Returning Runners : If you purchased a team shirt last year, or for spring track this year, you may use it again. If you have the older-style logoed shirt, you'll have to purchase a new one this year. The purchase can be made at registration.
>>> Click here to register! <<< (Registration closes August 1st)
Cross Country registration will be open in July. Please note we may not be able to accept late registrations because we need to order uniforms ASAP.
Do you love to run? Are you looking to increase your speed, endurance, and distance? Running on our Cross Country team is a great way to improve your fitness as well as your determination and persistence. Cross Country (abbreviated XC or CC) is both a team and individual sport. Runners participate in Meets, which are competitive races usually run on grass or trails of about 1-3 miles, depending on age group, where our team runs against other school or homeschool teams. The races are divided by girls/boys, age, or grade groupings. Each runner competes individually and their score is tallied with others on the team to give a final team score. This means runners will have their own personal placement and time information from each meet. Meet participation is required to be on the team.
We celebrate all our runners’ accomplishments and while racing in meets is a fun way to compete, we focus on runners competing against themselves rather than others to attain their own personal best.
Who: HRK Homeschool Cross Country is a co-ed running team for students in grades 4-12 who are educated at home full or part-time.
At the coaches’ discretion, 3rd graders will be allowed to participate and train with the 4th-6th grade team during practices. However, they are not eligible to compete in most meets. In order to participate, 3rd graders will need to be self-motivated, able to listen to coaches, follow directions, stay on trails, and run with their teammates. Please contact Coach Dee to ask about space for 3rd graders before registering. Registration fee for all ages is the same.
Distances: Grades 4-6th will be running 1-1.5 miles for meets but we will be working up to longer distances at practices.
Grades 7-8th will run 2 miles for meets but we will be working up to longer distances at practices.
High School (Grades 9-12) will run 3 miles for meets but often longer at practices.
When & Where: Our season goes from August 12th to November 2nd.
Practices will be held from 4:00-5:30 p.m. Mondays & Thursdays.
Mondays: Nippersink Forest Preserve, meet at Shelter B (900 W Belvidere Rd, Round Lake, IL)
Thursdays: Old School Forest Preserve, meet at Shelter D (28285 N. St Mary's Rd, Libertyville, IL)
Meets are usually held on weekdays after school, but a few may be on Saturdays. Most meets will be in Lake County, IL but a few may be held in nearby southern Wisconsin.
Fee: Registration fees for all runners is $90. Participants will also need to purchase a team shirt on their own, price information coming soon. You may wear the same uniform from last year, so long as it's the "new style" introduced in 2023. We use the same uniforms as HRK's Track & Field teams.
Uniforms:
High School XC uniforms: HRK team tank top & plain black shorts or sweatpants.
4-8th Grade XC uniforms: HRK team running t-shirt & plain black shorts or sweatpants.
No uniforms are required for 3rd graders, but you are welcome to purchase one if you wish.
Team shirts & tank tops will be ordered within the first week or so of our season. Order information coming soon.
Black shorts may be purchased on your own at any store but must be solid black with no stripes or designs.
Equipment:
All participants must wear running shoes at practices and meets. Any type of shoe listed as “running” is okay.
Road running shoes will have a flatter tread on the bottom and often feel lighter-weight. However, road shoes do not provide as much traction and grip for the runner.
Trail running shoes have a more pronounced tread on the bottom and give the runner more grip and traction on grass & trails. However, trail running shoes may feel a little heavier.
Choose the type of shoe that feels best to you.
Parent Volunteers:
HRK is run solely on volunteers, including its coaches. Parent volunteers are needed for all practices and 4-8th grade meets. Volunteers are needed to walk the trail at every practice to help be extra eyes for the coaches if any kids need help. We will also need a parent or two to stay back at the shelter so no kids or belongings are left unattended. We may also ask for parent volunteers to help us time practice runs.
Meets for 4-8th graders require parent volunteers to be trail spotters. The good news: this is super easy & fun! Our runners really appreciate seeing cheering, friendly faces out on the trails. We need to do our part to help provide volunteers for these meets. Parents with younger kids may keep their little ones with them as they volunteer. Older siblings are also welcome & encouraged to volunteer. All that is required is that you stand at a particular location and direct runners in the correct direction.
