Wheeling Park Fall Classic
On
9/5 WPHS will be hosting the Wheeling Park Fall Classic. With the recently released WVSSAC
modifications we will be able to accommodate four additional teams. Here is the schedule for the day and the
steps we are taking to best insure safety.
Schedule:
9:00
am: boys
varsity race
9:40: girls varsity race
10:20:
boys jv race
10:25: girls jv
race
ARRIVAL:
Teams: Upon arrival, each team will report to its
assigned tent location (which is located on the softball field, which is
adjacent to the start/finish line. Each
team’s coach will be responsible for ensuring that
their runners do not intermingle and maintain social distancing prior to the
races starting. Additionally, each team will need to pick up its race packet
from the concession stand. Athletes and
coaches are to wear masks upon arrival. Teams will need to stagger its arrival
to ensure that crowd size remains as small as possible in the tent area,
ideally arriving no sooner than an hour before one’s scheduled race time. Be aware that since the course does cross the
road twice, those driving absolutely need to factor in race times and
potentially being stopped as runners cross the road.
Spectators: To limit the amount of people in a given
area, tent city is for coaches and athletes only. This means no spectators will be allowed at
the finish line. We apologize, but
sacrifices must be made to keep people as safe as possible. Spectators can go in the upper field (which
is forty percent of the course) or be along the road. Please maintain social distancing
guidelines. Spectators are also required
to wear a mask to gain admission.
RACE PROCEDURES:
Boys varsity race: Runners
will not be permitted access to their assigned starting box until five minutes
prior to the start of their scheduled race.
As runners cross the finish line, there will be no tags pulled. Once a runner crosses the line, they are to
return to the team tent, change, etc...and leave.
Girls varsity race:
identical to the boys race
JV
Race: We are going to do the staggered
start to shorten the time to lessen the impact of heat on the JV runners. The boys jv will start just as the varsity races did. The girls will be the same, just faster. As
soon as the gun goes off to start the jv
boys race, the girls are to report to their assigned starting box. EXACTLY five minutes later, the gun will
sound to start the girls jv
race.
IMPORTANT: any girl who has not cleared the field (1000 meters)
prior to the first boy coming back will be removed from the course. It is about 1000 meters from the start/end of
the field to the finish line. I would
estimate that the fastest boy would be around fourteen or fifteen minutes for
four thousand meters, giving all the girls that amount of time to run
1000. We cannot have runners going in
conflicting directions. This will
absolutely be enforced.
Finish
of the JV races: as there are more runners,
it is more imperative that runners get back to their tents as quickly as
possible.
AWARDS: there will be no awards ceremony. We will award champion and runner up team
trophies for the varsity race, along with 1-10 for individuals. JV awards are TBD. Awards will be given to the coaches.
Registration
needs to happen on www.racetimeentry.com. Registration will close on Monday August
31. As WPHS is the host for the region 1
championship this year, preference will be given to AAA region 1 schools. Any
interested coach in the region who would like to get their team in, please
contact Jacob Galik at (304)670-8048.
Any AAA region 1 school that does not get into this race can run the
Park Classic on 10/3.
Miscellaneous: per WVSSAC guidelines, there will be no
communal water source. We will have a
concession stand, please maintain social distancing in the line.
Race
cost: $85.00 for a full team. There will be no individual runners. Please make checks payable to WPHS Athletics