Parent’s Guide
Congratulations! Your son or daughter has decided to become a member of the Boise High Cross Country Team. This guide has been prepared to inform you what cross country is all about and to answer the most frequently asked questions about our sport.
Cross Country is a team and individual running sport that takes place in the fall on a 5 kilometer (about 3 miles) course over varied terrain. Most Cross Country meets are held in parks and sometimes on golf courses.
Each athlete will receive a letter when they have earned 100 points. Each practice is worth 2 points, running in a meet 3 points, improving their finish time 5 points, running on the Varsity 10 points and running in the State meet 25 points. Additional points will be awarded for getting other students out for Cross Country, and other various tasks.
A Cross Country meet is scored by each team adding the places of its top 5 finishers. As in golf, the low score wins. For example, a team that scores 26 points places ahead of a team that scores 29 points, as follows:
Boise Mtn. View
1 2
4 3
5 7
6 8
10 9
26 29
Boise Wins!
A team’s 6th and 7th finishers can also figure into the scoring if they place ahead of the other teams’ top 5 finishers. When that is the case they become “pushers” by pushing up their opponent’s scores as follows:
Boise Mtn. View
2 1
3 4
6 5
8 7
9 (10) (11) 12
28 29
Boise Wins Again!
Only a team’s 6th and 7th runners can be pushers regardless of how many of its runners may finish ahead of an opposing team’s top 5 finishers.
LEVELS OF COMPETITION
Boise High School is a member of the Southern Idaho Conference and competes at the 5A or largest high school level in Idaho. Most of our meets have 3 or 4 races in the following order (usually 30 minutes apart):
1 - Girls Junior Varsity
2 - Boys' Junior Varsity
3 - Girls' Varsity
4 - Boys' Varsity
The Varsity team is the top seven runners of the team at the last meet. However, if a runner who was on the Varsity is unable to compete because of something beyond their control, an injury for example, a spot may be reserved for that runner depending upon the situation. All team members can participate in all of our meets prior to the state meet. At the state meet only the 7 Varsity runners compete.
PREPARING TO WATCH YOUR FIRST CROSS COUNTRY MEET
When you arrive at the meet site, ask to see a map (if one is available) of the course. First, locate the start and finish lines, then try to scout central points where you can see as much of the race with as little moving around as possible. Many schools share our red and white uniform colors, so try to observe the differences while teams are warming up just before the start. Be aware that our meets usually have 2 boys and 2 girls races about 30 minutes apart and the whole meet lasts about 2 ˝ to 3 hours. We will have informed each runner about which race he or she will run, beforehand. Some of our Saturday Invitationals have as many as 50 teams and a schedule that lasts all morning and much of the afternoon.
Don’t expect the attention of your daughter or son once we get to the meet site. The athletes need time to warm up on the course, be briefed by the coaching staff, and mentally prepare for the race with their teammates. Many parents are initially surprised at the seriousness their child shows prior to and during a race. The intensity of competition may reveal a side of your young athlete’s personality you haven’t seen before.
HOW TO BUY RUNNING SHOES
There is no getting around the fact that running shoes are expensive. The best way to prolong the life and function of a new pair of running shoes is to wear them only for running, not as school shoes or for PE class. If possible, when buying a new pair of running shoes, go to a store that deals primarily with running footwear and apparel. Bandanna at 5th & Main is the shop we recommend. This shop has experienced runners as sales persons who can help you choose the right shoe with the right fit. The Athlete's Foot, McU's and Idaho Sporting Goods also have a good selection of shoes. All of these shops will give you a discount off the retail price if you inform the salesperson you are a member of the Boise High team. It is also recommended that each runner have a set of sweats or a warm-up suit to keep warm and to stay dry if necessary. It need not be an expensive set. Each runner will be issued a race uniform that consists of a singlet and shorts; these are not to be worn at any time except for meets. They will be turned in at the end of the season. Any runner losing or damaging uniforms will be fined. Until fines are cleared, report cards can not be issued and the athlete won't be allowed to register for classes the next semester.
