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Middle School / Elementary School Cross Country Coaches,

  Welcome and thank you for time and effort in establishing Middle / Elementary Schools Cross Country in your community.  Your hard work makes a difference for our kids.  The following information will give you an overview of the scope of the Middle School Elementary School Cross Country Program.  If you know of anyone who is interested in starting a cross country program in their school please forward this information to them and have them contact KTC’s Youth Athletics Director - Marty Sonnenfeldt ASAP. 

Marty Sonnenfeldt
Knoxville Track Club
Youth Athletics Director
865-406-4128
865-470-2486 fx
www.ktcyouthathletics.org
TennRunner@Aol.com

Please Note that there will be a link off the Middle / Elementary Schools Cross Country Page that will direct you to Coaches Information and any announcements that pertain to coaches or assistants.  Please check it regularly thru the summer.

Important Web Links

Main ES/MS Cross Country Page:    http://www.ktcyouthathletics.org/elemiddleschcrossctry.html

Tennessee State MS Cross Country Championships: http://www.ktcyouthathletics.org/tnstatemsccchampionship.html

Volunteer Cross Country Invite:

http://www.ktcyouthathletics.org/volcrosscountryinvite.html

KTC AAU / Footlocker Cross Country Program

http://www.ktcyouthathletics.org/aaufootlockercrossctry.html

 Eligibility

Open to all boys and girls of Middle school age (grades 6, 7, 8) or Elementary School Age (grades 3,4,5).  Open to all public, private schools and homeschooled athletes.  Middle School athletes must compete in at least one regular season meet in order to be part of your roster for the championship meet.  Home schoolers and or individuals who do not have schools participating may compete but only as a part of a school team closest to their normal public school zone.   In elementary school competition home schoolers may participate as individuals not attached to a team.

Distances Run

Middle School - 2 miles for both Boys and Girls / Elementary School - 1 Mile

Practice Times

These times are at your discretion.  We recommend that you practice a minimum of 2-3 times a week in order to fully prepare the kids to complete a 2 mile (or 1 mile for Elementary) course comfortably.  Your initial goal should be to promote positive fitness goals with performance issues taking a back seat to participation. 

KTC Weekend Group Runs

Optional weekend (Sunday) group runs will be held each week starting September 5, 2010.  A schedule of these runs are available on the main ES / MS Page.  All individuals and teams and parents are encouraged to come out for an easy run on the courses that you will run the following Tuesday.  This is a great way to preview the course while getting out with your teamates and parents to enjoy a healthy run.  All group runs are lead by program director Marty Sonnenfeldt.  Fluids are the responsibility of the individual athlete.

Safety 

Safety is a primary concern for the Knoxville Track Club.  Please make sure that you have enough volunteers to assist you with practice at your school.  Do not leave your athletes stranded on a run or have either the front or the rear of your practice groups run unsupervised.  Please avoid busy streets for your running routes.  Require your athletes to bring water bottles to practice so that they remain hydrated throughout practice.  Water breaks are encouraged during practice.  Remember young athletes have less tolerance to extreme heat than adults so be cautious in high temperatures and humidity.  If extreme weather conditions occur consider reducing both the volume and intensity of the workout.  If the heat index rises above 95 degrees it is recommended to cancel the workout or move to a shaded – cooler venue for a less strenuous workout.  Inclement weather – extreme rain showers, lightning and high winds will require you to cancel practice.

Insurance

Practice and Meet Insurance coverage provided through the USATF (USA Track and Field)  our sports governing body.  Individual accident medical coverage (pays as overage to primary parent coverage) is provided as part of Registration Fee.

Costs

$ 15.00 per athlete for the entire season (one meet or all 6) – Made payable to Knoxville Track Club and due at the first meet when you pick up your bib numbers. If your school requires a receipt for your meet entries please email TennRunner@Aol.com with your request prior to the first meet.  For those athletes who are not able to afford the program costs a fee waiver may be granted.  Please contact the program director for details. The program fee will cover the following operational costs:

• Security for all meets
• Porta-Johns
• Course Preparation - marking
• Practice Insurance for athletes
• Event insurance and liability insurance for coaches
• Invidual accident medical coverage for the athlete
• Bib numbers and pins
• Awards
• Fluids and cups at meets
• Office supplies
• Course supplies – Marking / Flagging / Finish line
• PA System at Championship Meet

Rosters and On-Line Entry

All entries will be made on-line.  The Direct Link to the main online entry menu can be found at the following link: http://coachoregistration.com/meet/entry/tn_ktc 

Primary rosters must be submitted no later than Sunday September 5th.  Any additions should be made via email (TennRunner@aol.com) by 5PM September 6th or 24 hours prior to the meet you will be competing in. Team packets and bib numbers will be available at the blue KTC truck prior to the each meet.  Payment for your team for the 2010 season is due at the first meet.  If you make additions to your roster after the first meet - fees for those athletes will be due at packet pickup for the meet that you add them. Make meet entry fees payable to the Knoxville Track Club.

