RUNNING PIRATE’S CROSS COUNTRY



LA PLATA HS CROSS COUNTRYTEAM HANDBOOK Informational Resource for Cross Country Athletes and Parents 97155246380001485900326009000 TABLE OF CONTENTS TOC \o "1-3" PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY PAGEREF _Toc237663669 \h 3Why We Are Here PAGEREF _Toc237663670 \h 3What You Can Expect from the Coaching Staff PAGEREF _Toc237663671 \h 3Expectations of Cross Country Runner PAGEREF _Toc237663672 \h 3Four Essential Elements of Success PAGEREF _Toc237663673 \h 3REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION31) Attendance32) Punctuality PAGEREF _Toc237663676 \h 43) Practice Apparel PAGEREF _Toc237663677 \h 44. Meet Uniforms PAGEREF _Toc237663678 \h 45) Athlete Eligibility PAGEREF _Toc237663679 \h 47) Transportation to and from Competition PAGEREF _Toc237663681 \h 4 8) USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4 9) SPORTSMANSHIP…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...….5 10) QUALIFYING………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...5MEETS: RUNNER AND SPECTATOR INFORMATION PAGEREF _Toc237663696 \h 5What Spectators Can Expect PAGEREF _Toc237663697 \h 5Weather PAGEREF _Toc237663698 \h 5Watching PAGEREF _Toc237663699 \h 5Conduct PAGEREF _Toc237663700 \h 5What Runners Can Expect PAGEREF _Toc237663701 \h 5Course PAGEREF _Toc237663702 \h 5Race Distances PAGEREF _Toc237663703 \h 6Race Scoring PAGEREF _Toc237663704 \h 6NUTRITION6Carbohydrates6Protein7Pre-workout Food and Hydration Guidelines7Hydration7WARRIOR CC NUTRITION “Fridge Page”8REST8SHOES/EQUIPMENT RESOURCES8CONTACTS8STUDENT-ATHLETE CONTRACT …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..9PROGRAM PHILOSOPHYTHE PURPOSE of the Warrior Cross Country program is to promote and cultivate the physical, mental, and social development of each student-athlete on our team.??We are committed to creating the best possible learning experience for everyone while promoting life-skills and a competitive level of fitness. ??THE GOAL of Warrior Cross Country is to train in every way we know best to continue the tradition of competitive success by striving to perform our best as individuals and as a team in order to?win meets at the Conference, Regional and State level.Why We Are Here1. To have fun. No further explaining needed here.2. To learn skills. We want to become someone and something greater than we can imagine-for ourselves and our team. This includes every aspect of life both on and off the course. 3. To be part of a team. We want to build respect and pride for ourselves, our team, our school and our community.4. To compete and push ourselves to reach our potential. We give our very best in training and competition. We are humble in victory and gracious in defeat.What You Can Expect from the Coaching StaffTo develop a Cross Country program where every student-athlete can succeed.To provide the best possible environment for learning and growing.To support what is best for each athlete in academic success, in and out of the classroom.To have fun.To treat everyone with respect.To treat everyone fairly.To ensure the health and safety of everyone.To let each athlete know where they stand and know their role on the team.To provide the best teaching possible.To make decisions based on what best for the team and each individual, in that order.Expectations of Cross Country RunnerBe punctual to practices, meets and team meetings.Be considerate of your coaches, teammates, and other peers.Give 100% effort…We don’t expect anything more, but we don’t expect anything less.Finish the race that you start.Respect yourself, your team, and other teams that you are competing against.Abide by all Charles County and La Plata High School rules.Take what you learn in running and on the team and apply it to your every day life.Support your teammates.Show good sportsmanship.Four Essential Elements “Pillars” of Athletic Success Health – You can’t run if you’re not healthy. To be successful you must take care of your body.Consistency – Improvement comes from training throughout the season and the off-season.Progression – Intensity & volume of training can increase with each season of experience.Patience – Stick with it through the ups and downs. Progress is made over the course of a season and years, not days and weeks. REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATIONAttendanceEach athlete is expected to attend ALL scheduled practices and meets unless prior arrangement has been made with and accepted by the Head Coach. Acceptable excuses are as follows: death in the family, pre-arranged family obligations, college visits and SAT/ACT testing, “required” school assignments (this does not include homework), illness, game or practice for another La Plata High School sports team. All absences require communication with the head coach prior to absence (email stating the reason of absence). If an athlete fails to communicate with the coaching staff, the absence will be considered UNEXCUSED. Cross Country takes precedence over all club and recreation sports. If an athlete misses practice or a meet or is unable to participate fully in practice the day prior to a scheduled event, he/she will not be permitted to run in that meet. Consequences for an unexcused absence: 1) First absence = One hundred push-ups and one hundred sit-ups.2) Second absence = Removal from lineup for next scheduled event.3) Third absence = Removal from lineup for next two events.4) Fourth absence = One week removal from the cross country team (meets and practices).5) Fifth absence = Removal from team.