What exactly is cross country?
Cross country is a coed distance track program. Athletes compete in three mile races over a variety of terrains, including grass, dirt trails, hills, sand etc. There are 6 teams at Northwood High School: Girls Varsity, Girls JV, Girls F-S, Boys Varsity, Boys JV, and Boys Frosh-Soph. The varsity teams consist of the top 7 runners, regardless of grade level. Many 9th and 10th grade runners have earned varsity letters in the last few years, including 2009-2011 when several frosh girls were part of teams that advanced to the State Championships!
What type of athletes do well in cross country?
We have all types of athletes on our teams. Some runners have no previous athletic background, while others may come from soccer, basketball, swimming or any number of other sports. In order to be successful, a runner must have a strong sense of dedication to the team and a strong personal desire to succeed. Cross country is a demanding sport, but it is also a safe and fun way to begin a lifetime of physical fitness!
When is the season?
Cross country is a fall sport. Summer camp begins on July 23. Mandatory practices begin on Sept 4th and the first contest is on September 8th . The season ends in mid-November. Practices and/or meets are held Monday-Saturday. Once school begins, the Monday-Friday practices run from 2:15-4:30, while Saturdays and Thursdays are meet (competition) days.
Summer camp is strongly encouraged. Runners who fail to attend the camp are rarely able to qualify for the team and must meet a time standard in order to be added to the roster.
Can I miss weekday or Saturday meets for club sport competition?
No. Club sports are businesses whose primary purpose is to make a profit; as a member of the NHS Cross Country team, you represent your school, and your fellow athletes will be depending on you to show up and compete at ALL meets. Athletes are free to participate in club sports, but they will need to avoid missing more than ONE cross country meet.
Is cross country a “cut sport”?
Athletes will not be cut from cross country unless they are physically unable to complete the workouts in a reasonable amount of time. Because our training consists of running off campus, it is essential that athletes are in decent shape, for there is no way for 2 or 3 coaches to monitor 70 or more runners who are spread out over a 3-8 mile course. Athletes are placed into ability level groups, and most athletes will be successful in one of the groups. In the past few years, the only athletes who were cut were individuals who showed up once school began and were unable to run three miles in a reasonable time. For liability reasons, we cannot retain athletes who, by the end of the summer camp, cannot keep pace with one of the groups. No one will be cut during the summer camp, so if athletes come out early, they will most likely be in good shape by the time school starts and competitions begin. There will be a time trial on Sept 4th. Athletes will need to run a target time to remain on the time after that date; summer camp will help prepare you for this important event.
Charles Gates
Head Coach NHS Cross Country
Questions: Coach.Gates@NHSCrossCountry.org
