Welcome to the Team!
In order to get started with DPXC please note the following:
- New runners (including incoming 9th graders) are welcome at all summer practices. Summer practices will start on July 10, 2023. Practices will be at 9am, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and last about 2 hours. Locations on home page.
- A physical exam is required this year to participate in summer practices.
- The CIF Physical Exam Form is HERE. If you can’t get an appointment with your family physician, we suggest going to a walk-in clinic such as the Med-Center next to Bed Bath & Beyond in Fairview Center in Goleta.
- We will have a try-out period during the summer. Summer practices give you an opportunity to find out what cross country is like before being committed to enrollment in cross country.
- What is expected of members of DPXC:
Want to run.
Prepare to run by staying rested, nourished and hydrated.
Be on time to practices and dressed to run.
Want to compete in cross country races, which are 3 miles or 5K.
Want to be a part of, and workout with the team.
Willing to do the workouts assigned by the coaches.
- The workouts take into account the ability and experience of each runner.
New runners start with shorter workouts, and build-up gradually based on their own response to runs and workouts.
Generally, workouts are divided into junior varsity boys/junior varsity girls/varsity boys/varsity girls workouts.
You are expected to work out with the group you are assigned.
- In school practice sessions:
Practice starts during the 4th period of the school day at 2:15 p.m on Monday, and 2:25pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and lasts until around 4:45 p.m.
Runners are required to be at all practices, be on time, suited up (with their running shoes), and ready to run, and stay until the end.
- Most cross country meets are away from school.
See the Schedule page for a tentative schedule of races.
We take buses (whole team) or school vans (varsity/travel team) and normally leave DP at lunchtime.
Students are excused from classes, but it is their responsibility to meet with teachers and make up school work that was missed.
- At cross country meets, the fastest 7 run in the varsity race, and all other runners compete in the JV races.
The course is normally the same for both Varsity and JV (3 miles).
- Who is on Varsity/Travel team?
Varsity runners are those with the 7 fastest times in the meet the week before, regardless of whether they ran varsity or JV at that meet.
Our travel team normally consists of the top 7 varsity runners and top 2-3 JV alternates.
It does not matter if you are a varsity runner with a time of 15:00 or a JV runner with a time of 30:00+.
We support all runners.
Our goal is for everyone to develop as runners and competitors both physically and mentally!!
Some things you need to do before school begins:
1. Register for the Cross Country class for the fall of 2023.
2. Get good running shoes to train in.
This is very important for reducing likelihood of common over-use injuries such as shin splints. It is worth the dollars spent.
We suggest going to Santa Barbara Running, which uses a shoe fit specialist, and gives 10% discount to high school cross country runners, or a one-time 20% off through Axxess. Mention that you’re joining DP Cross Country.
There are also many online shoe retailers, such as RunningWarehouse.com, EastBay.com, Amazon.com, Nike.com, Adidas.com, Brooks.com, Newbalance.com, Asics.com, and others.
3. Get a physical exam. Use the CIF Physical Exam form which is HERE.
If you can’t get an appointment in time with your family physician, we recommend going to a walk-in clinic (such as The Med-Center,
next to Bed, Bath, and Beyond in Fairview Center.
4. Attend summer practices and/or get in shape for the fall season.
For before summer practices start, we’ll have a link on the home page with recommendations.
5. Complete the forms.
Go to the Forms page for more details about forms and form deadlines. Forms will be collected at the start of practice.
The Athletic Packet form must be completed and is good for one year, so it will also cover winter and spring sports.
The physical exam form in the Athlete Packet is the only physical form that will be accepted. It must be completed/signed by the doctor.
That is a requirement of CIF, the governing body for high school sports in California.
If you can’t get an appointment with your doctor, we suggest a walk-in clinic, such as the Med-Center near Bed Bath and Beyond
in the Fairview Center.
The Clearance Form must also be completed for Cross Country.
(And will be required to be completed again for winter and spring sports.)
Make sure all signature lines for parent and student on all pages are signed, and you provide medical insurance information.2arou