Track & Field Handbook

The basic philosophy of this program is to provide for each of our athletes the opportunity to compete in an environment where good clean work ethic, teamwork, sportsmanship, tradition, and goal setting is stressed. We also feel that this program will be more than that of track and field, it is a program way of life.

Teamwork---We expect the athletes to support and respect each other and to work for a common team goal.

Work Ethic---We expect all athletes to be academically sound. We expect them to strive for excellence at their skills and in conditioning in order to become the best student/athlete they can be.

Goal Setting---We expect every athlete to develop individual and team goals, both short term and long term. Analyze the obstacles to their goal and strive to overcome those obstacles. Remember, a person without a plan is lost.

Sportsmanship---We expect our team to be well disciplined, well mannered and sportsman like in practice, the classroom, competition, and trips.

Tradition---We expect every athlete to understand that success is a process and not a final result. What we will have in the future is not what we have today, but rather the result of a goal we worked towards. Every athlete should strive to maintain the continuation of this tradition as a symbol for those that will follow in the years to come.

The coaching staff is also an extension of the team and should provide a positive role model. We also expect our coaches to work hard with every individual athlete. Our goal is to produce the best team possible, but at the same time, build for our future.

- Coach Steve Wurtzel - Girls Head Coach—(wurtzelsp@warrencor3.k12.mo.us)

- Coach Kelly Anderson - Girls Assistant—(andersonkm@warrencor3.k12.mo.us)

- Coach Mark Thomas - Girls Assistant—(thomasmr@warrencor3.k12.mo.us)

- Coach Steve McDowell - Boys Head Coach—(mcdowellsr@warrencor3.k12.mo.us)

- Coach Joe Klostermann - Boys Assistant—(klostermannjd@warrencor3.k12.mo.us)

- Coach Jeff Weidner- Boys Assistant— (weidnerj@warrencor3.k12.mo.us)

Philosophy

“We practice, compete and represent our school, on and off the track, with the purpose of being the best team we can be.”

1. (W)ork, (W)ill, and (D)esire plus a (P)ositive (M)ental (A)ttitude equals SUCCESS. WWD + PMA = SUCCESS

2. Practice with Purpose, with a vision of what you CAN be.

3. Goal every practice—Give your best effort (money in the bank), your team needs it!

4. Lead by example. Walk the talk, don’t talk the talk.

5. Have respect and manners for yourself, your teammates, your coaches, and those that watch and even look up to you.

6. Give us your trust, patience, and work now—Your HEART later!

7. Don’t be selfish, think about how your actions could affect your TEAM.

8. Practice hard—Compete hard—but do it all TOGETHER!

9. NEVER BECOME SATISFIED!!!

Organization

1. Be there! Any absence from practice without being excused by the coach is considered unexcused. An unexcused absence will be issued to any athlete dismissed early from practice for behavior reasons. – All absences from practice must be submitted to Coach Anderson or Coach Wurtzel at the beginning of the school day. Communication with your coaches is key!

2. Positive attitudes and emotions only – leave personal issues (problems) in the locker room. NOTE – your coach is always willing to talk with you if you ask for a time to meet, but DO NOT deny your teammates practice time. You are ALL important. (P.S....NO “C” word!)

3. Do things the way you are asked to do it – Don’t take any shortcuts. Who are you cheating if you take shortcuts?

4. Never leave the practice area without permission. Do not enter locker rooms during practice time without permission.

5. Value time—make the days count, don’t count the days.

6. Build a team—TEAMWORK

7. Have clothes everyday—WARNING— Be ready for ALL weather!

8. Fight your comfort zone—Force yourself to do the things that will lead to improvement.

1. THE USE OF ALCOHOL, DRUGS, OR TOBACCO IS NOT PERMITTED. FIRST offense will result in suspension from the team. School discipline will result from any such action.

2. PROFANITY IS NOT PERMITTED. You are all better than that. Remember, you are a role model and represent your team, your parents, you community, and your school. Be proud of yourself and your school as we are.

3. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH HUGGING A TEAMMATE IN SUPPORT AND CELEBRATION, BUT PUBLIC DISPLAYS DURING PRACTICE OR AT A MEET OF HANDHOLDING, KISSING, PETTING, ETC…. IS NOT PERMITTED. You are at a meet to compete. Prepare to do your job and do it. Any infraction of this rule may result in a meeting with your parents and you will be suspended for the next meet.

4. DISPLAYS OF POOR SPORTSMANSHIP; THROWING A BATON, TANTRUMS, GESTURES, ETC….. WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. 1st offense is suspension from the following meet. Recurring offense will result in termination. ANY act of insubordination towards a coach will result in immediate termination.

5. YOU MUST ATTEND PRACTICE UNLESS YOU HAVE BEEN PERSONALLY EXCUSED BY YOUR HEAD COACH. Unexcused absences to practices that are not made up will result in missing that weeks meet. Being held out of practice by the head coach does not count as a missed practice. THREE unexcused absences will result in termination.

6. DISCIPLINED BUS BEHAVIOR IS EXPECTED. Athletes that become a distraction on the bus may have the number of away meets they participate in limited. Remember, what you do, not only affects you, it effects your whole team. Don’t be selfish. We expect athletes to travel together as a team. Coaches must be informed of plans to travel home with a parent. Any athlete requesting to travel home with someone other than their parent must have a note in the Head Coaches’ hand 24 hours in advance.

7. UNIFORMS ARE TREATED WITH RESPECT. THE ATHLETE TAKES PRIDE IN THE UNIFORM THEY WEAR REMEMBERING THAT IT REPRESENTS THEIR SCHOOL AND TEAM. Athletes will be assigned a uniform with running shorts, and a top and a sweat bottoms and sweat tops. They are responsible for taking care and keeping track of their uniforms. Fines will be assessed if the uniform is damaged in anyway or it is not returned. Uniforms are kept on throughout the entire meet and should not be removed when finished with your events.

