West
High Cross Country
-- Frequently Asked Questions --
*****************************************
This page has been
created to help all parents understand what happens at a Cross Country meet.
The
Basic Rule:
Run the fastest 3 miles
you can!
Cross Country is long
distance running over different types of terrain. The course can consist of
grass, dirt (mud), sand, gravel, concrete, and asphalt. The race may include
hills, valleys, roads, sidewalks, and trails. The race is run rain or shine.
How is
the Scoring done?
The first 5 finishers,
in each race, for each school, add their finishing places. (e.g.: 1st
place = 1 point, 2nd = 2 points, 3rd = 3 points, 4th = 4 points, etc.)
The lowest team score wins the meet. 15 points is a perfect team score.
Who
competes and at what level?
Everybody
competes! Generally, all freshman boys
and girls compete in their respective freshman races. All sophomores, juniors,
and seniors compete in the JV races unless they are one of the fastest seven
runners. Some meets have sophomore-only races.
Generally, the fastest
7 athletes run in the Varsity races. Every runner has the opportunity to
run on the Varsity level, including freshmen, if their race times are
competitive enough to be in the top seven.
However, the athlete’s dedication, work-ethic, and commitment may also
be considered. The coaches have the final say regarding who
runs Varsity.
No one runs more than
once during a cross-country meet.
What
equipment is needed?
A pair of Running
shoes. (Basketball, Tennis, or
Cross-Training shoes are NOT Running shoes.).
Good local sources for shoe advice and to purchase shoes are The Village
Runner and Road Runner Sports.
A wristwatch that has a
capability to time race and lap times.
Can we
cheer at the meets?
You are more than
welcome to go anywhere on the course to cheer for your kids. Be aware
that there are other runners, so do not get in their way. When you are
cheering for our team and you do not know a runner's name, it's OK to yell
"Go West!".
When
will my kid run?
At the Bay League
meets, the order of the races is as follows:
1. Boys JV
2. Girls Varsity
3. Boys Varsity
4. Girls JV
5. Girls Freshman
6. Boys Freshman
The coaches will inform
the kids of their race times at the other meets.
Parents, and friends,
are ALWAYS welcome to come watch the races, no matter what your kids say.
What
schools do we compete against?
West
Torrance is in the Bay
League, which includes teams from Redondo, Mira Costa, Peninsula, Palos Verdes, and Leuzinger.
There are 3 Bay League meets throughout the season.
Other meets are scheduled throughout the
season and many other schools compete in these meets.
West Torrance is
in Division 3 in the CIF Southern Section.
If you have any other
questions, please e-mail one of the coaches.