**Athletes are expected to be model students in the classroom, throughout the school day, and during after school activities (including practice and meets). Any athlete who receives an in school or out of school suspension will immediately receive the following consequences: 1) First suspension = Removal from lineup for next scheduled event and parent/athlete/coach meeting. 2) Second suspension = Removal from team. PunctualityAthletes are expected to be on time to all practices and meets. 1st or 2nd unexcused tardies will result in 50 sit-ups and 50 push-ups. 3 unexcused tardies will result in a removal from the next scheduled event. Six tardies will result in removal from the team. Practices will be held Monday through Friday from 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm. If an athlete is aware that he/she will be late please inform the coach prior to the practice/meet. Practice ApparelEach athlete is required to wear running shoes, shorts or warm-ups/tights designed for running and weather appropriate top to practice. Basketball or other long shorts are not recommended. Failure to wear appropriate apparel will be corrected. All athletes are required to come to practice with athletic shorts, an athletic shirt, running shoes, and a full water bottle. A smart watch or a wrist watch with a stop watch mode is highly recommended. Athletes MUST wear their shirts at all times during practice and meets. No exceptions. Meet UniformsTeam uniforms are to be worn at all competitions. Athletes are expected to step on and off the team bus wearing the team warm-ups. Upon receiving uniforms, each athlete is expected to be responsible for that equipment for damage, loss, or theft. Athlete EligibilityIncluded in the policies for participation, all athletes must maintain the required academic standard during the season. Any inadequate academic progress will result in an academic probation until sufficient progress has been achieved. Transportation to and from CompetitionCharles County policy regarding student-athlete transportation will be followed. This policy is as follows: Athletes transported from La Plata High School to any away competition via bus must also return to La Plata High School via bus or be released to their legal guardian at the competition site. Policy requires that any athlete not returning to La Plata High School with the team bus must be signed out by parent/legal guardian prior to departure. Athletes are encouraged to ride the team bus home after meets unless there are unavoidable family circumstances. Use of Social MediaAll student-athletes will use social media appropriately. Inappropriate content, language or photos will lead to discipline up to and including dismissal from the team. We have a team Remind group and parents and student-athletes are encouraged to join the Remind group for the quickest access to team information. You can join by texting “@lpcros” to 81010. SportsmanshipStudent-athletes and parents are expected to behave in a sportsmanlike manner during all meets and events. Student-athletes not demonstrating the highest level of sportsmanship, honesty, or effort will be removed from the lineup, suspended, or dismissed from the team. Hazing or bullying of any kind will not be tolerated and depending on the severity may result in removal from the team. Qualifying:Varsity and JV starting lineups will be determined upon each athlete’s 5k time from the prior race/time trial. The 7 fastest times will determine the varsity lineup. The next 7 fastest times will determine the JV lineup. This is repeated throughout the regular season and post-season races. However, Varsity and JV lineups are ultimately determined by the head coach on a meet to meet basis. No athlete should assume that he/she is in the upcoming starting lineup for any event until the Head Coach has indicated which runners will be competing in the next scheduled event. The Head Coach has the right to change that lineup at any given time based on the needs of the team. SMAC Meet: 10 runners qualify based on the average of their times in the 5 meets and 2 invitationals and the top 5 are counted for team scoring. Runners must run in at least 2 of the 5 team meets to qualify to run in the SMAC meet.Regional Meet Championships: Top 7 runners from the SMAC Meet and the top 5 are counted for team scoring. Runners must have participated in at least 2 of the 5 team meets to qualify to run in regionals.State Meet Championships: There will be 12 runners on the