Howard County Jr. Striders Fall XC - 2008
| Information |
| Info & Registration Form (PDF) |
| Schedule |
| Results (PDF) |
| Junior Olympics Information (PDF) |
| Photos from the Season |
We had almost 50 runners compete at Brunswick on the beautiful afternoon of Sunday 10/12/08, congrats to all of them! 34 ran there a couple weeks back and 20 of them were faster this time with Joshua Gilbert, Jake Foster and Taylor Jackson having the biggest improvements! Remember when asked what team - sign up as Howard County when you go to these meets!
We have entries for Anders Chattin, Hamzah Elhabashy, Joseph Keating, Erin Kroder, Brittany Lang, Julia Nardone, Kevin Wegner and Michael Wegner to compete at the AAU Junior Olympic meets. If you are planning to take your kids to these events and their name is not on this list I need to know ASAP and need the form and money ASAP, thanks! I will take care of everything for the kids and have the package sent in this week.
We are very close to having several teams for the USATF Junior Olympic meets. We need 5 in an age group to be considered a complete team and that is what we are hoping for as 25 individuals qualify for nationals but 3 teams also qualify! Here is what we have so far.
8 and under boys Anders Chattin and Hamzah Elhabashy 10 and under boys (have 4 - need 1) Evan Benedek, Corey Hamilton, Nicholas Kruus and Kevin Wegner 10 and under girls (have 2 - need 3) Maryam Elhabashy and Brittany Lang 11-12 boys (have 5 - can have more!) Steven Borisko, Marshall Demaree, Alec Font, Joseph Keating and Michael Wegner 11-12 girls (have 3 - need 2) Kirsten Kruus, Julia Nardone and Elizabeth Towner 13-14 boys (have 1 - need 4) James Allen 13-14 girls (have 3 - need 2) Erin Kroder, Tiffany Lang and Amy Oliver 15-16 boys and girls None yet 17-18 boys and girls None yet
We still have two weeks to finalize the USATF entries but email me to confirm and get the forms and checks in sooner than later if you know are going, thanks!
The end of the year pot luck banquet is Saturday 11/1/08 at the Supreme Sports Club roller rink from 4:30-6:30pm and all are encouraged to come please!
This weekends meet is on Sunday in Derwood, MD at Lake Needwood and it is only about 40 minutes away. The following weekends meet is on Sunday in Hagerstown, MD which is about 1 hour and 15 minutes away. The meet on Saturday 11/1/08 is in Monrovia which is only about 30 minutes away and the final meet of the year is on Sunday 11/9/08 in Pikesville and is less than 30 minutes away. Hopefully these details will help you decide how to schedule in some of these races. I will not be able to attend the meet in Hagerstown but the other three are much closer and hopefully we will have a good turnout at those.
Last but most important note: We can not practice at Centennial High School on Thursday 10/23/08 and Thursday 10/30/08 due to high school XC races. We will meet behind Burleigh Manor Middle School, the school that sites close to the woods and shares the parking lot with Centennial High. Be aware that traffic and parking will be a little crazy those days and due to limited space we will be able to use the running will need to be shorter faster paced type workouts. Coaches make announcements at every practice please.
I know it is a Jewish holiday and there is no school Thursday (10/9/08) but the Junior Striders will still have practice for those that want to come. Remember all practices will end at 7pm from now on.
The meet this Sunday (10/12/08 - my wife Vicki's birthday) was supposed to be at Catoctin High but has been moved to Brunswick High. See meet flier
I will mention now and again the next couple weeks that our end of year pot luck dinner and medal presentation party will be Saturday November 1 at the Supreme Sports Club roller rink, bring roller blades and or skates - rent them if you don't have your own. I think it is from 4:30 to 6:30pm and if all could bring some food to share (a main dish and either a salad, dessert or drinks) that would be great!
Thanks for considering the USATF and AAU Junior Olympic events.
Many are signed up for the USATF events now and many more have told me they will be turning in their forms soon. We should have teams in several of the age groups! A team is 5 to 8 kids in the same two year age group, gender specific.
