Track & Field
Handbook
2010
Track means running to get our athletes into shape. Therefore, it is very important to attend all
practices when possible. But if you
cannot do so, please let your coach know and try to put in a “run” during the
week. We have 3 – 4 weeks of practice
before our meets start for conditioning and training.
Location and Times
First practice starts
February 27, (Saturday); 9-11AM
Saturday practices only on
Feb 27, Mar 6, Mar 20; 9-11AM
Regular practices are on Monday,
Wednesday and Thursday; 6:00PM to 7:30PM
Parent Meeting
February 27, 2010, 9-11PM at
Preparation
Athletes should come with running shoes, water bottle, sweat shirt and sweat pants (layered over T-shirt and running shorts), track spikes (each divisions coach [except Gremlins] will discuss this with the athletes and parents)
Drop-off
Please use the main gate (parking lot) and side gate (Mulholland) for
drop-off and pick-up. Practices start
and end promptly. Each child must check
in and out with the coach. Please be
courteous to the coaches by not being late to pick-up your child.
Weather
We will always practice unless otherwise notified. Light, misty rain will not cause us to cancel
practice; but heavy rain will be reason to cancel. Look to our website or mass email for latest
information.
Clothing
Especially early in the season, the weather will be cool during our
evening workouts. All athletes must
bring a sweat shirt and sweat pants to wear over their T-shirts and
shorts. The nature of our workout will
have the athletes working through the layers of clothing. And, very importantly, LABEL YOUR CLOTHING
and SHOES clearly. Many items of
clothing and shoes are going to be identical, so mark your property clearly. Your child should have a track bag for
carrying.
Uniforms
Uniforms will be issued before the first track meet. They consist of a jersey and running
shorts. Athletes are required to wear
this uniform by the conference. Athletes
will not be able to compete without the uniform. Shirts must be tucked in.
Training
While we’ll be having a lot of fun, we’re also going to get this group
of young athletes in the best physical shape of their lives. This requires a great deal of conditioning
and specific training. During the first
few weeks, practices will seem pretty tough.
There will be sore muscles and it may take some extra dedication and
encouragement to keep them from getting discouraged by the hard work at
first. But the sense of accomplishment,
growth and self-confidence that comes from working beyond one’s limits and
achieving goals that seemed unreachable just a few days before, are rewards
well worth the quest. We want all of our
participants to come away from our program not only as better athletes, but
also as better young people, more confident in themselves and stronger in their
ability to overcome challenges. If your
athlete does incur any type of injury during the course of practice (such as
sore or pulled muscles), please bring it to the attention of the coach
immediately.
Shoes
Shoes are the most important piece of equipment an athlete will need
for track. Most well known manufacturers
(Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Asics, etc.) supply quality shoes.
Training shoes
Each athlete must have a pair of good training shoes. The shoe will need to be specifically made
for running. Cross training, basketball
or mid/high tops will not work and may cause injury. Check that the upper part of the shoe is
mounted squarely on the shoes and not lopsided, and that there is enough
padding to absorb the shock of running.
Training shoes can also be used for meets.
Spikes
“Spike” shoes are racing flats with spikes. They are optional and can be used by Bantam
age level and up. Gremlins are
prohibited from using spikes. There are
spikes for sprints and distance. You
should wait to purchase these until you know what events your athlete will
compete.
Ø Spike lengths:
o Tartan Tracks & Runways 3/16” Needles
o Dirt Tracks 3/8”
Maximum
Shoe stores
It’s a good idea to buy from a store that can help fit and recommend a
shoe. The following shoe stores offer a
team discount on track shoes.
(818) 991-4786 (818)
225-7463
30135 Agoura Road
Suite A 22890
Nutrition
Water is very important. Please
send a large bottle of water to all practices and meets. Athletes should come to practice having had a
small, light meal. Heavy meals,
especially ones with fried foods, are not appropriate fuel for a productive
workout. Indeed, they can make the
athlete quite miserable during practice.
Milk products are also to be avoided as much as possible before a work
out. Pasta is a good example of a food
that works well prior to workout. After
the practice, the athlete may want a light snack, and then should get to bed
early. Proper rest is a principal requirement
of the recovery period that physical training demands.
Water is the only liquid
permitted on the track and new infield at
On the Track Meet days, please do NOT bring potato chips, soda, candy
or other similar snack foods to the meet.
Fruit and fruit juices are much better solutions to satisfy the need to
snack during the race day.
Refund Policy
·
All refund requests must be in writing / email.
·
100% refund if requested by 3/05.
·
50% refund if requested by 3/12.
