Bronco Cross Country 2017

Information to Consider

A few things you should know about CC competition…

  • We run, we don’t ski
  • This is cross country, not track
  • Red flag: turn left
  • Yellow flag: turn right
  • Blue flag: go straight
  • Cutting/touching flags or assisting runners results in disqualification
  • If there’s two flags on one pole, follow the top one the first time you run past it and the bottom one the second time.
  • Boys and Girls both race 5000 meters (3.1 mi)
  • The eight fastest runners make up the varsity team and the remaining runners run junior varsity.*
  • Girls and boys train together and ride together to the same meets, but run separate races
  • Cross country is an individual and team sport. Top individuals earn medals at invitationals. The top 5 places are added together to make a team score. Lowest team score wins. Team score ties are broken by the position of the 6th runner.

Athletes:

  • Always be ready for inclement weather. Plan on always practicing outside. *If practice would be cancelled, it will be on the website no later than 30 minutes prior to the scheduled time.
  • Be committed to the team. Keep all comments about teammates positive. Keep all negative thoughts to yourself; nobody is perfect.
  • Clear your personal schedule for all practices and meets.
  • If you qualify for the state meet, you must have your schedule cleared from October 26-29. You must ride to the state meet with your coach.

Pre-meet warm-up

  • Your captains will lead you in your pre-meet warm-up.
  • Start with a 10 minute easy jog on the course
  • Don’t eat anything significant less than 2 hours before your race.
  • Stay hydrated, but not too much – pee test*
  • Go the bathroom, change shoes, grab a drink before you go to the starting line
  • Be at the starting line with 15 minutes left to the gun
  • Do 5 plyometric drills with your team members
  • When it gets down to 5 minutes, do 4-6 strides. Heart rate should be med-high at the gun and you should have a sweat going. We need to get our bodies ready to race and do not want to have our warm-up be the first half of the race.

Varsity letter requirements

  • Outstanding attendance at practice and meets
  • Participate as a varsity competitor in at least 70% of the meets
  • Finish the season in good standing
  • Even if a team member has not met the 70% criteria, the coach may award him/her a letter based upon the following criteria:
  1. Years participating in the sport (seniors who have competed in good standing since their freshman year)
  2. Effort and attitude displayed at practice and in competition
  3. Remarkable improvement through a personal record that occurs over a season
  4. Outstanding accomplishment in the following 3 ways:
  • Finishing in the top half of the conference meet
  • Finishing in the top 25 % at a major invitational
  • Boys 5k time sub 18:00 or Girls 5k time sub 21:45.

Parent tips

  • Make sure you athlete is up on time for Saturday morning meets. The bus will leave on time with or without your runner.
  • Pick up your athlete on time after practice & meets. A coach is required to supervise until every athlete is picked up.
  • Remind your athlete to take a high protein and carbohydrate snack within an hour of each workout
  • Prohibit your athlete from doing any running, lifting, or very strenuous exercise on Sundays. This is our only day of complete rest during the week.**
  • Bring any concerns to the coach’s attention at appropriate times. Please follow the chain of command.
  • Ensure that your athlete has a signed doctor/dentist note or a fax from the doctor/dentist office for me after all appointments
  • Encourage your athlete to ice his or her aches and pains for 15-20 minutes a few times a day
  • Do not run along with your athlete at races or hand anything to them. This is grounds for disqualification.
  • Forward all copies of newspaper articles to coach so that they can be included in the season summary booklet.
  • Forward copies on CD of all photos you take during the season to be used for the season slideshow, press releases, the yearbook, and the school newspaper. The more exposure XC receives, the better off our program is.
  • Heavily encourage your athlete to take the bus home. We are a part of a team and part of the camaraderie that is built among team members happens on the bus ride home.
  • Have a positive attitude no matter how good or bad your athlete’s race was. Encourage your athlete to have a positive attitude and learn from their past races.
  • Consider joining the Bronco Booster Club. The club supports our team by providing off-site practice buses and the gameball relay t-shirts in the past.

Meet checklist

  • Trainers
  • Racing flats (for advanced runners)
  • Team uniform
  • Water/Gatorade
  • Sweats/warm-ups
  • Solid color sports bra
  • Solid color compression shorts
  • Logo size restrictions*
  • Hair ties (no metal)
  • Timing wrist watch
  • Extra socks
  • Extra shoes if rain is in the forecast or there is a lot of dew
  • Toilet paper
  • Small towel
  • Sunscreen, Epi-Pen, Meds, Glucose tablets, Inhalers, if needed
  • Post-race snack (granola bar, fruit, yogurt, peanut butter sandwich)
  • Poncho/garbage bag
  • Small travel blanket
  • Personal music to pump you up
  • Good luck charms
  • Positive attitude
  • English& Math homework (free tutors)

Running Shoes

Eastbay = Eastbay.com (Wausau, WI) *Fast shipping, big selection, many email & catalog coupons.

In-Step Physical Therapy & Running Center (Franklin, WI)

Performance Running Outfitters (Brookfield, WI)

Rodiez’s Running Store (West Allis, WI) *Ask for Coach Kashian, tell him Coach Patoka sent you.

Rogan’s Shoes (Kenosha, Racine {2}, and Greenfield, WI) *Buy one get one half off sales.

Sports Authority (Greenfield, WI)

Permission to Ride Home with Parents

Sign out sheets will be with Coach Mikula at each meet

Athletes can only ride home with their own guardians and/or grandparents

Athletes should stick around until the end of the meet to…

-Cheer on their teammates

-Clean up camp

-Pick up medals at medal ceremony