Welcome to Cross Country! FAQs

What is the practice schedule? Practice begins Monday, September 8 and will kick off with a student meeting the first day. Athletes practice daily from 3:20 to 4:30 Monday through Friday. There are no practices on meet days. 

Parent Meeting? Please attend our parent meeting in the Derby Cafeteria, on 9/11 at 4:30 to learn more about the upcoming season.

How is information communicated to athletes and parents? Athletes receive all communication daily at practice. If they are not at practice, they may miss important information and reminders. Parent communication is made through email alerts sent directly to the parent email that was included in registration information. 

How do I know the meet schedule? The meet schedule is posted on our Derby website once it is finalized. Do not expect the meet schedule to be posted before the season begins, as it is usually not finalized until the second week of school. You will receive reminders of meets via email. 

What is Cross Country? Cross country is a team sport. All athletes compete in every meet regardless of skill level. All athletes have an equal opportunity to place. Each meet consists of two 2-mile races, a girls’ race and a boys’ race. All girls run together and all boys run together. Each race lasts 20-30 minutes. The top seven athletes for Derby and for the opposing team will score points for the team. Points are given by place (i.e. 1st place = 1 point, 2nd place = 2 points, etc.). The lowest scoring team wins the meet. 

Is Cross Country an independent sport? It is an independent sport in that all athletes can achieve their personal best. However, our purpose is to build a team. Our focus is on the team as a whole and growth for each individual athlete. Athletes are expected to train and work together yet may be expected to independently manage their training in smaller groups. 

Should my athlete demonstrate responsible behavior so that he or she may remain safe while at practice? Athletes must be able to stay focused on one purpose-training for the sport, as they will at times be responsible for their own training. We train in several locations to include school grounds, the gym, and the community neighborhoods. We are available if there is an emergency and to coach your child, but this sport requires maturity and an ability to listen and follow adult directions. Participants who tend to “fool around” are discouraged from participating. 

How do we ensure athletes are safe when running in the community? We do all that we can to establish firm guidelines before leaving school grounds. Additionally, athletes do not run in the community until they learn the community course, know our guidelines, and we are certain that each will demonstrate the maturity to follow the guidelines and remain safe in the community. Coaches do not always run with athletes in the community. Believe it or not, some of our runners are faster than us, and we simply cannot run with every child. This means that when running in the community, your child will be responsible for staying on the designated course. We encourage athletes who are a bit slower or who run at the front of the pack to remain with a buddy. These points are encouraged; however, participants are not always under our direct supervision. 

Transportation to meets? There will be no transportation to and from meets. Parents, please plan now for your child. If you have difficulty finding a ride for any meet, please let us know as soon as possible. We can assist! 

Where/when should I pick up from practice? Pick up is at 4:30 PM at the gym doors ONLY. No exceptions please. There will be no pick-up in the circle drive, as we must supervise all athletes until pick up. Please be timely. Coaches have commitments with their families after practice, and we do not leave until all athletes are heading home. Even if we are told that a ride is on the way, we cannot leave. If an athlete needs to leave before practice ends and has not been informed, it may be difficult to connect immediately since the practice course varies. If athletes are aware of early pick-up times prior to practice, they will meet their ride at the gym doors. 

What do I wear to practice? For practice and meets, we train outdoors (come rain or shine) unless there is lightning. Be prepared with comfortable running clothes and pack extras for all weather (tanks, shorts, sweats, layers) since it can be unpredictable. Make sure you also wear a running shoe (no basketball, skate, or street shoes) and appropriate socks to prevent aches, pains, blisters, and injury. 

What about our uniform? Uniforms are worn for meets only. Black, comfortable, shorts of choice (from home) that follow Derby dress code are required for the uniform bottom. Please do not choose below the knee, basketball-type shorts. Athletes may purchase the team meet shirt via Callahan Promotions. A link to this vendor is available at registration or on our website. The shirt will have the athlete’s name on the back, so please be selective with sizing as a swap would be problematic. Additional spirit wear options (for athletes, family, and friends) are also available for purchase via the link. If you do not wish to purchase the team shirt, we have used shirts we can provide, although they will not have the students last name on them and they will need to be returned. 

How to stay hydrated? Make sure to bring a full water bottle to practice daily. Time is limited, and we are rarely near the building. Also, drink water throughout the day since hydration before practice will effectively impact performance and prevent dehydration. Hydration before practice is most important and critical to performance while at practice. 

What else to bring? Athletes should bring a healthy snack that can be eaten on the way to practice. A watch with a stopwatch mechanism is helpful but not mandatory. There is no need to purchase a fancy gadget - just a cheap, simple stopwatch (Walmart, Target, etc.). Also, Aquaphor or other waterproof balm is beneficial to coat toes and heels to prevent blisters. 

Do we need volunteers for home meets? Yes, we need apx. 10 parent volunteers for home meets. We will be contacting parents to sign up. All jobs are easy, and we provide on the job training. 

A team photographer? Derby Cross Country Facebook page? Wow! We have a fabulously, fun, Facebook page which has resulted from our wonderful parents catching athletes in action. If you are a parent who loves to take photos, or if you happen to take a good one, please email Coach Fiori at the email below. If you would like to check out our Facebook page it is Derby Middle School Cross Country.