 908-233-2700 Frequently Asked Questions

Track and Field is an outdoor sport, what is the weather policy? Lesson plans are modified according to weather conditions (i.e. excessive heat or cold, humidity, rain, etc.). Do note that prac- tices are held in the rain. We will cancel in the event of lightening or snow that is sticking to the ground.

How do I know if a practice is cancelled due to weather? Often the timing of weather is unpredictable. In the event of a cancellation you will receive an email as soon a decision is made. Keep in mind that due to the unpredictability, practice may be cancelled even a half hour before it is set to begin. In addition to an email, the Y will be notified and the staff working at the Welcome Center and greeter’s desk will be able to tell you if practice has been cancelled. If you call and they “have not heard anything” or are “unsure” if practice has been cancelled that means prac- tice will be taking place.

Should my child check-in at each practice? Yes, your child must check in at each practice with the coach taking attendance.

My child has Asthma, should he/she bring an inhaler to practice? Yes, to all practices. Please write their name on it incase it gets misplaced or lost.

What type of clothing should my child wear to practices? Dress appropriate for the expected and possible weather conditions of practices/meets. It is recommended that the shirt closest to the athlete’s body is a wicking material (i.e. our team shirts, under armor, etc). This will help pull sweat away from the ath- lete’s skin. On cooler days, additional layers are often needed. The next layer should be a light fleece type of material. Finally, the layer on the very outside of the body should be a wind/rain layer (i.e. a light rain jacket).

Will water or beverages be provided during practices? It is your responsibility to send your child to practice with a water bottle. Please write your child’s name on the water bottle so that if they leave it by mistake and we find it, we can return it at the following practice.

What type of beverages should my child have or avoid? Water is great. Please avoid carbonated beverages such as soda and it is suggested that athletes dilute electrolyte drinks such as Gatorade or PowerAde with some water as the high sugar contents often lead to cramping.

What should my child eat or not eat before a practice/meet? There are many different philosophies on pre-competition nutrition. However a good basic rule of thumb is to only eat foods that easily digest before a practice or competition. Examples include fruits, an egg and oatmeal. Avoid foods with high fat levels be- fore a competition.

What should my child eat after a race? Simple sugars within a half hour to hour after competition such as those in fruits, bagels, etc. are recommended. This will help your athletes replenish their fuel sources quickly and decrease muscle fatigue.

What type of shoes should my child wear? A basic walking/running shoe is fine. Boots, Uggs and sandals are not permitted.

My child is a pretty good athlete, should they wear spikes? If so, what kind? ¼ inch spikes are permitted. However, this is taken on a case-by-case so speak to the head coach if you believe spikes may benefit your child before purchasing them. In addition, the head coach will speak with athletes and parents if we believe that an athlete will benefit from having spikes.

My child is nervous about participating in their first meet. What should I do? Encourage them as their parent and let them know that the coaches will fully support them no matter how they finish. A coach attends our scheduled meets so they will have the support of a coach at the meets. We want them to try their best and have fun.

How do I know what track and field meet is most appropriate for my child to participate in? First, cross reference your calendar with the meet dates to see what meet dates your child is available for and then speak to the head coach or Paul Garwood and they will recommend the most appropriate meet for your child.

How do I know which event(s) my child should participate in at a meet? Speak to the head coach and we will help guide your athlete.

Is transportation provided for any meets? No, parents are responsible for this.

We are new to track and field meets. What should we expect? Meets can be a lot of fun – especially when the weather is nice, but there are a few things to remember. The meets have many different teams, events and age divisions competing and will last for a few hours. Also, events are arranged to allow the athlete time between events. Example: If your child is a sprinter and runs the 100m and 200m events, the 100m will be near the begin- ning of the meet while the 200 is much later in the day. Please be patient and considerate of the officials and other athletes. Because the weather can be hot & sunny, cold & rainy or anything in between, it is best to have a tent that the athletes can use to stay out of the elements and relax between events. We do not want the athletes running around between events and getting too tired before they compete. Last but not least - be prepared for a day of fun competition and be sure to keep your eyes open – there may be a future Olympian out on the track! , , Sanya Richards, , , , and were all USATF youth athletes.

What are some good things to bring to meets? I. Hardware -Cooler for food/beverages -Aluminum lounge chairs or blankets to place on the ground and sit on in good weather -A tent for family and teammates to sit under -Beach umbrella (if you opt not to get a tent) -Bungee cords for tying down tents

II. Beverages/Food: - Beverages (FAQ above) - Food -Fresh fruits & veggies to snack on such as (no dips): -Fresh or Dried Fruit & Grain bars -Nuts and/or trail mixes -Sandwiches. - No mayo - No cheese - Use lean meats - Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches on wheat bread. (Are excellent!) - NO FRIED MEATS! - No cookies, donuts, sodas, candy.

III. Other things that are good to have: - Baby wipes - White towel (keep cool and damp to help cool athletes when over heated after a race) - A change of clothes, socks and shoes in case of rain - Books, Games & cards (for both parents & kids) - Please help us keep the kids out of the sun in between events - Patience, support and a sense of humor!!! - Good sportsmanship!!!!