·
No refunds after 3/12.
Track and Field usage
policy
Parents and siblings are not
permitted on the track or infield during practice. In the past, we encouraged
parents to jog or walk during practice, but starting in 2008 with the combined
age groups all practicing at once there is simply no room. Safety is the
primary reason for this change and we are advising any persons from the
surrounding community to not run or practice during our permitted times. The
upper field is open for jogging/walking by parents and their siblings.
Water is the only liquid
permitted on the track and new infield at
Parent Volunteers
The
Calabasas Track Club is run by parent volunteers; this includes the Board of
Directors, coaches, administrators, track meet positions and any others
functions that are required to help this organization support the youth of
Calabasas and the surrounding communities in the sport of track and field. If
you have a child that is on this club, it is mandatory as a parent, to
volunteer your time sometime during the season. Our website has positions (with
brief descriptions) listed under the section called volunteers, please review
the list to get an idea of how you can help so that when someone asks for help
you could step up and volunteer.
Team membership is open to boys and girls between
the ages of 5 and 15. Boys compete
against boys in their age group, girls against girls in their age group, and
all race heats are seeded according to relative ability, so every athlete has
the opportunity for a well-balanced competitive experience.
All teams are organized into age categories determined by the year of the athlete’s birth as of December 31.
Birth
Year
Gremlin Girls /
Boys (GG, GB) 2002
- 2004
Bantam Girls /
Boys (BG, BB) 2000
- 2001
Midget Girls /
Boys (MG, MB) 1998
- 1999
Youth Girls / Boys
(YG, YB) 1996
- 1997
Intermediate Girls
/ Boys (IG, IB) 1994 -
1995
Track meets will be held at
Track meet schedule for the Calabasas Cheetahs
(CAL), from the Southern California Youth Track and Field Conference Web-site
is attached to this handout.
Events: (all in meters)
|
Events |
100M |
200M |
400M |
800M |
1500M |
3000M |
4x100 Relay |
4x400 Relay |
80M Hurdles |
100M Hurdles |
Long Jump |
High Jump |
Shot Put |
|
|
Gremlin |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
X |
|
|
|
X |
|
|
|
|
Bantam |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
X |
X |
|
|
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Midget |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Youth |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Intermediate |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
The
Track is 400 meters long about ¼ of a mile.
4 laps equals 1600 meters which is a few yards
shorter than a mile.
Track
(running) Events:
100 Meters – a sprint of one straightaway on the track. Starts from blocks and is run in lanes.
200 Meters - a sprint of one curve and one straightaway. Starts from blocks and is run in lanes.
400 Meters – One lap of the track. Blocks are optional and is run in lanes.
800 Meters – Two laps of the track. Standing start.
1500
Meters – 3 ¾ Laps of the track. Standing start.
3000
Meters – 7 ½ Laps of the track. Standing start.
Low
hurdles – 80 or 100 Meters for midget and youth. A sprint over 30” hurdles.
Field
Events:
High
Jump – A running jump over a horizontal bar onto a foam pad
Long
Jump – A running jump for distance into a sand pit.
Shot Put – A throw of a steel ball for distance.
Relays:
400
Meter Relay – A four person relay one lap around the track. Each person runs 100 Meters.
1600
Meter Relay – A four person relay. Each
person runs 400 meters.
All
running events finish at the same location of the track.
Running events run in this order: GG, GB, BG, BB, MG, MB, YG, YB, IC, IB (*deviations to this order are shown in parenthesis)
3000 Meters (MG,
MB, YG, YB, IG, IB)*
80 meter hurdles (MG,
MB)*
100 meter hurdles (YG,
YB, IG, IB)*
400 meters relay (4x100)
1500 meters
400 meters
100 meters
800 meters
200 meters
1600 meters relay (4x400)
High Jump (BG,
BB, MG, MB, YG, YB, IB, IG)
Long Jump (GG, GB, IB, IG, MG, MB,YG YB, BG, BB)
Shot Put (YB,
YG, IG, IB, BG, BB, MG, MB,)
Ribbons are awarded to each athlete for every event in which they compete during a regular track meet. In sprints, place ribbons will be awarded for 1st through 8th finishers per heat. A “heat” is the division of an event into groups according to their times and amount of lanes. However, sprints at the Open meet, Junior Varsity and Varsity Finals have place ribbons for only the overall best 8 in all heats, and all others receive participant ribbons.
In distance and field events, place ribbons are provided for 1st through 8th, with participant ribbons given to all others in the race.