“There is more in you than you know. Be brave enough to find it and your award could be priceless.”

DAY BEFORE

· Eat well. Try to load up on carbohydrates which are the body’s energy fuel; pastas, spaghetti, macaroni, whole grains, oatmeal, breads, cereals, etc…

· Get a good nights sleep. Remember, what you do not only effects you, it effects your whole team. DON’T be selfish.

DAY OF THE MEET

· Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Caffeine and other energy drinks will hurt you more than they will help you.

BUS RIDE

· Phones, iPods etc…. With headphones only.

· Be in your uniform ready to compete upon entering the bus. The uniform & sweats must stay on for the duration of the meet unless otherwise directed to do so.

· Girls will sit in one section of the bus while boys will sit in the other section. Girlfriends and boyfriends will NOT sit next to each other when traveling on a bus.

· Once your seat is chosen, it is yours for the duration. Stay in it. You know how to act, discipline yourself. Don’t make us do it.

· Athletes that become a behavior problem on the bus will risk not traveling to away meets. A Travel list will be posted prior to each meet.

AT THE MEET

· We sit together as a team. (Team unity is our priority) NO ONE LEAVES THE MEET UNTIL IT IS OVER! You are done when your team is done.

· Everyone not running, throwing, or jumping is a cheerleader. We are our own inner strength. Let’s be there for each other.

· Warm up a 1/2 hour to 45 minutes before your event. A poor warm up results in giving your opponent a head start.

· Participation— Each athlete is permitted 4 events.

· Dismissal from the meet—In an athlete is going to leave a meet separately from the bus, a parent must sign them out. If it is not a parent, the Head Coach must have a note prior to the day of the meet giving specific permission from the parents.

There are 3 calls per event (this informs you to report to the meet clerk for your event.)

1st call: Prepare to report to the bullpen near the starting area. Your event is coming up.

2nd call: Report to the bullpen.

3rd call: Report or be scratched. (They are about to run the event without you.)

Make sure you report to your event.

If you are presently performing when you are called for another event, then report and inform the event judge you are running another event and will return upon completion.

AFTER THE MEET (NEXT DAY)

1 mile recovery run on your own. That is equivalent to 10 minutes of running. This is a slow distance. Prevents injury & prepares the muscles for future competition. This is the day that separates the wishers from the doers.

ATHLETE/PARENT COMPLAINTS AND/OR CONCERNS

If there is any issue following a meet or practice, here is the line of communication.

1. Conference with player and coach.

2. Conference with player, parents, and coaches.

3. Conference with parents and athletic director.

Earn my sweats?

Team sweats are a privilege. Wear your sweats with pride and take care of them. There have been many Warriors that have given everything they’ve had just to have the privilege to wear them. CARE: All sweats are to be washed in cold water and hung to dry on a nonmetal hanger. DO NOT PUT YOUR SWEATS IN THE DRYER, DO NOT BLEACH.

Lose my sweats?

#1. Not being responsible for their whereabouts, lack of care or misuse. All lost or severely damaged sweats will be paid for at the current replacement price $45.

#2. They are assigned to you, only you wear them. They are to be worn to practice and meets, no other time. You are to wear your team t-shirt ot sweat top to school the day of, or prior to a meet if the meet is on a Saturday.

Travel Varsity?

Coaches always reserve the right to decide on those athletes that could compete at the appropriate level or to bring up or drop down an athlete due to discipline, work ethic, or attitude. Our goal is to provide the athletes with the best opportunity for success while at the same time creating an atmosphere where teaching those successes must be earned.

General Criteria:

1. Athletes that can achieve the times or distances consistently ahead of their peers.

2. For those meets where there are a maximum number of athletes that can compete in each event, the top two are designated “Varsity” squad. (This is due to the athlete entry limitations at most away meets.)

Travel JV?

At warm-up meets and some away meets, JV will compete. Sometimes in it’s own meet while other times with Varsity. However, in the case of space limitations and again with the intentions of insuring an atmosphere in which teaching that success is earned, we will designate those members who will compete and travel as JV prior to each upcoming meet. A travel list is posted prior to each meet.

General Criteria:

1. Athletes that can achieve practice expectations and model the ideas of the program.

2. For those meets where there are a maximum number of athletes that can compete in each event, the top three are designated to that events when there are limitations.

Sportsmanship: The Sportsmanship Award will be given to the player who maintains the highest standards of sportsmanship. This player is often self less, reflects concern for opponents, and maintains a high level of sportsmanship regardless of the situation.

Most Improved: The Most Improved Award will be given to the player who showed remarkable improvement throughout the season. This decision may be based on observation and opinion or it may even be based on a trend in season statistics.

Coach’s Award: The Coach’s Award will be given to the player who exemplifies all of the qualities a coach should expect of a player. The player who gives 100% effort, has a positive attitude, helps her teammates when needed, follows the coach’s instructions without question, and meets the expectations of whatever role she is in for the season will receive this award.

THE FOLLOWING AWARDS ARE BASED ON PERFORMANCE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.

_________Top Girl’s Thrower (includes shot & discus)

_________Top Girl’s Jumper (includes High, Long, and Triple)

_________Top Girl’s Distance (includes 400, 800, 1600, & 3200 relay)

_________Top Girl’s Sprinter (includes Relays, 100, 200)

_________Top Girl’s Hurdler (includes 100 and 300)

_________Girl’s Best All-Around (includes results from multiple areas)