Doherty Track & Field
Where
Players Play, Coaches Coach, and Parents Cheer
Thomas B. Doherty High School
4515 Barnes Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80917
719-520-2609
DOHERTY TRACK 2014 SEASON
TO THE PARENTS OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS:
Welcome to the 2014 Spring outdoor track season
at Doherty High School. First and foremost, the safety and well being of the athlete are the top priorities
of our coaching staff. Each coach is CPR/First aid certified and is also required
to possess a working knowledge in specific areas of Track and Field. We sincerely believe every team member has something
positive to contribute, and we will do our best to make this experience enjoyable and fulfilling for the athlete.
Practices are after school and usually will last two hours. There is a special schedule for bad weather days, so we expect your child to attend. JV meets are on Tuesdays and Invitational meets are on Fridays and Saturdays. Points scored on the invite meets will count toward letter points. The Saturday meets usually restrict entries to two or three per event; consequently, not all of our team
members will compete on Saturdays. We do request their support at as many meets
as possible. A complete schedule has been handed out to your student at the start
of the season.
The
support of your student/athlete is vital to his/her well-being. I am asking for
your help ensuring that your child gets the proper rest and nutrition. This will compliment their academics as well as their athletics.
On behalf of the entire track coaching staff
at Doherty High School,
thank you.
Rob Duensing
Bill McCormick
Chuck Schwartz
Zech Whimbush
Track and Field Coaches
Thomas B.
Doherty High School
The Champions Creed
I will conquer what has never been conquered,
Defeat will not be in my creed.
I will believe where
all those before me have doubted.
I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor and respect of my team.
I have
trained my mind and now my body will follow.
Who am I? I am a champion!
Never shall I fail my brothers.
I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally
straight.
I will shoulder more than my share of the task, whatever it may be,
One hundred percent and more because I
have surrendered me for we.
Who am I? I am a champion!
Many will challenge me, but none will stop me from my goal.
I am not the strongest, I am not the fastest,
I
am good because I have found something worth fighting for, and I will fight with all my might.
Surrender is not a champions
word.
I will never leave a brother to fall at the hands of an enemy,
And under no circumstances will I surrender, for
my ears are deaf to the word cant.
Who am I? I am a champion!
History will remember my name but he does not have to be kind,
For I have denied his criticisms and
put in my own praise.
Nobody will define me, and nobody will tell me what I cant achieve.
None will say that I havent
given all that I have to give and none will take my glory.
For those who have stood by me I will fight for, and for those
who have deserted me I will crush.
Who am I? I am a champion!
SUGGESTED GUIDELINES FOR PARENT/COACH COMMUNICATION
Parents and coaches are important role models for students; they both provide
necessary guidance to young adults in their development and in their understanding of the world in which they will live and
work as adults. By understanding and respecting each other, parents and coaches, working together, can greatly benefit
children. When your children become involved with the athletic program at Doherty High School, you, as parents, have
a right to understand the expectations that will be placed upon them. Clear communication between parents and coaches
facilitates this understanding.
The following information is intended to be used as guidelines to establish
an environment in which open communication and mutual respect are fostered.
Communication You Should Expect From Us
1. Philosophy of the coach
2. Locations and times of all practices and contests
3. Explanation of athletic department training rules
4. Team requirements (i.e., special equipment, fees, off-season conditioning
recommendations)
5. Procedures if your child is injured during participation
6. Explanation of excused and unexcused absences from practice/contests
7. Discipline that results in denying your child a participation opportunity
Communication Coaches Expect From Parents
1. Concerns expressed directly to the coach rather than passed from parent
to parent to child...
2. Notification of any schedule conflicts well in advance
3. Specific concerns regarding a coach’s philosophy and/or expectations
Appropriate Concerns To Discuss With Coaches
As your children become involved in the athletic program at The Doherty, they
will experience some very rewarding moments. It is important to understand that there also may be times when things do
not go the way your children wish. Some are appropriate to communicate with coaches.
1.
The treatment of your child—mentally and physically
2. Ways to help your child improve
3. Concerns about your child’s behavior
Issues Not Appropriate To Discuss With Coaches
It is very difficult to accept that your child may not compete as often as
you had hoped. Coaches are professionals. We make judgment decisions based on what we believe is best for all athletes
involved. As you have seen from the list above, certain things can be discussed with your child’s coach. Other
things must be left to the discretion of the coach.
