Calabasas Cheetahs parent handbook.docx

Calabasas Cheetahs 2018Parent & Athlete Handbook

WELCOME MESSAGE

Hello, and welcome to the Calabasas Cheetahs! 

The Calabasas Cheetahs Running Club is a non-profit organization in Calabasas, California, which offers instruction and competition in track and field, cross country,to youthful competitors age 5-17

The Calabasas Cheetahs have no tryouts or talent requirements; all are welcome, even beginners. The club’s philosophy emphasizes individual achievement, and all members, regardless of their skill, are encouraged to be the best that they can be.

The Calabasas Cheetahs Board of Directors is refining this guide which describes our club’s philosophy, policies, expectations, and conflict resolution policy. All parents, whether new or veteran, should read this guide completely and contact a board member with any questions or concerns.

As a club, we work hard to teach all of our athletes how to excel in all areas of Track and Field and Cross Country. Through directed coaching and positive reinforcement, we strive to ensure each athlete is provided with a positive learning environment where every athlete learns how to perform at their highest level, they learn good sportsmanship, and they learn how to live a healthy lifestyle that they can take with them forever. We understand that not every kid is going to win every race, and we don’t try to coach the athletes with that philosophy in mind. We push them to strive for their personal best. We strive to push them to learn that through commitment and hard work, they can accomplish and exceed beyond the goals they thought were not attainable. And we do this while also making sure the kids are having fun.

As a club, we realize that you, the parents are the reason the kids are here. We also realize that as a parent, you want to help prepare your child to do the best they can do. We try to provide the parents with as many supports systems as possible during the season. This manual is one support system that you can have at your disposal at any time.

This handbook covers a wide variety of topics about the Cheetahs, Track and Field, Cross Country, Equipment needs, nutritional needs, hydration, and we even throw in a bit about the conference we belong to. Please take a look through the handbook and use it as a resource not only for your kids, but for you as well. As always, the coaches, board members and experienced parents are also always available to answer questions and help out whenever needed.

Again, welcome to the Cheetahs!

ABOUT US

Calabasas Cheetahs Running Club Inc.

Calabasas CheetahsPO Box 8653Calabasas Ca, 91302

Home Field:Calabasas HS22855 Mulholland Hwy Calabasas California United States 91302

Handbook Intent

This handbook is designed to be a general reference tool for parents and athletes to use throughout the season. Hopefully, this guide can answer most of your questions and provide some information regarding the club, conference and track ‘world’ in general. That said, if you have any questions that are not addressed here, we encourage you to talk to any of the Cheetahs coaches, board members or experienced parents for additional assistance.

For all information regarding current meet information, meet schedules, practice schedules, or anything date related, please refer to the Cheetahs website.

www.calabasascheetahs.com

COACH’S INFORMATION Gremlin Division - Jeff Ramadan - tosser@pacbell.net

Bantam Division - Azar Khazin - azarkhazin@yahoo.com

Midget Division - Greg Mastoras - gjmastoras@gmail.com

Youth / Intermediate - Lisa Simspon - lisasimpsonhollender@gmail.com

Middle Distance and Distance - Kevin Kevin Strehlo - kstrehlo@yahoo.com 

Long Jump - John Jennings - john@drydesign.com

High Jump - Sasha Tarnopolsky - sashat@drydesign.com

Hurdles - Amanda Starling - cass1as@earthlink.net

Shot Put - Doug Winger - dug.cheetahs@roadrunner.com 

MEET CODE OF CONDUCT FOR PARENTS / ADULTS

As a parent, your job during a track meet is to cheer and offer as much positive support as possible during the track meet for your child and the Team. Good sportsmanship is as much a responsibility for you as it is to your child. Your children look to you as an example on how to act and react during a meet. Please be that good example. Here are a few reminders on what is expected from you during a track meet:

No display of unsportsmanlike conduct such as offensive language, disparaging language towards your child, other children on the team, the other team or the coaches.

Do not openly discredit the officials on the field. Physical and verbal altercations are prohibited and will get you and possibly your child

removed from the meet or conference as a whole. If you have a dispute with another parent on our team, the other team, or an official for the meet, please report directly to your child’s coach or Cheetahs board member.