HOW YOU CAN HELP YOUR ATHLETE DURING THE SEASON
As your aspiring young runner begins the first weeks of training, you may wonder what you should expect and how you can assist as a parent in terms of recovery, eating sleeping and mental attitude. As a rule we do not recommend you change any aspect of their normal routine of home responsibilities, family meal planning, bedtime and social guidelines. A normal consequence of training is muscle soreness, which should go away in a short time. If your athlete hasn’t participated in a running sport for some time, this soreness may persist for up to two weeks. If the pain gets worse or doesn’t go away after 2 weeks, they should communicate this to one of the coaches so we can adjust their training. Any athlete engaged in intensive training and competition can be subject to injury. We can prevent many injuries when runners tell us about their persistent aches or pains before they become disabling.
ILLNESS AND INJURIES
Everyone needs to be aware that running Cross Country just like participating in any other sport has risks of serious injury and even in rare cases death. We request that all members of the team see our athletic trainer, Nikki Clark, ATC when they are injured. A preliminary diagnosis will be made at that time and appropriate treatment will be started. For all injuries, no matter how slight this procedure must be followed! Dr. Mike Gustavel, MD. is our team physician and visits our training room on a weekly basis to examine more extreme injuries and give his diagnosis. Dr. Gustavel, will treat your child only after receiving your permission. If you wish to have your child see your own doctor please feel free to do so, but please be sure to see one of our trainers first so we are aware of the number and types of injuries we are experiencing, and protect against them.
A nutritious well balanced diet is essential for an athlete. Especially on race days, fatty fried foods and carbonated or acidic drinks should be avoided. Try to get your athlete to gradually increase the amount of carbohydrates they eat. Small portions of easily digested foods eaten at least 3 hours before competition are best, and water intake should never be limited. Most athletes feel and run their best when they are a little hungry.
WHAT IT TAKES 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, before school time, after school time, weekend time, time 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. The willingness to devote the time that success demands is dedication.
Being a member of the Boise High School Cross Country Team carries other expectations and responsibilities. Doing what is expected of every team member is commitment. Attending team practices everyday is one of the commitments we expect. Your student/athlete has received a packet of information outlining our team rules, policies and guidelines along with the Boise Schools athletic code of conduct and eligibility requirements. Ask to see these. Our goal is to develop team loyalty and individual responsibility and accountability among all our team members. We hope that you as parents will appreciate this and support our goals.
Another commitment we expect is communication with our coaching staff. If a problem or illness forces your child to miss practice or a meet, we expect to be told about it personally, in advance. (This does not mean relaying a message through a teammate or friend.) Many problems can be avoided and/or easily solved when athletes communicate with us. Messages can be left at the main office for Coach Barber or Coach Mills or on Coach Mills' cell 867-0919 We’ll return your call as soon as possible.
Cross Country Vocabulary
v TOP 7… scoring members of a cross country team
v COURSE … the marked and measured route of the race
v STARTING BOX…area team is assigned on the starting line
v FALSE START…leaving the starting line before the gun sounds, runners may be disqualified for false starting
v FINISH CHUTE…a rope bordered funnel at the finish line that moves runners into order of finish in single file
v PACE…running speed over a particular distance
v SURGE…a tactical increase in pace during the race
v KICK…a burst of speed at the finish of the race
v PACK… a group of runners in close proximity
v PR or PERSONAL RECORD…best ever performance
v RACING FLATS…special, lightweight shoes designed for racing, not for training
v TRAINING FLATS…running shoes designed for long wear in daily training (called ‘flats’ because they have no spikes)
v WARM-UP…a running and stretching routine that gradually warms up the body for more intense running
v COOL DOWN… jogging and walking routine that allows the muscles to purge themselves of lactates and the body to gradually lower its temperature to normal
Season Schedule
August
28 Run for the Pie, Military Reserve Park/Fort Boise
September
3 Caldwell Invitational, Caldwell High School
11 Tracy Walters Invitational, Spokane, WA
15 Thompson Memorial Centipede Races, Les Bois Park
25 Bob Firman Inv, Eagle Island State Park
October
2 Warrior Mtn Classic, Cascade
6 Kleinkopf/Canyon Springs Invitational, Twin Falls
14 Boise City Meet - Ann Morrison Park
22 5A District Meet - Eagle Island State Park
30 State Meet - Eagle Island State Park
November
13 Nike Cross Country Nationals Northwest Regional, Eagle Island