This trip is a privilege, not a right! It is meant to be a reward for hard work,commitment to the team, and to becoming the best runner possible. Athletes must meet all of the following expectations to participate in the trip. If an athlete chooses not to meet the expectations, he or she will not be allowed to participate.

To be eligible for this trip, students must make a commitment to the Viroqua Cross Country program for the 2025 and 2026 seasons and meet the following guidelines. There may be a few exceptions to this rule. For instance, students moving into the district or foreign-exchange students may be considered if it does not increase the cost to the other participants.

Athletes must commit to attending all practices and events for the 2026 cross country season. Please schedule family vacations, work, and other events accordingly. Exceptions to this rule will be made for the Vernon County Fair along with other exceptions cleared by Coach Benzing before the start of the season. Please contact Coach Benzing if you have any questions.

The Iolani Invitational is a premiere meet. To be successful and avoid injury, our runners must be prepared to compete at the beginning of the season. To do this, athletes are expected to complete a summer running and strength training program provided by the coach at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. Running logs are expected to be kept and will be checked each week during the summer.

Our student-athletes are students first, athletes second. Each student is expected to work hard to maintain high academic standards. Also, since we will be missing 5 to 6 days of school, students must meet with their teachers the week before the trip to devise a plan for making up missed work.

Athletes must not violate the Viroqua Area Schools Acitivity Code during the 2025-2026 school year or the summer of 2026. Any violations of the activity code up to the date of departure for the trip will result in loss of participation in the trip.

While on the trip, athletes are to be positive representatives of the Viroqua Cross Country Team, the Viroqua Area School District, and the Viroqua community. Athletes are expected to follow all rules and guidelines set forth by trip leaders and chaperones.

Athletes are expected to be on time for all activities and meetings during the trip. Bring a watch!

Barring injury, athletes must participate in daily training runs while on the trip.

If an athlete signs up for the trip, but cancels for any reason (or is sent home early from the trip), the athlete is responsible for covering any costs that were based on his or her participation (example: hotel room costs based on quad occupancy).

1. Important Note: You are not considered "signed up" until you make a commitment to pay for the airfare in the spring of 2026. Until that time, you may opt out without ANY financial commitments.

After returning from the trip, athletes must fulfill a commitment to remain on the team and successfully complete the 2026 cross country season.

1. Any runner deciding to quit cross country in the four years before the trip will forfeit all funds in his or her trip account and will start at zero if he or she re-joins the team before the trip.

Minor violations of rules will be dealt with in an appropriate manner and will reflect the severity of the violation.

Each athlete’s luggage will be checked thoroughly before leaving. Any athlete attempting to bring alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs will not be allowed to go.

Athletes are not allowed to be in the hotel room of a teammate of the opposite sex or partner without a chaperone present. Violation of this rule will result in immediate return of the athletes involved.

Athletes are not allowed to leave their rooms after “lights out.” Violation of this rule will result in immediate return of the athletes involved.

Athletes are not allowed to be alone with a teammate of the opposite sex or partner at any time for the duration of the trip. Violation of this rule will result in immediate return of the athletes involved.

Violations of the activity code such as drinking, smoking, doing drugs, or displaying conduct reflecting poorly on the team will result in the immediate return of the athlete. Parents will be responsible for any additional charges resulting from the early return of their son or daughter (example: airline charges for changing a flight).

In the event of the whole team being evicted from the hotel due to the actions of any of our athletes, the parents of the athletes involved will be responsible for any costs incurred as a result of having to find a new hotel.

Athletes violating the law will be surrendered to local law enforcement immediately.

The Viroqua Cross Country Club will offer a number of fund-raising opportunities to athletes during the 2012-2026 school years and in the summers.

Parents are encouraged to contribute to the fund-raising efforts so that a few people aren’t asked to plan all of the activities.

All money from fund-raising efforts will be deposited in the Viroqua Cross Country Club account.

A detailed data base will be kept showing updated fund-raising information for each athlete.

Some fund-raising activities will be individually based, while others will contribute equally to all team members.

Athletes not participating in the trip are not entitled to any of the funds that they may have raised. Funds raised by an athlete not participating in the trip for any reason will be divided among the other members of the team or used in ways that benefit the XC program.

Airline tickets will be purchased some time during the second semester of the 2025-2026 school year.

Once we have a price quote from an airline, we will have less than one week to purchase tickets at the quoted rate. The entire cost of airfare will likely need to be paid at that time.

Any portion of the ticket price not covered by an athlete’s fund-raising total must be paid for by the athlete at the time of purchase.

Tickets are likely to be non-refundable and non-transferable. If an athlete purchases a ticket and does not go on the trip, he or she will not receive a refund!

There will be four athletes per room.

Rooms will be assigned by the coach before we leave.

Athletes are responsible for any damages to their rooms.

Athletes are expected to keep hotel rooms clean and orderly.

Phones will be turned off in all rooms, except chaperones’ rooms.

Contrary to popular opinion, food prices are not outrageous in Hawaii. They will be higher, but reasonable and in line with other tourist destinations.

There are many fast-food-type restaurants near the hotel as well as many grocery stores. There is an ABC grocery store within two blocks of the hotel.

Athletes are reminded to drink plenty of fluids, as the weather is likely to be hot and humid.

Parents are welcome to accompany the team on the departing and returning flights.

Parents are welcome to be spectators at the Iolani Invitational.

Parents will be provided with a list of activities for which they are welcome to join the team while on the trip. This is meant to be a team trip, not a family trip. That being said, we will try to schedule a time on one of the days of the trip when families may take their sons and daughters with them to have some family time.