roster BUT only the Top 7 runners and the top 5 are counted for team scoring.MEETS: RUNNER AND SPECTATOR INFORMATIONWhat Spectators Can ExpectWeather Be prepared for any type of weather. Meets are run in rain, snow, heat and cold. Lightning will delay or cancel a meet on the spot but other conditions are just part of the challenge. ?Watching It is difficult to watch Cross Country from a stationary point. Be ready to move quickly and wear walking/running shoes. You may want to watch the start, then move to another point along the course to cheer as runners pass by, then move to another part of the course, and finally make it to the finish line as the runners end their race. Look at a map of the course if possible and pick out good places to cheer from. Often, your voice is best heard by the runners when you cheer from a place where few spectators are- the runners can use inspiration at these typically more difficult spots on the course.? ConductYour presence at the meets is greatly valued by the runners and coaches. Wear your WARRIOR gear and make yourself visible and heard (in a positive way, of course). Cheer loud and proud!What Runners Can ExpectCourse The terrain of a Cross Country course varies considerably from site to site. Most courses have a good mix of flat areas, hills, woods and open land.?Usually there are 1-2 races for conference meets: a Boys Race and a Girls Race. The order of races varies from meet to meet. Each race lasts around 30 minutes. Usually there are 4 or more races at invitationals: Varsity Boys, JV Boys, Open Boys, Varsity Girls, JV Girls, Open Girls?For scoring and timing, runners are given bib numbers to wear, pinned to their tops/singlets. For some races, an electronic chip is also attached to each of the runner’s shoes.??The starting line has a “box” (zone) for each team and which are numbered so that box #1 begins on the runners’ left. Runners should be at the starting line at least 5-10 minutes before their race. There are announced?countdowns to start times. Courses are marked with flags, cones, paint/chalk lines and signage. We will always preview the course before the meet. Timing clocks are usually at the start and finish and on occasion, along the course. ?The 1-mile mark (1600 meters) and the 2-mile mark (3200 meters) are usually highlighted with signage or ground markings.?The finish line usually has an extended rope chute, which the runners file into order of finish for place marking. Race DistancesCompetitive race distances are typically 3.1 miles (5K). Race ScoringThe top 5 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. For example, a team that scores 26 points places ahead of a team that scores 29 points.?Lakeville North High School1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 10th = 26 points Opponent2nd, 3rd, 7th, 8th, 9th = 29 pointsIn the event of a tie, the 6th finishing place for each team determines the winner- and if still tied, the 7th place runner. Invitational and Championship competition is scored using team finishing places against entire race field.NUTRITION“The secret weapon and fastest route to faster times, faster recovery and life-long health”As a young athlete, you will need to “fuel the furnace” and keep your body both fueled and refueled at all times for workouts and races. The importance of proper nutrition consistently is paramount to personal progress and health throughout the season as well as year-round. Also, learning healthy nutritional habits will be an essential ingredient for lifelong success and well-being.Overall, the nutritional composition proportions for an endurance athlete should be in the range of 20-25 percent fats, 20-25 percent proteins and 50-60 percent carbohydrates. Total calories should not be restricted in any way—you will need to eat consistently well. The amount of total daily calories will be according to your size, level of training and individual metabolic differences. Nutrition habits will greatly affect daily training, race performances and, more importantly, overall health. A solid place to start is with the carbohydrates rule. Because endurance athletes must constantly "keep the furnace stoked" (you burn about 100 calories per mile run), shoot for a diet that is about 60 percent carbohydrates.Carbohydrates ‘Carbs’ as endurance athletes like to call them, are the body's primary source of energy. A typical distance athlete’s engine runs hot enough to burn fats and protein as well, but the working body prefers to stoke with carbohydrates. All carbohydrates are not alike- -Simple carbohydrates The best simple carb foods have plenty to offer in the way of minerals or vitamins. Certain fruits — such as bananas, oranges, apples, and raisins — are better snack choices than empty calorie foods such as most popular “sweets” including sports drinks, popular cheap energy bars and cookies. Simple carbohydrates are the ones found in soft drinks, candy bars, and pastries. These foods typically contain a lot of refined sugar and are unlikely to hold any significant