Welcome to the Hillview Cross Country Team 2024

What is Cross-Country?  Cross-country is a running team that competes in races that are 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) in length.  Each race is run in a large group with 50 to 200 runners competing all at the same time.  There is competition on both an individual and team basis.  Individuals may win awards, which are sometimes given to the first 10 – 20 place finishers in each race.  The team wins based on the results of our top five runners, their scores are added together and the lowest total wins. We are the defending overall league champions.

When is Cross-Country?  Our official Hillview Cross Country season begins Tuesday, August 16 and continues through November 2nd. Practices will be held before school early in the season and will be held AFTER school later in the season.

• ATHLETES COME TO MORNING PRACTICE, MEETING AT THE GYM, DRESSED TO RUN. THEY BRING THEIR BACKPACK AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR THE DAY. After practice they change and have time to relax before the beginning of the school day.
• When we have AFTER SCHOOL practices, they go to the locker room immediately after school, they change and lock their backpacks in the locker room. They then proceed out to the field for practice. Pick up the athletes at the gym at 3:30
• See the attached practice and meet schedule.

Email Mr. Lister at d.lister@westside.k12.ca.us if you cannot regularly attend practice on any particular day to see if other arrangements can be made.

Who runs Cross-Country?  All Hillview students are welcome on the cross-country team and are encouraged to try it. You do not have to already be fast or able to run long distances in order to be on the team. You do however, have to be willing to work hard at becoming faster and show progress at running farther to remain on the team. You also must be able to make all the practices and meets.  If you are participating in other sports, such as Hillview Volleyball, Hillview Cheer, club soccer, club cross-country, swimming, etc, we can have some flexibility with practices (see Mr. Lister)

Who gets to compete in the races?  There is no limit to the number of runners we can enter in races so everyone can compete. We do require, however, that you prove to us that you can run 2 miles in less than 22 minutes, on a consistent basis, in order to go to the meets.  You must also maintain good citizenship and maintain a 2.0 grade point average, with no Fs in order to compete.

Where is practice and where are the meets (races)?   Practices are held at Hillview. We run on our field and in the community surrounding the school.  There will be 6 meets held at various schools and parks in the valley. A schedule of our meets will be published as soon as the dates are finalized.

 

Why participate in Cross-Country?  There are a number of great reasons to run cross-country.  

1. Fun time with other students.
2. You will become more fit.
3. You will improve your fitness level for other sports.
4. Destination runs – runs to Jamba Juice, Coldstone, etc.
5. You can earn a place on the team through your own effort regardless of how good anyone else is. There is no limit to the number of runners who get to compete!
6. Every one who finishes the season gets a letter and a pin.
7. According to scientific studies – cross-country runners improve their academic grades!
8. Pizza party at the end of the season.

We have 2 goals for our team.

• First, we strive to promote the sport of Cross Country and the fitness activity of running by helping our students’ transition to High School Cross Country teams and into a lifetime habit of running for fitness.
• Second, we strive for success competitively as a team.

We will train by running distances of 2 to 5 miles. We will also do consistent core and strengthening work along with stretching. We welcome athletes who are not already physically fit as long as they are willing to work very hard to improve themselves. We have a 2 step trial system for our team:

1.  In order to be allowed to compete at Cross Country races we expect our athletes to be running the entire race. Therefore, we require them to complete the 2-mile time trial in 22 minutes. Periodically we do a “2x4” time trial which allows them to meet this qualification and the one below.
2. We also desire our athletes to be successful at longer training runs. We expect them to be able to participate in destination runs, such as when we run to Jamba Juice. We expect them to be able to run for their teams in High School. We expect them to be able to compete in local 5k races. Therefore, we expect all of our athletes to attain the ability to run 4 miles in 44 minutes. We call this our Jamba Qualifier.