Sunday, January 26, 2014

2014 Track Signups Night #2

Signup night #2

If you missed our first signup session, you have another chance on Tuesday evening at Christ the King school in Pleasant Hill. We're in room 222 -- the sixth grade classroom -- starting at 6:30pm. I have copies of all the forms, though you can get a head start and fill them out in advance, too:

http://ctktrack.org/signups.shtml

If you attended the first night and need to drop off something like your volunteer deposit or a copy of your athlete's birth certificate, you may stop in and hand that right to the cashiers.

We're asking for five shifts this season at the meets. Please be aware of when spring break takes place for your athletes: the lateness of Easter this year is adding an extra element of chaos to volunteer scheduling.

Practice starts February 4

Our first practice is Tuesday, February 4 at College Park High School's track in Pleasant Hill, starting at 5pm. Park in the big gated lot, then please accompany your athletes down the stairs and to the stands.

Parents are welcome to stay in the stands for practice. If you have not turned in medical forms, then a responsible adult must be present the entire time. I'll be there to answer questions and handle any missing paperwork or late signups. Look for the guy in a brown cowboy hat: that's me.

I'll send more about practice after signups.

Shoes

Athletes should wear a good pair of running shoes to every practice: laced, and with socks! Track shoes (with spikes) are not required and should not be worn to practice, no matter what the kids might tell you. We also don't encourage barefoot running or the Vibram-style shoes.

You'll hear this speech from me a lot, but I highly recommend getting the athletes fitted at one of the local specialty stores: Fleet Feet in Pleasant Hill, Road Runner in Concord, or Athletic Outpost in Walnut Creek. In years past, all three have given discounts if you mention that you are running in the CYO track program.

A good pair of shoes should be supportive and comfortable right away, and not pinch or slide around. Your athletes will be putting a lot of distance on their shoes, so please take the time to fit them out right.

The team does maintain a collection of gently-used track shoes for athletes to borrow later in the season with their coach's approval. If you have an outgrown pair that you'd like to pass along, feel free to give them to me at signups or during practice.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

2014 Track Signups Reminder


Signups

Our first signup night is this Thursday, January 23rd, from 6:30pm-8:30pm at Christ the King School in Pleasant Hill in room 222 (the sixth-grade classroom.) Thanks in advance to the families who have offered to help out.

If you can't make it this Thursday, there will be a second night on Tuesday the 28th at the same time, in the same room.

You can save time and fill out the forms in advance. Details and links to the forms are on the team web site on the "Signups" page:

http://ctktrack.org/signups.shtml

If you're signing up a new athlete, we need a copy of their legal proof of age -- birth certificate, passport, etc.. A photocopy is fine, it does not need to be an official version. I keep these in our team files and shred them when the athletes age out of CYO, so please make sure you don't need the document back. I should have these already for any returning athletes.

Volunteer Positions

At signups, you'll be asked to put your family's name down to work a number of shifts at the meets. Please bring your calendar with you, and be aware of any commitments like spring break, vacations, or first communion. CYO is volunteer-run, and we need your help to run the meets. I'll be working behind the volunteer signup tables if you have any questions.

The question of which meet is being held after Easter is still undecided. Historically this is the relay meet. I have the signup sheets listed that way, but like anything in CYO, we flex to meet unexpected challenges.

Veteran families: we also have a number of team jobs open. Gina Marks is our brave volunteer coordinator this year, and she's in charge of the care and feeding of that list. Please come to signup night and talk to Gina if she's present or me if she's not about doing a team job. Expect to hear about these again in future newsletters if they go unfilled.

Unclaimed Awards

Finally, I have a small collection of ribbons, medals, and other award paraphernalia left over from last season. I'll have these at the signup nights for your rummaging pleasure. Nothing makes me happier than to go home with fewer things than I arrived with.

That's all for now -- hope to see you at signups.

Monday, January 6, 2014

2014 Track and Field Signups

Hello everyone, and Happy New Year! I hope your 2014 is off to a good start.

Signups for the 2014 track season are coming up, and practices start soon after that. If you're a returning family, everything should seem very familiar to you.

We have two signup nights scheduled:
  • Thursday, January 23, 6:30-8:30pm
  • Tuesday, January 28, 6:30-8:30pm
Signups are in room 222 at Christ the King school (the sixth-grade classroom.) The signups page on the web site has details about what you need to bring with you.

Fees and forms will be up on the site very soon: keep watching Twitter or the main page of the site for updates.

Returning families: you can earn credit towards your volunteer responsibilities by working at signups. If you're available on one or the other night, please let me know. I could use about 2-3 helpers who can arrive by 6:00 to help move tables, act as cashiers/paperwork wranglers during signups, and stay to put the room back in order at the end of the evening.

Coaches and assistants should also try to attend the coaching meeting in the same room:
  • Friday, January 31, 6:30pm
Practices are the same as previous seasons: Tuesdays and Thursdays at College Park High from 5:00pm until dusk. Practice will run a little short until the move to Daylight Savings in March. Our first practice is Tuesday, February 4.

Remember that our team is open to athletes in grades 2-8 who live in the area of the parishes or who attend any of the parish schools or religious education programs.  Friends and classmates are welcome in CYO, whether or not they are Catholic. Please spread the word!