Parents,

It’s a surprise! I need to get your athlete hoodie size so I can order their end of season gift. Please do so before the end of the week. Clink on the link below.

https://forms.gle/ivctd21CmGaxh4sQ8

Coach Mike

(805)390-6867

Parents,

Due to Buena High School having a track meet on Wednesday, April 2, we won’t be able to practice on the field. However, to stay in shape, we will be holding an unofficial and optional workout on Wednesday at Arroyo Verde Park from 4:30 to 5:30 PM for anyone interested. We’ll meet by the first bathrooms on the left as you enter the park.

Hope to see you there!

Coach Mike

805-390-6867

Parents,

With no practice this week due to spring break, the kids didn’t get to sign-up for this week’s meet this Saturday, the 29th. Please text me your athletes’ events please, especially if they’re doing relays. If you miss sign-up, no problem. We can sign them up at the meet in the morning, and if they are doing relays, we will put them on teams as they show up.

Looking ahead to next week, our next practice will be on March 31st. In the meantime, we really want our athletes to keep up their conditioning during the break. Here are some suggestions to help maintain their fitness:

For Distance Runners:.

– Start with a 3-minute jog to warm up.

– Follow up with dynamic stretches.

– Proceed with a 25-30 minute run.

– Finish with strength and core exercises.

For Sprinters:

– Start with a 3-minute jog to warm up.

– Follow up with dynamic stretches.

– Do 5 x 15-second full sprints with 2-minute rest between each.

– Do 2 x 30-second full sprints with 2-minute rest between each.

– Finish with strength and core exercises.

Coach Mike

(805)390-6867

Dear 10U Parents and Athletes,

Now, we look forward to our third regular season meet against the United Track Club, one of the new teams to VCYTC, in Westlake this Saturday, March 22nd. Please arrive at 7:30. The meet will be held at:

 Westlake High School

100 Lakeview Canyon Rd

Thousand Oaks, CA 91362

 Event Sign-up: Most athletes signed up for their events Yesterday. They can also sign up for track meet events on Wednesday at practice.

I know a lot of people are out of town for Spring Break!

If your athlete will not attend the next meet, please have them let a coach know so that we can sign them up as not attending.

If your athletes plan to participate but are not able to attend practice on Wednesday this week, feel free to email or text me with their event choices by Wednesday evening.

 Relays: If athletes want to run relays, it really helps if they are at specialty practice on Tuesday and Thursday. If an athlete signs up for a relay, their attendance is crucial, and we expect them to participate in the relay they signed up for. The 4×100 is one of the first events in the morning, so you must be on time. Athletes who are late checking in could be dropped from a relay team and replaced by another athlete. Athletes who commit to running a relay should be considerate of other team members who are relying on them to participate in the relay.

No Water Cups at meet: United has adopted an eco-friendly, no cup policy for post-race water on the field. There will be water available, but athletes will need to bring their own water bottles to get a refill.

Lost and Found: Many athletes are leaving their belongings behind without labels. We have a lost and found container in the shed. If your athlete is missing something, please check the container. To help us return items more efficiently, please label all your kids’ clothes and belongings.

No practice next week: As a reminder there will be no practice next week (March 24 & 28) due to the Ventura Unified School District Spring Break, but we will have a home meet on Saturday, March 29. For those in town, we might hold an unofficial practice at Arryo Verde during spring break, Monday or Wednesday. Look for an email, later next week.

If you have any questions, feel free to call or email me.

Coach Mike

(805)390-6867

Dear 10U Parents and Athletes,

What a fun practice meet we had on Saturday! Our Athletes did so great!

Our first regular season meet will be against Heritage Valley Blazers in Filmore this Saturday March 8th. The meet will be held at:

Fillmore High School
555 Central Ave, Fillmore, CA 93015

Event Sign-up:

Most Athletes signed up for their events yesterday at practice. Please ask them about the events they are running. We are always encouraging them to try new things. If you missed today, you can sign-up for track meet events on Wednesday at practice. If your athlete will not attend the meet, please have them let a coach know so that we can sign them up as not attending. If your athletes plan to participate but are not able to attend practice on Wednesday this week, feel free to email me or text me with their event choices by Wednesday evening.

