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Summer Track & Field Team So You've Signed Up - "Now What?"

If you have signed up to participate on the team, we hope you will read the information provided below. If you have questions, please feel to e-mail us at: president@errun.org .

Don't Wait:

We are excited about the level of interest in the summer track & field team and hope you are too. We hope to build on the success enjoyed by last year's team, and we are working hard to make it a success.

Some of you will be new to Track & Field and we wanted to write a few words of encouragement to you. Most of you have participated in other sports, so you will understand most of the basics - heart, determination, dedication, hard work, competition, and - oh yeah - Fun! The main thing we hope you get out of this is that you have fun and learn something about yourself that you did not know. If you are currently participating in another sport - great! Some of that exercise will translate to T&F. If you have time two or three times each week to stretch and run for 10 - 15 minutes, that will help prepare you and jump start your summer tack experience. So don't wait.

It is the case that your "track stride" will differ from your baseball, softball, basketball or lacrosse stride. So, running for 10 - 15 minutes will help you settle into that stride and there is no replacement for it.

An excellent opportunity to get out and have fun is to enter a 1 mile fun run or 5K with your friends. We have posted a few of those on our website and hope to see you there.

We are also hosting several Cross Country races at Oklahoma Road Middle School (April 14 th and April 21 st ). These races are an excellent opportunity for you to come out and run with your friends and against them as well. The cost to enter these races is $1.

What Else Can I Do?

One of the things you will enjoy most is competing in relay events at meets. In order to do this, we will need at least four athletes in your age group and of the same gender. So, if you have a friend or two who are thinking about running, now is the time to encourage them to sign up. Most of us who have competed in track would gladly give up an individual medal to have a relay medal from the same meet. We hope to have strong 4X100, 4X200, 4X400 & 4X800 teams in all age groups.

For your friends who are undecided, encourage them to come to the first practice and "test drive" the program. They can always sign up after they have practiced a few times.

Shoes and Equipment:

The main thing you and your parents will want to do is visit a store and get a nice pair of running shoes. We all have our favorite manufacturers and stores. If you have a problem finding what you are looking for, remember, Feet First Sports in Columbia and Falls Road Running store will give you a 10% discount for being a member of ERR. You may want to visit these stores as they know our sport and understand the demands that different athletes require from their shoes due to: how your foot strikes the ground, the amount of mileage you will run, your stride, your weight, etc.

Spikes - most athletes will run in spikes at meets. Depending on the number of meets you hope/plan to attend - you and your parents may decide to simply invest in a nice pair of light-weight running shoes. If this is your decision, it is not a bad one, particularly if this is your first season.

Mark Your Calendars:

Our First Practice will be held April 24 th at Liberty High School . We have also posted a tentative calendar to assist you in your planning. Please check back as this calendar will get revised as additional information is passed to us from various meet directors and other Track & Field Organizations.

We do not have final dates on the US Track & Field Preliminary Meet the dates we have posted are projected based upon last year's calendar. This meet determines the athletes who qualify for the Association's meet. We will all be working towards good performances at these two meets.

Frequently Asked Questions:

I participate in another sport. Will I be penalized for missing practice?

No. At this level, we are not trying to be that rigorous.

It will, however, impact your participation on the relay teams. It would not be fair to the other relay team members to scratch the entire relay team because one of the runner is playing another sport that day. We will ask early on who wants to participate in the relays. From that group, we expect a commitment to be at the meets.

We will encourage you to try to make up the workout on your own. So, you will want to find out what the workout is, and try to run on Saturday &/or Sunday. If you have a friend on the team, odds are you will be able to talk them into running with you.

You do need to know, that like any sport, to be good - it takes work and dedication. Also, the older you get and the more intense the competition becomes, you will probably be harder on yourself than any coach about missing a practice. Bottom line is, if you want to run well, we can help you and we would like to see you at practice.

Will we have an opportunity to train for field events?

Yes - In fact we are pleased to tell you that Vicki Younger will be working with our high jumpers on Friday nights - so if you are a high jumper - do your best to make that Friday practice.

At this time, it does not look like will be able to support pole vaulters in our area. We hope to find a coach who is accredited in this event, but at this time we do not have one.

Should I eat Dinner before practice?

This is tough - your mom and dad will know best. We would suggest a light snack or dinner at 5:00. But if you cannot do this, it would be best to wait and eat your meal after practice. We know this will mean your moms and dads are eating late and fixing your meals later than normal. You will need to give them a big thank you.

What should I bring to practice?

The most important thing is a good pair of running shoes. Beyond that we would suggest that you bring a sweatshirt or warm up to put on after your workout. You will not want your body to cool down too fast.

What will it cost to enter the meets?

As this information becomes available, we will let you know. The cost can vary. For some meets, you pay a fee and enter as many events as you like. For other meets, you pay $2 - $3 for each event you enter. In order to compete in UST&F events or events sponsored by AAU, you will have to join that organization - this typically costs between $12 and $15. This is an annual membership fee, and once you pay that fee, you can compete in any event sponsored by that organization - provided you qualified for it. Again, every meet we go to, we will provide you with this information in advance.

Will we travel to meets as a team?

No. We are sure your parents will want to carpool or maybe follow each other to various meets. The track meets will generally last 3 - 4 hours (depending on the number of heats and race participants). Some of you will run in the first event or two and may want to go home. Others will want to come later because their events start later in the meet.

What are our Team's Colors?

We will be providing all of our athletes with ERR Red and White Singlets for meets. In order to compete on the relay teams, you will need to wear these singlets. You will have an opportunity to purchase matching racing shorts if you want them.

What are the age groups?

AAU & UST&F designate the age groups a little differently. The two Genders compete separately. At present, we are more focused on UST&F events. They break down competitions as follows (based upon your age on the date of the event):

•  9 & 10 - Bantam;

•  11 & 12 - Midget

•  13 & 14 - Youth

•  15 & 16 - Intermediate

•  17 & 18 - Young Men & Women

What are the High School athletes going to do who are participating on other teams?

Initially, at least for the month of May, we expect the team to be made up primarily of Middle School and Elementary School Athletes. As the Spring Sports wrap-up their season, the high school athletes will begin to join the workouts. If you are a high school athlete and for some reason are sitting out spring sports, you are welcome to come join us in the workouts.

About The Eldersburg Rogue Runners:

The Eldersburg Rogue Runners (ERR) is an affiliate of the Freedom Area Recreation Council. ERR is a nonprofit organization established to foster the sport of running in South Carroll County , MD.