Frequently Asked Questions

Cross Country is long distance running over different types of terrain. The course can consist of grass, dirt (mud), sand, concrete, and asphalt. The race may include hills, valleys, roads, sidewalks, and trails. Races are 3 miles or 3.1 miles (5k) for both boys and girls.

Cross country is a team sport for grades 9-12 with competitions officially beginning in August and ending in October.  It is an all-inclusive co-ed sport with no tryouts or cuts. We run all through the summer in all conditions but lightning. 

A cross country team consists of five or more runners who all race together at the same time with other teams. The varsity division may have a maximum of 7 runners, but on junior varsity, there are usually an unlimited number of runners allowed. The great thing about cross country (abbreviated XC or CC) is that everyone competes! 

All high school sports have a flat fee of $100 which is paid through registermyathlete.com.  Uniforms are purchased online which include a running jersey (about $35) and shorts (about $25).  This uniform will be used for multiple years.  Your athlete will also need a good pair of running shoes.  Shoes can cost from $70-$175.      

EVERY DAY!!!!  We understand you will go out of town over the summer and may need to miss some days of practice.   Keep in mind running is still possible almost anywhere you go. Do your best to follow the training schedule even while out of town.  Commit right now that any day you sleep in your own bed, you will come to practice.  This is what we as coaches do and we expect the same of you.  The more you put into becoming a stronger runner, the stronger you will become.    

To sign up for cross country follow the steps below:

1) Go to www.registermyathlete.com

2) Login or create an account

3) Register your athlete to cross country

4) Make sure that they pay their participation fee

5) Make sure that they have a current physical

Cross Country is for everyone! Whether you are coming out to get in shape, preparing for another sport, trying to meet friends, or you just want to push yourself to get better.... Cross country is for you! You do not need experience, we do most of the runs together and you can find someone who can run with you or a coach will adjust your workouts based on your skill level. EVERYONE is welcome.

Coaches will send all quick communication to athletes and families through the School Binder app. All parents and athletes need to have this app downloaded on their phone so they do not miss out on important information. Also, make sure that you have your notifications turned on so you get notified when announcements are pushed out.

Once you download the app search "SCHS cross country" and request membership. A coach will approve your request. 

All other communication (workouts, schedule, etc.) will be through the team website (this website).

If you have personal questions, each coach can be emailed.  Email addresses are found on the coaches page.

The goal in cross country meets is to have the LOWEST team score. Cross country meets are

scored by each team adding up the places of its top 5 finishers and places are determined in

order of scores from low to high. For example, a team that scores 27 points places ahead of a

team that scores 28 points, as follows:

Team A Runners: 1st, 4th, 5th, 8th, 10th, 13th, 14th = 28 points

Team B Runners: 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 12th =27 points

In this example Team B wins the meet. This example is a dual meet with two teams and meets

with 6 or less teams are considered to be small meets. Big invitational meets can have 10, 20,

30 or more teams entered!

A team’s 6th and 7th place runners can also figure in the scoring if they place ahead of the other

teams’ top 5 finishers. When that is the case, they bump up their opponents’ scores. Therefore a team’s 6th and 7th place runners are important even if they aren’t scoring for the team. They also have to be ready to step up in the top 5 if a top 5 runner goes down with injury or illness or just has a bad race. 

“Success” is not defined as being the fastest person on the team. More than anything else, success in Cross Country takes time. Time to learn; time to train; time to sleep, rest and recover; before-school time; after-school time; weekend time; time with and away from family and friends; and time away from other interests. With the academic responsibilities of being a high school student, most student-athletes are busy all the time because of the delicate balancing act that must be performed. The willingness to devote the time that success demands for cross country is called DEDICATION.

Even if your athlete is not the fastest in any particular race, “success” is achieved when he or she has learned “dedication” and “commitment” to the TEAM.  

The cost is $35 per night.   This fee can be paid online at my school fees or at the high school finance office. Athletes share hotel rooms with 4 to a room as assigned by the coaches.