Granby High School 2009 Cross-Country –

Top Ten list of Expectations and Guidelines

  1. HAVE FUN!

All athletes participating on the Cross-Country team should enjoy themselves while bonding with teammates and having experiences they can use and share for the rest of their lives.

  1. TRAIN SMART

Practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. Cross-Country and Distance athletes not only need to work hard but they need to train smart and know when to back off if there is a possibility of an injury occurring. Distance athletes must also know when to really push themselves during tough workouts (Interval training).

  1. SET GOALS

It is imperative for Cross-Country and Distance athletes to set realistic as well as challenging goals that are attainable in order to enhance motivation.

  1. TRAIN HARD

Do not cut yourself short. Get the most out of your abilities by working very hard and staying focused on your coach’s tasks.Train on the weekends—do anything you can to make yourself better.

  1. COMPETE HARD (Prepare)

Whenever you race—never give in and compete as hard as you can—don’t be afraid to push yourself even when your body thinks it can’t. Never (and I mean never) say you could have run better—prepare mentally and physically before every meet to compete at a very high level.

  1. BE A LEADER

You do not have to be captain of this team to be a leader. Make the right decisions and lead by example.

  1. COMMUNICATE

Please feel free to talk to your coaches about any issues or problems (academic, social, family or athletic). We are concerned about all of you and we want to help in any capacity we can. Also, please let a coach know if you are going to miss a practice or be late to a practice. Unexcused absences or tardiness are unacceptable and result in a missed meet—you are expected to be at every practice and every meet.

  1. ACADEMICS BEFORE ATHLETICS

Self-explanatory! It is always acceptable to take care of academic business before practicing or competing in an athletic event.

  1. BE HEALTHY

Eat right (do not skip meals!), Stretch (before after workouts), Sleep (8-10 hours per night), Take care of injuries right away, Stay consistently hydrated (have a water bottle with you at all times), & Have proper footwear. Distance Runners need the right footwear to train sufficiently—each athlete is different in terms of the correct running shoes they need (The Run-In, in Rocky Hill).

  1. CHALLENGE YOURSELF

Do not be afraid to try new things or push yourself a little harder—sometimes you can do more than you think (Mind over Matter).