amount of vitamins, minerals, or fiber. Nutritionists say that these kinds of foods are "empty calories." -Complex carbohydrates Good sources of complex carbohydrates include grains, breads, vegetables, and beans. These foods take longer to convert to glucose (sugars) and are then stored as glycogen (stored dietary sugars) in the muscles or liver, to be used for energy when called upon during physical activity. -How many carbs does a cross-country athlete need?For most athletes, 5 to 7 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight daily is right for general training. (Note that 1 kilogram equals 2.2 pounds.) Endurance athletes may need up to 12 grams per kilogram, especially in the final three to four days prior to a race day. In addition, to keep up with the calories burned during all of their training, an endurance athlete who weighs 150 pounds needs to take in somewhere between 2,500 and 5,000 calories per day. Keeping in mind that a runner burns about 100 calories per mile, obviously a professional runner running 100 miles per week has bigger needs than a young runner logging 25-50 miles per week. ProteinProtein is indeed an essential ingredient in runners' diets. Though your working muscles use mostly carbohydrates and fats for fuel--which is why runners shouldn't slash either of these nutrients--protein becomes a more important energy source when your runs exceed an hour. That's when your carbohydrate stores will begin to run low and your body needs an alternative fuel source. Your body also relies on protein to recover quickly from tough workouts and to repair muscle damage. Research has proven that energy restoration and protein rebuilding in the muscles is accelerated if both carbohydrate and protein are eaten within about 30 to 60 minutes following of intense exercise.Pre-workout Food and Hydration GuidelinesFood preferences for pre-workout snacks will vary depending on the individual, type of exercise and level of intensity. For example, endurance athletes can often eat more during a long slow cycle when their heart rate is lower, than while running or training at a higher heart rate. Experiment with the following guidelines to help determine an appropriate snack for you. Choose a snack that:Contains a sufficient amount of fluid to maintain hydration. Is low in fat and fiber to facilitate gastric emptying and minimize GI distress. Is high in carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, whole-grain bread, rice, pasta, and cereals to maintain blood glucose levels, and maximize carbohydrate stores. Contains some protein for staying power throughout your workout. Is low in simple sugars such as candy. They will send your blood sugar level shooting up then down, leading to a severe drop in energy.The more time you allow between eating and exercise, the larger the quantity of food you will be able to eat. Allow more digestion time before intense exercise than before low-level activity. Your muscles require more blood during intense exercise, and therefore less blood will be available to your stomach to help with digestion. If you have a finicky stomach, try a liquid snack prior to your workout. Liquid snacks such as smoothies or sports drinks tend to leave the stomach faster than solid foods do and will be easier to digest. Choosing the appropriate snacks will be dependent on the individual. Some people have a tough time digesting anything solid prior to a workout while and others can munch on an energy bar during intense activity such as running. HydrationThe fact is, by the time you actually feel thirsty your body has reached a water deficit that is significantly impairing your strength, speed, and endurance. The water gauge in your brain triggers the thirst sensation after its too late to do much about it. This is a rare occasion when the athlete cannot depend on "feeling" to tell them how to respond to the body's needs. Unfortunately, proper hydration is extremely important for both short and long term success due to the body's total dependency on water in all of its functions.The normal non-athlete's body composition includes 60% water However, the competitive Cross Country athlete is hardly normal! Runners are typically 70% water--increased fitness results in a higher percentage of body mass as water (runners on average have more muscle and blood, less fat). Because the body loses water faster than it can be replaced during workouts and racing, it is a good idea to start out "hyper-hydrated". Take in fluids on a regular basis throughout the day. Don't wait until you feel thirsty. Instead, drink a glass or two every hour. ***Everyone is unique and has a different tolerance for foods and food types before and after training and racing, however, everyone is alike in that they need the basics for preparation, recovery and body repair and growth!!