Cross Country Begins 
Monday, August 1, 2011 
 
Coach:  Head Coach Carla Okwumabua
Assistant Coaches: Danny Potts, Rhonda Nicholls, and Rhonda Craig

The first day of practice for both returning runners and those new to cross country will be Aug 1, 2010 at 3:30 at the track. Practices will be held daily (M- F) from 3:30 pm to 5:30. In order to practice, all runners must have a current physical on file (2011-2012), and must be eligible to run per the schools standards. Incoming freshmen are all eligible to participate. The deadline to hand in completed physicals will be August 19, 2011. No exceptions!! 
Contact Coach Okwumabua for more information. 

Practice Schedule
Practice begins at daily at 3:50 p.m everyday (Monday – Friday).
Practice will end by 5:45 each day. Parents who pick up their student after practice must meet in the track parking lot on Brand Road. With few exceptions, no one should cross the bridge back to campus after practice. On days when we practice off campus, parents will be required to pick their athlete up at the Cheatham Hill Rd. location of the Kennesaw Mountain Trails.
All athletes should bring proper attire to practice. This includes t-shirt, shorts, sweat shirt, sweat pants, and training shoes. All athletes are required to run in shoes specified for running (Nike, Mizuno and Asics are all good brands). Note: This does not include flat converse, shocks, or basketball shoes. If there are any questions, please contact the coach for specificity before purchasing.
Parents who attend practice are respectfully requested to watch from the stands and must stay outside of the fenced competition area.

Inclement Weather
In the event of inclement weather, the coaching staff will determine the status of practice. This decision will be made by 12 noon on the day of practice. The athletic director, principal, and Cobb Central Office may elect to cancel practices at any time they feel it is in the students best interest. Cold and rain do not automatically cancel practice. Cross country meets take place in rain or shine, and the athletes must be prepared to run in these conditions. Practice will be held indoors if deemed necessary. A sign will be posted on the Track gate directing parents to the front school parking lot for pick-ups.

Attendance
Attendance at practice is mandatory for all members of the Cross Country team. Roll will be taken each day. If a runner has not begun their warm-up laps by the time the first runner completes there’s they will be considered late.  Athletes should bring a note explaining their absence at least 3 days prior to practice. Tutoring must be scheduled before school and should not interfere with an athletes ability to practice. 3 unexcused absences will result in dismissal from the team. If absent from school, you are not permitted to attend practice.
When scheduling doctor/dental appointments, etc., team members should try to work around the teams schedule. This does not imply that students should miss school instead of practice. Instead, the parent and student should attempt to schedule appointments on student holidays, early release days, and non-practice days when possible.

Tardy Policy
Unexcused tardiness is negative for the team. Thus, an individual unexcused tardy will result in (but not limited to) team push-ups, and bleacher running. Multiple unexcused tardies can result in suspension from meets and/or possibly from the team. If at all possible, let the coaching staff know if you are to be late for any reason. 
For team information and updates please log onto gatfxc.com.