1. Number of events in which they compete
2. Which meets they attend
3. Other Athletes
There are situations that may require a conference between the coach and
the parent. It is expected that you will call the coach first to set up an appointment. If the outcome of the
meeting warrants a third party, call the Athletic Director's office to set up a meeting.
Appropriate Behavior
for Spectators (Three simple rules)
Cheer, Cheer, Cheer.
Save the Jeer, Jeer, Jeer for private meetings with coaches. Nothing
will counteract the intense work these kids and coaches have put into building this team than hearing people in the stands
degrading their effort or that of the officials or coaching staff.
PROCEDURES FOR CONCERNS
-
Call
to set appointment. Please do not attempt to confront a coach before or after a meet or practice. These can be emotional times for both parent and coach. Meetings
of this nature do not promote resolution.
-
The
next step if a satisfactory solution was not achieved would be to seek the input of the principal or a school athletic director.
Research indicates that participation in other
activities has a great impact on success in adult life. Many of the character
traits required to be a successful participant are exactly the same that will promote a successful life after high school. We hope this information will help in enabling your child and you to have a positive
experience with this program.
TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Coaches
Rob Duensing
520-2609
Andy Colgate
328-6425
Bill McCormick
330-7981
Chuck Schwartz
Zech Whimbush
Chris Noll
328-6443
Athletic Director
DOHERTY TRACK TEAM POLICIES
We follow the guidelines of School District 11, the Colorado State
High School Activities Association and the following rules:
I.
ELIGIBILITY
1. One
F on grade checks taken
every week gives you study tables
2. Mandatory AE until F grade is brought up, though you are getting help it may effect your
next meet.
3. If you miss one study tables, you miss the meet that week. You miss a second study tables that week,
you miss two meets.
4. Eligibility
is every two weeks. 2-F's and you are our of the next two meets.
5. Our goal is for each student athlete to learn and practice balancing a
highly competitive training with academics.
6. By letting yourself down academically you end up letting down the team.
II. ATTENDANCE
1. If late to practice a
note must accompany. You must make up missed time.
2. An unexcused absence pulls
you out of the next meet.
3. All absences must be made
up. See Coach Duensing before your next practice.
4.
An unexcused tardy will be made up completing a Spartan Reminder. Excused tardies will be made up at the beginning
of practice.
5.
All training room activity must be completed by 3:30 with clearance through Coaches
6.
If calling in an absence from school, Please have attendance people place a note in Coach Duensing’s mailbox
to notify me of absence.
7.
Not having appropriate clothing in which to practice constitutes an unexcused absence.
8. Not completing practice may remove you from the next meet.
9. All athletes who miss practice to compete in other activities the week of CSML or State will not compete
for the remainder of the season.
III. ATTITUDE
1. Be honest and compete fairly.
2. Have pride in the knowledge that you did
your best and that you can do even better.
3. You are a member of a team. They will support you, you will support them.
4. You are expected to do your best. By cheating yourself
you cheat your teammates
5. Do not do anything that will embarrass yourself, your school, your family or your teammates.
IV. PRACTICE/MEETS/LOCKEROOM
- Practice 3:25 (Meet as a team prior to breaking
off into event specific practices). You must be at practice every day and you must be on time. If you cannot do either, you MUST notify one of the coaches before practice in writing. Failure to do so can result in not participating in the meet.
You also run the risk of being dropped from the team. Excused absences
need to be communicated to the coach.
2.
We
leave early for some Saturday meets. YOU must be on time as the bus will leave
those athletes who are not there. If you miss the bus you don’t compete.
- You must take care of all the equipment that
is checked out to you. You will be charged replacement cost for any lost items,
repair costs for damages.
- You are expected to travel with the team to meets
that are scheduled out of town. You should bring money and/or food. Team members are allowed to return home with parents only. When
this is the case, you must report to one of the coaches who will personally dismiss you to your parents, YOU MUST COMPLY WITH THIS RULE ABSOLUTELY.
- When you are not at your locker, keep it locked!!
