Cross country meets will only come in the form of dual meets this fall according to the latest safety modifications approved by the MIAA COVID-19 Task Force last week, and there’s a chance that there will be separate gender meets at different sites.
The latest cross country-specific safety modifications approved by the COVID-19 Task Force are:
When scheduling dual meets, leagues and/or schools should consider the following options where practical and/or possible:
- Contesting separate gender meets at opposite sites.
- Identifying one suitable (i.e. wider spacing) and available course, per league, to contest all league dual meets, using multiple days each week to schedule. This would provide a universal course for athletes to compete on and could also evolve into virtual scoring of a “league” meet.
- Practice Pods – Workouts should be conducted in pods of students, with the same 5-10 students always working out together.
- Personnel – Only essential personnel are permitted on the practice area and competition area each day (i.e. athletes, coaches, medical personnel/athletic trainer, officials and timers). All others (managers, photographers, media, spectators, etc…) are considered non-essential personnel and are not to be in the starting box, finish line or practice area.
- Watches – Athletes and coaches should bring their own watch if use is desired and sharing is not permitted.
- Dual Meets Only – Competitions should be dual meets (2 teams) only until further guidelines are given.
- Course Previews – Course previews should be provided virtually via maps or video before the day of the meet. No on-site course previews should be allowed. Consider increasing the amount of course markings and checkpoints to help guide runners (especially novice runners) through the course.
- Course Selection – An emphasis should be placed on a wider course that allows for social distancing and spacing throughout the meet.
- Warm Up Areas – Designated warm up areas should be provided for each team to ensure social distancing before the meet.
- Staggered starts in smaller groups are required; possibly waves of 8-10 athletes
- Runners are to be spaced out 6 feet apart individually; possibly 4-5 from each school
- Separated by school – 14 feet spacing between schools
- Schools should use previously established cohorts from practice sessions
- A minimum of three minute spacing should be allotted between each wave, however spacing time will be determined by size of the course to maintain social distancing.
- Runners should maintain social distancing throughout the race and not cluster on the course.
- Consideration should be given to creating waves of junior varsity (and/or freshman) runners to allow safe spacing near the start.
- Athletes should be grouped, with social distancing and face coverings, as a team at the start line and teams should be a minimum of 14 feet apart upon start.
- No common bins will be utilized at the starting line for personal items. All personal items, including warmups, headphones, etc.… cannot be taken to the starting area.
- Schools must develop a non-transmittal way of scoring the meet to ensure no popsicle sticks, cards, labels, etc.…. are given out as athletes cross the finish line (consider FAT Timing, videoing, or multicolored bibs to score later).
- Consideration should be given to providing additional volunteers near the finish line to help disperse athletes who have just completed their race.
- Finish lines should be open with a minimum 28 feet to cross. Teams should be directed to finish on separate sides. Lanes should be created over the last 100 yards.
- Masks/Face Coverings – Athletes can remove face coverings during the race when socially distanced but must do so prior the race starting and at the start of the race. Athletes should prepare to use a face covering at the conclusion of a race as soon as possible given social distancing needs as well as considering exhaustion/breathing at the conclusion of a race.
- Warm Down Areas – Designated warm down areas should be provided for each team to ensure social distancing after the meet.
- Consideration should be given to providing additional volunteers to help compile race results in multiple, smaller gatherings
- Consideration should be given to providing race results virtually
- End of Practice/End of Race – Athletes/teams should immediately disperse upon the conclusion of practice and meets. All participants should return home to shower, clean clothes and equipment used after every workout and/or meet.