FREEDOM FALCON CROSS COUNTRY: Team Standards & Expectations

FREEDOM FALCON CROSS COUNTRY: Team Standards & Expectations

1.Expectations During Practice:

Attendance with a Purpose: Each athlete is expected to attend ALL practices. Every effort must be made to schedule your time so that there are no conflicts with daily practice. Be on time, be positive, be teachable, attentive and participate from beginning to end.

The FHS Parent-Student Athlete Handbook (found under Athletic Forms on the school website) states: “All athletes are expected to attend ALL scheduled practices. Practices are usually 2-3 hours every weekday and may be held on Saturdays and during school holidays. Student athletes are asked to make appointments and schedule vacations around practices and game commitments.”

Absences: Athletes must attend their scheduled Cross Country practices. Training is an important part of any sport and athletes are expected to train and prepare for their competitions. Athlete’s that need to miss practice MUST communicate with Coach Onstott, PRIOR to the absence (email or text coach 24 hours in advance or a note will be required from teacher/doctor/parent) otherwise it is considered unexcused. Friends telling the coach is NOT excused. Three (3) unexcused absences in the season will result in disciplinary action not short of suspension from meets.

Warm-up, workout and cool-down are expected to be done to their entirety at every practice. Not properly warming-up and cooling-down WILL result in injuries. We coaches have a goal of minimizing injuries. We understand that some are unavoidable, but the ones that can be avoided take your commitment in following the instructions of the coaches and participating in all practices and activities within the practices. Athletes not participating in the required activities will be sent home.

2. Punctuality:

Practice begins at 3:30 SHARP! Each athlete is expected to arrive to practice and competitions on time AND ready to run. Fill water bottles, use the restroom, get changed and have shoes laced before practice and/or meets begin. If tardiness becomes a chronic issue, you will be subject to disciplinary action. Meet in Room E-117. Morning practices meet at the track at 6:30AM Monday-Friday (starting two weeks after practice begins)and 9AM on Saturdays.

3. Practice Apparel:

Each athlete is required to wear RUNNING SHOES, SHORTS/ATHLETIC PANTS, TOPS, (& SWEAT PANTS, optional) and SPORTS WATCH to practice. Shirtless runs are no longer allowed as per Dr. Amaro. Sports bra’s need to be covered by a shirt as well.

RECOMMENDED SPECIALTY RUNNING SHOE STORES:

Sports Basement (Walnut Creek): (925) 941-6100 Fleet Feet (Pleasant Hill): 925-827-4772 Road Runner Sports (Concord): 925-825-8052, Fleet Feet will be coming to our area soon.

Many injuries will be avoided with the right shoe!

*Practice will be held Monday through Friday and sometimes on Saturdays. Saturday training runs will be held at Contra Loma. Athletes will be responsible for their own transportation.

4. Meet Uniforms:

Complete team uniforms & warm-ups are to be worn at all competitions. On meet days the athletes are expected to wear their uniform and warm-ups to school as a representation of the team. The new uniform tops are pretty pricey; please take good care of them! Do not leave stickers on the fabric and be sure to follow washing instructions on the tag. The replacement price for the new uniform shirt is $75, so keep track of it and take good care! Uniform bottoms can be either issued or purchased. If purchased, they need to be solid navy blue (a very small emblem on them is ok). For men, wearing spandex under the issued shorts is ok but need to be black or navy blue.

5. Athlete Conduct:

Falcon Cross Country Team members represent the premier athletic program at FHS. They are representatives of the school and the community. Each athlete is responsible for continuing our tradition of exemplary conduct. Support your teammates, make a positive contribution to the sport, and act responsibly in every situation. Problems must be handled in a mature and rational manner. Communication with your coach is essential.

While out on runs, at meets and anytime you are wearing Falcon Gear out in public you are representing the school and our team. Be courteous, respectful and be a great role model for those around you.

Under NO circumstances are athletes allowed to dispute rulings with meet officials! Athletes must maintain their composure and let their coach deal with the situation and accept that the scenario has been handled. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THIS PROTOCOL IS GROUNDS FOR DISQUALIFICATION FROM COMPETITION AND SUSPENSION FROM THE TEAM.

NO BULLYING! As a school, Freedom High takes bullying very seriously. Unfortunately bullying can be an issue in athletics. Athletes will be uplifting to one another and uphold good sportsmanlike conduct. Be kind to one another and avoid “hot-topic” conversations. You never know what experiences your fellow teammates have had, so avoid all controversial talk. The following behavior is considered bullying and will not be tolerated and most likely will include action from Administration. -Putting down or belittling -Name calling and taunting -Hurtful Comments (nasty statements, racial slurs, threatening) -Excluding, shunning, spreading rumors and/or mean gossip -Physically hurting another (elbowing, tripping, hitting, etc) -Cyber: using the internet, social media, text messaging, email and other electronic mediums to say mean or embarrassing things

Athletes are expected to show respect to the coaching staff and not to argue with or talk over the coaches while they are talking. If you disagree with something, you will ask the coaches to talk with them, you will not gossip behind their backs, or any teammate’s backs, as this creates division within the team.

