Parents and athletes,

 

First i'd like to welcome you to what we hope will be another exciting season for the Seneca Valley Indoor Track Club! In recent weeks I have received plenty of inquiries regarding the club, and I hope that many of those questions can be answered in our "Indoor Information and Guidelines" section of our web page. We have done our best to hit on as many of the pertinent topics as we can, and I will do my best to answer any other questions you might have via email over next few weeks leading up to our first practice on Wednesday, December 4th. 

 

In lieu of a formal parent meeting, we use this page to disseminate club information including our practice dates, a tentative meet schedule, and again, to answer some frequently asked questions. 

 

 

*SVTC is exactly that, it is a club. Though we are expected to follow the rules and expectations of the district and department of athletics, we also have the right and obligation to add our own rules/expectations where we see fit. 

 

*Please note that to be a club member in good standing you must be in 9th through 12th grade. Due to limited facilities and competition regulations, we simply cannot include middle school students. The MS Track season will begin in early March and we encourage anyone interested to please plan on trying out in the Spring. 

 

 

*Our club will meet on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays each week after school and will finish for the 5 PM activity bus. Please note our practice schedule posted on this page and know that weather and facility availability can force unexpected cancellations. Our team will once again use REMIND in order to keep everyone up to speed when there are changes or adjustments to schedule. Please remember that REMIND is a one-way tool used to disseminate team info, not for two-way communication with parents or athletes. 

 

*You will also notice there are some Wednesday night and Saturday morning practices added specifically for jumps. These will be held at the MS MPR with meeting times noted on the schedule.  

 

 

*Understand respectfully that ALL are welcome to SVTC, but we are NOT a babysitting service or a place to simply "kill time" after school. Anyone who joins us is expected to do their best and work hard. Our staff does not expect every member to be a star, but we expect them to put their best effort out there and work to improve daily. 

 

*Please note that we have a team meeting before every practice and there is often important updates and information that is given to club members when necessary. Many FAQ's are answered during these meetings. 

 

*Our coaches are doing this on a strictly volunteer basis. Note we do not get paid for our time and in most cases, we work jobs outside of the district. This means sacrificing work and family time to make sure we can be there to use our coaching skills to help develop SVTC members. Remember these days it's hard to find paid coaches for sports, let alone highly qualified ones willing to volunteer. We are very fortunate to have the staff we have in place. 

 

*Remember that we often go outside during the season and with that in mind, there is an expectation club members will come prepared for practice every day. This means hats, gloves and other associated warm weather gear should be invested in. All members should have all the proper gear in order to participate. 

 

*Our meet schedule is listed on the page. Please note this schedule is TENTATIVE and is subject to change. All meets will be at Edinboro (TSTCA sanctioned) or SRU. 

 

*The TSTCA is the organization that runs all track meets. Like us, they volunteer their time to make it work. Please note all TSTCA meets will be held at Edinboro University and they are all day affairs. Plan accordingly in terms of travel and taking the time for the competitions. Generally meets will start at 10 AM and end between 5 and 6 PM--note delays can/likely will happen, just giving you my best guestimations based on nearly 20 years of doing this. 

 

*All travel to and from meets is done by families of SVTC. There are no team busses so plan accordingly! Never hesitate to consider pooling with other families if possible. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES CAN A CLUB ATHLETE DRIVE TO A MEET THEMSELVES!!! Please remember this. All athletes must travel with a parent or guardian both to and from the meets. Any violation of this rule will result in immediate removal from club! 

 

*There will be no formal travel release form at the meets. As long as all events (and relays) have been completed, you are free to go! 

 

*Due to the sheer number of teams entries for TSTCA meets are very limited. We are only allowed to enter two per event and one relay team. Athletes are also limited to a maximum of three events. Over the years we have been able to make it work, but we can't guarantee entry for all athletes. That is why we have Added the three SRU meets to the schedule again this season. SRU allows as many team entries as needed and no limit on events. 

 

*Selection for lineups for individual events and relays are 100% the decision of the club coaches. 

 

*Understand if an athlete commits to a meet, they are expected to follow through. We cannot make changes to our lineups once the deadline has passed, so make sure you know you are good to go before committing. 

 

*The TSTCA and State Championship dates are listed and unless weather causes an issue, the dates are locked in. If you have a child who thinks they want to qualify for either of these meets, make sure you note the dates so there are no conflicts with the schedule. If you have a trip planned or there is any other foreseeable issue, it's better to be aware of it now so you can adjust plans or plan on not being available to participate. 

 

I'm hopeful this should answer FAQ's you might have had. Don't hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions. Please remember, get the paperwork done now so you don't have to rush to finish it before the 12/13 deadline! Any perspective club member who missed the deadline will NOT be able to participate-NO EXCEPTIONS. Thank you, Gar Bercury, SVTC