Stay off the field during a meet. During a track meet, the number of people allowed on the track or certain areas directly in the vicinity of the track is limited to athletes, coaches and officials running the meet.

At no time during a meet is a coach allowed to ‘coach’ the athletes while they are on the field. During a track meet, once the athletes are on the field, they are on their own until they return to the stands after completing their event.

During most meets, the coaches are allowed to go onto the track, for a limited time and for a limited number of reasons. However, in many meets, nobody except people assigned to work the meet and meet officials are allowed onto the track or field during the event. Only the Gremlin coaches are allowed onto the field to escort athletes to and from the track throughout the season.

MEETS START - RUNNING & FIELD EVENTS AT 8:30am 

Your coach can not guarantee a start time for your child’s event as there are many reasons for variation so be there at the start of the day prepared to enjoy a great family experience.

If you want to ensure your child does not miss an event, listen for the meet announcements and ensure your child is presented to his or her coach to respond to their events in a timely manner.

The coaches will then ensure the athlete makes it to the staging area for their event.  There are three announcements for each event prior to the event starting. The three

announcements generally start approximately 30 minutes before the event is scheduled to start.

If you must make contact with your child while they are on the field, find a coach or board member and allow them to go to the track and get your child for you. Entry onto the track on your own could result in a team penalty.

Refrain from ‘coaching’ your child when they are on the track prior to their starting an event. Your child knows what to do, and he/she has a routine to go through leading up to the event. Calling to your child from the stands and offering coaching advice is distracting and could result in a poor performance. Please, cheer as much and as loud as you can but leave the coaching to the coaches.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR ATHLETESARTICLE3- ATHLETE'SCONDUCT

Unsportsmanlike conduct is conduct that is offensive, unethical, or dishonorable in nature. It includes action and/or language that will bring discredit to the individual or his/her Association. Disrespectfully addressing an official, using profanity, criticizing an opponent or an official, and destruction of the facility or any equipment (personal or otherwise) are examples of unsportsmanlike conduct.

The penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct is disqualification from further participation in the meet including any event in which the individual is involved or had just completed at the time of the infraction. All events completed prior to the point of disqualification shall stand.

Unacceptable conduct includes willful failure to follow the directions of a meet official, rude and/or obnoxious behavior, or criticizing a teammate.

The penalty for unacceptable behavior is disqualification from the event if participating in an event. If a non-participating athlete is involved, he/she shall be warned and on a second offense, be disqualified from the meet.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR DAILY PRACTICES

The Calabasas Cheetahs rent the track at Calabasas High School. The school is located at 22855 Mulholland Hwy, Calabasas, CA 91302.

Generally, practices are on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. However, because we rent the track from the school, our practice schedule is occasionally changed to accommodate the needs of the school. We generally know if there are any alterations to our schedule well in advance and those changes are often already reflected in the schedule. However, there are times when we have a last minute change. In each case, you should expect an email from us, and we ensure the website is updated with any changes that come up.

When we rent the track, we actually take possession of the area at 6:00 p.m. When you arrive, please make sure your child does not enter the track area until after 6:00 p.m. That means they stay behind the fence bordering the track. The high school’s soccer teams, and later, their Lacrosse teams have the field until 6:00 p.m. and, due to safety issues, they don’t want the Cheetah’s kids entering the track until they are done with their event. Please wait for the Cheetahs’ coaches to let you know when your child can enter the track.

Once you are allowed onto the track, please ensure your child completes 2 warm-up laps, then immediately reports to their divisional coach to start practice (see the next page for the layout of the track and location of each division).

You are welcome to watch practice from the west or east side of the field, or from the stands. Please, unless you are helping the coaches with practice, do not watch from the middle of the field. Also, please limit the number of times you cross the track to avoid any issues with the athletes while they are running through the area.

PARENT PARTICIPATION / VOLUNTEERINGYou are also welcome and encouraged to help us during practice!!! There are many things that we need help with during practice. From running with the kids, to helping us at the long jump, high jump or shot put areas. We also have parents who work on various administrative tasks during practice and they can always use help as well. If you want to help out, please see any coach, board member, or even an experienced parent for more information.

