Hello to student-athletes and parents — welcome to cross country! You can sign up here. (You must get a physical and upload the paperwork or you CANNOT JOIN THE TEAM). Also be sure to sign up for your grade level when school starts in August. And the “participant email” is the student-athlete, not a parent please!
Head coach: John Bacon (email – john.bacon@apsva.us). Assistant coaches: Coach Roz, Coach Troiano and Coach McNeill
Practices will begin the week of August 3 and will take place Monday-thru-Friday from 7:30-9AM for four weeks until the start of the school year.
Captains and seniors will report to the track on Monday, Aug. 3. Ninth-graders will join them on Tuesday, Aug. 4 and all student-athletes are all-in on Wednesday, Aug. 5. EVERYONE MUST SHOW UP DRESSED AND FIT TO RUN ON THEIR FIRST DAY!
Once school starts, practice will be held after every school day (except meet days) from 3:35-5pm. Our first meet is Wednesday, Sept. 2. Our complete, tentative meet schedule is at the bottom of this page.
We are making some changes this season to increase commitment:
— All student-athletes must complete a 1.5 mile run — without walking — at the end of the second week of practice to qualify for the team.
— Student-athletes should attend all practices with exceptions for doctor appointments, family scheduling conflicts and other issues approved by the assistant coach overseeing your running group. Last year’s experiment with an optional practice schedule of 3 days a week too-often resulted in insufficient commitment and was unfair to student-athletes who put in the work every day.
Practice t-shirts: Student-athletes will be issued two sleeveless t-shirts (same shirt as last year) and you MUST wear one to all practices. In a pinch a similarly colored t-shirt is ok.
Running groups: As we sort things out, runners will be assigned to one of the groups below.
– Blue group: Coach McNeill, an elite runner AND head XC coach at Marymount University, will lead 30 or so of our top athletes.
– White group: Coach Troiano,a former W-L runner who still runs competitively and teaches at our school, will lead a group of about fast, competitive kids.
-Green group: Coach Jay will lead this group of student-athletes who are either working to join one of the other groups or who just want to enjoy running with friends on the team and run in a few of our races.
-Red group: Coach Roz, a former track athlete who also teaches at W-L, will oversee our awesome 9th graders.
Athletic lockers will be assigned in mid-August after we sort things out. Leave running gear, a water bottle (and maybe a practice shirt!) in your locker. You can lock up your phone and other stuff during practice.
The other guys: Conference high schools include Herndon, McLean, Langley, Marshall, Wakefield, Yorktown and W-L.
TEAM RULES/EXPECTATIONS
Have fun!: Seriously, have fun.
Runners of all abilities are welcome. You can join our team no matter how fast or slow you are if you are a good student! But you MUST be committed to and be respectful and supportive of your teammates, coaches, officials and our competitors.
Behavior: Any bullying, foul language or disrespectful behavior to teammates, coaches, officials or competitors in any way – verbal, online, social media, etc. – will result in separation from the team. NO FIGHTING OR EVEN PLAYFUL WRESTLING — we can’t tell the difference and sometimes the smaller kid can’t, either. Our team is a safe, inclusive space that welcomes and encourages everyone. Be nice.
Work ethic: Regardless of skill level you MUST work hard and follow the instructions of your coaches, or you will be separated from the team.
Got a legit reason to miss a practice?: You/parent should email the coach leading your group in advance. Coach emails are in the “To” line of this email. And YOU should actually talk with your coaches! Unexcused absences will result in separation from the team.
No phones at practice: Unless you need a special exception, in which case let the coaches know before practice.
No ballplaying: of any kind during practice.
XC meets: You are expected to compete in meets as assigned by the coaches. If you have a legitimate reason to miss a meet, let your coaches know several days in advance, since you may be taking the spot of another athlete.
Golden rule: Have fun!
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
The team will travel to and from weekday meets on buses that leave from the school at 3:25pm. The bus is not mandatory for meets at Bluemont Park. Saturday Invitationals are in bold and are for select athletes, bus times tbd. We expect to add one or two more invitationals!
Wednesday, 9-2, 4:30pm: @Lake Fairfax v Yorktown, Herdon and Langley
Wednesday, 9-9, 4:30pm: @Bluemont v Yorktown and Herndon (we host!!)
Saturday, 9-12: Monroe Parker Invitational@Burke Lake
Tuesday, 9-15, 4:30pm: @Bluemont v Langley and Wakefield (we host again!!)
Saturday, 9-19: Georgetown Prep Classic @Gtown Prep
Wednesday, 9-23, 5pm: @Bluemont v Marshall, Ytown and Wakefield
Saturday, 9-26: Oatlands Invitational at Oatlands Plantation
Wednesday, 9-30, 4:30pm: @Bluemont v Marshall, Ytown and Wakefield
Wednesday, 10-7, 4:30pm: COUNTIES!! at Bluemont v O’Connell, Ytown and Wakefield
Tuesday, 10-13, 5pm: All Liberty District jamboree @Burke Lake
POST SEASON – VARSITY ONLY
Wednesday, 10-21 11:30am (girls then boys): District championships @Burke Lake (Girls@11:30am; Boys@12:30pm)
Wednesday, 10-28: 2:30pm (boys then girls) Regionals @Burke Lake (Girls 2:30; Boys 3:15)
Saturday, 11-7: States!
