Cross Country
The Fall '19 Cross Country Season will run from September 11th through the end of October. All students that wish to participate in Cross Country are required to have an up to date athletic physical on file in the SMS Nurse's Office, plus a permission slip and $25 in dues. (Dues cover a uniform shirt and offsets some of the costs of transportation and entry fees to meets). Both forms are linked on the bottom of the page.
All students that wish to participate in the Cross Country Team are required to have an up to date athletic physical completed and on file with the school.
Please make sure the physical is completely filled out or your child will not be permitted to participate.
-The history form needs to be filled out and dated PRIOR to the physical exam. The doctor needs to review the history form filled out by the parent at the time of the physical.
-The physical exam page MUST have date of exam, physician signature, physician stamp, and physician signature for cardiac module.
-Incomplete forms will be returned
-Athletic Physicals are valid for 365 days.
-Students with an athletic physical on file that is over 90 days old will need to also complete an update questionnaire.
- All physicals are due to Sparta Middle School by August 30th(There is an Open House that day).
- Permission Slip and team dues are due to Mrs. Gleason by September 6th
How to make sense of athletic packet video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgDBUozzQ7s&feature=youtu.be
Cross Country, like any sport, requires practice. The more prepared athletes are before the season starts the more success they are prepared to have during the season. I encourage everyone interested in participating in the Cross Country Team to begin to run independently as the summer winds down. By running on your own (or as a family!) 3-4 times a week for 1-2 miles you will find it easier to begin the season. There are several good pedometer websites and apps for smart phones to plan or track runs. I recommend running with a watch, any cheap watch will be fine, or using a running app to track runs. Or if you wish to keep it simple, 4 laps around the gorgeous new track at the high school is 1 mile.
Transportation is provided to and from each Cross Country Meet (except when we use Station Park - transportation is only provided to Station Park). Meets last roughly an hour and parents may pick up their children from the meet or at SMS after the bus returns.
Practices are held Tuesday, Wedmesday & Thursday after school (unless there is a meet scheduled for that day) until 4:00 PM. Please be mindful of the time when picking up students from practice or meets. Students that are not picked up in a timely manner may potentially be removed from the team.
There is a late bus available on Wednesdays at 4:30 but on Tuesday & Thursday there is no transportation home. Athletes are required to arrange for their ride home or must miss the practice.
If you have any further questions, please email Mrs. Gleason @ theresa.gleason@sparta.org
2018 - Cross Country Meet Schedule