Cross-Country

Dear Cross Country Parents:                                         September 9,  2024

I am very excited to work with your son/daughter on the 2024 Falcon Ridge Cross Country Team.  In order to start our season off well, I would like to inform you about our practice schedules, as well as some requirements for participating on the Cross Country Team.

First of all, we will practice everyday from 3:20- until 4:45. Students should load activity buses before 5pm and parents should pick up students by 5pm.  A bus pass is required for admission onto the activity bus and will be provided on the first day of practice to students who live within the Falcon Ridge attendance area.

Each team member is required to be at practice every day.  If your son/daughter needs to miss a practice, please email me or send a note explaining the reason for the absence.  In order for the team and the individual to be the very best they can, maximum participation is needed.

Each team member will be issued a jersey for meet days.  It will be your son/daughter’s responsibility to keep this clean and return it at the end of the season. Your son or daughter will need to provide his/her own practice shirt and shorts everyday.  He/she will also need comfortable athletic shoes to wear for running.  Running style shoes are not required, but they are recommended. Many times, the meets and practices will proceed rain (or snow) or shine.  It is important that the athletes have appropriate attire. 

Each day during practice, we will stretch and run as an entire team.  Most days, our long runs will take us off of school grounds.  This is a very important part of our training, and of course, safety of each team member is my number one concern.  Before going on any long distance run, we will discuss our route and review the safety rules regarding running off campus:
1.  Run with a partner or a group at all times.
2.  Stay on paths or sidewalks whenever possible.
3.  At intersections, always stop and give right away to all passing cars.
4.  When running on back streets with no sidewalks, run single-file on the left side of the street.

The meet schedule is being finalized and will be available by our first practice. Our first meet, The Lakeville North Invitational “MiniJack” will be held Tuesday, Sept. 17  at Steve Michaud Park in Lakeville.  For each meet, the team will ride a bus to and from the host school.   If you wish to drive your own child home from the meet, you will be asked to check him/her out with me before you leave.

Each meet starts at 4:00 and consists of 4 or 6 races.  Unless we are informed otherwise, the approximate times for the races will be as follows:
4:00   6^th grade girls                               4:15    6^th grade boys
4:30   7^th grade girls                                4:45    7^th grade boys
5:00   8^th grade girls                                5:15     8^th grade boys

Sometimes the 6^th graders will be put in the 7^th grade race.  We will let you know ahead of time.

Our philosophy at Falcon Ridge Middle School is that schoolwork is the first priority for our student athletes.  Please encourage your son/daughter to budget his/her time so school work does not suffer during the season.

I am so glad to have the opportunity to work with your son/daughter this fall, and I look forward to seeing you at our meets during the season. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email Me at chris.calhoon@district196.org or leave a voicemail at (651) 683-8566, ext. 2012. 

I look forward to meeting you soon.

Chris Calhoon