Event descriptor
Cross Country is a team distance running sport that takes place in the fall. Most of our kids will run distances between 1500 meters and 5000 meters. (Please see below to determine the distance of your child’s race based upon their age and NOT academic grade level.) Cross country offers a variety of courses in both terrain and distance. Common venues include school grounds, parks, golf courses and even dedicated cross country facilities. Obviously, difficulty varies from course to course, so time is not necessarily an accurate indicator of success.
History
The sport can be dated back to the 1800s in England where it was a team sport in public schools. At that time, the sport was named “Hare and Hounds” or “The Paper Chase”. The sport would consist of a group of runners that would lay a trail of paper or other devices to mark a trail and another group of runners would follow the trail. In 1837, the first competition was held at Rugby School, which later turned into the sport having a course pre set over open country land. The sport became so popular in England in the later 1800s and finally, in 1876 the English National Cross-Country Championship took place.
A year later, The United States was introduced to the sport and the National Cross-Country Association was founded as well as the Amateur Athletic Association began, which began holding the yearly National Championship. It did not take long for the Universities in the United States to pick up the sport. Harvard was the first University to hold a cross-country team and many other Universities followed.
Age determination based on USA Track and Field/Cross Country Rules.
As part of The Fire program, our children run under the USA Track and Field/Cross Country sanctioning body. Thus, at all times, we follow the USAT&F rules, including age groups and distances. An athletes age is determined by how old they are on December 31st. There is no consideration for the academic grade level of the athlete. USATF Age Groups
Age Division Race Distance
Sub Bantam 1500 meters
Bantam 3000 meters
Midget 3000 meters
Youth 4000 meters
Intermediate 5000 meters
Young Adult 5000 meters
Once again the Age division your child will compete in, is based on their age as of December 31st.
How is Cross Country Scored? All the runners on a team are important. But, only the top five are used in the team score. The other runners do impact the score in the case of tie (which happens more than you think) and by pushing back other teams runners which is a real key in the larger invitationals and championship races. The lowest score wins in a cross country race. For example, a team that scores 26 points places ahead of a team that scores 29 points.
Here is an example of a two team (dual) meet and how the scores might look (notice how important the 6 and 7th runners are!)
The Fire Ft Wayne Flyers
1 2
4 3
6 5
8 7
9 12
28 points 29 points
10 13
11 14
WhatWill It Take To Be Successful?
More than anything else, success in Cross Country takes time…time to learn; time to train; time to sleep, rest, and recover; after school time; week-end time; time away from family and friends; and time away from other interests. With the academic responsibilities of a student, most student-athletes are busy all the time. The willingness to devote the time that success demands is called DEDICATION.
Being a member of The Fire Cross Country Team carries expectations and responsibilities. Doing what is expected of every team member is called COMMITMENT. Attending team practices is one of the commitments we expect. We understand that many families have other commitments, thus, if they arise please speak to one of the coaches and advise them as to the circumstance regarding missing practice. Our goal is the development of team loyalty and individual responsibility and accountability among all our team members.
Cross country is unique to every other sport – there absolutely is nothing else like it. The camaraderie and sense of family that develops within successful programs is unmatched at every level of sport. I say this not only from my own personal experiences as an athlete but as a coach that had athletes who left swimming, wrestling, baseball and football to find something more in cross country. Every one of them would tell you that all teams talk about “TEAM” and “Tradition” and about being a “Family”, but that cross country is the gold standard of TEAM sports. The only thing individual about cross country is your decision to make it that way… If you were to ask 100 State and NCAA champions which they would rather have – the individual title or the TEAM championship, I would bet the farm you’d find they all would take being 2nd on a championship TEAM over being 1st place on the runner-up TEAM. Those that think otherwise seldom stay out front in anything. Life is a TEAM sport.
