Track and Field online registration is available now.
All forms must be turned in by Monday 2/28/2022 before practice begins to participate in the first practice — NO exceptions.
There is no school the week of February 21st through February 25th and forms will NOT be accepted on Monday, February 28th.
Fill out the online registration form. Please note you will need your Family Access Login of the first Parent/Guardian to complete the process.
Track & Field season starts February 28th. Coaches and athletes will meet at the Stadium at 3:45pm. Students should wear workout clothes.
Everything you wanted to know about Practices:
Practice is held five days-a-week, Monday through Friday, after school. Regular practice time is 3:45-6:00PM Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 4:00-6:00PM on Wednesday; sometimes a little short, sometimes a little long. Saturday practices may be held for certain events – coaches will notify athletes ahead of time when and where. Once meets start, a weekly routine will begin to take shape and it will be easier to gauge when practices may vary from the standard time frame. There is no practice on days we have a meet even if you are not participating in that meet. There will be no mandatory practices during Spring Break; info about any possible optional practices that week will be announced later. If optional practices for your event area are being held and you are in town over Spring break and able to participate, it is highly encouraged to attend. Any changes in the practice schedule will be announced on the blog.
You are required to participate fully in 10 practices before you are able to compete in any meets per WIAA rules. If you miss four in a row, we begin subtracting from your banked total and will continue each day until you return. There are 15 available practices before our first meet on the Saturday of the third week.
If an athlete is absent from practice or school, it is the event coach’s and head coaches’ discretion whether or not the athlete may compete in the meet(s) following the absence.
Athletes that consider themselves to be talented, varsity, good, awesome, or anything of that ilk should prove it by being at each and every practice. If you know you will need to miss a practice (some reasons are actually legitimate – the best way to tell if yours qualifies is by looking at your coach’s face when you give him/her your reason for missing practice), you must tell your coach. The best way to do this is to tell them in advance in person or you can email Coach Brookshire, Coach Mike, and your event coach. Their contact info can be found on the blog.
Attendance at school for the full school day is required in order to participate in practice or meets that might be on that day. There are approved exceptions when you need to miss school for appointments and other legitimate, but regardless, you need to bring a signed note from the doctor’s office or other legitimate excused absence to the attendance office in order for you to be able to practice. In case you didn’t know, skipping class is not a legitimate excuse.
Practice begins on-time in the stadium bleachers where we meet as a group before breaking into our specific event groups and before ultimately going outside. We do not wait for anyone, and nothing looks worse than someone that routinely walks in late. Wednesday is probably the hardest day to get to practice without hustling. We do not formally return to the stadium. Please remember that we are meeting outside, so please dress accordingly. Any changes in where we meet will be announced on the blog.
We practice and compete in all weather conditions except in instances of lightning. Any changes in our practice schedules due to weather will be announced on the blog.
During practice, bring your athletic bags and any other personal items to the grandstand. The school provides lockers for in-season athletes but the logistics around this are yet to be worked-out so it is advised not to depend on lockers being available. They may become available eventually and we will pass on information about this when we know more. It is best not bring anything valuable to practice that is not necessary.
Everything you wanted to know about Meets:
If an athlete is absent from practice or school, it is the event coach’s and head coaches’ discretion whether or not the athlete may compete in the meet(s) following the absence.
Our meet schedule includes non-Wednesday/Thursday invitationals and post-season meets that do not include the entire team. We announce entries into these meets both at practice and on the blog and at practice. Athletes that are invited to run will make themselves available for EVERY invitational meet in which they are entered. We attend these meets so our kids have a chance to compete against advanced competition so if you want to be the best, clear up your schedule when we have these meets. Our entire meet schedule can be found on the blog.
Our schedule includes five mid-week dual meets plus at least one meet during KingCo Week for everybody on the entire team. This means there is a minimum of six meets for everybody on the team, provided you meet and maintain eligibility requirements.
You must be passing 6 out of 7 of your classes to be academically eligible to practice and compete in meets. The Athletic Director will notify the coaches about kids that are below these standards. The initial assessment is based on the most-recently completed semester and then there will be at least one grade check during the season.
We issue a standard uniform to each athlete which consists of a singlet and shorts. Jackets may also be issued. Uniforms are to be worn at each meet and are not to be worn at practice. Uniforms and jackets are collected at the end of the season at the Track awards banquet.
It is required that you dress appropriately for the weather conditions at practices and meets in order to stay warm and dry as best you can. Invariably, we will have some freshmen (and sometimes seniors) show up to the bus for meets with nothing on but their singlet and shorts. This is ill-advised and should be avoided. Team Gear is available for purchase by each individual athlete – click this link for more details. Team store will close on March 6th, so get your orders in early. Gear will also be available for purchase during the Spring Sports orientation held on 3/7 at 6PM. Purchasing Spirit Gear is not required in any way.
Tips for success:
Proper rest is an essential part of success in Track & Field. Coaches will usually make recommendations for what you should do on off days when we do not have practice or meets. If your coach says to take the day off, it means to not do ANY training in your events. A day off means a day off. A proper amount of sleep is also necessary to perform at your best in Track & Field. Few things can derail a season faster than getting poor sleep routinely. Don’t sell yourself short by not getting enough sleep.
We recommend purchasing the most-appropriate footwear for your events when possible. A new pair of running shoes for the season for practices is preferred. Shoes that are too old or worn can cause injury and delay progress. For competition, we strongly recommend spikes for all running events and any other various specialty footwear for field events. This is not required but merely recommended for optimum performance. Ask your coach at practice for guidance about footwear.
If you compete in any other sporting activity during the track season, whether individually or on another team – particularly club sports – your coaches need to know about it in order to help you achieve the most success in track as possible. Being on the track team means maintaining the proper level of commitment to your school and teammates. We expect the same level of commitment to be displayed to the track team that you display to your club team. Sometimes we see kids that routinely choose to make track “second” or “less important” than their club team. This is disappointing and it causes difficulty for coaches when determining relay teams or entries into big-time meets. Please be mindful of your teammates and the impact on the team when making decisions regarding your availability for all track & field practices and meets.
Other specific questions can be asked at practice or by emailing Coach Brookshire and/or Coach Mike.
Photo courtesy of Lawrie Robertson
Issaquah High School XC and Track & Field 