A few are going to the AAU events. We were not able to get enough kids to form a team in any of the age groups for the AAU events so that means you can still sign up for that as individuals so get the forms in to me if you want to go that route.
Just to try to clear up the confusion about the event on 11/1/08 I will make another couple comments. The host team will hold all the races like we did at our home meet but it will be a combined open and AAU qualifying event. Some of the kids in the races will pay $5 when they get there like the other races and will be eligible for an award just like at the rest of the meets. Some of the kids in the races that paid for the AAU program ($70) will qualify for nationals in Alabama and will be eligible for a medal if they finish in the top 4. If you are not going to Alabama my suggestion is to run the race and pay the $5 when you get there. There are a couple kids who are not going to Alabama but still want to be eligible for the top 4 medal but that will cost you $26. Sorry it is so confusing but you could spend $5 (just running the race on 11/1/08), $26 (becoming a member of AAU and just racing on 11/1/08) or $70 (joining the AAU and racing on 11/1/08 and at nationals in Alabama on 12/6/08). You are on your own if you go the $5 route just like all the other races. If you go the $26 or $70 route I need your form and check in the next week or so as I need to time to get the kids signed up.
Item #1 - practice will end at 7pm for the rest of the year starting this Thursday (10/9/08) so please arrange schedule to pick up kids at 7pm instead of 7:15. It is getting to dark, thanks!
Item #2 - AAU Junior Olympic events: I attached a form to last weeks update and have not received any of them back regarding the AAU national meet. Is any one going (district meet on 11/1/08 at Linganore and national meet on 12/6/08 in Alabama)?
Item #3 - USATF Junior Olympic events: I attached a form to last weeks update and have not received any of them back regarding the USATF meets. We have more time to get those teams together but maybe you can get the forms in soon or at least email me if you are definitely going or considering it. Again these meets are on 11/15/08 in Maryland, 11/22/08 in Richmond, VA and if they qualify for nationals that meet is also in Richmond on 12/13/08.
I hope everyone saw the results of the home meet in the Columbia Flier last week. The kids usually love seeing their names in the paper and of course it is great scrapbook material!
Two big items to cover this week!!!!!!!!!
1) Wow what a great turnout at the home meet! Runners worked hard and competed very well! The results are out on the web as a link on the schedule; 228 total finishers and 97 from the host club. Parents and others helped out in a big way and I can not start listing names because the list would be to long and I would probably forget someone but I want to THANK everyone for making the meet so great for the kids! The meet this Sunday is in Middletown and we hope to see you there.
2) I have attached the form for the XC program for the Junior Olympic events. We have competed in the AAU Junior Olympics for several years now and had about 50 go to Virginia Beach last year. The USATF Junior Olympic national meet is near Richmond, VA this year while the AAU nationals are in Alabama so we have decided to go to both and give you the opportunity to pick one or both. We understand USATF is much closer than AAU this year. We also want to make sure you understand not everyone will qualify for the USATF nationals and that everyone qualifies for the AAU nationals. Take a look at the dates and locations and we would love to have you join us for one or both of the programs. We will practice one night a week (probably Tuesday's from 4:30 to 5:30pm at Oakland Mills High) in November. If you want to do the AAU Junior Olympics I need to know by Monday (October 6) next week so please get back to me ASAP! I don't need to know about the USATF Junior Olympics for a couple weeks (October 27). We do want to have teams if at all possible so talk it up among the kids in the same age groups! We would love to the high school kids join us as well!
What a great turnout at the first meet of the year at Brunswick; we had about 60 Junior Striders compete! Thanks parents for taking the kids all the way out there and congrats to all the kids for giving the best effort! Keep an eye out in this weeks Columbia Flier or Howard County Times for the results. I sent them in so if they have room they will post the results for us.
One note I need to make about the meets. When you sign your kid(s) up and are asked to list a club or team please write HOWARD COUNTY. Several of the clubs have the word Striders in their name so that is not a good word to use so lets just go with HOWARD COUNTY.
One note about practices I need to make. There are a lot of water bottles left each night and I need to ask you to make sure your kid(s) take them home with them even if they are empty. If we continue to leave that amount of trash at the practice location we will not be allowed to continue practicing there so please help us out with this issue, thanks!