Runners on the track always run counter-clockwise. Before crossing the track, please look to your left to ensure there are no runners approaching. Also, please make sure you don’t try to run across ‘just before’ the runners get you. Take the extra few moments to allow them to run past you before

crossing the track. The reason for this is safety. A runner who is in full stride will not be able to avoid you, nor can they stop quickly. This could easily result in a collision with you, another athlete, or the runner could fall. Any or all of these incidents could and likely will result in an injury. Please set a good example and wait to ensure the track is clear.

If your child is injured, is ill, or has any issues that his or her coach needs to know about, please talk to the coach at the start of practice. There are many children who have asthma, or other issues that the coach needs to know about so they know to look for any problems during practice. Communication is critical in these situations so please be proactive and let your coach know what the problem is and what you need done to handle it.

CHECKLIST OF ITEMS YOU NEED TO BRING FOR PRACTICE

Because the track season runs from late winter to late spring, the temperatures and weather can change daily and even hourly. When packing for practice, be prepared for any situation. To prepare for the season, have a gear bag set for practices so you always have the following items ready to go:

Warm up jacket or sweatshirt Long sweat pants or warm-up pants Water bottle (filled with water) Towel Any critical medications such as an inhaler or epipen (keep one in the bag)

If your child is not coming to practice from home, then the gear bag should contain the following items:

Running shoes Running shorts Running socks Dry wick or running shirt Sports Bra (for older girls)

A bit about shoes:

Your athlete will need to wear running shoes. Spikes are not allowed during practice unless a coach specifically requests you to do so (more about spikes below).

PARENT CHECKLIST FOR TRACK MEET DAY

** What you need for Meet day**

1) Athlete's uniform (including shoes and spikes if athlete wears them)2) Cooler with plenty of fluids and healthy snacks for athlete and parents3) Sunscreen4) Tent or umbrella for shade5) Asthma inhaler if athlete is asthmatic6) Book/Ipad/Gaming device for athlete's down time (Cheetahs is not responsible for any lost or stolen items, so keep track of what you bring)7) Camera if you are a shutterbug8) Warm clothing for over the uniform (hood, sweats…)9) Newspaper, book, crossword puzzle… for adults during that in-between time when their athlete is not running10) Stadium seats for bleachers11) Blankets for cushioning if one doesn't have stadium seats12) Allergy medication for athlete and parents (if needed)13) Roll of toilet paper (Sometimes the bathrooms run out)

FIRST AID / INJURIES

INJURIES AND PREVIOUS ACTIVITIES If your athlete has any kind of injury, before practice or a meet, let us know. If we put your athlete through a workout and we are unaware of a condition, it could lead to aggravation of the injury or create another injury altogether because of the original injury. Communication with coaches on this issue is vital. If your athlete has been doing other activities before practice or a meet, let us know. If your athlete has soccer or swimming practice before track and field we need to know. This happens a lot. We see an athlete who is normally very active and works hard and then shows up one day with no energy. On hot days, we are automatically assessing whether your child is dehydrated. The athlete can probably still workout but the coach needs to know the athlete is beat from another practice so we can make allowances. 