It is expected for you to cheer on your fellow teammates during races. For the most part there will be four races held at each event and since you will be running in only one; that gives you the opportunity to support three groups of teammates.

Freedom XC Core Covenants Selflessness: -Team over “me”- Serve each other– Wisdom over pride–Learn from mistakes Commitment: Goal oriented– Attendance with purpose– Apply yourself Unity: No gossip (Build each other up, not tear each other down)- Love one another– Support each other– Trust– Teammate is not your competition Respect: Be punctual– Be honest– Listen– Be fair– Be considerate Balance: Have fun and work hard– Be confident, not prideful–Know your limits

6. Transportation to and from Competition:

LUHSD, FHS, and Team policy regarding student-athlete transportation will be followed WITHOUT exception! This policy is as follows: Athletes transported from FHS to an away competition via district bus must also return to FHS via district bus or be released to their legal guardian at the competition site. Athletes will not be released to anyone other than a legal guardian. Friends, relatives, neighbors, etc., are NOT legal guardians. Team policy further requires that any athlete not returning to FHS with the team via district bus give the head coach verbal notification and visual confirmation of the presence of a legal guardian before departure.

Cross Country is a relatively small team, therefore we will be dependent on parent drivers for transportation (not a bus) to all Invitationals, Dual Meets and BVAL/NCS Meets. If you have been provided with a ride to a meet, you need to return with the person you arrived with unless your parent/guardian is picking you up. If you will return with your parent/guardian and was provided a ride to the meet by someone else, you MUST check with the person you rode to the meet with so they know you are getting alternate transportation. Athletes are not allowed to drive themselves to meets nor invitationals.

7. Grades:

Students are required to maintain at least a 2.0 GPA in order to compete on the team. If an athlete does not maintain this GPA, he/she will be suspended until grades are released the following quarter and he/she has raised his/her GPA.

Mandatory Equipment

REQUIRED ITEMS: The following items are required at all practices and competitions. • Water Bottle • Running Shoes • Sweat Pants • Running Shorts • Digital Watch with Split/Lap Time Capabilities

RECOMMENDED ITEMS: These items are not required, but recommended for serious athletes.

• Racing Flats • Second pair of training shoes

Athletic Letter Requirements

VARSITY REQUIREMENTS:

• Athletes must finish a minimum of 4 Varsity races and attend a majority of the practice sessions to be considered for a Letter Award: Only athletes that complete 4 varsity races and attend a majority of the practices are eligible for a Cross Country Letter Award; unless otherwise determined by the coaches and/or Athletic Director. Athletes that do not reach these minimums will receive Participant Awards. Any double dual meets will count as two races.

• Athlete must achieve a minimum 12 points based on the following criteria:

1. Dual Meets – 3 Points Maximum Each Meet. 3 points for finishing in first place 2 points for finishing in the top 3, 1 point for finishing in the Top 7 in the overall race results 1 point for finishing ahead of the fifth runner of the opposing team (does not apply if the opposing team has less than five finishers)

2. BVAL/NCS Meet – 5 Points Maximum 5 points for finishing in first place 3 points for finishing in the top 7 overall 2 points for finishing in the FHS Top 7 1 point for finishing in the Top 12 in the overall race results At NCS, if as a team finishing in top 4, the team will letter. Boys and girls separate.

3. State Championship Qualify for and Compete in State Championship

4. Qualifying Times: If you meet the following time stipulations and have accomplished all of the requirements on a 3 mile or greater course, sans the point stipulation, you will receive a Varsity Letter.

Men: Sub 19:00 Women: Sub 23:00

5. Coaches Discretion: Seniors not meeting these criteria will be awarded a letter at the discretion of the coaching staff only if they have been on the team for three consecutive seasons with Senior year being final season and have remained in good standing with NO unexcused absences from practices and meets. Seniors not meeting these criteria but represent our varsity team in the NCS race at the end of the season may be awarded a varsity letter as per coaches discretion.

Athletic Awards

At the awards banquet, the following awards are issued:

MVP: This award is given to a high-scoring varsity male and female athlete. The team will vote for who they saw best fit the criteria throughout the season. The criteria for this award are as follows:

Sportsmanship: Builds up teammates, supportive, great team spirit, humble, cheers on teammates, shows respect to opposing teams.

Leadership: Leads by example, good role model, puts “we” before “me”, respectful to authority, works hard at practice and at meets.

Dependable: Rarely absent, at every race (excluding extenuating circumstances), follows the team standards and expectations, helpful.

