A few more tips from our veteran parents put together for our new XC parents joining the team this year. Enjoy!
- New XC Parent Information: Part 1. If you missed the post from the June 6th blog this is a great place to start.
- Encourage your runner to attend team dinners the night before the meets. Freshman are reluctant, but they are all invited and welcome. Tell them to go with a friend.
- Athletes usually wear other shorts, shirts or warmups over their uniforms on their way to meets.
- Freshman boys are not used to running in shorts quite that short. They can wear compression shorts underneath, if they so choose.
- Parking can be challenging in crowded school lots and neighborhood streets. Give yourself plenty of time to get parked and hike over to the course before race time. It can be hard to watch a race if you show up late, depending on the course layout.
- Most XC meets are no charge, but bring cash just in case. Some have concession stands.
- Be a great fan! Wear your green Vista Nation shirt. Cheer for everyone, not just Vista! If you like to take pictures, share them on Shutterfly.
- Meets can last until 6pm or later – encourage your athlete to bring homework for the bus and in team tent.
- Kids get hungry and thirsty – encourage your athlete to bring plenty of water and easy to digest healthy snacks. Parents will need plenty of snacks and drinks, too, especially if you are coming straight from work.
- If your child has asthma, he/she should pack an extra inhaler. They have been known to fall out of pockets during warm up runs. Food allergy kids should pack rescue meds.
- Colorado XC season weather can change quickly – encourage your athlete to bring clothes for all weather conditions (jackets, hats, sunscreen, etc)
- Team Tent is for the athletes and coaches to rest, prepare and bond. Please be mindful of the athletes’ and coaches’ space by limiting visits to the tent.
- Team will gather near team tent after awards are complete for a wrap up and cheer. If possible allow your athlete to stay until this is over. Parents are welcome to stay and listen to coaches recap too! Coaches recognize a few athletes after most meets.
- Parents and fans - Bring coats, blankets, hats and a good pair of shoes. We seldom sit at an XC meet and there are usually plenty of places to see your child run. So parents usually ‘run’ around the course to catch a view and cheer on the runners. If you have grandparents or fans who may need to sit, bring a comfortable chair.
- Vista parents usually find a place to congregate together. Don’t hesitate to ask any Vista parents about the course and best spots to view the runners. Many courses are posted on http://co.milesplit.com/ So feel free to check it out before the meet.
- Sometimes the runners will decide to go to dinner after the meets, usually to Qdoba or Chipotle. There’s not always a well thought out plan and sometimes it depends on their moods, but you might want to send money with your runner just in case. Also, you might want to coordinate rides home with another family so it’s more manageable. You will probably hear about such plans at the last minute, after you’ve been waiting around for hours for them to finish up. All runners are welcome to attend these team gatherings.
- Special note about the League Championship race. We often take team and grade level pictures after these races so plan to stay for a wonderful photo op.
RSS Feed