STRETCHING Stretch, stretch, stretch!... But be CAREFUL, there's a right time for it. Doing a static stretch, one that works a specific muscle group in a immobile position for a period of time is great but not at practices or on meet days. It's okay to static stretch 1/2 hour or more before your athlete gets to practice and shortly after a dynamic cool down, which follows the workout. You can always ask your athlete's coach for stretches more specific to your child when time permits. What we do with the Cheetahs is a dynamic warm-up and some dynamic cool-downs. Dynamic means movement. So while athletes are run through drills and exercises, they are getting stretching through dynamic warm-up. This prepares the muscles to perform under similar conditions to whatever running or field event the athlete might be participating in. No matter the day, practice or meet, the athletes always do a dynamic warm-up. The consequences of not warming up the body dynamically could be strains, pulls, sprains, shin splints, etc. Have your athletes doing their static stretching at home. Stretching is important for all sports because it aids in flexibility and strengthening muscles and tendons that take a lot of stress during the track and field events. What tends to happen toward the end of the season is young athletes start experiencing more strains and pulls as the season progresses. The muscles have built strength and power and it is truly remarkable to see the change in the athletes as they keep improving PR's (personal records). However, this development requires attention and maintenance. By the end of the season, the body has been pushed through a very large workload. Static stretching at home is necessary to keep muscles finely tuned and healthy. Make it a point to ask your athlete if she or he has stretched. Don't go crazy, just a couple of independent static stretches a week will yield results. 3-4 static stretches a week is ideal. Also know that many of these athletes are doing this for the first time and we are trying to bring to them self-awareness of their own bodies. They need help in the beginning because they don't always feel what is going on or perhaps can't translate the experience they are feeling. Be patient and aware. And always talk to your coach about possible injuries. We would hate to have and athlete practice when they should have been doing a rest and/or recovery.

HYDRATION

This is important!...There is plenty of info on line about how important hydration is for athletes. All athletes tall and small, old and young need to be hydrated. Dehydration shows up far too often at practices and meets. Since we live and play in an environment that can be 39 degrees in the morning and 91 degrees in the afternoon we often forget to hydrate properly. 

Always provide your athletes with hydration! There's nothing worse for us coaches than to get an athlete with nothing to drink. Yes, there are fountains around the track if absolutely necessary, but let's face it, it's a public fountain. Send a bottle of hydration with your athlete; it's cleaner and safer. As the days get hotter, and they always do in California, the athletes lose more water through sweat. One little 8 oz. bottle may not be enough. So prepare your athlete, bring a 16 oz or bigger hydration bottle EVERY time. Sports Drinks are good! Water is fine to hydrate an athlete but what tends to happen with water during practice or at a meet is the athlete stops drinking before they've replenished what they've lost. Also, when all of us sweat we lose very valuable sodium. Sodium helps with blood volume. Sports drinks actually replace that sodium through the electrolytes present in it and the sports drink taste great so the athlete actually takes in more. Kids are finicky so if they don't like the taste of sports drinks, try to get water with electrolytes. With that said, do not bring a sports drink on the field at CHS. You can have them in the stands and/or bring them to other meets but only water on the Calabasas field.  Sips Not Gulps! It is important to take in the hydration over longer periods than shorter. No drinking a gallon of water within an hour of practice or a meet. The reason is I'm sure you can guess... yes, clean up in aisle three! Start Hydrating 2 Days Before a Hot Meet Day! The body can hold the hydration better when taken in this fashion.

RECOVERY vs REST Often you'll hear coaches talk about these two terms: rest and recovery. They are not the same thing though they might sound like it. Rest means creating no work by the body. Doing absolutely nothing! It's best for youth athletes to get rest the day before a meet. The muscles have been getting their conditioning and muscle memory in place the whole time leading up to the meet. A day of rest for youth athletes before the meet recharges and heals muscles and sets up the athlete for success. There are many factors (nutrition, at home stretching, active recovery) that can set the athlete up for success, rest day is just one of them. The recovery principle states that athletes need adequate time to recover from training and competition. An athlete's ability to recover from a workout may be just as important as the workout itself. So get to know it like an old friend. There are a couple types of recovery: Recovery during a workout between two sets of exercises and the recovery day. As the athletes get older, the recovery day becomes more important. Recovery time between exercises is extremely important. It is not an exact science but one of experience and observation. We know generally how long our athletes need to recover for all their

specific drills and exercises. It's neither too long or too short. But the right amount of recovery allows for progression of athletic ability. The recovery day is not a day of rest but one of fine-tuning, stretching (yes, static and light dynamic), and even taking care of any minor injuries.

WHAT TO DO THE DAY BEFORE THE MEET

1) Hydration- I know this may seem to be a recurring theme in this sport. Why? Because, it is just that important! Make sure your athlete has 64 oz of hydrating fluids through the day. Soda is not hydrating, caffeine is dehydrating, make the fluids the athlete drinks to be coconut water, regular water, Gatorade, or Powerade.

