General Info document - mainly for parents, but athletes should read it too!
Coginchaug Girls Indoor Track Team
General Information for the 2019-2020 season prepared by Coach Dave Bellemare
This letter is intended to provide information to those parents and athletes that are new to the Coginchaug Girls Indoor Track program. If you have questions after reading this I invite you to contact me at home between 6pm and 9pm at 349-8248, by email [email protected], or by seeing me in person after practice.
Academics
Academics should never be compromised in order to meet the requirements of Indoor Track.
School requirements
The school has several requirements in order for an athlete to participate in a sport at Coginchaug:
Safety
Athlete safety and well-being is my #1 priority as a coach. The following rules will be rigorously enforced:
The Indoor Season
Practice will start on December 5, 2019. The regular season will run until the early part of February. Practice is held daily starting at 2:25pm and usually concludes somewhere between 4pm and 4:30pm. Please see the Attendance Policy sheet.
Clothing
We will be training in extremely varying weather conditions including rain, snow, wind, and cold. We will not be running outside when conditions are detrimental to health and safety. Since we do occasionally train in harsh conditions it is advisable that your daughter have on hand at all times adequate clothing to help protect her against the elements. A helpful list is as follows:
Uniforms
Each athlete will be issued a team uniform and warm ups to be worn during meets. The Athlete will be responsible for the proper control and care of the uniform and warm ups. The uniform should be washed after each wearing. Remove all race numbers, safety pins, and stickers before washing in cold water using mild detergent. Athletes are reminded that rolling of the shorts is not permitted at competitions. Each Athlete must wear the team uniform and warm ups while traveling to and from all competitions and during the competitions.
The athlete must return the same uniform pieces that were handed them at the start of the season. Monetary fines and withholding of grades will ensue for lost uniforms.
Running-specific Shoes
It is very important that your daughter have shoes specifically designed for running. Other types of shoes (for example, shoes purchased at Kohl's) will likely lead to injuries since they do not provide the level of foot and ankle support required. Running shoes can be expensive ($60 - $100), but this is probably the most important investment you can make to help prevent injury to your daughter. It may be helpful to also purchase a pair of trail-type running shoes. This type of shoe is more impervious to wet and cold weather conditions and can be worn on those marginal days.
(Coginchaug Regional High School and District 13 do not endorse specific stores or products. However, for your convenience the following information is provided by the coach to help you.) There are two very good running shoe stores in our area: the Sound Runner located on Main Street in Branford and in Madison. Fleet Feet in West Hartford provides video gait analysis to help put the athlete in the right shoe. Please ask them for a high school discount and mention Coginchaug. As a parent that has purchased innumerable running shoes and spikes, I found the following sites helpful:
· www.eastbay.com (particularly good for spikes)
· www.holabirdsports.com (usually provides free shipping)
· www.footrx.com
· www.runningwarehouse.com (free shipping both ways, good pricing)
For certain running events, such as sprints, it recommended that you purchase a pair of spikes in addition to normal running shoes. Spikes and Flats (like spikes but spikeless) are made for specific events so check with your daughter (or me). It is likely that the spikes or flats will last the four years of high school with the proper care. Each track venue has specific restrictions on maximum spike length. It is recommended that each athlete have on hand a variety of spike lengths. The coach can provide more information.
Please contact me if it is financially difficult for you to obtain running shoes or spikes.
Condition of Shoes
Running shoes usually last about 300 miles before their support and sole structure wear out. Running in worn out shoes can quickly lead to injury. The Athletic Trainer and I will be monitoring the condition of the girl’s running shoes and suggesting replacements where needed. Again, I realize the expense of running shoes and we do not make these recommendations lightly.
Nutrition
During the season we will be stressing the need for good nutrition and proper fluid intake. What we eat and drink provides the energy needed to sustain during practice and competition, but also to rebuild/repair muscle afterward. We will also stress the need for the athletes to eat a high quality snack at the close of school or early afternoon so they will have enough “gas in their tanks” to make it through practice. A 130lb female will burn almost 200 calories in a 2 mile run so one can see that what is burned must be replaced. Please consider giving your daughter good quality vitamins and supplements on a daily basis.
