Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT DISTANCES ARE RUN?

The standard distance is 3 miles. The State Finals course in Fresno is 5km. 

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ARE THERE CUTS IN CROSS COUNTRY?

No! The only requirement is for your son/daughter to show up to practice (even if injured to do rehabilitation work), do the work, and compete! We have a place for everyone. 

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HOW IS CROSS COUNTRY SCORED?

A cross country race is scored by adding the finishing places of the top 5 runners.  A runner simply scores points by his/her final race place. For example, the first runner scores one point, the eighth runner scores eight points. The lowest score wins.  

A race with a score of 26 – 29 would look like this:

Ocean View             Opponent

  1st - 1 point                  2nd - 2 points

4th - 4 points                 3rd - 3 points

5th - 5 points                 7th - 7 points

6th - 6 points                 8th - 8 points

10th - 10 points             9th - 9 points

26 points                   29 points

If there is a tie with the first 5 runners, the 6th place runner’s points are then added to find the team winner.

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WHAT LEAGUE ARE WE IN AND HOW DO WE COMPETE?

We are part of the Golden Empire conference, a 15 team conference divided into 3 different leagues.  

Within the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), we are a Southern Section, Division 4 School. The Division placement is based on the size of school enrollment, with a higher number meaning a smaller school.

Following the Golden Empire League Finals race, qualifying varsity teams (or individuals) will advance through the CIF Southern Section race held at Mt. Sac Community College. 

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WHAT IS THE ORDER OF EVENTS FOR LEAGUE MEETS?

2:30 - Girls JV

3:00 – Boys JV

3:30 - Girls F/S

4:00 - Boys F/S

4:30 – Girl’s Varsity

5:00 – Boy’s Varsity

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WHAT DOES THE TEAM EXPECT FROM THE ATHLETES?

Athletes are expected to:

• Be loyal to the team, themselves, and coaches.

• Attend daily practices with the team.

• Do workouts to the best of their ability.

• Listen to coaches and captains and be open-minded to suggestions and advice.

• Be at every race, whether they are running or not.

• Communicate with coaches and teammates.

• Stay within the given practice run, and not go their own way.

• Follow team rules.

• Have fun. 

Finally, they are expected to do well in class and complete their homework; members of the team are students first and athletes second. Receiving "F’s" on report cards creates ineligibility until the grade is raised to a passing grade. 

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IS A MEDICAL CLEARANCE REQUIRED?

Before your child can practice with the team, he/she must have completed a physical examination. See the “Athletic Clearance” tab for instructions

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WHAT GRADES ARE NEEDED?

A grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or better is required to compete in any sport. A grade check will be done based on your progress report after the first six weeks of the fall semester. If you do not meet the above standards, you will be ineligible until your grades improve. 

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WHAT EQUIPMENT IS REQUIRED?

A pair of RUNNING shoes. Tennis, basketball, or “cross-trainer” shoes are NOT running shoes. It is not necessary to purchase special running apparel. Tees and shorts are adequate for daily training. At the beginning of the season, order forms will be sent out for Team shirts/warm-up shirts that will be required to be worn on race day. 

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WHAT TIMES ARE PRACTICES AT?

Practices begin at 3:00 pm, and we meet at the track. Most practices are 1.5 to 2 hours, but there will be some exceptions. Practice days may include Saturday workouts, usually in the morning.  Varsity athletes may practice longer than non-varsity athletes. In the off season, many runners are encouraged to attend Saturday practice, the location and time of which may vary. We can give you an estimate, but we will never know the exact time at which a practice will end. Training is always supervised by the coaches. 

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I HAVE A PROBLEM (EX: STUDENT NEEDS TO MISS PRACTICE OR A MEET) WHO DO I CONTACT?

Any missed practices must be confirmed before practice by a parent. Emailing or texting any of the coaches is acceptable. It is important that parents and athletes understand that when an athlete is entered into an invitational, entry fees are paid for that athlete, teams are set, etc. So, when an athlete does not show up for the meet he/she has put an incredible strain on the coaches and his/her teammates. Thus, it is extremely important that athletes communicate to their coaches weeks in advance if they are unable to attend a meet that is on the schedule. 

If a parent has additional inquiries, it is best to speak with or email the head coach.

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HOW WILL MY CHILD RACE IN CROSS COUNTRY?

