I have attached a summer schedule to help families plan vacations, summer activities, and the like. I've also included the tentative meet schedule for next fall along with some other important dates to be thinking about. If any changes need to be made, you can find that information here or on the Park Hill Girls' Cross Country Twitter @PHGirlsXC
If you are an 8th grader, unsure of whether or not you would like to run cross country in the fall, I encourage you to come give summer runs and team activities a try to see if it's the sport for you!
Track Athletes: At the conclusion of your season, take 10 days of active rest. This means you are not running, but you are doing other low-impact activities (swimming, biking, hiking, stand-up paddle boarding, etc). This will help your body recover from the stresses of the season while maintaining your cardio fitness.
Athletes in Other/No Spring Sports: Get out and run a couple of days a week. We will start the summer runs with low-mileage, but starting now will help you prevent injuries as well as help you keep up with the girls who ran track. Start simple. If you are new to running, try 1-2 miles every other day, increasing by no more than 5 total miles each week.
Summer runs start June 1st! Attendance is optional, but highly recommended. If you are interested in a varsity spot, plan on being at as many runs as possible. We will meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Fridays will be an optional run led by an upper-classman teammate. Participation in summer runs will help your in-season performance, reduce your injury risk, and give you the opportunity to bond with your teammates.
We will also be hosting a team camp July 18th-21st from 8-10 am! Please plan on attending. The cost is $30 (includes your t-shirt). We will meet at the PHHS track.
SHOES!!! Cross country is a sport that doesn't require a lot of equipment--but it does require good-quality running shoes! I strongly recommend runners get a new pair for every season. Do your best to find a pair of shoes that works for you. You can be fitted for the right shoes at running specialty stores around the city. Running Well does a great job of fitting your foot to the proper running shoe, and they usually offer athletes a nice discount. The right shoes can cost a lot, but they can also help keep you from sustaining injuries that cost a whole lot more and may even cut your season short!\
Physicals, Fees, and Impact Testing: To be eligible to play sports, students must turn in complete physical and take the IMPACT test. Dates of the IMPACT test will be made known as soon as they become available. At the start of the season, students will need to pay an activity fee. In the past, this fee has been $55.
Tentative Dates to Remember:
June 1-3: First three days of summer runs. After these dates, team runs will continue through out the summer on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. New runners should run at least 4 days a week; returning runners should run 5-6 days a week
July 18th-21st: Team camp!
August 1: First day of practice
August 20th: Time Trials at PHHS @ 8 am
August 20th: Team Fundraiser--Carwash @ HyVee on Barry Road--10-2
August 27th: Saturday practice at Platte Ridge Park @8am
September 3rd: Meet @Lake Jacomo
September 10th: Meet @Ray-Pec
September 15th: Meet @Platte County
September 17th: Varsity Meet Joplin
September 20th: Meet @Smithville
October 1st: Meet @KC Metro
October 8th: Conference @TBD
October 22: Districts @TBD (Qualifiers Only)
October 29th: Sectionals @TBD (Qualifiers Only)
November 5th State @Oak Hills in Jeff City (Qualifiers Only)
