We are so happy you are interested in cross-country! Before we get the season started, here are a few things to know about middle school cross-country:
Who can participate: Cross-country is open to any student in sixth through eighth grade at California Trail.
When does it start: Practices will start on Monday, Aug. 18. All required paperwork must be turned in to practice. You have to attend 12 practices to run in our first meet on Sept. 5 (our only Friday meet). This is a rule set by KSHAA and we don’t have much wiggle room with days from when we start practice to our first meet, so it’s important to be at every practice so you can get your 12 in and can run in the first meet.
When is practice: Monday-Friday after school from 3:30-4:40 p.m. Roll will be taken, but attendance is not mandatory (you must have been to 12 practices before you can compete). We want to coach you and make you better, but we can only do that if you are at practice. Bring a water bottle!
Starting Sept. 4, Thursday practices will be before school, starting at 7:15 a.m. This allows students to attend football games Thursday afternoons.
When are the meets: Meets occur during the months of August and September and we will have buses to take us to meets and bring us back to California Trail for pickup. You can also take your child home from the meets after letting one of the coaches know. We will end the cross-country season with our city meet on Sept. 29.
What do I need to start:
Completed physical, concussion, substance abuse and transportation forms should be completed and submitted online. Students cannot participate in any practices until these are all submitted. Physicals must occur after May 1 to be valid for this year.
Comfortable running shoes and appropriate running clothing (shorts and shirt) for the weather.
You will be given a uniform to wear during the meets. You will turn this in at the end of the season. You will need black shorts for meets.
If you use an inhaler, bring it daily. A doctor's note is required if you need it during meets.
What distances will we race: Sixth and seventh graders will race a 1-mile course; eighth graders will race a 2-mile course.
What will practice look like: Warm up/ cool down, stretching, running form, long runs (appropriate to raced distance), intervals, hill work, etc.
Off-campus runs: On some of our long run days we may run off campus. During those days, we will have a coach at the head of the line and one at the end of the line. Because we can’t be next to the entire group the entire time, make sure to have appropriate behavior during these runs. Failure to maintain appropriate behavior could lead to removal from long runs off campus.
**Forms and the physical have to be completed/uploaded online via InTouch before you can practice. Even if your physical is completed but not uploaded online, we cannot allow you to practice.