Events for 10U Team:

This week we can compete in all, but two events offered. A lot of parents are asking me about when an event will happen. The answer is I don’t know. The order of events never changes but sometimes events take longer depending on how many athletes choose an event and which team is hosting.

The order of the running events is:

3200 Bantams do not compete in this event!

Hurdles Bantams do not compete in this event!

4×100

1600

400

100

800

200

4×400 (free event – NOT counting towards their total)

Athletes must be cleared by a specialty coach for High Jump and Shot Put. To be cleared to compete in these events, they must talk to the specialty coaches on specialty days which are Tuesdays and Thursdays. We do not practice these events on Monday and Wednesday.

 Event Limits:

At this meet, athletes may compete in up to 4 events. With up to 3 of the 4 being running events. Athletes may also participate in the 4×400 relay, which is always free, meaning it doesn’t count against their 4 events.

 Relays:

If athletes want to run relays it really helps if they are at specialty practice Tuesday and Thursday. If an athlete signs up for a relay, their attendance is crucial, and we expect them to participate in the relay they signed up for. The 4×100 is one of the first events in the morning so you must be on time.  Athletes who are late checking in could be dropped from a relay team and replaced by another athlete.  Athletes who commit to running a relay should be considerate of other team members who are relying on them to participate in the relay.

 Meet Day Details:

On Saturday, athletes should meet the coaches at 7:45 AM on the field. Being on time is crucial, as we will cover important information. Please be sure your athletes wear their uniform and bring additional warm clothes. Athletes must wear their Tigres Singlet and black running shorts (Tigres-issued or otherwise). Layering with sweats on top is recommended. Also, bring labeled water, snacks, and sunscreen. Please label everything and consider bringing a bag for their belongings. Since food is not allowed out on the track, athletes may bring another bag with snacks (labeled with their name) that can be placed under the 10U EZ-Up in the stands.

Independence is expected, so they should be near coaches and ready to run when called. Each athlete will receive a list of their events on their sticker at check-in. Coaches will try to remind athletes throughout the meet of their schedule, but athletes are responsible for their own event scheduling. Coaches will also not always be able to search for athletes who are not nearby when they are called to compete. Missed races cannot be rescheduled.

If you have any questions, feel free to call or email me.

 Coach Mike

805-390-6867

Dear 10U Parents and Athletes,

We are excited about the upcoming track meets. The coaches appreciate the hard work our athletes have put into their training so far. Please try to make one of the specialty days on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Goal Sheets, please have your athletes turned them in by Monday or Wednesday of next week if they haven’t done so already. Please help your athletes make their goals measurable. For example, “I would like to run faster” is not measurable, while “I would like to get a Personal Record at least 3 times this season” is. Thank you for helping them with this.

Event Sign-up: Athletes should have already signed for this Saturday Practice track meet during Monday and Wednesday practices. For next week, please have your athletes start thinking about what events they would like to compete in. The coaches will sign up the athletes for their events on the track meet app during practice. If your athlete will not be attending this Saturday, March 2nd, please let me know so I can mark them as not attending. If your athletes plan to participate but didn’t make practice on Monday or Wednesday of this week, feel free to email me with their event choices by today.

Events for 10U Team this week only: The 10U team can compete in a subset of events, including 4×100, 1600, 400, 100, 4×400, Long Jump, High Jump, and Shot Put. Athletes must be cleared by a specialty coach for shot put and High Jump. To be cleared to compete in these events, they must talk to the specialty coaches on specialty days, which are Tuesdays and Thursdays. We do not practice these events on Monday and Wednesday.