Meets
Most of our meets will take place at the New Haven Indoor Athletic Center located next to Hillhouse High School at 480 Sherman Parkway. There is free parking directly across from the facility on Munson Street. There will likely be an entry charge. We may also participate in meets run at Yale’s Coxe Cage and at Wesleyan University.
Many conference meets are held during the week and usually start by 4:00pm. Every effort is made to finish the meet by 9:00pm. With upwards of 50 athletes tracking their whereabouts can be challenging. Therefore, if you plan to take your daughter home from a meet you must provide the coach with a note and personal contact.
Events
Your daughter will sign up for events that are of interest to her. To fulfill team requirements it may be necessary to place your daughter in an event that she did not sign up for. Further, your daughter may be placed in an event that I think she has potential to excel in. My intent is not to make your daughter miserable, but to maximize talent that will benefit the team and your daughter.
Description of Events
These are the events that are contested in Indoor Track: (the tracks are 200 meters in length)
4 x 800 Relay; 4 runners each complete 4 laps with a baton hand off between each runner
4 x 400 Relay; 4 runners each complete 2 laps with a baton hand off between each runner
4 x 200 Relay; 4 runners each complete 1 lap with a baton hand off between each runner
Sprint Medley Relay; 4 runners; 1st & 2nd 2 complete 1 lap, 3rd completes 2 laps, 4th completes 4
Shot Put; throwers stand within a circle and “put” an 8 lb ball as far as they can
Long Jump; athlete sprints down a runway and jumps/leaps into a pit of sand
High Jump; athlete makes about 10 strides toward a horizontal bar and attempts to jump over it
55 Meter Dash; runner starts from a crouched position and sprints 55 meters to the finish
55 Meter Hurdles; runner starts from crouch, sprints 55 meters while clearing 5 hurdles
300 Meter Dash; runner completes 1 ½ laps around the track at near sprinting speed
600 Meter Run; runner completes 3 laps
1000 Meter Run; runner completes 5 laps
1600 Meter Run; runner complete 8 laps
3200 Meter Run; runner completes 16 laps
Injuries
Injuries can occur in high school sports. Unfortunately, many injuries occur when moving from a period of inactivity to a period of intense activity. To help prevent injuries and better prepare the athletes for competition, I have developed a pre-season work out program that will take your daughter through this transition. It is important that the work out plan is utilized.
It is very important that your daughter informs the coach immediately should she become injured or feel an injury coming on. Should your daughter become injured be assured that we have a very qualified team trainer that will assess your daughter’s condition and advise treatment options.
Captains
The team is served by three student captains. The captains assist the coaches with his responsibilities, but also help maintain important team traditions and assist with coach/athlete communications. The captains receive training on how to conduct themselves and carry out their duties. I expect each athlete to respect the captains and abide by their directives. This season the captains are: Carolyn Cumello, Ella DiBernardo, and Ava Kowal.
The Coach
Dave Bellemare is the Girls Head Coach for Indoor Track. Dave is in his 13th year as a track coach at Coginchaug.
The Assistant Coaches
Lavinia Vigue will serve as assistant coach to the girls team. Mike Ford is the Boys Head Coach for Indoor Track and is assistend by Zach Taylor.
Parent Participation
Please encourage your daughter. Support her by attending her meets when you can. Be patient with her progress. If you see something that displeases you or you think is unfair, please bring it to my attention. If your daughter is struggling with health, academic, or social issues please let me know so that I may coach her accordingly. The recommended process for resolving issues is found in the Athletic Dept Handbook.
Prepared by Coach Dave Bellemare
860-349-8248; [email protected]
Coginchaug Girls Indoor Track Team
General Information for the 2019-2020 season prepared by Coach Dave Bellemare
This letter is intended to provide information to those parents and athletes that are new to the Coginchaug Girls Indoor Track program. If you have questions after reading this I invite you to contact me at home between 6pm and 9pm at 349-8248, by email [email protected], or by seeing me in person after practice.
Academics
Academics should never be compromised in order to meet the requirements of Indoor Track.
- Time is provided between the end of school and the start of practice for your daughter to see a teacher for extra help, missed assignments, and test make-ups.
- Four or five of our meets will take place after school and run into the evening. There are periods of down time at the meets so it is quite common to see athletes doing homework or studying in between events. I encourage this activity.
