Avon High School
Boys Track & Field
2014
4-time IHSAA Sectional Champions
11-time Hendricks County Champions
41 IATCCC All-State Athletes (Indoor and Outdoor)
AVON T&F 2014
“What is notable about athletic character is that it is a choice. You get to decide
whether you will possess the self discipline, competitive fire, and self belief to
succeed. These kinds of people are sometimes called champions. “Champion” is
another word for individuals willing to do difficult and uncomfortable things on a
daily basis that no one else is willing to do.”
-Anson Dorrance, Soccer Coach at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Avon Track & Field Mission Statement
Our program will develop outstanding student-athletes that are competitive in Track & Field and in the
classroom. Athletes will learn self-discipline and commitment through training and being part of a team.
These attributes will enable student-athletes to strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition,
and be positive example for others. It is our goal to develop the best student-athletes possible and
provide the opportunity for all team members to experience success.
Core Values of AVON T&F
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
We will choose to have Athletic Character.
a. We achieve Athletic Character by doing the difficult and uncomfortable things each and every
day that others are not willing to do.
We will acquire self-discipline.
a. Live the life.
b. The little things when no one is looking are what separate a great runner from a good runner.
c. “Too many people fail because they give up what they want most for what they want in the
moment.” – Anson Dorance
d. “I never blame failure – there are too many complicated situations in life – but I am absolutely
merciless toward a lack of effort.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald
Our goals will be challenging yet meaningful.
a. We will not be afraid to fail.
b. The most important step is our next opportunity to improve.
We will have a positive outlook on life as well as athletics.
a. We love our sport. We wouldn’t be here busting our butts otherwise.
We will acquire self-confidence.
a. Trust your training.
b. Trust your teammates.
c. Trust your coaches.
d. No one in the state of Indiana trains like we do.
We will genuinely care about one another and will treat each other with respect.
a. We are a first-class program and are thankful for the abilities and opportunities given to us each
and every day.
We will be humble in our successes and our failures.
a. Your character as an athlete is sometimes judged directly after competing rather than during.
b. “To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.” – Carlos de
Montesquieu
We will not dwell in our successes or failures.
a. There will always be something to look upon tomorrow, regardless of how we performed today.
We will use our values, abilities, and opportunities towards the bigger picture: Life.
a. “Athletics should be a part of your life, not be your life.”
b. “Always take the time to show compassion for those less fortunate, and there are many. Take
the time to help a young child cross the street, or to carry a bag of groceries for an elderly lady.
And every now and then, look up into that big, beautiful, blue sky and admit that there are things
in this world more wondrous than yourself.” – Jack Lambert
Your athletic character and value to this team is about choice and accountability. It is up to you to
choose to compete hard when needed, to do the little things away from practice and meets, and to
commit to your teammates and coaches.
AVON T&F Team Expectations 2014
I. Attitude and Appropriateness
II. Attendance
III. Preparedness and Responsibilities
I. Attitude and Appropriateness
It is expected that athletes represent their school, family, program, and themselves in an appropriate
manner. You are expected to behave as you would in the classroom and around your family. When you
are at a meet, at practice or in public, there are many people observing your actions. You may not be
aware, but this is a fact and comes with being a student-athlete. These people range from your family,
community members, school faculty, your coaches, younger athletes, children, and other schools and
teams.
Offensive language and negative attitudes are detrimental to our team moral and what we represent.
These inappropriate behaviors are not accepted. The traits of winners and young men with good
athletic character are leading by example, believing in your teammates, coaches, mentors, and self, just
to name a few. Winners are positive and encourage each other. They do not bring down the spirits and
attitudes of their teammates. Negativity is unacceptable. We are striving to be the best people
possible, which will lead to being the best student-athletes possible and the best team we can be.
Any language or action that is negative and inappropriate will result in a consequence set by the
coaches. This could include push-ups, burpees, hills, or any other exercise that is deemed fitting for the
situation but also will benefit you from a physical perspective. This could also include dismissal from the
team.
II. Attendance
Practice will start at 3:30 daily, at the track, unless noted otherwise in your training calendar. You are to
report directly to the track after school. A short team meeting will begin promptly, followed by our
team warm-up. We need to know that you are focused on the task at hand and focused on our team
goals. Being focused physically and mentally is the best way for your coaches to measure your
commitment; talk is cheap.
Missed Practice: If you are going to miss practice for any reason it is your responsibility to notify your
coaches prior to practice (ex., family emergency, illness, wedding or a doctors’ appointment); ideally 24
hours notice is preferred (unless it is an unforeseen emergency). Your coach will confirm this with your
parent or guardian. If you are at school the entire day, you will be at practice unless Angie or Wes (the
trainers) say otherwise. If an athletic conflict arises, your commitment to the 2014 ATF team must
come first. Please try to make appointments outside of practice time. An unexcused absence is a
message to your teammates and coaches that you are not committed and are selfish. Everyone is busy,
everyone is tired, everyone can make up an excuse; however, champions are not everyone and that is
what we are striving for.
a. The first and second unexcused absence(s) will result in a consequence set by the coaching staff
and communication with your parent(s). This could include missing the next meet or extra
training consequences.
b. The third unexcused absence will result in dismissal from the team.
Bus departures are posted on the meet schedule. You are expected to be at the high school and
dressed 15 minutes prior to departure. There are two teams, many teammates, and coaches that are
mentally preparing for the meet. It is not fair to those people when you disrupt their routine. Their
focus and your focus should be on the meet and your event(s), and this focus begins way before we load
the buses. Show us you are ready and be on time. If you are late you will be left behind and will have to
ride with a parent or guardian to our meet. There will be consequences for tardiness.
