Before the season

Before you do anything else, if you haven't signed up for the season yet, do that NOW!

Preseason

Preseason practices will begin on January 12. For runners and jumpers, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays will focus on general conditioning and skill development. Wednesdays will be reserved for returning track athletes who already know their events. Throwers will practice Mon, Tues, and Thursdays. Make sure you sign in with your phone with a coach each practice! All athletes should check in at the main entrance of the track and stay for warm-ups, yes, even the throwers will do the stretches. Throwers will go to throwing rings after stretching is done, you will not have to do the conditioning part.

For those who signed up for preseason, the charge will be applied to your tuition account in January. If you did not sign up but would still like to attend, you are welcome to do so. Attendance will be taken each day, and charges will be added to the tuition account after an athlete attends three practices.

Aktivate

• Please log in to AKTIVATE.COM and confirm that your athlete is registered for track and field and that it has a green Complete on it. You can see an example of my son's profile attached. He is in multiple sports and they show separately. If you don't see Track, you will need to add that. Just because you were cleared for a fall or a winter sport doesn't mean you are clear for spring, so please double-check asap. 

• Aktivate completion must be done to practice/compete (does NOT need to be done for preseason). 

• Detailed instructions and the form can be found on Crusader Connect on the resource board.

Season Schedule explanation and calendar

• Once the season calendar is 100% confirmed, we will create a Google Calendar you can add. 

• You can also use this calendar if you would rather see it in this format

• This season, we will be implementing two daily practice sessions that will overlap slightly. This adjustment is intended to give our athletes more individualized attention. As returning athletes know, with 150+ team members it can be challenging to get the number of quality reps needed, so practices will be split by event group. This structure will begin during the second week of practice. Athletes may move between A and B practices throughout the season depending on when the event coach needs you, so please plan accordingly. This will be a trial format, and if after the first month, we find it is not working as intended, we will adjust the calendar.

• Make sure you are aware of the Practice Rules before you come to practice.

Time Trials

We will hold a required team-wide time trial on the second Saturday of the season. Results from this time trial will be used to determine entries for the Heitkotter meet. Parents are welcome to attend and watch, just as they would at any meet. Running events will take place first, followed by field events. More detailed timing information will be shared soon. It is very important that athletes begin the season in good shape, which is why preseason participation is strongly encouraged for those not currently playing a winter sport. Our time to prepare before the first meet is limited. If you are not participating in a winter sport and do not plan to attend preseason, please be sure you are training independently.

Attendance

• We will enforce our attendance rules like we did last year. The attendance policy is in the policies/procedures doc you had to sign for the season. 

• Planned absences are understandable, especially with spring break and 3-day weekends during our season. We are all about communication as a coaching staff. Make sure you fill that form out (in the next section). 

• Every single practice, you will fill out a sign-in form. Yes, we already know you are going to complain about it, but it will be better than standing in line 100 people deep to check in with a manager. You will scan the QR code at the track each day. This is how we will take attendance. Do not fill this out if you are not at practice, and do not fill it out for anyone else but yourself. We will review the attendance sheet each day, and if your name is on the list and you weren't there, we will have a meeting with you. The QR code will not always be the same sign-in form.

Planned Absences

• Please look over the season calendar and make sure you are available for the practices and meets.

• If you are unable to attend due to an already planned event we need to know before the season starts. This includes the Missions Trip, college visits, school-related trips, Fine Arts concerts, etc... Please fill out the planned absence form

• The planned absence form will close after March 1st. So anything planned needs to be entered asap.

• When you are filling it out, if you are gone for more than one day at a time, please put them all in one entry. 

• Please note that we do have practices during spring break and a track meet in Chandler, AZ. We need to know especially who is available for this meet prior to the season because entries are due right at the beginning of the season. 

Pole Vaulters, please complete this form and send it to me as soon as possible. You cannot practice until you have completed it. 

Throwers, make sure you order throwing shoes as soon as possible. Many companies sell out of these before the season starts. 

Runners/Jumpers, There will be a spike night on in February at Red Rock Running Company. This is a great opportunity to get sized correctly and get quality spikes and running shoes that you need this season and you get 15% off. More details to come.

Season Communication

• On Mondays, we will have a team meeting in the Arena at 3pm. The meeting usually lasts 20 minutes and then we will start practice right at 3:30pm. You should get dressed and meet us in the Arena on time. We will take attendance in the meeting, which is required. 

• We will email weekly with updates

• Athletes need to read their emails. There is no excuse for not knowing what is going on. 

• We will use Band for last-minute changes, as well as meet-day communications. We will not use the calendar in Band, it will only be meant for communication. Download the band app first, and then use this link to join our team Band. Athletes are required to download the Band app and have notifications turned on. Parents aren't required but it is helpful so you know updates as they happen. 

• With the Band app, you can post on the wall with general questions. I may not see it right away, but there is probably another coach or another parent who knows the answer and will respond. If you need me to answer a specific question, send me an email. 

• The Track Website will be utilized the most. Athletes and parents will look at the site for most updates such as meet entries, meet info, and results. Please bookmark this site.

• We will post celebratory updates on the Instagram page. Coach Fox runs this account on her free time which means posts can take a bit of time. Please be patient with posts.  There is always a chance that things get missed, but it isn't on purpose.

Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions! See you all soon.