- During the past 6 years 68% of the Girls doing Indoor have attained Honors or High Honors. We want to continue or improve on this.
School requirements
The school has several requirements in order for an athlete to participate in a sport at Coginchaug:
- Completion of a physical exam by your family doctor
- Completion of registration at Family ID
- Payment of $100 participation fee - made out to CRHS Activity Fund
- Abiding by all school, athletic, and team policies
- A grade point average of at least C minus or higher
- No course failures
Safety
Athlete safety and well-being is my #1 priority as a coach. The following rules will be rigorously enforced:
- At no time during practice will an athlete leave the school grounds alone. Further, no athlete will be allowed to train or practice alone while on school property without specific permission from a coach.
- Some of the training will take place on local roads. While running on local roads the athletes will run in single file, against traffic, and are advised to wear bright colored clothing
- Practice will be conducted indoors when bad weather could impair the athlete’s safety and well-being.
The Indoor Season
Practice will start on December 5, 2019. The regular season will run until the early part of February. Practice is held daily starting at 2:25pm and usually concludes somewhere between 4pm and 4:30pm. Please see the Attendance Policy sheet.
Clothing
We will be training in extremely varying weather conditions including rain, snow, wind, and cold. We will not be running outside when conditions are detrimental to health and safety. Since we do occasionally train in harsh conditions it is advisable that your daughter have on hand at all times adequate clothing to help protect her against the elements. A helpful list is as follows:
- Wind and rain resistant shell (shells made for X-C skiing work well)
- Fleece vest or top
- Polyester, Acrylic, or Polypropylene “Tech” shirts/Under Armor shirt (I advise against cotton since it loses its insulating & wicking properties when wet)
- Spandex/Under Armor-type pants
- Socks: I advise against wearing cotton socks as they can and do lead to blisters. It is better to use synthetic socks specifically made for running.
- Long underwear
- Windproof hats, gloves, headbands
- Shoes will be covered separately
Uniforms
Each athlete will be issued a team uniform and warm ups to be worn during meets. The Athlete will be responsible for the proper control and care of the uniform and warm ups. The uniform should be washed after each wearing. Remove all race numbers, safety pins, and stickers before washing in cold water using mild detergent. Athletes are reminded that rolling of the shorts is not permitted at competitions. Each Athlete must wear the team uniform and warm ups while traveling to and from all competitions and during the competitions.
The athlete must return the same uniform pieces that were handed them at the start of the season. Monetary fines and withholding of grades will ensue for lost uniforms.
Running-specific Shoes
It is very important that your daughter have shoes specifically designed for running. Other types of shoes (for example, shoes purchased at Kohl's) will likely lead to injuries since they do not provide the level of foot and ankle support required. Running shoes can be expensive ($60 - $100), but this is probably the most important investment you can make to help prevent injury to your daughter. It may be helpful to also purchase a pair of trail-type running shoes. This type of shoe is more impervious to wet and cold weather conditions and can be worn on those marginal days.
(Coginchaug Regional High School and District 13 do not endorse specific stores or products. However, for your convenience the following information is provided by the coach to help you.) There are two very good running shoe stores in our area: the Sound Runner located on Main Street in Branford and in Madison. Fleet Feet in West Hartford provides video gait analysis to help put the athlete in the right shoe. Please ask them for a high school discount and mention Coginchaug. As a parent that has purchased innumerable running shoes and spikes, I found the following sites helpful:
· www.eastbay.com (particularly good for spikes)
· www.holabirdsports.com (usually provides free shipping)
· www.footrx.com
· www.runningwarehouse.com (free shipping both ways, good pricing)
For certain running events, such as sprints, it recommended that you purchase a pair of spikes in addition to normal running shoes. Spikes and Flats (like spikes but spikeless) are made for specific events so check with your daughter (or me). It is likely that the spikes or flats will last the four years of high school with the proper care. Each track venue has specific restrictions on maximum spike length. It is recommended that each athlete have on hand a variety of spike lengths. The coach can provide more information.
Please contact me if it is financially difficult for you to obtain running shoes or spikes.
Condition of Shoes
Running shoes usually last about 300 miles before their support and sole structure wear out. Running in worn out shoes can quickly lead to injury. The Athletic Trainer and I will be monitoring the condition of the girl’s running shoes and suggesting replacements where needed. Again, I realize the expense of running shoes and we do not make these recommendations lightly.