*** Other Concerns: Endurance athletes have different needs- IRON rich foods are strongly encouraged especially females who are much more susceptible to low iron and anemia. Additionally, MAGNESIUM, CALCIUM and ZINC as a part of a multi-vitamin will ensure that runners are not deficient. WARRIOR CC NUTRITION “Fridge Page” Keep on or near your refrigerator for a simple reminderSNACKSSome suggested snacks to keep on hand for before workouts (1.5-2 hours) ApplesApplesauceApricotsBagelsBananasBreadCrackers (low-fat)DatesOrangesFig BarsFigsDried Fruit/Roll-UpsGingersnapsGraham CrackersGrapesMelon SlicesCereal barsPeachesPearsPretzelsRaisinsTangerinesYogurt Energy Bars MAIN MEALSBreakfast Before a regular school day or after a morning workout or race--never skip this meal! You should be consuming at least 600 calories and up to 1000 calories at breakfast (depending on your size and training level). Some Breakfast Suggestions:Whole Grain cerealsDairy/Soy/Almond MilkEggsSmoothiesYogurtWhole Grain Waffles Whole FruitsFruit JuicesWhole Grain PancakesAny Vitamix recipeWhole Grain BreadsLunchSuggestions for dealing with?limited school cafeteria?options for athletes-Bring your own lunch* (suggestions below)Avoid fried foods (any type of non-baked chips included)Avoid all candyAvoid all sodas/carbonated beverages”Bag” lunch suggestionsJust to note, the toughest part of bag lunching it is that you will be limited to the choices you have at home so--- go out and buy what you need for the week over the weekend and “stock up” on what you need for the week for lunches. Sandwiches—include a lean meats/meat cuts and cheese of your choice or nut butter and preserves, whole grain bread or tortillas/wraps, veggies and light oil condiments/dressingsSides— salads, rice, potatoes, breads, other carbohydrate choices of fruits and veggiesDrinks—Water, milk/soymilk, fruit juicesDessert—see all choices in snack listDinnerHave a complete dinner, enjoy a full meal with a variety of meats, grains and vegetables. It is essential to emphasize complex carbohydrates (whole grains and whole vegetables and proteins (lean red meats or fish and poultry) at least four times weekly for iron content purposes). Take the time to sit down and take the time to enjoy your evening meal with your family- as much for your emotional and social health as physical health. RESTGet at least 8 hours of restful sleep each night!! And, yes, 9 or 10 hours is better! This is especially true for 2 nights before a race. For example, if you race Saturday, Thursday night is a key night for getting at least 8 hours of restful sleep because you may be too excited to rest as well the night before the race.SHOES/EQUIPMENT RESOURCESEveryone needs to start the season with good running shoes! Shoes are much cheaper than the price of injuries and trips to the doctor or therapist. It is essential to have good running shoes. Start with training shoes and (when the time comes for meets) cross country spikes. Go to a real running store for the expert service. Bring in your old shoes for wear pattern analysis and proper fit inspection. CONTACTSCoaches and AdminE-mailPhoneHead Coach – Michael Blainemblaine@301-848-2099Assistant Coach- Shawn Starcher HYPERLINK "mailto:sstarcher@" sstarcher@Athletic Director – Rich Pauolerpauole@ 301-934-1100We are looking forward to a fantastic Cross Country season with everyone! Sincerely,Your CoachesLa Plata High School Cross Country Student-Athlete Contract 2019 I/We have read the following Athlete Contract regarding the rules and regulations set forth by the La Plata High School Cross Country coaching staff for the 2019 cross country season and agree to follow these to the best of my/our ability. I/We understand all of the rules and consequences that may result and agree to honor and respect any decision made by the La Plata High School coaching staff. __________________________________________________________________ Student Name (please print) __________________________________________________________________ Student email (please print clearly) __________________________________________________________________ Student Signature Date __________________________________________________________________ Parent Signature Date __________________________________________________________________ Parent email (please print clearly) 2018 Results18:48 Boys Team Average at 2A State Meet (18th of 20)18:38 Boys Team Average at 2A South Regional Meet (3rd of 12)18:21 Boys Team Average at SMAC Meet (6th of 13)26:52 Girls Team Average at 2A South Regional Meet (7th of 7)- NOTE: 6 participant schools did not place26:14 Girls Team Average at SMAC Meet (8th of 10)In 2A South we must be in the top half of the region: (12 Teams in 2A South so only 6 advance)2018 Boys State Meet ResultsRiver Hill 2nd in 2A (17:05)Calvert 3rd in 2A (17:06)Oakland Mills 14th in 2A (18:30)Glenelg 15th in 2A (18:35)Marriotts Ridge 16th in 2A (18:39)La Plata 18th in 2A (18:48)2018 Girls State Meet ResultsRiver Hill 5th in 2A (21:59)Glenelg- 8th in 2A (22:25)Calvert- 9th in 2A (22:11)Patuxent- 13th in 2A (23:43)Marriots Ridge- 14th in 2A (23:23)Oakland Mills 16th in 2A (24:15) ................
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