I received a tremendous response about helping out at the home on Sunday September 28 - THANKS!!!!!!!!!!! I have attached an excel spreadsheet with the names, emails and activity/task. Take a look and if anyone else can help out in some of those spots that would be great.
I do hope you consider having your kid(s) compete at the meet this Sunday. Having a home meet really gives everyone the best opportunity to experience the sport since it is right there where we practice.
The kids were working hard and most seemed to be having a great time last night at practice as I walked around measuring a 1k, 2k, 3k and 4k XC course for our home meet on Sunday September 28, 2008 at Centennial High School.
I encourage you to take your child(ren) to a race or all the races to give them the opportunity to see what this sport really is. I hope you can arrange your schedules to compete at the home meet for sure. I agreed to host one so that all of you would have at least one race close to home as I know most of the meets are close to an hour away but worth it. The first meet we will go to is this Sunday, September 21 (my anniversary), at Brunswick High. Note the schedule on the web site has another meet that day in Virginia but that is not the one we are going to. We are going to Brunswick which is in Maryland a bit south of Frederick. The meet flyer for our home meet is up there now as well. Here is the Junior Striders XC web site if you haven't made it a favorite yet (http://striders.net/junior/fall/2008/). When you get to Brunswick High pay the race fee as you enter the school grounds and then find our team behind the school. We usually set up a canopy and hang out together during the meets. Have the kids wear their Junior Strider uniform if they have it of course or if they don't try to have them wear a navy blue t-shirt. They have a course walk before the races start so that the runners and fans/parents know where the course goes so try to be there and participate in that if your schedule allows. After the course walks we will try to help each age group get warmed up and stretched out before their race but we really need your help with that as sometimes there is to much going on trying to get results from the races and coaching them during the races. Bring drinks, snacks, chairs and appropriate clothing. The kids really should ONLY be in shorts and their uniform singlet or a t-shirt when they race but might need sweats before and after if it is chilly.
The uniforms and other clothing were ordered this morning and as soon as they come in I will let you know! Thanks for ordering so much stuff and wanting to represent the club. It makes us feel real good to know you and your kids want to wear Junior Strider logo wear all around town!
We will need help with the home meet on Sunday September 28 at Centennial High. I need a couple parents to take charge of a mini concession stand (drinks, candy, snacks, toilet paper, etc.). We can fund it but need people to buy the goods, set up the stand and sell (don't sell the toilet paper but make sure it is available it the portapots). I will need help at the finish line. I will need help with the ribbons. I will need help with the course walk. I will need help on the course (keeping the kids going the right way when they are racing). I will need help with the clean up and set up. If you can help please pick one you would like to help with the most and let me know and I will start a list. Other than the concession stand crew getting the goods all the work will be at the meet where the kids are and will be racing!
Thanks and lets keep a good thing going!!!!!
Phil Lang Howard County Striders Youth Coordinator
OK it looks like the first practice is going to be a hot one. We do not supply water so PLEASE make sure each of the kids bring a bottle of water or Gatorade to each practice. There are portable toilets at the stadium but please encourage your kids to go before practice, preferably at home, because we really do not account for bathroom breaks nor do we want the kids leaving the practice groups without supervision. We understand emergencies of course and practice is only one hour and 15 minutes so this really should not be much of an issue but please talk to your kids about it.
Meet on the blacktop area directly behind Centennial High School overlooking the stadium. Warm ups begin at 6pm and please make sure you are there to pick up your child no later than 7:15 so the coaches can leave and attend to their other commitments.
The first night we will have all the kids born in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 practice with Coach Jim and Coach Carina. All the kids born in 1997, 1998 and 1999 will practice with Coach Karen, Coach Curt and Coach Mike. All the kids born in 1994, 1995 and 1996 will practice with Coach Bobby, Coach Paul and Coach Carlos. The first night will mainly be an evaluation session by the coaches. The second practice and throughout the season we will move some kids around based on ability so that everyone can get the most of the program this fall.
Coach Vicki will be the head Coach so please direct questions to her or to myself when I am there or via email.
Phil Lang Howard County Striders Youth Coordinator