Our goal is simply to introduce the sport of distance running to kids and try to light the fire. We are not focused on chasing championships or developing the next great superstars – there is plenty of time for that to happen at the next level. In my years of experience as an athlete and coach, I have seen way too many youth and middle school phenoms wind up running far below expectations and or quitting cross country and track altogether because they were no longer the front runner or they had been pushed too hard too early. Equally, I have seen kids that couldn’t finish the warm-up when they joined our programs go one to run in the NCAA Championships! Developmentally distance runners don’t hit their peak until their middle to late twenties and some would argue even later. Where an athlete is today is little indication of where they can be five or ten years from now.
Whether you are in the front or in the back it makes little difference. If you are doing what you love and you are loving what you do, you will have the time of your life out here. Don’t Get Discouraged!
Our program will focus on introducing different training techniques, practicing together and learning the basic building blocks for becoming a better athlete – regardless of the sport. Stretching, running, sportsmanship and overcoming a fear of failure will be key components in everything we do.
What Do We Need To Get Started?
A good pair of running shoes is a must. More is not always better when it comes to shoes! The more bells and whistles the higher the price. Running shoes are like cars…but they wear out a lot faster! Your athlete needs something safe and reliable to get them around town but remember these are a disposable item. Most shoes last about 300-400 miles for the typical teen runner. There is really no better make or model – but it is important to get fitted by a professional. Here in our area; The Running Company, Runners Forum and Athletic Annex all do a great job and specialize in footwear for runners and walkers. Once you have found a shoe that works well then stick with it. Models change from year to year and often you can get the same shoe on close-out or online, maybe even at Kohl’s for a good discount. Just be sure to make the first investment a wise one. You don’t need a Cadillac if a Cavalier will do the job…
Dress for the Elements! It is always good to have more than you need. You can take layers off and store them during meets or workouts but you can’t put on what you never packed, so make sure you check the weather and then plan for the unexpected!
Preparing for To Watch Your First Meet
When you first arrive at the meet, ask to see a map of the course. Most small races will not provide a map. However, the big invitationals provide maps. Coaches often have those ahead of time for you to review. Scout the course for a central location where you can see as much of the race with as little moving as possible. Be sure to check the color of the our team jersey so you can easily identify our athletes. Cheer as the runners’ pass, but do not run with them. It is against the rules to run with an athlete. Also, be careful to stay off the course. This includes cutting across the course in front of slower runners or between “packs”.
At the finish of a race the athletes file into a chute. Once the athletes pass the chute make sure they report to the scorekeeper. Our runners have other responsibilities after a race. We expect them to run a cool down as a team and actively support their teammates who have yet to race.
After each race, coaches are preparing for the next race on the course, or accumulating scores and times. This is not the time to ask about your child’s time, place or for an assessment of their performance. Wait until the meet is completely finished or for the next practice to speak with a coach. If there is time, most all coaches are happy to “talk shop” with any parents and the kids after the races have finished…but please allow the coaches to do that with the athletes first and when it works best in the schedule.
Once a meet is over, each athlete will leave with his/her parent(s). This is not always possible. Athletes must communicate to the coaches that they are leaving with someone other than their parent.
Cross Country Vocabulary
Dual Meet…a meet between two teams
Triangular Meet…a meet between three teams
Invitational Meet…a multi-team meet
Top 7…the scoring members of a cross country team (5 score and 2 push)
Course…the marked and measured route of the race
Starting Box…designated area to which a team is assigned on the starting line
Finish Chute…a rope bordered funnel past the finish that keeps runners into their single file order
Pace…running speed over a particular distance
Surge…a tactical increase in pace during the race
Kick…a burst of speed at the finish of the race
Pack…a group of runners in close proximity
Fartlek…Swedish term for “Speed Play”; it means changing paces throughout a run
Spikes… specially made lightweight racing shoe with spikes
Racing Flats…lightweight racing shoes made for road races or the track
Training Flats…running shoes designed for daily workouts
Personal Record…best-ever performance at a given distance (PR)
Warm-up…a running and stretching routine that gradually warms the body for intense running
Cool Down…a running routine that allow the muscles to purge themselves of lactates and the body to gradually lower its temperature to normal
Workout…a daily training session
Links
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