- Keep the locker room clean and locked
V. PRACTICE EXPECTATIONS
The coaching staff has spent years fine tuning our event and strength programs. The programs are periodized into four parts to properly train each athlete to be strong enough and ready
to progress to the next part of the season. Any outside training without our
knowledge will be detrimental to the athlete. All workouts outside of practice
or in place of one of our programs MUST BE CLEARED
BY THE COACH. The following is a guide:
1. Athletes are required to use our training and strength programs.
2. Any variance of our event or strength program must be cleared through the coach.
3. It is in the Athlete’s best interest
to stay with one program in order to progress and peak at the appropriate time.
Training without our knowledge could be detrimental to the athlete.
VI. TRANSPORTATION POLICIES:
1. Busses are provided for meets outside of El Paso County only.
2. Arrange for you own transportation for El
Paso County meets.
3. Arrange for your own transportation to ALL practices.
4. We will pre-determine the practice sites (consult calendar), it is the athlete’s responsibility to get
there on time. Not every event coach holds practice at the same site.
5. Garry Berry and Sand Creek practices are scheduled in advance. Coaches are not responsible for transportation.
VII.
MEET DO’S AND DON’T’S
1. Arrive when
directed by your coach
2. Warm up 30 minutes
prior to your event keeping warm, loose, mentally focused
3.
Be independent (you don’t need to ask a coach where you need to be, when you
need to be there or where the check in is for your event.)
4.
Drinking 8 oz of water an hour in cool to warm weather and 12 oz an hour in hot to extreme hot weather
5. Bring complex
carbohydrates and protein
6. Stay in the
shade on warm and hot days when not running
7. No Jewelry.
Beads, or hard objects in hair
8. No belly button
showing
9. Shorts are on
the hips or above
10. Warm ups remain on until
the starter directs you to take your warm ups off.
11. Doherty warm ups or Doherty apparel only
are to be worn to meets and kept on until the starter tells you to take them off, NO CLUB OR SPORTS LOGO TEAM APPAREL OTHER
THAN DOHERTY.
12. Uniforms must be worn as intended.
13. No electronic devices on field at all.
14. You may be disqualified for warming up at
a field event, getting steps, if there is not a coach or the field event judge present.
VIII. TEAM DISCIPLINE
1. SUSPENSION FROM TEAM FOR REMAINDER OF SEASON
A. SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY
In addition
to the School District 11 substance abuse policy:
Any use of
drugs, alcohol or performance enhancing drugs ON OR OFF SCHOOL GROUNDS, DURING OR NOT DURING SCHOOL
HOURS will be immediate grounds for dismissal from the team.
2. SUSPENDED FROM COMPETITION
A. All school disciplinary actions resulting in school suspensions, automatically suspend athlete from next scheduled
meet, to include the entire meet (multi-day meets include all days of that meet) this includes CSML and STATE.
The Head Coach, Coach Duensing, may use discretion to increase penalty to more than one meet suspension based on severty of
infraction.
IX. PERSONAL EQUIPMENT (For Meets and Practice)
- You will need an adequate pair of running shoes
for practice. A separate pair of shoes in which you will lift.
- You will also need a pair of spiked shoes (1/8
inch) for most running and jumping events
- A large athletic bag is recommended for team
travel.
- Some practices and meets will be very COLD. Be sure to bring enough layers to keep you warm and dry (Hat, gloves, sweatshirt and
LONG PANTS warm muscles work best)
- Swimsuit and towel
- Water bottle
- Lots of Food (always try to eat a protein source
within 30 min of workout or event completion.)
X.
PROPER ATTIRE
Dress warm for every practice and every meet.
You can always peel layers of clothing off if you are too warm. Bring
gloves, hats, sweats. Missing practice for improper attire counts as unexcused.
No Club T-Shirts or Uniforms Allowed During
High School Season at Practice or Meets
UNIFORMS
- Each member will be issued a uniform and sweats
in a mesh bag. Each item in the bag has corresponding numbers with the bag and
the athlete is responsible for turn in of all items and the corresponding bag immediately after the Regional Meet or the following
week. The following charges will be place on a obligation account in that athletes
name for anything that is not turned in by Monday May 14, 2012 for those not going to State, and Monday May 21, 2012 for those
competing at State.