2) Proper Nutrition- This means eat lean proteins, good carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables with potassium. When eating proteins think, the fewer legs it has, the better it is for you. Fish have no legs, chicken have two legs and beef and pork have four legs. Grilled or baked fish is healthier than grilled or baked chicken, which is healthier than beef and pork any style. Good carbohydrates would be a wheat pasta over white flour pasta. Whole-grain products such as brown rice, whole-grain pasta, beans, whole wheat bread, to name a few. Yes children, even coaches say "Eat your vegetables!" Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins, nutrients and carbohydrates (the good carbs). Green vegetables, fruits high in potassium are what your body craves. Potassium is important, its main job is to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance in the body, this means less if any cramping at all. Bananas, carrots, baked potatoes and nectarines are excellent sources of potassium. Stay away from rich sauces and hard to digest foods. Remember, you are fueling your body for the next day.

3) Find Your Athlete's Uniform- Start looking for your athletes uniform today. (This means shoes, spikes, shoes the spikes go into too)This way you have plenty of time to have a full scale search for that shoe that was there earlier in the morning, but now, is missing. Once all parts of the uniform is found, put it in a place where a half asleep child is able to get fully dressed, and still not completely wake up. (On the desk, nightstand…) All athletes must wear the uniform given by the Cheetahs in order to compete. If you cannot find your regulation shorts, it is NOT ok, to wear something sort of like it. An athlete can get disqualified for running out of uniform.

4) Make Sure Your Coach Knows Your Athlete's Events- In order have the morning tag melee, a manageable one, coaches write out their tags the night before. It is ok if your athlete decides to

change an event, a new tag can easily be made. Coaches will be asking through the week what events your athlete will be competing in. If you have not given that information, please email or text it to your coach today.

5) Set Your Alarm To Get To The Meet In Plenty Of Time- This may not be your normal time Saturday mornings to get up. Set your alarm, giving yourself ample time to get to the meet, find parking, pull everything out of the car that you have brought…. It seems as though every season we get parents who underestimate how long it takes them, from getting out of bed to getting their athlete checking in with their coach.

6) Get A Good Night's Rest- Rest does a body good. One of the easiest ways to set an athlete up for success, is having them get a good night's sleep. This way they can come to the meet with fresh legs, full of energy and able to give it their all.

WHAT TO DO THE DAY OF THE MEET A Nutritious Breakfast. Not too big and plenty of time before warming up. Again, we don't want.... "Clean up in aisle three!" Hydration. Yup, it's just that important! Start having the athletes sipping water before their arrival. Get To The Meet In Plenty of Time. That does not mean 5 minutes before the athlete's event starts. To get properly focused and allow the body warmed up, arrive at least 30 minutes before the athlete's event. If an athlete shows up too close to the time of their event, they may be told they cannot do the event. This is more prevalent in technical events such as hurdles and relays that are comprised of teams. Athletes need time to warm up. See Your Head Or Assistant Coach. The coaches do a lot at the beginning of each meet but most importantly they check in the athletes into their events. It means the athlete gets tags and/or hip numbers that get attached to their clothing. Please do not let athletes remove the information.  Be Prepared To Stay With Your Athlete. A meet is a massive event with many people running around cheering for athletes. Coaches are not there as childcare but to make sure your athlete is prepared and ready to go. 

Bring Lots Of Hydration. Or money to buy hydration at the Snack Shack. Remember you are there with your athlete, so this means plenty of hydration for you too, parents. Consider Bringing Shade. Many experienced track parents bring popups or shade umbrellas. These are long hot days, be prepared. Sunblock. Just a reminder. We're all in the sun for hours at a time. Lotion up! It is not enough to bring sunblock, one must apply it repeatedly for it to work. Know That Your Athlete's Coaches Are Not Supposed To Coach Them. Sounds strange, but as we get further into the season, the rules of track and field state that coaches cannot coach athletes on the track or field. That's why you might see coaches on the field simply cheering on your athlete. That's about all we can do at that point. Most of the coaching is done at practice. Later in the season coaches are not even allowed on the field unless they are helping with an event (except gremlins, still no coaching). This is because we are trying to slowly get the athletes used to the procedures they will be following in high school. Be Prepared To Jump In And Help. Track and field events are always voluntary. Things don't always go as planned, so if you hear an announcement that we need help watching a gate, or in the long jump pit, or with relays, etc... PLEASE HELP US. There is only so much we can do to make the meet run smoothly, but if nobody's willing to help, it makes for a very long day. Focus On Effort And Progress. To help your athlete truly enjoy what they are doing, and build a love of track and field like many of us possess, refrain from talking to your athlete about setting a goal that may not be in their control or is unrealistic. Cheer what is in the athlete's control: effort, technique, grit. Again, we are trying to set up the athlete's for success. Not everyone can take first but everyone can give 100%. 

