XC Team Expectations

Cross Country is a 5k race (3.1 miles) run on grass, trails, and dirt. While many see running as an individual sport, it is very much team oriented. Cross country is scored by the sum of the places of the first 5 runners (7 runners run varsity). The team with the lowest amount of points total wins, making every runner on the team equally as valuable in the team score. JV races hold unlimited entries, including seniors. We do not cut any runners based on performance, though, we may not race an athlete if we feel they are not ready to race to ensure they have a positive experience. 

The greatest aspect of Cross Country is the team camaraderie and being a part of a tight knit group. XC is unique in that one may not win the race, yet can and still feel the personal success of running a PR and having your teammates enthusiastically congratulate you. 

With long distance running, what you put into the sport, is what you will get out of it. There is no short cuts, magic workouts, or special hacks that lead to success. Consistency in training over days, weeks and months is what leads to great success. There are important training elements that contribute to improvement such as: sleeping 8-10 hours, proper nutrition and hydration to ensure health in sport.

ATTENDANCE POLICY/PRACTICE SCHEDULE

1. Practice will begin in the baseball bullpen at 3:45-5:30. Sometimes we will meet in Coach Masei’s classroom to use the whiteboard or projector. 

2. If you can not be at practice please communicate this to one of the coaches. Excused absences are absences from school, meeting with a teacher, a family emergency, and school events, or notifying coach prior to practice. If athlete attends school, and does not attend practice without communicating with coaches, that is an unexcused absence.

3. If you are unable to practice as a result of an injury, we expect athletes to check-in with coaches and assist with timing if possible. We will do our best to have a bike for you to ride with teammates.

4. Athletes must be at practice to be eligible for meets. Athletes who have an unexcused absence the week of a meet cannot compete, or attend the team dinner.

COMMUNICATION

We will be using BAND. www.dhsdragons.com is our team website where we will further important information.

VARSITY LETTERING

• Compete in Varsity races for 50% of the meets or the District and State Meet.  

  • If we do not field a Varsity team, compete as one of the top 7 runners for 50% of the meets or top 7 at the JV District Meet.

• 4-year Seniors receive letters.

MEETS:

1). Athletes must complete at least 8 workouts before eligible to compete in a meet.

2.)  Be at the bus 15 minutes before the departure time. We will need help loading the bus with tent, water, tables, etc.

3.) Bring simple carbs to eat prior to the race (granola bar, fruit, applesauce), it will be easier on your stomach to digest. Bring water and electrolytes as well! XC is hard, why make it harder by being dehydrated and not fueled properly?

4.) Bring proper gear such as sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, rain gear, extra socks. Check the weather before you pack!

5.) Unless it is critical, athletes are expected to ride the bus home with the team. Bus rides are the best team bonding opportunities and ways to grow closer, we want as many of those opportunities as possible.

6.) If riding with parents, you cannot leave until

A.) You’ve cheered on your final teammates racing

B.) You have finished post-race cool down/workout (we will have some workouts at the completion of the race).

C.) Helped pack up the team area. 

D.) Your parents have filled out the sign out sheet. You can only ride home with YOUR parents. 

FUELING

As endurance athletes, we put our bodies under high stress, even higher than other athletes. Long durations of exercise require us to fuel our bodies to recover and adapt. To be healthy and continue to train at a high level, we need to be putting enough food into our bodies.

How much should I be eating?

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! You are the expert of you. Only YOU know when you are hungry, when you are full and what foods taste and feel good in your body. Though, we NEED to some food high in carbs and protien within 30minutes of completing exercise.

I’ve heard lighter is faster? Is this true?

NO. This is not true. Plain and simple.

• Research has shown underfueling will undermine an athlete’s ability to reach their goals.

• Trying to chase a certian "size" is unhealthy - injuries, sickness, fatigue will occur, ultimately costing performance.

• In order to perform, we NEED health.

TEAM DISCIPLINE POLICY

1. Our first and foremost goal is to ensure a safe and caring environment for all our runners and coaches. We will continue to have conversations about behavioral expectations and what it means to be a good teammate. 

2. The coaches will maintain a firm and fair system for handling behavioral infractions, including the following consequences:

   1. Step 1: A group or individual verbal warning that will be documented and/or witnessed by others. In some cases, depending on the severity, parents will be notified.

   2. Step 2: Meeting with the individual(s), clearly stating this is step two, and consequences if the behavior continues. The meeting will be documented. Parents will be notified.

   3. Step 3: Temporary and/or permanent removal from the team.

NECESSARY GEAR

When attending practice, athletes will need these items:

• Running shoes: shoes that are designed to provide cushioning, support for runners.

• Watch: doesn’t need to be a fancy GPS, but something you can start and stop.

• Appropriate clothes: clothes in which are appropriate for weather and physical activity

• XC Spikes: they are not required, but highly recommend. Our courses have mud, grass, and spikes will allow athletes to be able to maneuver the course much easier. 

• Appropriate clothes: Simply put, dress for the weather! Check the weather app ahead of time.

ACADEMICS

Dallas athletes are scholar/athletes. Focus on completing all schoolwork and passing all classes (with at least a “C”). Get to know all your teachers and seek assistance when needed. Choose to not get behind. One needs to be passing all their classes in order to have the opportunity to participate in our workouts and meets.

TEAM DINNERS

Prior to Friday and Saturday XC meets, we’d love to host team dinners in which parent or parents host our athletes for dinner. This is a huge opportunity athletes to have down time to bond, connect with eachother outside of structured practice time. It also ensures athletes are getting healthy meals the night before a meet. If possible, hosting dinners starting at 5 or 6, to allow athletes to attend football games at 7. Please let me know if any parents would be interested in hosting these, so we can put these on the schedule ahead of time.