 ONLINE ENTRY INSTRUCTIONS

  Online entry is a simple and effective way to enter the KTC’s 2010 Cross Country Meets.   The most critical element of this procedure is that you use a functional email address -- one that will not change prior to the end of the season – when entering the meet online.  Please take great care to correctly provide your email address when prompted by the system.  Your main entry portal to the online system will be from the Knoxville Track Club Youth Athletics website:  www.ktcyouthathletics.org  If you have used the online system in the past you can click: http://coachoregistration.com/meet/entry/tn_ktc    to go directly to the main online entry menu.  Our site will allow you to view all critical Meet Information / Meet Schedules / Events / Regulations pertaining to the meet. 

1. Once you arrive at the KTC website look for the drop down header named Developmental Programs

2.  Then click Elementary School / Middle School - You are now at the Main Information page for the Middle School (or Elementary School) Cross Country.  Every thing you will need to know is listed on this web page. 

3. Then click Online Registration

4.  Once you are on the online entry system itself you must first register your schools team by selecting the Register Team function from the main menu.  When you enter your team name please make sure that you type in the letters CC after your team name to designate this as a cross country team since many MS have different Cross Country and Track Coaches.  After registering your team you will receive a PIN number that you will use to enter the main entry system.  Please remember to print off the screen that shows your PIN number so that you have a record of it.  After you have competed registering your team, your team name will appear on the right hand drop down menu of registered teams.

 5. After you have registered your schools team you can then return to the main menu and select “Enter a meet” from the main menu. The system will ask you for the PIN number you received in Step 4.  Type in your PIN number and click continue.

 6. After you have entered your team in the meet return to the main menu and select “Create or Revise roster for” you will then enter your entire team’s roster.  Please make sure that you fill in all the information requested and assign the proper sex and grade.  Then hit continue and go on to confirm your roster.

7.  A listing of your entries will appear.  If you notice a mistake you can click the box next to the athlete name and make a correction to your entry.  If no corrections are necessary, click Submit Entry to Meet Director.

8.   You will then be prompted to print the entry page for your records. Please print this page. It is very important. You will receive an e-mail confirming receipt of your entry and entry fees due within 24 hours.

9.  If you need to make any changes to your roster please do so in the online system prior to midnight September 5th – any changes after this time should be emailed to: Tennrunner@aol.com

10.   If you have any questions regarding online entry, please take a look at the Help that is provided on-line. There is a Help button on the Main Menu that provides detailed instructions. If the on-line help does not answer your questions please e-mail support@coacho.com, contact the KTC Youth Athletics Hotline at 406-4128 or you may email me at TennRunner@aol.com

Meet Management / Results  

Provided by KTC, however we would like you to select two parent Volunteers per meet that can assist in the finish cute or on the course.  Please submit these names and their contact numbers via email (Tennrunner@aol.com ) and have them at the course 1 hour prior to start.  If you are the host school for the meet you will need to meet with Marty Sonnenfeldt to go over course / parking and logistics details no later than 2 weeks prior to your meet.  Please remind your athletes that we will recall a race only if starting gun is fired a second time after the primary start.  False starts will not be called for a one or two step lead out when we have a 2 mile race.  Results will be posted on the KTC website as soon as possible after the meet has ended.  This may take untill the following morning – so be patient.  Elementary School finish times are not recorded until the Championship Meet.  Finish times can be obtained from the large digital finish clock for coaches that are interested.  Elementary Boys and Girls will run together in one race unless we exceed 400 runners at which time we will run boys and girls separate.  Boys and Girls will run separate at the Championship Meet.

Scoring

Scoring of the meet will be the same as last year the top 5 runners on your teams will score with tie breakers determined by the number 6 runner on a team.  We will add the numerical places of your top 5 runners to come up with a team score.  Lowest team scores win. There is no limit on the number of athletes on your team. 

Awards

Middle School - Ribbons to top 40 G/B in each of the regular season meets – given out in the finish cute.  Trophies to the top 40 individuals (B/G) at the Championship Meet. The Brint Adams Individual Boys and Girls Championship award will go to the top Girls and Boys Finisher.  Team Plaques will be awarded to the top five boys and girls teams at the Championship Meet.  Elementary School – Participant Ribbons will be awarded in the finish chute at the regular season meets.  Trophies will be awarded to the top 40 boys and girls at the Championship Meet.  Team awards will only be awarded if there are 3 or more complete teams in each of the Boys and Girls races.

Meets

Held every Tuesday starting September 7, 2010 and ending with the ES / MS Championship Meet 10/12/10.  Six meets total.  Middle School Meets will start as per the listed meet schedule.  All Elementary School Meets will start one hour prior to the start of the MS races.  Please allow for ample time to get to the meet site and for parking.  If at all possible try to car pool so that we can keep parking problems to a minimum.  Plan for meets to be over by 8:30 PM. Concessions will be available at all meets and the official program shirt will be on sale at each meet for $15.00.  Please encourage your kids to pick one up – all proceeds go toward keeping our costs to a minimum

ES / MS SCHEDULE  - Please note all Elementary Meets will start one hour prior to the listed MS Meets at the same locations as the Middle School Meets.

Volunteer Cross Country Invite – TBA and State MS Championships - 10/23 require separate entry fee.

