Cross Country

The summer track and field season has finished but athletics is not over for the season! Keep up with your fitness and friends at Cross Country.

The Cross Country season is for children who enjoy running and like to keep fit in winter and is open to all registered Little Athletes. The cost is included in your summer registration fee with the same age group carried over from the preceding summer season. A winter registration fee applies to unregistered athletes ($60 in 2010). Registrations are performed on line. Please click HERE to register.

For details of the 2010 Cross Country Season Program, please look at our calendar. The season typically runs from April until late July. Kew also holds cross country training on a Wednesday evening at Stradbroke Park from 5pm.

Competition takes place on Sundays from 10.00am at various venues within the Eastern Metropolitan Region (EMR), with different Centres hosting the meetings in turn. Children must compete in the Kew Centre uniform (Maroon singlet top and pants) which can be purchased from the Uniform Co-ordinator (Deb Benger). Speak to the Cross Country Co-ordinator if you are interested in a separate Saturday season. The distances and alternate programs are:

Cross Country does not usually get cancelled in winter due to inclement weather unless the event is marred by lightning. Contact the Cross Country Co-ordinator if in doubt.

State Championships are held at the end of July for U9 to U15 age groups. An athlete must compete in the Region Championships to be eligible to run in the State Championships. Region championships are usually conducted in June.

On Open Days medals can be awarded to individual placegetters and to teams (<6 children from the same Centre in the same age group). During the 2009 season over 60 Kew little athletes completed regularly with many individual and team successes.

The Cross Country Co-ordinator's for 2010 are Matt & Lisa Bateman. Email mattbatem@gmail.com

Assistant Cross Country Co-ordinators for 2010 are Darren & Emma Harris . Email ejh1340@bigpond.com

Scroll down for important notes on uniform regulations and information for Asthma sufferers.

As athletes like to wear "skins" or other undergarments when running in colder weather, please note UNIFORM Competition regulations below which will apply for both EMR and State Cross Country Championships.

1.5 COMPETITION CLOTHING (UNIFORM)
(iii) Uniforms may be a combination of the following components:
(a) Bottoms:
(1) Shorts: Shorts shall not be longer than 100 mm above the knee measured whilst an athlete is kneeling. Such shorts may be called “Boxer, Sports Briefs or Bike Shorts.

(2) Leggings: Ankle length leggings may be worn during the Cross Country season only. The colour shall be the same as the Centre shorts.

and also in regard to compression shorts the guidelines state;

Undergarments:
(d) Top Undergarment: A long or short sleeved top may be worn as an undergarment. If worn, the colour of the undergarment shall be the same colour as the predominant colour of the Centre top; as proposed by the Centre; alternatively, the undergarment shall be white.
(e) Bottom Undergarment: Compression shorts or bike shorts may be worn as an undergarment. If worn, the colour of the undergarment shall be the same colour as the predominant colour of the Centre shorts; as proposed by the Centre; alternatively, the undergarment shall be natural or flesh coloured.”

Can all Centre’s please be made aware that if athletes wish to wear leggings for Cross Country they DO NOT need to apply to have leggings added to their Centre Uniform, as was the ruling in 2006/07. Leggings and compression shorts need to be in line with Competition Regulation 1.5 (ii) Centre/Region uniforms shall not carry any prominent commercial product/branding (identification/logo) that covers in excess of 900mm square, and shall not be visible when covered by a 30mm square.

ASTHMA SUFFERERS – REQUIREMENT TO STRAP VENTOLIN TO THEIR ARMS PLEASE

For any KEW LAC athlete who suffers from Asthma, it has been decided to ask that their Ventolin is strapped to their arm. Some people may have exercise-induced asthma and your doctor may tell you to take one or two puffs of Ventolin before you exercise. This can help to prevent the symptoms of exercise-induced asthma.

Special Ventolin straps are available at pharmacies to ensure that the athlete can have their dose handy and available wherever they are on the track, especially if an actual attack or an anxiety attack occurs during an event and parents are not in a position to see / be near their child. (The alternative is to make up a Velcro band or use a wide piece of elastic to strap the container to the upper arm).