Bigelow Cross Country

Frequently Asked Questions

Practices

When are practices?

We practice every day but Tuesday. Practice generally ends at 4:15 p.m.

Do I have to attend every single practice?

Yes. The only exceptions are if you have a prior commitment (for example: doctor's appointment or family function) OR are out sick/go home sick. Team members must provide a note from parents/guardians explaining absence prior to the absence (except in the case of absence due to illness). Email Coach Summa if you have any further questions.

Meets

What should athletes bring to a meet?

-uniform

-shorts or running tights/leggings (please no pants or heavy sweatpants for races)

-running sneakers

- filled water bottle

- warm clothing for after the race (sweatshirt AND sweatpants)

-snack (granola bar or fruit - NO CANDY, PLEASE!)

When do the meets start and end?

For every meet there will always be two races-one for boys and one for girls. Generally speaking meets will start around 4:30 and end sometime around 5:30 p.m. HOWEVER, there are a lot of variables that affect the start and finish of a race such as...

1.) If busses pick up the team on time, meets will usually begin on time

2.) Both teams need to know the cross country course in order to insure that no one gets lost. As a result, walking the course takes time and different courses take longer than others.

3.) Depending on the number of students and the pace of the last runner, the races will end at different times.

Where are the home meets?

Home meets this year will be at Cabot Field.

Where are the away meets?

Within Newton: Oak Hill and Brown meets are run on the fields behind Oak Hill School. You can park in the lot behind Oak Hill. Meets with Day are run at Albemarle Park behind Day Middle School. There is parking alongside of the park. The start of the race is near the football field.

Outside of Newton: An email with address and directions will be sent out the day before the meet.

Will the school provide transportation to and from the meets?

A bus will bring students to away meets and bring them back to Bigelow. Busses will also transport the team to home meets at Cabot Field. Students can be dismissed after their race for the occasional commitment. However, we discourage it on a regular basis as it is important for all members of the team to feel valued and supported.

Can an athlete leave when his/her race is over?

Being part of cross country means that athletes are part of a team, so we discourage participants from leaving before both races are over in order to support all members of the team. With that said, we understand that participants and families have other commitments. In the case that a member needs to leave early, we ask that he/she inform Coach Brady

Why do the coaches look so stressed at the meets? :)

Cross country coaches in Newton officiate their own meets. We are multi -tasking (starting races, timing races, determining placement, scoring, answering athletes' questions, managing a large group, tending to an upset or injured athlete etc...). If you encounter one of us and we seem distracted, or unable to finish a conversation, please know it is because we are working hard to stay focused on running an efficient meet and providing a positive experience for our athletes. Please send us an email if you have any questions and concerns we can't answer at a meet. Thank you!

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