Volunteer Cross Country Classic – 9/11/2010

The 2010 Volunteer Cross Country Classic is a separate meet run in addition to the ES/MS Cross Country Schedule.  This meet brings together 1100 Middle School / High School and Collegiate runners from 10 states to compete at Victor Ashe Park.  Separate entry fee and online entry required.  For meet information click on the following link: VCCI

KTC / Tennesseerunner.com – Tennessee State Middle School Cross Country Championships – 10/23/10

Join 600 other Middle School runners from across the state to vie for a state team and individual titles.  In order to qualify for the state meet your team must place in the top 5 (or have placed in the top 25 individually) in the Area MS Championships held at Victor Ashe Park 10/14/10.  Open Elementary races will also be available.  For further information please visit: Tennessee State Championships

KTC's Footlocker / AAU Cross Country Program

 At the conclusion of the Middle School Cross Country Program participants who are interested may continue their Cross Country experience by taking part in KTC's Footlocker / AAU Cross Country Program.  Starting October 20 boys and girls ages 8-18 will practice 3-5 x week at one of six tentative practice sites.  West - Farragut MS,  Hardin Valley Academy (High School athletes only), Northwest - Victor Ashe Park, South – South Doyle HS,  Hamblin County - Panther Creek Park, Oak Ridge -  Oak Ridge High School.  The Knoxville Track Club Team will compete in three races leading up to the Coaches Cross Country National Cross Country Championships.  For final practice locations, times and registration forms please click the following link: Footlocker / AAU Cross Country Program or call Marty Sonnenfeldt @ 865-460-2486.

Course Descriptions / Printed Directions

Victor Ashe Park

Course Map

The course will start and finish on the soccer fields just below the concession stands and rest rooms. Course boundaries will be mowed-in by the City of Knoxville Parks and Recreation Department and most of last years dirt paths are covered in mulch.  A 10 meter path has been laid out through all wooded areas.  Wide open starting area with a flat start.  Course will be rolling.  Parking is excellent since we will be using over 300 parking spaces that will be part of the soccer complex at the park.  Rest rooms will be available at the park concession area.  The park is located adjacent to Badget Field access to the park will be off of Bradshaw road and not Badget Field.   Directions:  Off of I-640 take the Western Ave. exit.  Follow Western Ave West (towards Oak Ridge ) .3 miles to Ballcamp Pike - take a right at the light by Wendy's Restaurant and follow Ball Camp to Bradshaw Rd.  Take a right onto Bradshaw and follow 1 mile to the entrance to the park on left.  Bear left when entering park to the XC parking area, please follow parking instructions given by security officers.

Cove Lake State Park

Course Maps (Middle School  PDF / JPEG Elementary School  PDF / JPEG )

New for 2009 the Cove Lake State Park course has been used annually for high school cross country meets as well as a local summer road race.  The MS course is mostly grass and rolling. There is an exterior and an interior loop.   There are 3-4 paved bike path cross overs and a concrete bridge crossing of about 40 meters. Some may want to stick with non-spiked shoes. The ES course is a single grass loop mostly flat.  Both races start in the open field below the resturaunt and finish in the outfield of the softball field.  Directions:  Take I-75 North (from Knoxville) to exit 134 (for 25W).  Bear right off exit and proceed on 25W past stoplight for .8 mile, the entrance to the park will be on your left.  Please follow security and parking volunteer instructions once in the park.

Melton Hill Dam

Course Map

Used frequently of the past 10-12 years for HS meets.  2005 marked the first time we used this venue for our MS/EL meet.   This venue is located in Oak Ridge. The course is a loop course with one major hill going out on the course.  Surface is predominantly grass. Directions: Take I-40 W past the I-40 / I-75 split to exit 364.  At the end of the exit ramp take a right and follow Rt 95 towards Oak Ridge for 1-2 miles and take the first entrance into Melton Hill Dam follow for ½ mile to signs for parking.

Hardin Valley Academy  

Course Map                                                                                 

New for 2009 the Hardin Valley Academy course replaces the Melton Hill Park course. The course provides ample challenges as compared to Melton Hill Park but with superior parking and logistics. Porta-Johns will be on site. I would rate this course as moderately hilly Course boundaries will be mowed-in with flagging at turns. Directions (from I-40W): Take Pellissippi Parkway to the Hardin Valley Rd. Exit. - Left off exit onto Hardin Valley Rd. Follow Hardin Valley (west) to Hardin Valley Academy which will be on your right hand side. The course is situated behind the school. Parking for coaches and buses will be at the back of the school while spectators must park in the upper parking lots.

Johnson Bible College 

Course Map   ES / MS

New for 2010 the Johnson Bible College course has been used for high school and college cross country meets for the past three years.  The course is a challenging mix if hills and turns that provides a great final tune up for our Championship meet.

Directions: From the West and South (Via I-40/75) - Go to downtown Knoxville on I-40/75; take Exit 388 (441 South - Henley Street) and follow signs to US 441 South which becomes Chapman Highway. From the river bridge downtown go past Wal-Mart to the traffic light at Hendrons Chapel Road (7 miles). Turn left on Hendrons Chapel Road and travel 5 miles to JBC.