St. Mark JV Track Team

Track Meet Dates and Locations

Question and Answer pages

Event Itinerary

Event entry details

Track Meet Dates and Locations

First Qualifier:March 21

Location:Bishop Dunne

Start Time:9:am

Second Qualifier:March 28

Location: Bishop Lynch

Start Time: 9 :00 am

City Meet/Championships:April 11

Location:Bishop Lynch

Start Time: 9:00 am

FAQ

Question: My athlete plays a select sport and will not be able to practice certain days during the week.Answer: Practice is highly recommended and only required for certain events, but we understand your dilemma. We plan to practice M, W, F evenings. If an athlete is only available to make 1 practice per week, it will not affect their standing with the team/coach.

Soon after practices begin, coaches will meet with the athletes (and parents) individually either in person or via email to discuss desired events, meet availability, personal goals and discuss a personalized training program. This is tentatively scheduled for the week of March 9-15.

Events that will require a minimum of 1 practice day per week are:•Sprints requiring starting blocks (safety and proper technique)•All Field Events (safety, event rules and technique)•All Relays (team sport – we must practice baton handoffs)

FAQ

Question: What benefit will my child receive from participating in JV Track?

Answer: Track is the foundation for every other sport.  By learning the proper sprinting and jumping techniques, athletes see a marked performance increase in other sports.  Additionally, the meets are a fun filled day of positive experiences with not only their teammates, but kids from other schools as well.  Track is an individual sport with a team element - each child will competing against the clock and their personal best....there is no risk of being the "weak-link" on the team.  As such, it is a very supportive environment and lots of camaraderie. 

As stated previously, coaches will meet with athletes and parents to discuss personal goals for what they would like to gain from their participation. Are you a Baseball/Softball player that wants to get to first base faster? Are you a basketball player that would like to get a little more elevation on your jump shot? Are you a soccer player that would like to increase your speed/endurance? Do you just want to beat your older sibling in a backyard race? As stated earlier, Track is an individual sport…it’s about the individual.

FAQ cont…

Question: My athlete is interested in field events and will be trained by a high school coach I have organized. Is my athlete still obligated to attend a St. Mark Practice?Answer: No. In this case, the only practices that would be required are for relays.

Question: Where are practices held?Answer: Most practices will be scheduled at St. Mark field and or GYM. With the construction at JPII, we are unable to secure that facility for our practices – however, most of the fundamental skills required can be mastered without an actual track. (similar to working on your golf swing at a driving range rather than on a full course).

Question: Will participating get my child into shape / lose weight / endurance?Answer: In short, no. We will not do endurance training, as this generally takes a regular schedule over months to achieve results. Instead, we will be focusing on technique . A proper running technique ( both sprints and distance) will make the athlete faster while expending less energy – thus increasing speed and endurance. It also makes running a more enjoyable experience, and one that can last a lifetime.

FAQ cont…

Question: My child is suffering from OSD or other “growing pains” – should I hold them out of track? Answer: Absolutely not. Again, each individual will have their own training plan. For a child struggling with an ailment like this, it will be a heavy emphasis on stretching and pliametrics (similar to physical therapy). Any high-impact running will be restricted to the meets for these affected athletes. If they have PT suggestions from their Dr., those can be incorporated into the training plan.

Question: What if my child sustains an injury in another sport? Should I bring them to track practice?Answer: Absolutely – But let the coaches know so that they can focus on injury recovery and therapy instead of strength/skills training. It will not necessarily improve track performance, but it will speed healing.

Question: Is the coach available for questions/discussions regarding my child?Answer: Absolutely! With the one exception of during practice times. After practice? Via Email? 9pm phone call? In short, YES!!. All parents will receive my cell phone and personal email address

FAQ Cont..

Question: Should I not register my athlete because he/she plays a select sport , has PSIA or another conflict on one or more meet days?Answer: Meets are all-day events, and an athlete only need to participate in one of the first 2 meets in their event to qualify to compete in the Championship City Meet.

In the athlete/parent discussion at the beginning of March, coaches will review and schedule what your athlete can reasonably compete in based on your conflicts. This may require being at the track in the morning for a field event, leaving for a while to fulfill the requirements of your conflict, then perhaps returning to the track to compete in a running event later in the day. Each athlete will be unique and although we cannot control the pace that the meets progress or the order of events established by DPL, coaches can work with your athlete on an individual basis.The goal is to qualify as many St. Mark athletes in the Championship City Meet as possible.

Track Meet Event Schedule (estimate)

9:00 am – 11:00 am FIELD EVENTSField events take place during this time window.

Girls Long Jump, High Jump

Some are Boys first, Girls second...others opposite.

Boys Long Jump, High Jump

Athletes participating in multiple field events will

Girls shot put,

work with event coordinators at the meet. Boys shot put

Girls Discus

Boys Discus

11:00 am Running Events begin

11:00 am Girls 4X100 meter relay

11:15 am Boys 4X100 meter relay

11:30 am Girls 800m

11:45 am Boys 800m

Track Meet Event Schedule (estimate)

Noon Girls 100m Hurdles

12:15 pm Boys 100m Hurdles

12:30 pm Girls 100m

12:45 pm Boys 100m

1:00 pm Girls 50m

1:15 pm Boys 50m

1:30 pm Girls 4x200m Relay

1:45 pm Boys 4x200m Relay

2:00 pm Girls 400m

2:15 pm Boys 400m

2:30 pm Girls 300m Hurdles

2:45 pm Hurdles Boys 300m Hurdles

Track Meet Event Schedule (estimate)

3:00 pm Girls 200m

3:15 pm Boys 200m

3:30 pm Girls 1600m (Mile)

3:45 pm Boys 1600m (Mile)

4:00 pm Girls 4x400m Relay

4:15 pm Boys 4x400m Relay

Note: This is an estimate based upon previous year’s meets. The event time varies depending upon the number of entrants, and the order may be changed by DPL.

Maximum event entries

Each Athlete can compete in up to 5 events at a meet.

3 field events maximum

3 running events maximum (4 if at least 1 is a relay)

Responsibility / Other Questions

We must respect the high school who hosts our league meet. They provide access to a quality field and we would like to keep returning every year. Therefore, we are all responsible for cleaning up after ourselves as well as the entire facility. Let’s show our Lion Pride by being a shining example of why St. Mark is one of the most respected schools in the city.

Additional Questions?Contact JV Track Head Coach – Dave HendersonEmail: dahender@verizon.netCell: (214) 455-5316