Cross Country
Season: August 26th - October 17th
Parent information meeting: Tumwater High School Performing Arts Center (PAC) on September 10th at 5pm. This is an important meeting to meet all coaches, go over the meet schedule, expectations, the training program, and get additional information.
Summer practice: August 26 - 29 from 3:30-5 pm at Pioneer Park in front of soccer fields #1/#2 (see pic below).
*TUESDAY PRACTICE (August 27th) will meet at Tumwater Falls in the lower parking lot (by the little playground with the boat and the salmon run). We will train and run from 3:30-5:00. We will end our run at South Sound Running, where they host a local XC season kick-off event. Athletes will get pizza, soda, and a chance to win raffle prizes. XC spikes are 15% off that night too, but please note that spikes are NOT required for middle schoolers. Please plan to pick your athlete up at 5:30 at South Sound Running: 3405 Capitol Blvd SE, Olympia, WA 98501
Regular practice: begins first day of school (meet at the front entrance of BMS), Monday-Thursday 2:30-4pm at BMS. Please drive around the side of BMS and pick up your athlete outside my classroom. *Please note, that we are working with transportation to have a consistent day that our team gets bussed over to practice with the high school team. On those days practice will go until 4:30 and athletes will need to be picked up there. Hopefully, we'll have more information about which day(s) practice will be at the high school soon!
Friday practices: mandatory Friday morning core/flexibility training at BMS from 7-7:30am on Sept.6th and 13th. Friday morning training is TBD after 9/13.
Athletes will need to be cleared & attend all initial 8 practices to be eligible for the first game.
REQUIRED GEAR:
- High quality running shoes (contact coach Brown asap if you child needs support obtaining quality running shoes- quality running shoes are key to injury prevention)
- Water bottle
- Yoga mat (inexpensive ones are just fine!)
- Athletic attire
- well fitting running socks
RECCOMENDED GEAR: Digital sport watch with stopwatch feature (the cheap ones under $20 work just fine). Carrying phones while running will be discouraged.
Meet attire: a jersey provided by (& returned at the end of the season to) BMS
Away Meet protocol: We will ride to all matches as a team. If you will be riding with parents home, you will need to have completed a permission form (Travel Release), stamped in the main office and turned in to your coach before departing BMS. Dress in uniform before leaving BMS. Pack snacks.
Photos: TBD
Spirit wear: https://www.spinteesprints.com/store/c855/Bush_Cross_Country.html While BMC XC shirts and/or hoodies are not required, it is fun for kids to wear their shirts to school on meet days. Hoodies are great to have at meets once the weather cools down (which we know happens fast!)
Please join the BMS Cross-Country page on Athletic.net for meet information, results, etc.
Get started by going to https://anet.io/QYNVRAMSQ to download the app, then sign up with our team code: QYNVRAMSQ
Meet Schedule (so far): *The only Saturday meets which will be required are listed below. There may be opportunities for others, but TBD.
Saturday September 14th Olympia XC Classic @LBA Park
Wednesday September 18th vs. Tumwater Middle School/Black Hills @ Pioneer Park
Wednesday September 25th LBA invite @LBA Park
Saturday October 5th John Payne XC Invitational @ Chambers Creek, University Place
Let's GO Falcons Runners! I can't wait to see you all on the 26th! ~ Coach Brown
Head Coach: Joanna Brown, joanna.brown@tumwater.k12.wa.us
A little about me: Along with coaching cross country, I am the track and field coach, a sixth-grade ELA teacher at BMS, and a parent of a Bush student and two East Olympia Elementary students. I am devoted to the Tumwater community and deeply invested in the success of our students and athletes. I've coached track and cross country on and off for the past 20 years. I was a collegiate cross-country athlete and an avid marathoner (once upon a time). Now that I have less time and a knee that doesn't always play nice, I am a casual (aka slower) runner competing in a couple of 10k or half marathon races each year. I won't be able to keep up with many of our more experienced runners. We will often run with the high schoolers and will always have check-in points and complete runs based on time vs. miles with safety protocols in place.
Program goals: Grow running abilities, knowledge of the sport, self-discipline, and sportsmanship. Learn to embrace the challenge of competing while building strong team camaraderie with each other and a love for running.
A note for parents: Your child may be a talented runner, a novice, or somewhere in between. Cross-country is about celebrating personal bests and supporting teammates to do the same. The best way to support your kiddo is by celebrating individual effort and growth while ensuring routines are in place for ample sleep, nutrition, and hydration.
Please reach out with any questions or concerns. Let's GO Falcons Runners! I can't wait to see you all on the 26th! ~ Coach Brown