Nutrition
During the season we will be stressing the need for good nutrition and proper fluid intake. What we eat and drink provides the energy needed to sustain during practice and competition, but also to rebuild/repair muscle afterward. We will also stress the need for the athletes to eat a high quality snack at the close of school or early afternoon so they will have enough “gas in their tanks” to make it through practice. A 130lb female will burn almost 200 calories in a 2 mile run so one can see that what is burned must be replaced. Please consider giving your daughter good quality vitamins and supplements on a daily basis.
Meets
Most of our meets will take place at the New Haven Indoor Athletic Center located next to Hillhouse High School at 480 Sherman Parkway. There is free parking directly across from the facility on Munson Street. There will likely be an entry charge. We may also participate in meets run at Yale’s Coxe Cage and at Wesleyan University.
Many conference meets are held during the week and usually start by 4:00pm. Every effort is made to finish the meet by 9:00pm. With upwards of 50 athletes tracking their whereabouts can be challenging. Therefore, if you plan to take your daughter home from a meet you must provide the coach with a note and personal contact.
Events
Your daughter will sign up for events that are of interest to her. To fulfill team requirements it may be necessary to place your daughter in an event that she did not sign up for. Further, your daughter may be placed in an event that I think she has potential to excel in. My intent is not to make your daughter miserable, but to maximize talent that will benefit the team and your daughter.
Description of Events
These are the events that are contested in Indoor Track: (the tracks are 200 meters in length)
4 x 800 Relay; 4 runners each complete 4 laps with a baton hand off between each runner
4 x 400 Relay; 4 runners each complete 2 laps with a baton hand off between each runner
4 x 200 Relay; 4 runners each complete 1 lap with a baton hand off between each runner
Sprint Medley Relay; 4 runners; 1st & 2nd 2 complete 1 lap, 3rd completes 2 laps, 4th completes 4
Shot Put; throwers stand within a circle and “put” an 8 lb ball as far as they can
Long Jump; athlete sprints down a runway and jumps/leaps into a pit of sand
High Jump; athlete makes about 10 strides toward a horizontal bar and attempts to jump over it
55 Meter Dash; runner starts from a crouched position and sprints 55 meters to the finish
55 Meter Hurdles; runner starts from crouch, sprints 55 meters while clearing 5 hurdles
300 Meter Dash; runner completes 1 ½ laps around the track at near sprinting speed
600 Meter Run; runner completes 3 laps
1000 Meter Run; runner completes 5 laps
1600 Meter Run; runner complete 8 laps
3200 Meter Run; runner completes 16 laps
Injuries
Injuries can occur in high school sports. Unfortunately, many injuries occur when moving from a period of inactivity to a period of intense activity. To help prevent injuries and better prepare the athletes for competition, I have developed a pre-season work out program that will take your daughter through this transition. It is important that the work out plan is utilized.
It is very important that your daughter informs the coach immediately should she become injured or feel an injury coming on. Should your daughter become injured be assured that we have a very qualified team trainer that will assess your daughter’s condition and advise treatment options.
Captains
The team is served by three student captains. The captains assist the coaches with his responsibilities, but also help maintain important team traditions and assist with coach/athlete communications. The captains receive training on how to conduct themselves and carry out their duties. I expect each athlete to respect the captains and abide by their directives. This season the captains are: Carolyn Cumello, Ella DiBernardo, and Ava Kowal.
The Coach
Dave Bellemare is the Girls Head Coach for Indoor Track. Dave is in his 13th year as a track coach at Coginchaug.
The Assistant Coaches
Lavinia Vigue will serve as assistant coach to the girls team. Mike Ford is the Boys Head Coach for Indoor Track and is assistend by Zach Taylor.
Parent Participation
Please encourage your daughter. Support her by attending her meets when you can. Be patient with her progress. If you see something that displeases you or you think is unfair, please bring it to my attention. If your daughter is struggling with health, academic, or social issues please let me know so that I may coach her accordingly. The recommended process for resolving issues is found in the Athletic Dept Handbook.
Prepared by Coach Dave Bellemare
860-349-8248; [email protected]