Embodies the Core Covenants: Selflessness: -Team over “me”- Serve each other– Wisdom over pride–Learn from mistakes Commitment: Goal oriented– Attendance with purpose– Apply yourself Unity: No gossip (Build each other up, not tear each other down)- Love one another– Support each other– Trust– Teammate is not your competition Respect: Be punctual– Be honest– Listen– Be fair– Be considerate Balance: Know when to have fun and work hard– Be confident, not prideful– Know your limits

Top Frosh/Soph: This award is given to a frosh/soph male and a frosh/soph female. This will be issued to the athletes that embody the core covenants and scores highly for the team.

Coach’s Award: This award is given at the coach’s discretion. We like to reward those who may or may not make varsity, may not be a top scoring runner but has great work ethic, team spirit and embodies the core covenants.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: To earn a varsity letter, you must be at ALL meets, barring extenuating or extraordinary circumstances. This includes all championship meets and Invitationals. You will not receive a varsity letter if you are not working your hardest and giving your fullest effort. You must participate in varsity-level workouts in order to be considered for a varsity letter.

Factors such as poor attendance and violations of team rules will disqualify you from being eligible for a Varsity letter. You must be at practice and at the meets; the decision as to what qualifies as an excused absence rests with the coaches, not with the athletes. You must conduct yourself in the appropriate manner at all times, which includes working your hardest and being respectful to your teammates, coaches, opponents, and the officials. Please refer to the team rules, regulations, and guidelines. Two warnings will be issued and after your third warning your eligibility for a Varsity letter will be revoked.

ATHLETES THAT QUIT THE TEAM FOR ANY REASON, OR ARE DROPPED FROM THE TEAM AS DISCIPLINARY ACTION, OR FAIL TO ACHIEVE THE MINIMUM ACADEMIC STANDARD (2.0 GPA) FOR PARTICIPATION FORFEIT ALL AWARDS.

Only athletes who complete the entirety of the season will be awarded a participation certificate.

Competition Rules:

UNIFORMS: Cross Country competitors must wear school issued racing uniforms. Additional garments (spandex shorts or tights, short or long sleeve tops, athletic bras) must be solid black or navy blue and worn beneath the uniform. Watches, medical bracelets, and prescription eye glasses ARE acceptable in competition.

DISQUALIFICATION Athletes may be disqualified for the following infractions: • Failure to follow directions of meet personnel. • Use of profanity. • Causing a competitor to break stride. • Impeding or interfering with a competitor. • Physical contact with a competitor. • Failure to run designated course.

RACE DISTANCES Varsity race distance for BVAL, NCS, and CIF competition is 3.1 miles or 5k. Invitational meets sometimes vary, but are never less than 2 miles or longer than 5k. Frosh-Soph and Junior Varsity race distance for BVAL is 2 miles. Invitational meets can vary from 3k to 2.4 miles.

RACE SCORING The top 7 finishers for each team are factored into the final team score. Teams with fewer than 5 competitors are incomplete and their finishers are deleted from scoring. The summation of the top 5 finishing places for each team represents the team scores. The lowest score wins. In the event of a tie, the 6th finishing place for each team determines the winner. Invitational and Championship competition is scored using team finishing places against entire race field. Tri-meet competition is scored head to head. Each team is scored against the other without the place holders of additional teams.

DIVISIONS There are 3 divisions of competition in High School Cross Country: Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Frosh/Soph. The Falcon Cross Country Program places athletes in divisions based on the following criterion.

Varsity: The top 7 fastest athletes regardless of grade usually compete in this division. Invitational and post season competition limits team size to 7 runners. However, BVAL dual meet rules allow teams to run as many as 10 athletes in Varsity competition. Fielding more than 7 runners in Varsity competition is done at the discretion of the coach usually for the purpose of providing experience for future Varsity athletes, run-offs between athletes competing for a Varsity position, or as reward for exemplary conduct by veterans.

Frosh-Soph: This division is restricted to Freshmen and Sophomores only. The top 7 fastest Frosh or Soph athletes usually compete in this division. The exception to this would be if a Freshman or Sophomore were placed on Varsity. Invitational competition sometimes limits team size to 7 runners. However, most often there is no limit to number of entries in Frosh-Soph competition.

Junior Varsity: There are no grade restrictions or team size limitations for this division. However, a school must field a Varsity team consisting of their top 5 or more runners before a Junior Varsity team can be entered. Junior or Senior athletes not among the top 7 fastest on the team compete in this division. Freshmen or Sophomores may also compete in this division, usually to provide better depth or to balance race fields.

POST SEASON COMPETITION Varsity: Complete Varsity teams automatically qualify for the BVAL Championship and NCS Championship meets. Varsity teams must finish 1st or 2nd, or achieve a team time standard at the NCS Championship meet to advance to the CIF State Championships. The top 5 Individuals NOT on a qualifying team may advance from NCS to CIF competition if they finish in the top 12.

Frosh-Soph & Junior Varsity: Frosh-Soph and Junior Varsity teams automatically qualify for the BVAL Championship meet. These divisions are NOT contested at the NCS or CIF level.