Singlet $35
Shorts $25 and $35
It is the Athlete’s
responsibility to wash, keep track of, and return all parts of the uniform in the bag with the correct numbers originally
issued to that athlete.
- WASHING : Wash your uniforms in COLD WATER SEPARATELY from other clothes. We have too many
baby blue panels on our uniforms that should be white. This causes a problem
for relays. Uniforms that do not match, even if it’s because the colors
ran, constitute a disqualification.
XI. TEAM PICTURES
We will have team picture
taken the Tuesday after spring break. Team and individual packages
are available at various price levels.
XII.
VARSITY COMPETITION
Top
three athletes in each event will compete Varsity. Some meets will allow only
top two in each event, while still other meets will only take the best times or jumps from all schools that send entries.
Girls Varsity Athlete Minimum Times
Boys Varsity Minimum Times
Minimum Competitive
Minimum
Competitive
1 100m
o 14.5
13.5
12.5
11.5
2 200m
o 32.0
27.2
24.0
23.0
3 400m
o 1:10
1:04
55.0
52.0
4 800m
o 2:55
2:35
2:25
2:05
5 High Jump o 4’2”
5'0"
5’6”
6’0”
6 Long Jump o 14’0”
16' 0"
18’5”
20’0”
XIII.
VARSITY LETTER
1. Individual athletes earn fifteen points in varsity
meets. Relays count as a quarter of the points earned by a team of four. Alternates
do not earn points toward their letter. Points do not roll over to the next season.
2. Qualifying for the State Track Meet
earns you a letter.
3. Competing for four seasons earns
you a letter
XIV. FUNDRAISING
Our
budget covers meet entry fees and one single bus trip. We need to supplement
our budget with club funds for the remainder of our needs.
2013
Needs:
- Hotel stay for the State Track Meet
- Replacing records on the record board
- Replacement Uniforms
- Additional Transportation Needs
- High Jump Pit
XV. BASIC FOOD GUIDE
You would never
put cheap gas in your car, don’t put cheap food in your body.
Good foods include: breads, grains, pastas, a variety of fruits, poultry, lean red meats, non fat dairy products. Try mostly
whole foods without processing. Lots of fluids of which the most important is water but can include juices, avoid carbonated
sugar drinks especially during the season. Vitamin supplements are good, Calcium
is especially important to young women.
Foods to avoid: high fats, fried foods, sweets, salty food, (chips). Pre-competition
foods: complex carbs, grains, pastas, (limit protein immediately before races
4 hours on digestion but not after), lots of fluid. Try not to change your routine
before you compete.
If you need further clarification
please feel free to contact one of the coaches
Drinks: Keep hydrated with
water or sports drinks. Do not consume any ENERGY DRINKS ie. Rock Star, Spike,
Red Bull… or any caffeinated beverages.
XVI. SPARTAN SPORTS MEDICINE
ATC
Athletic Training Room # 328-6491
Training Room Schedule
o
2:30- the end of daily practices or competitions
o
Be in training room immediately after school to allow for rehab/treatment first come first served
Player Injury/Rehab Procedures
If an athlete goes to see
a physician about an injury they need to bring the trainer a note from the physician before they can be cleared to participate
XVII. VOLUNTEER NEEDS
-
Spartan Invite 35 volunteers to run events, assist at events, and assist with coaches meals that
are already ordered
-
Organizing pasta parties
-
Hosting pasta parties
-
Highlight video or slide show
-
Organizing end of year banquet in cafeteria
XVIII. THOUGHTS
TO PONDER
Make it your way of life
10 COMMANDMENTS OF TRACK
Your ATTITUDE will shape
your SUCCESS
Optimism is contagious
Negativism works all the
time
Always raise the expectations
of yourself
Clarify your goals
Believe in yourself; Your
coaches do
Be a risk taker, play
to win
Help your teammates and
respect them
Take problems seriously;
Yourself lightly
Every day is “track day”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I understand and agree to abide by
the following guidelines for Doherty Track and Field. This must be signed and turned into Coach Duensing prior to competing
in first meet.
Athlete Name:___________________________________
Date:________________
Athlete Signature:____________________________________________________
Parent Signature:_____________________________________________________