PRACTICE SCHEDULE:

All field events and distance runners will be practicing before school on Mondays & Tuesdays. Doors will open at 7:15 am, 7:30 am practice starts.

Pole vault, shot putt & discus will also practice Thursday after school until 5pm.

Distance runners, long jump, triple jump, high jump & hurdles will also practice Friday mornings.

All other running events & relays will practice during the athletics period.

PHYSICALS:  You must have a physical on file with the coaches in order to try out. 

FIELD EVENT GUIDELINES

Long Jump - must be an athlete with good spring in legs

Triple Jump - must be an athlete with good spring and coordination

High Jump - usually tall and lanky athletes make good high jumpers. Some spatial awareness and gymnastic skills are a plus.

Pole Vault - should have speed, explosive strength, spatial awareness and courage.

Shot Put - must have upper and lower body strength along with explosive power.

Discus - must have upper and lower body strength with explosive power and coordination.

TRACK INFORMATION

One athlete can compete in only five events in a track meet; consisting of three field events and two running events or two field events and three running events. If an athlete is good at many events, the coaches will decide which events that she will best compete in. 7th and 8th grade compete separately.

During tryouts, all athletes will tryout for all running events. This is to determine who will be sprinters, who will be mid distance, and who will be distance runners so that the coaches can separate the athletes into different conditioning groups. Athletes may choose which field events they would like to tryout for, however, pay attention to the guidelines listed on specific field events. All field events will have an elimination process. Four or five athletes will be selected to train in their field event every day. Athletes who are in more that one field event will alternate training days.

We have a limited number of spikes to issue and sizes vary. Relay teams and sprinters are the first priority in issuing spikes. You may purchase your own spikes if you wish. They can be bought for as low as $30 at Academy. A 3'8" pyramid spike is recommended for the spike itself. Athletes who are running a 400M or less in a meet should wear spikes. Spikes are mainly worn in a meet. We do not train in them with the exception of some hurdle training and some field events on a limited basis. Please do not let the athletes run in their spikes at home ... it can create shin splints and can ruin the spike.

The athletes who are the fastest and most consistent in the 100M, 200M, and 400M will be selected to run on the relay teams. An athlete who has scheduling conflicts which would not allow him/her to practice with the relay team every morning may not be selected to be on the team.