TRAINING/RUNNING NUTRITION:

Whether sprint or distance, runners require several sources of calories:

CARBOHYDRATES: easy access energy to fuel musclesHealthy suggestions:

BananasOatmeal

Brown rice, whole grain bread, wheat pasta – preferable choices to refined grains (white rice/white break) because they contain more fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Whole grains are also absorbed more slowly so as to provide longer lasting energy.PROTEINS: promote fast muscle recovery after workouts and ensure that muscles adapt fully in response to training.

Healthy suggestions:Skinless chickenTurkey breastEggsGrass-fed and lean cuts of beef

Low fat yogurtMilk proteins are also rich in a protein fraction called glycomacropeptide (GMP), which is a powerful hunger killer.Chocolate milkIn addition to providing dairy protein for muscle repair, chocolate milk offers carbohydrate to replenish muscle glycogen and water for rehydration. Studies have shown that athletes perform better in their next workout when they drink chocolate milk following an initial workout than they do after drinking a sports drink.http://www.utexas.edu/alumni-friends/research-matters/chocolate-milk-study

HEALTHY FATS:Along with carbs and proteins, healthy fats provide energy for the body.Unsaturated fats are important for heart health, the immune system, joint health, recovery, and injury prevention. They also support brain function for student athletes who must study by day and train in the evening.

Healthy suggestions:AvocadoNutsOlive oilSalmon

HYDRATIONIn addition to eating properly, athletes must come to practice hydrated.

When an athlete is dehydrated, the loss in fluid leads to a drop in blood volume, which forces the heart to work harder to move blood to the brain, skin, and muscles where it is needed. Think of it as a liquid that needs to be thinned out a bit for peak performance. Low hydration means thicker blood that is harder to pump. Performance is affected. Size, gender and weight all play a part in how much water your athlete requires. Always consult your pediatrician if you have specific questions regarding your child’s needs and health.

There is an easy rule of thumb when talking about hydration. Try to ensure your child drinks 6-8 glasses (8 ounce) of water every day. So, how do you do that? Here are some ideas:

One glass in the morning as soon as they wake up (this is good for you too).

Pack a water bottle away with them in school and ask them to drink water between classes, or during breaks in the day. Generally, a glass at nutrition, lunch, after PE class, and at the end of the day. Now you are generally at 5.

One glass when they get home from school, or sometime before dinner.

One or two glasses at dinner.

One glass before bed (this one may be a problem for some kids so don’t fret too much about that one)

How can you tell if your child is getting enough water? Check their urine. The clearer their urine, the better.

Finally, one last thought about hydration. Please try to avoid fruit juice and soda of any kind. These drinks are loaded with sugars and other stuff that does not do the body any good. There is a lot of debate regarding sports drinks. Generally, water is the best method for hydration, however, if you feel your child needs a sports drink to recover electrolytes, etc, then we recommend that you find a sports drink that has a very low sugar content in the ingredients.

TRACK MEETS – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

TRACK MEET SUPPORTAt both away and especially at home meets we need volunteers! Duties might include tent setup, setting out hurdles, raking the long jump pit, snack shack, timing or staging. We will train you, you will have a great place to see your athlete run and your star will see you in a starring role for the club. Volunteer we need you!