Event Limits: At the practice meet, athletes may compete in 2 running events and 1 field event. Athletes may also participate in the 4×400 relay, which is always free, meaning they can run in the 4×400 in addition to the 2 running and 1 field event.

Relays: If an athlete signs up for a relay, their attendance is crucial, and we expect them to participate in the relay they signed up for. The 4×100 is one of the first events in the morning. Athletes who are late checking in could be dropped from a relay team and replaced by another athlete. Athletes who commit to running a relay should be considerate of other team members who are relying on them to participate in the relay.

Meet Day Details: On Saturday, athletes should meet the coaches at 7:45 AM at our usual spot on the field. Being on time is crucial, as we will cover important information. Please ensure your athletes wear their uniform and bring additional warm clothes. If you haven’t already picked up your uniforms, they can be picked up at 7:30 AM on Saturday. Athletes must wear their Tigres Singlet and black running shorts (Tigres-issued or otherwise). Layering with sweats on top is recommended. Also, bring labeled water, snacks, and sunscreen. Please label everything and consider bringing a bag for their belongings. Since food is not allowed on the track, athletes may bring another bag with snacks (labeled with their name) that can be placed under the 10U EZ-Up in the stands. Parking, be aware that limited parking will be available on campus due to construction.

Purpose of the Practice Meet: The meet on Saturday serves as practice for our regular season meets. Athletes will experience event calls, warming up, and the staging process. Independence is expected, so they should be near coaches and ready to run when called. Each athlete will receive a list of their events on their sticker at check-in. Coaches will try to remind athletes throughout the meet of their schedule, but athletes are responsible for their own event scheduling. Coaches will also not always be able to search for athletes who are not nearby when they are called to compete. Missed races cannot be rescheduled. For new Tigres, this is an opportunity to experience a meet before facing other competitors.

For Parents: The practice meet is used to train our volunteers in their positions, so that the meets run smoothly when we host other teams. Expect that things will NOT run smoothly, and there will be delays and possibly a lot of standing around at the practice meet. This is part of the training, please be patient!

If you have any questions, feel free to email or text me.

Coach Mike

805-390-6867

Bantam Parents,

Due to VUSD having Monday off for the Holiday, we won’t be able to practice at Buena High School. However, to keep us running and because our first meet is on March 1st, we will be holding an unofficial and optional workout on Monday at Arroyo Verde Park from 4:30 to 5:30 PM for anyone interested. We’ll meet by the first bathrooms on the left as you enter the park.

Also, a reminder that it’s important for all athletes to have good running shoes and water!

Hope to see you there!

Coach Mike

805-390-6867

Parents,

Since practice has been canceled, we need to keep moving.

Today only, we are having an unofficial and optional practice at Kimball Park at 4:30.

We will meet by the baseball fields. Hope to see you there.

Coach Mike

Bantam Parents 10U

Our first practice on Wednesday was a great success! It was great to see all the new and returning runners. I hope you all had fun, and if it was hard, don’t be discouraged—it gets easier as we get conditioned!  Just a reminder, make sure your kid’s shoes are tied tight and that they bring water to practice.

Most of our athletes are new to running. Remind them that starting slow, “pacing” many not feel as fun at first, but it will allow them to run farther before they get tired. This will make running for longer intervals or distances more enjoyable for your child. Kids have two paces: lightning fast and walking. Watch a kids “fun run” race or observe any elementary school gym class and you’ll see what I mean. If they have any questions or concerns, tell them to talk to a coach. We will help and encourage them as much as possible.

Next week specialty practices will start on Tuesday and Thursday.

Due to VUSD being on vacation Monday, we won’t be able to practice at Buena High School. However, to keep us running and because our first meet is on March 1st, we will be holding an unofficial and optional workout on Monday at Arroyo Verde Park from 4:30 to 5:30 PM for anyone interested. We’ll meet by the first bathrooms on the left as you enter the park.

Also, a reminder that it’s important for all athletes to have good running shoes and water!

Hope to see you there!

Coach Mike

805-390-6867