Ribbons will be placed in plastic tote box (in stands) under each athletes name by Wednesday of week following track meet. It is the athlete’s responsibility to get them from the box. Top athletes at Invitational or Final meets will also receive special recognition medallions.
For
meet results and athletes’ times, please use the Southern California Youth
Track and Field Conference website: SCYTFC.org
The Iron Man Award
This
award is given to any athlete that participates in every event available to their
age bracket during the course of the track meet season. Gremlins are encouraged
to work toward this award, in particular, so that they will be exposed to all
events.
At the end of the regular season, there are (2) separate
Championship meets; the “Varsity Championships” and the “Junior Varsity
Championships. Athletes from all Southern
This meet is open to all athletes, including all Gremlins, who have 1) competed in at least half of the team’s Conference meets, and did not meet a “Varsity Standard”. This meet is not open to those athletes that qualify for the Varsity Championship meet. Gremlins do not have qualifying standards and do not compete at the Varsity Championships.
In order for an athlete to compete in this meet, he or she must have 1) competed in at least half of the team’s Conference meets, and 2) met a “Varsity Standard” and /or is chosen to compete on a Varsity Championship relay team. The Southern California Youth Track and Field Conference sets these standards and may relax them before the Varsity Championships to ensure full competition. Athletes who qualify for this meet are not allowed to compete in the Junior Varsity Championships. Gremlins are not eligible to compete in this meet.
Please
refer to the Conference website for Varsity Standards (SCYTFC.org) as the
Varsity Standards may change from those that are enclosed with this handout.
Co-Conference Championships
This final meet of the season pits the individual winners from the Varsity Finals from the Southern California Youth Track and Field Conference against individual winners from the Ventura County Youth Track Conference. This event brings together the finest athletes from these (2) Conferences.
A parent, spectator, coach, or another athlete is never allowed to pace a competitor by running, or taking a position along the track for the purpose of coaching or assisting him or her. The competitor will be disqualified for any such act. Any times given to an athlete will only be done so by the Head Timer at the finish line during the race.
The Southern California Youth Track and Field Conference has one major goal – to present youth track in a wholesome and competitive environment. Personal conduct of spectators, officials, coaches, and participants must, at all times, be beyond reproach. Physical and verbal abuse will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Adults or participants unable to display acceptable behavior will be directed to leave the competition site by the Meet Director. All involved individuals are advised to carefully consider their words and actions. The stress of competition often brings intemperate behavior. We must keep one thing in mind, our words and actions, if inappropriate, only make children think that it is acceptable. Let’s have fun and remember that we’re out there for the children.
Athlete
Instructions
Organizing
athletes (children) is a complicated task. Please adhere to the following:
Athletes
choose which events they will participate on a weekly basis. They will sign-up for the events which they
will be participate in during the week prior to that meet. If an athlete signs up to be part of a relay
team, they must stay for that event.
Each athlete will choose
from events as specified by age group.
Gremlins can participate in
(3) events, (1) of those events must be a relay.
Bantams, midgets, youths and intermediates can
participate in (4) events; (1) of those events must be a relay.
Scholarships
(2) $500.00 College Scholarships, (1) female and (1)
male, will be awarded to previous Cheetah athletes starting in 2009. See the
Cheetah web-site for requirements/details.
Statement of Purpose
The purpose of
the Calabasas Track Club “Cheetahs” is to promote a healthy vehicle for
training the youth of our community in the sport of Track & Field. The most important part of our program is the
growth and enrichment of our athletes.
We want our kids to have fun and have each one accomplish his or her
personal best. We teach basic and
advanced skills needed for all Track & Field events. We stress the importance of commitment that
anything worthwhile, demands their time and their devotion. Not only will our athletes walk away with
confidence, but with improved knowledge and great memories.
Vice President Reed
Vertelney (818) 591-9065
Chief Financial Officer Emy Fong (818)
609-1869
Secretary Corinne Zemliak (818) 880-5538
Coaches
Gremlins Kathleen Whitehead (Head Coach) (818) 882-1884
Bantams Carolyn Coradeschi (Head Coach) (818) 575-9419
Midgets Andy
Coradeschi (Head Coach) (818) 575-9419
Youth/Intermediate Dan Barry (Head Coach) (818) 224-3857
Distance Program Reed
Vertelney (Head Coach) (818)
591-9065
High Jump John Pedati (Head Coach) (818)
223-9411
Long Jump Susan
Taylor(Head Coach) (818)
880-1497
Hurdles Dan Barry (Head
Coach) (818) 224-3857
Shot Put Rick
Bowen (Head Coach) (818)
591-7856