I want to ensure everyone is aware of the following:
Athletes need to be at school by 7:30a. The bus will leave at 7:45a. (Please note: I have changed the departure time) We will not hold the bus to wait on stragglers. If you miss the bus ... you do not participate in the meet.
Just to be sure ... the excuse of "my Mom/Dad did not wake me up" will be met with a less than enthusiastic response from me. It is my expectation you be responsible for yourself, set your alarm and leave in plenty of time to be at school, when expected, for the bus. No team member should believe parents to be the person responsible for getting them out of bed. You are accountable to your team and coaches. When you are late, I'm looking for one person to take responsibility.
Athletes are expected to stay the entire meet to support teammates and ride the bus back. Athletes will not be driving to out of town meets. If an athlete must leave early, I will need a written note from a parent or guardian. Athletes may not ride home with another parent, unless I have a note from their parent/guardian stating they can. The note must be specific as to who they will be riding home with. It is my hope that these requests will be kept at a minimal. Family obligations make up the majority of these requests and ones I am most willing to make exceptions for.
Please be sure to bring plenty of water and healthy, easy to digest, snacks for the day. The meet has a concession stand and the bus will make a stop on the way home for food ... so you will want to bring money for this. Having 40 plus athletes makes our options limited so most likely the stop will be fast/convenience food. If you prefer not to eat this, be sure to pack a lunch!
The weather forecast calls for a high of 60, partly sunny and breezy day. Please bring clothes which will keep you warm throughout a long day outside. The high does not mean it will be 60 all day. It is easy to take layers off if the weather is nice but there will no place to go inside to get warm and I bring only so many extras, so throw in an extra warm jacket/sweatshirt. You may also want to have some extra socks/shirts clothes to change out of the sweaty ones you warm up/cool down in. We'll discuss how to pack a good bag before Saturday. In short, water, extra clothes, kleenex, hair bands/pins, inhalers, any personal items you may need. You can bring I-Pods and phones but please be aware ... they have been known to be lost or stolen. You need to ensure they are not left out where they can be seen or get wet. Phones should be used ONLY for letting a parent/guardian know how the meet is progressing. Texting friends is to be left for the bus ride or back at school. If you cannot resist texting friends from the stands to let then know your status from the last hour, then leave the phone at home.
Finally, I want to say thanks to our volunteer coaches. Coach Simple has been an outstanding addition to our team. He has been at every practice and meet to offer insight and support. He has been a really good mentor for me regarding sprinters and sprint workouts. Coach Paige Durchholz has been at practice twice a week to work with both the boys and girl hurdlers. She has enthusiastically shared her expertise and experience and made our team that much better for it. We are blessed to have both of them working with our athletes. I am not sure how we would have functioned, having 49 athletes, without their help. Thank you both!
Finally, there will be practice this Friday from 8a to 10a @ U-high. For those athletes interested and able to attend (parents permission), we will go to breakfast afterwards. We'll choose Panera, by Walmart, for convenience purposes. I can offer a ride for 6 athletes needing one. Athletes can ride with another student or parent as long as they have permission. Any parent is welcome also!
There will be no practice on Monday. We will have two meets next Tuesday. Selected F/S Girls will go with me to Bloomington High School for a meet. There will not be a bus to this meet. If you do not have a ride to the meet, please let me know as soon as possible. I can take 7 athletes from school. All other athletes will go to Olympia with Coach Neisler. There will be a bus to this meet. Specific departure and meet info will be in Friday's note.
Quote for Today:
(Dedicated to my coaching staff)
"People with passion are incredibly inventive and tenacious individuals. They go way beyond the call of duty and frequently work on their passion without pay or give more of themselves than their pay warrants."
- Janet O. Hagberg, writer
