Track news for the week of March 2

Practice from 5:00-6:05 this week

It's our last week before the move to Daylight Savings time. We'll go until 6:05pm this week.

Starting next week, practice will go until 6:30pm. That's as late as we'll go for the rest of the season.

Lacrosse at College Park

It looks like the high school has a number of home lacrosse games coming up in March, right on our practice days. This may mean some reshuffling around on our part. Always check the team schedule page on the web site for updates:

http://ctktrack.org/schedule.shtml

Our permit also includes Wednesdays, and we may need to shift schedules on some weeks to stay out of the way of the high school teams.

War Path Invitational, this Saturday, March 8

This for-fun practice meet is coming up this Saturday at Ygnacio Valley High in Concord. I'm planning to arrive no later than 8:30 and will try to park under the solar panels.

https://goo.gl/maps/awnyG

Due to neighborhood noise regulations, we're not allowed in the YVH stadium until 9:00, so we'll try to gather in the parking lot. If the gates are open, we'll pass through to the basketball courts. Look for the team, or for me or a coach to direct you.

Athletes: Check in with your coach by 8:45 so we can get a full headcount. We'll go in together and warm up as a team.

Families: Drop off your athletes with the coaches and then head into the stadium at 9:00. You will need to pay a $2 spectator admission to YVH at the gate.

This is the first time we've tried this event, and I hope to make it a tradition.

Your first track meet?

Prepare yourself for short bursts of excitement punctuated by longer periods of watching other children competing. Clap for everybody, and remember this is about fun, not coming in first every time.

Be comfortable! Bring a stadium cushion or blanket for the bleachers, and extra water and healthy snacks for you and your athletes. YVH may have a snack table set up, so a little extra cash would be a good idea. Dress in layers, and bring sunscreen just in case. I'm expecting the bathrooms on campus to be open, which is a short walk from the track.

As with any facility, food and drink is allowed in the stands, but never on the track or turf. Plain water only may be brought to the track. Alcohol and tobacco use is banned everywhere in the facility.

More questions? There's a much longer write up on the web site geared for our own CYO meets:

http://ctktrack.org/meet_tips.shtml

Uniforms

I've put in the order for the shirts and sweatshirts, and expect them to be delivered to me sometime this week. We'll get them sorted and hand them out at a practice before the first meet -- perhaps just before. Surplus sweatshirts will be available for sale once we've handed out the pre-orders.

Since our team is actually made up of three parishes, you'll notice that our shirts are three different colors: red for Christ the King, blue for St. Catherine's, and gold for St. Stephen's. Which parish athletes belong to is based on home address or if they are students in the parish school or religion classes.

For most of the season, the parish breakdown doesn't matter. We train as one big team, and you'll see us mix and match as needed to fill out relay teams at practice meets. Once we run the Qualifying meet at the end of April, though, we have to button down the relays into parish-pure groups. This is a bitter pill for all the smaller parishes in CYO, not just ours. It's also a long way off, and not something that should be a source of worry or stress.

Save the date: Team Picnic Saturday, May 31

Though the season is just starting, we're already planning for team potluck picnic and awards ceremony.  This year's picnic will be at the same location as last year's, at Pleasant Hill Park, site #3, next to the teen center, under the shade shelter.

Athletes and their families are encouraged to attend. We'll pass out end-of-season awards, comb through the lost and found pile, and draw prizes for families that worked extra shifts. Please plan to attend if you can!