Southern California Youth Track and Field Conference (SCYTFC)

The Calabasas Cheetahs are members of the Southern California Youth Track and Field Conference (SCYTFC). The conference is made up of several other local track clubs who have come together so that all of our athletes are able to compete locally, regionally, and nationally. The purpose of the Conference has been quoted below:

ARTICLE 3. PURPOSEThe purpose of the SCYTFC is to act as the governing body for track and field and cross country competition among its athletes as they are organized into member associations. To promote this purpose, the SCYTFC shall foster local, state, national and international Amateur sports competition for our athletes. Competition beyond the local league shall be accomplished through either an SCYTFC post- season team or co-conference post season team with VCYTC.

You can find more information about the SCYTFC at the following website:

www.scytfc.org

POST SEASON /LEAGUE QUALIFYING STANDARDS

To reach the post season, an athlete must compete in half of the track meets through the season. The SCYTFC has divided the post season into two different post season meets. The first is the

Junior Varsity Championship meet and the second is the Varsity Championship meet. Below is a description of both meets:

Junior Varsity Championship Meet:

Per the Conference rules, all athletes will qualify for the JV Championship meet if they meet the following two requirements (for full rule details, see SCYTFC rulebook, section 8.07):

i)  Have participated in at least half of the team/association’s conference meets. If this is an odd number of meets, the requirement will be rounded downwards to the next lower whole number (example, in a 7-meet season, minimum number of meets is therefore 3). The President may revise this downward on a Conference-wide level in the event of extenuating circumstances (such as multiple rained-out meets).

1. ii)  Have not achieved an event-qualifying standard2.

Varsity Championship Meet:Generally, per the Conference rules, only athletes who meet an event-qualifying standard or are part of a relay team may participate in the Varsity Championship Meet. Per the SCYTFC rulebook, section 8.06 the qualifying details are as follows (for full details, see the section in the rulebook):

1. ii)  Have a recorded mark in the entered event as good as or better than the qualification standard for the age/sex group. Standards may be relaxed during the seeding procedure to ensure full competition.

2. OR, be a member of a relay team, in which case individual members need not have achieved a qualifying standard in an individual event.

Co-Conference Championship Meet:

After the Varsity meet, the top athletes from each event are invited to participate in a Co-Conference Championship meet between athletes from SCYTF and the Ventura County Youth Track and Field Conference. The meet is generally held in Santa Barbara.

LEAGUE QUALIFYING STANDARDS

Varsity Standards

Event GB BB MB YB IB YM GG BG

100 16.7 15.00 14.00 12.50 12.50 11.34 17.2 15.40

200 36.6 31.60 29.40 26.20 26.20 22.44 38.0 33.00

400 1:25 1:12.70 1:07.70 59.30 59.30 50.04 1:28 1:15.00

800 3:20 2:54.00 2:39.00 2:24.00 2:24.00 02:03.0 3:30 3:03.00

1500 6:30 5:49.00 5:25.00 4:56.00 4:56.00 04:17.0 7:09 6:13.00

3000 xxxx xxxx 11:32.00 10:55.00 11:29.00 11:29.0 xxxx xxxx

80 H xxxx xxxx 15:20 xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx

100 H xxxx xxxx xxxx 17.60 17.60 15.44 xxxx xxxx

HJ xxxx 3-09.00 4-05.00 5-00.00 5-00.00 5-10.00 xxxx 3-07.00

LJ 9-08.00 12-01.00 13-11.00 15-11.00 15-11.00 21-04.00 9-01.00 10-11.00

SP xxxx 20’6” 27’0” 29’0” 29’0” 29’0” xxxx 16’0”

CROSS COUNTRY

Cross country is for athletes between the ages of 5-17 years old and is operated as a Fall program.�The cost is $200 per athlete if they need a uniform and $170 if they do NOT need a new uniform. This includes the end of season trophy, meet fees and the end of season party.

Meets start at 8:30 am where there is a walk-thru of the course each age group runs and then �the races are off. Athletes are only allowed to run one race per meet as authorized by their age group.

The age groups are as follows:

Gremlins 2KBantams 3KMidgets 3KYouth 4K

We run different courses, decided by the conference and the entire meet is usually over by noon. For current registration information, please see the Cheetahs website.