Communication:
Coaches will send emails before practices, as well as other times with updated meet & event information. Feel free to email, text, or call me with any questions.
Please email or text me to let me know if your runner will miss a practice or meet. It really helps a lot to know who is going to be there.
Please email me with any important information about missing events, practices, etc. rather than telling me at practice. At practices & meets I am focused on the runners & what we’re doing and I often don’t remember things that people tell me, so please just email me.
We will work hard to communicate well with runners & parents and we ask the same in return.
Meets:
HRK competes with local private schools in Lake County, IL and occasionally southern WI. Meet dates, times, and details are still being arranged by the conference organizers and will be added to the HRK calendar. Meet participation is required for all runners on the team.
Coaches will occasionally find extra 5K's and trail races for HRK to run. These races are optional, but highly encouraged. Cost and registration for these optional races are the responsibility of each family. These races are a really fun, exciting way to get in more practice and competition in different settings.
Weather:
XC is an outdoor sport and meets are not often canceled due to inclement weather except for dangerous conditions. Be prepared to run in rain, heat, and cold. If a practice is canceled, you should be notified by 2:00pm that day. Practice and meet changes will be communicated via the HRK website, so please make sure you signed up to receive email/text notifications when you registered. Double-check that you have entered the correct email and cell number when registering.
Runner Expectations:
-All athletes are expected to give the coaches their full attention during practices. Athletes will show respect to coaches at all times.
-Runners should keep a positive attitude and give their best effort each practice and meet.
-No swearing.
-Athletes must come dressed for the weather and ready for practices. Shirts must be worn at all times and if leggings/spandex are worn, shorts must be worn over them. For colder temperatures, wear layers and bring a hat and gloves.
-Encourage other runners and cheer them on. Treat everyone on the team with respect and kindness.
-In order to improve, you will need to run outside of practice.
-Personal music devices and cell phones are not allowed during practice or meets except to contact a parent. Earbuds and headphones are not allowed during practice or meets.
-Respect other people using the forest preserves and trails, show trail courtesy at all times.
-Nutrition and hydrating: Come hydrated to practice. You should slowly be drinking water all day. You should be finished hydrating 2 hours before a practice. You should also be finished with a meal 2 hours before practice. If you need a snack, try to make it a 100-calorie healthy snack 1 hour before practice or meets. Failing to follow these guidelines could result in cramping, stomach aches, vomiting, and overheating. Sleep well and eat a healthy diet.
***We don’t expect any problems, but if expectations are not being met, a warning will be given to the runner. Next, your parents will be contacted and will be asked to decide on a discipline plan. After that, the end result may include suspension or expulsion from the team. There will be no refunds extended beyond HRK's general refund policy.
Parents Expectations:
-Parents are responsible for getting their runners to practice on time as well as picking up on time.
-Please also help your runners communicate with coaches when they will be missing practice. If your runner arrives late to practice, they will miss warm-ups and be at a higher risk for injury. If you know you will be late, please communicate this with the coach.
-Please be prompt for pickup. All coaches are volunteers and live busy lives. When practice is over, we have other places we need to be. If you drop off your child and leave, you must stay in the area on days that have a high chance for lightning or storms should practice end early.
-Practices: Coaches need volunteers to walk the trails, help with timing, and stay back at the shelter to watch belongings and help with younger kids.
-Please read through the Athlete Expectations (above) with your child. Help the coaches reinforce these expectations.
***Although we don’t expect any problems, if expectations are not being met by runners, a warning will be given to them. Next, you as parents will be contacted and will be asked to decide on a discipline plan. After that, the end result may include suspension or expulsion from the team. There will be no refunds extended beyond HRK's general refund policy.
Please also read HRK Inc.’s Parent Expectations.
If you are experiencing a financial hardship (such as loss of job, medical emergency, etc) please reach out to HRK Treasurer, Mike Klug, to discuss how we can help make playing for HRK Eagles manageable during this time. Contact Mike at treasurer@hrkeagles.org.
>>> Click here to register! <<<
Questions? Please email hrkcrosscountry@gmail.com