Holly Cross Country Team Rules

Team meetings will be every Monday during the season, starting at 2:45pm.

1. Character : Student athletes, like it or not, are in the lime-light. People know who you are even if you do not know them! Poor behavior results in the athlete(s) not only embarrassing himself/herself, but also the coach, the program, the school, and their family. This inappropriate behavior will result in sitting out the next meet. Poor behavior is defined as any type of disrespectful behavior towards teammates, coaches, officials, opposite sex, fans, competitors, bus drivers, and other parents. Consequences for this behavior are one warning (This Booklet), two, suspension from the very next meet, three, suspension from the next two meets, four, suspension from the team for the rest of the season and possible future seasons.
   
2. Attendance : If you want to excel to your potential, you must be at practice every day. Due to the nature of the aerobic conditioning involved in cross country running, athletes must be running 7 days a week through out the season. Practice during the season will be six days a week Monday - Saturday. During the school week, it will be 3pm - 5pm daily unless we have a ½ day of school. In such case, it will be at 10:45am. Most Saturday practices will be at 10:00am. Please check your workout schedule for location and time to be sure.
   
3. Tardies : The athlete is expected to be at practice at 3:00pm sharp, unless otherwise noted in the workout sheets given out at the team meeting, on Monday every two weeks. If you are late from another school activity, it is not excused!!! If you are late from getting extra help from one of your teachers, it is excused, but you will need to provide a note from your teacher. In this case, it is highly advised to relay a message to the coaches as to your where abouts. This way there is not any mistrust or miscommunications.
4. Unexcused Absences:
   a. First absence= Warning and extra mileage during the next practice.
   
   b. Second absence = suspension from the next meet.
   
   c. Third absence = suspension from the next two meets.
   
   d. Fourth absence = suspension from the team, for the remainder of the season.
   
   e. The 2nd and 3rd absences "may be" negotiated with the head coach as to running extra during practice in order to run in the next race(s).
   
   f. Doctor appointments should not be made during practice time!!! If you absolutely have to make it during practice time, then please do so, but please provide the head coach with a note from your doctor. This way there is not mistrust or misunderstanding. On the day before a meet, practice will be done by 4pm 99% of the time. You may want to use these days after 4pm to see your doctor/orthodontist etc.
   
   g. Working: I understand that students have to work because financial situations may require you to do so. However, you will not be able to leave practice early to get to work on time. This will result in an absence and punishments associated with an absence will be enforced. I highly suggest that you not work during the season at all, or if you really must, then limit your work to Saturday, after the meets or practice, and Sunday. Almost all studies show, that working more than 10 hours a week leads to worse academic grades.
   
   h. Going up North: The summer months and Christmas break are made for family vacations. We all need a vacation at some point in time, but during the season is not one of those times!! The season is over with in just 9 short weeks, once school starts. Practice time with the team is very important on the weekends, in order for the athlete and subsequently the team to reach their "true" potential. Yes, athletes can run on their own, but I highly doubt the athlete will get the same intensity level as he/she would get with the team. The little things matter a lot during the season. Going up north will result as an absence, and all penalties associated with an absence will apply.
   
   i.14 Practice Rule: Once the official MHSAA season has begun, which is usually the second Monday in August, we can and will hold athletes accountable for attendance at practice. Each athlete must obtain 14 observed practices, under the supervision of a coach, in order to run in a meet. It is understood that some athletes must work, or baby-sit siblings in August to save money for college, clothes, car insurance, cars etc. In such case, an athlete will be allowed to run in the beginning meets of the season, with negotiated extra running and other terms, when school starts.
   
5. Unexcused Tardies:
   Every three tardies will count as an absence.
   
6. Captaincy : is determined by the head coach. It is nice to be able to announce next year's captains at the awards banquet, at the very end of the season. However, sometimes a leader(s) do not emerge from the lower classman through out the season. In such case, a list of objectives can be discussed with the athlete and their parents; these objectives must be completed, with in the time frame discussed, in order for captaincy to be distinguished. If captaincy is not named in November at the awards ceremony, then captaincy may be named in June or at the beginning of official MHSAA practice in August.

   1. Be on the team for two seasons.
   2. An exception may be made, if a person has been on the team only one season, provided that they are with a co-captain that has met the two-season requirement.
      1. Such person, whom the exception has been made for, must possess exceptional leadership qualities.
   3. Be in good standing with the Head Coach and Asst. coach with very few if "any" discipline matters at all.
   4. Show leadership ability and Qualities throughout their second season.
   5. This person takes a commanding presence in the workouts.
   6. This person takes a commanding presence in the meets.
   7. This person is viewed as a positive leader by his/her peers.
   8. This person leads by example by running the required miles in the summer, as prescribed by the Head Coach, and they could show these documented miles via a log book.
   9. Is academically eligible at all times.
   10. Helps facilitate team unity and bonding by organizing activities outside of practice and school such as "Red Devil" pizza nights, etc.
   11. This person(s) helps act as a liaison to the team, and supports the coaching staff.
   12. This person gets others to join the team and makes sure the team has over "ten" members.
   13. Unless the team has over 21 members, a third captain will not be added. One or two captains are sufficient for a team 20 members and below.
8. Determination of the Varsity Team: the varsity team consists of the top seven fastest runners on the team. If a J.V. runner beats a varsity runner's time in a meet, either head to head or out of the J.V. race, then they will be on the varsity squad for the next meet. Determination of the varsity team for the first meet is at the discretion of the head coach.
   
9. Criteria for Earning a Varsity Letter