Races can be divided by either grade level or divisions. The divisions are typically Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Frosh-Soph. Some invitationals may have differing divisions.

Unlike other sports, there is no bench or sidelines for the slower runners to merely watch the faster runners compete and only hope for a chance to run. Every team member will compete and has a valuable place on the team regardless of age or skill.

The Varsity teams are limited to 7 runners

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HOW ARE THE VARSITY TEAMS SELECTED?

As a general rule, the fastest 7 runners on the team (regardless of grade) make the Varsity teams. There are at most 7 runners on a Varsity squad, and at least five are needed to finish to score as a team. However, the athlete’s work ethic, as well as the dedication, and commitment they may display is also considered. Ultimately, the coaches have the final say as to who runs Varsity for the next competition.

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WHEN ARE THE RACES?

The season covers September through mid November. Advancement beyond the league is completed by the end of November. We also compete at Invitational Races on most Saturdays against many other schools throughout California. See “Season Schedule” tab for dates. The “Weekly Letter” tab will be updated every week with information about the weeks’ race, directions, schedule, and race line-up. 

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CAN I DRIVE MY CHILD TO ANY OF THE RACES?

Transportation will be provided for most competitions. When a bus or a school van is used, the school is responsible for the safety and well-being of your student-athlete until he or she is returned to school, thus all athletes are required to take the bus to and from meets unless there is a special circumstance. When there is such a case, the parent will be required to speak to one of the coaches before taking a child to (or from) the race. 

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HOW CAN I HELP MY CHILD PREPARE BEFORE RACE DAY?

Make sure your athlete:

• Gets plenty of sleep the two nights prior to race day.  

• Eats properly with light, easy to digest foods (primary carbohydrates). Experienced athletes often speak of carb-loading prior to a race, with foods such as pasta.

• Hydrates with lots of WATER. No carbonated or acidic liquids.

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HOW CAN I WATCH THE RACE?

Cross Country is not the typical spectator sport as you cannot see the entire race from one location. When you arrive, locate the start and finish lines. Spend a few minutes before the start of the race to pick your "spot" which would be a location where you can see as much of the race with as little moving around as possible.

During the race, you can move from point to point along the course to cheer the runners as they pass. Be careful, however, to stay off the runners’ path and out of their way. Rules forbid running alongside a competitor to pace or encourage him or her. Do not hand any runner any food or water during the race. Remember, cheering for all OVHS athletes is encouraged. Bring friends, family, and snap a few photos! 

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WHAT CAN I EXPECT ON THE DAY OF THE RACE?

• GIVE THEM THEIR SPACE 

• Do not expect the attention of your child before the race. Athletes need time to warm up; be briefed by the coaches; and prepare physically and mentally for the race with their teammates. 

• Don’t be surprised at the seriousness your child shows prior to and during a race. 

• The intensity of competition may reveal a side of your young athlete’s personality you haven’t seen before. At the finish of a race, the runners file through a chute. It’s OK to greet them, but please don’t distract them. 

• Runners have more responsibilities after a race. They are all expected to cool-down as a team and actively support their teammates who have yet to race.

• Trained medical personnel (athletic trainers) are on site at most races and are available for assistance for the extraordinary problems.

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CAN I VOLUNTEER?  HOW DO I VOLUNTEER?

YES! If you have the time, your assistance is an excellent demonstration to your child that you support and share his or her interests. 

• Food and Beverages on race day: Parents can volunteer by providing healthy and nutritious snacks and beverages for lengthy meets. We welcome anything and everything. Thanks!

• Banquet: We will host a Team Banquet for Athletes and their Families at the end of the season. We can always use help with planning and food serving the day of the event. 

• Taking Pictures: Snap some photos throughout the season so that we can use them for our banquet slideshow. 

• Fundraising: There will be several fundraisers throughout the off-season and in-season. Please participate!

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ARE THERE ANY FEES?

The only fee required to participate in cross country is the transportation fee required by the district so we can use district buses/school vans for transportation. Having said that, cross country is a self-sufficient sport and thus we must fundraise for everything on our own. Donations are always needed and appreciated. You can donate going to the student store, at the finance office at school, or writing a check to Ocean View Cross Country. We will be doing different fundraisers throughout the year to help offset these costs as well.