Culture & Expectations 

General Expectations

Attitude:
Bring a positive attitude with you to track, remember you are choosing to participate, keep things positive and make a better experience for all.

Effort:
To improve requires your best effort at all workouts and competitions.  When others see you working hard, they will work harder as well.

Respect:
Be respectful to all around you.   Support your teammates.  Listen to your coaches. Respect the officials and your competition.  Always present the best of JWP to those around your.

Responsibility:
Show up where you are supposed to be on time.  Have all needed equipment.  Communicate to your coaches when necessary.

Practice Expectations

Attendance:
If you are in school the day of practice you are expected to be at practice.  If you cannot attend practice, you must communicate that to the head coach via in person conversation, text or email.  The consequence for an unexcused absence will be missing an event.  You will be at practice on time, dressed and ready to stretch.  You must checkout with a coach before leaving practice.

Dress:
Every athlete at minimum should have the following for practice:

Running Shoes in good condition.

Clothing for both warm and cold conditions

Hat and gloves

The weather can vary greatly in the spring, and you should be prepared to be outside in any conditions.  The more comfortable you are while practicing the more you will enjoy the season.  

Schedule:
The practice schedule will vary from day to day but your coaches will communicate who each group of athletes is working with.  Practice will always begin at 3:30 pm with a warm-up jog followed by stretching.  We will begin in the high school gym or outside depending on the weather.  General schedule:

Warm up jog

Stretching - with announcements from coaches.

Workouts

Stretching - with debriefing from coaches.

You should not be leaving practice without being excused by a coach.

Safety:
A few items to keep in mind during practice to keep yourself and others safe and injury free during practice:

Always run on the left side of the road.

Always look before crossing the street, don’t rely on your friend check for you.

Try to always keep another athlete in sight when out on the roads.

Wear proper clothing

Hydrate

Only use equipment you have been trained to use.

Be extra cautious when near the throwing areas.

Meet Expectations

Attendance:
Be on time for the bus.  If you know you are not going to make an event let the head coach know ASAP so that line-ups can be modified.  You are expected to go to every event, even if you cannot participate for some reason.  The expectation is that you are at the entire meet.  If circumstances arise, you must have your parent checkout with the head coach.

Event Selection:
Athletes will have input into which events they will participate in.  The final say of events entered however belongs to the coaches.  Coaches will try to strategically place you into events where you will have the most success as an individual and we will have the most success as a team. This means that sometimes you may be placed in an event that is not your favorite.  We strongly encourage all athletes to have both running and field events.

Behavior:
Take your sport seriously, and represent your school well at all events.  During the meet you should be practicing skills related to your events (hand-offs, steps, blocks…)  Be polite to all other attendees. Properly warm-up and stretch prior to your event.  Cool down properly after your event.  Check-in with a coach after your event to discuss how it went.  All athletes are expected to participate in a warm-up and cool-down lap as a team before and after the meet.

Preparation for Events:
You should begin warming up 2 events prior to your own.  Warm up should include:

800 m of warm-up running

Stretching

Form running

Post Event Cool Down:
Once your event is over you should be doing a minimum of:

800 m cool down jog.

Cool down stretches as we do in practice

Dress:
Every athlete is expected to have long pants and long sleeves at every event.  Unless the temperature is above 70 degrees, you are expected to keep your extremities covered at all times when not participating.  In addition to your uniform you may wear black compression shirts or leggings.  Having a hat and gloves along is recommended.

Food:
Every athlete should bring along a water bottle and healthy snacks (trail mix, granola bars…).  Ensure that before participating you are not eating too much.  

Personal Records and Goals
Having goals and measuring successes are crucial to improvement.  All athletes will make goals for the season.  The coach’s job is to help the athlete monitor their progress and let them know what can further be done to accomplish their goals.  Athletes should always be aware of their personal record in each event they are participating in.  The coaches will be keeping record of these and you can ask to see them at any time.

Lettering and Awards
An athlete will letter by either averaging one point per meet (excluding True Team), placing at Conference or by meeting an event standard given below.  Any athlete with more than six absences from practice will not be allowed to letter or gain any awards.  Absences may be made up by arranging alternate practice time with a coach.

Standards