III. Preparedness
You are an athlete and an athlete is prepared for every practice and competition. It is your
responsibility to own a watch, water bottle, and running apparel. Pay attention to the weather. If there
is a chance of rain, bring an extra pair of shoes. Be sure to have extra socks with you at meets and
practices. Indiana weather can be very unpredictable; bring extra layers of clothes, jacket, pants, gloves,
and some kind of headwear. You can always take off extra clothing that you are wearing. BE
PREPARED. We take pride in battling the weather and elements. Winning the battle is being
knowledgeable enough to take care of our bodies and stay healthy.
2014 AVON T&F Letter Criteria
Track & field Letter Criteria:
*Compete in IHSAA tournament (submitted alternates on IHSAA tournament roster may
be considered) and/or HCC Championships
AND/OR
*Hit one of the following standards:
100m – 11.59
200m – 23.79
400m – 52.99
800m – 2:06.99
1600m – 4:44.99
3200m – 10:29.99
110mH – 16.99
300mH – 43.99
SP – 44’ 0”
D – 138’ 0”
HJ – 5’ 10”
LJ – 19’ 6”
PV – 12’ 6”
OR
*Coaches’ discretion (e.g., four-year track athlete who has shown a positive contribution; team
leader who does not meet above criteria, etc.)
AND
*End the season in good standing
ATF coaches reserve the right to make final decision on whether or not an athlete earns
a varsity letter. Negative contributions to the team (e.g., negative attitude, poor
sportsmanship, etc.) may be detrimental to earning a varsity letter even if the above
criteria are met. ”Bonus points” will not be given for good behavior, good attendance,
etc. (these are expectations of every athlete), but positive contributions to the team may
result in a varsity letter based on coaches’ discretion
AVON T&F Meet Schedule 2014
Indoor:
Saturday
March 8
Noblesville HSR Qualifier (varsity only)
Anderson University
Saturday
March 15
Oriole Indoor Classic
UIndy
Saturday
March 22
Hoosier State Relays (qualifiers only)
Indiana Wesleyan Univ.
Wednesday
March 19
Center Grove (9/10 only)
Center Grove
Thurs.
April 3
North Central
HOME
Tues.
April 8
Plainfield
Plainfield
Thurs.
April 10
Cathedral
HOME
Friday
April 18
Franklin Central Showcase Meet (invite only)
Franklin Central
Friday
April 18
Warren Central Throwers’ Showcase (invite only)
Warren Central
Saturday
April 19
Ben Davis Relays
Ben Davis
Tuesday
April 22
Fishers
Fishers
Friday
April 25
Bill Self Invitational (varsity only)
Franklin Comm.
Monday
April 28
WC / BD / Carmel (JV only)
Warren Central
Tuesday
April 29
Hendricks County Championships (varsity only)
Plainfield
Tuesday
May 6
Brownsburg
HOME (Senior Night)
Friday
May 9
Pike Invitational (varsity only)
Pike
Monday
May 12
Plainfield/Brownsburg (JV only)
HOME
Tuesday
May 13
Noblesville Relays (varsity only)
Noblesville
Friday
May 16
HCC Boys Championships (varsity only)
Fishers
Thursday
May 22
IHSAA Boys Sectional (varsity only)
Plainfield
Thursday
May 29
IHSAA Boys Regional (qualifiers only)
Lafayette Jeff
Saturday
June 7
IHSAA Boys State Championships (qualifiers only)
Indiana University
Outdoor:
AVON T&F 2014 Team Goals
1.
Top 5 at HSR Finals
2.
Hendricks County Champions
3.
Win the Hoosier Crossroads Conference Championships
4.
Defend our IHSAA Plainfield Sectional Championship
5.
Win the IHSAA Lafayette Regional
6.
Top 5 at the IHSAA State Meet
7.
Team GPA of 3.0 or higher
Healthy Habits
What you do away from practice is just as important as what you do during. You can run lights out
workouts and all the mileage in the world, but if you’re not taking care of your body at home and at
school, you will not see the benefits.
Nutrition: Healthy eating habits are absolutely essential to facilitate maximum performance. Follow
these simple guidelines:
1. Avoid fried foods. The saturated fat in fried foods adds extra weight and is an inefficient fuel
source.
2. Eat lean meat (turkey, chicken, lean beef). You need the protein found in these food sources.
3. Limit simple sugars. This includes chocolate, candy, Kool-Aid, ice cream, cookies, etc. These
things are fine in moderation, but they should not be relied upon to meet your energy needs.
Simple sugars provide a quick spike in your energy levels, but leave you feeling fatigued and
lethargic, both physically and mentally, later. Absolutely cut out soda if possible – it does
nothing beneficial for your body. That goes for energy drinks (Red Bull, Monster, etc.) as well.
4. Eat lots of complex carbs. Primarily rice and pasta. Fad diets will tell you to avoid these things.
Fad diets are not designed for distance runners. Wheat bread is another good source – opt for
wheat bread instead of white – white bread lacks the nutrient content found in wheat.
5. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. The best way to get your vitamins and minerals is from natural
sources. Opt for low fat dressings on your salad. Fruits also provide you with the natural sugars
you need, while vegetables also provide plenty of natural fiber.
6. Stay hydrated. Keep a full water bottle with you at all times, and drink throughout the day.
Your body can absorb about 4-5 ounces of water an hour. This means sipping and drinking
consistently throughout the day is more beneficial than chugging water right before and right
after practice. You need about 100-120 ounces of water a day. At school, if you cannot take a
water bottle with you from class to class, make sure to stop at a water fountain between
every class, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Once you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.
Avoid coffee, tea, and soft drinks – the caffeine will hinder iron absorption and drain fluids from
your body. Water is your best friend. Sports drinks (Gatorade, Powerade) are good to drink
right after a workout, but that’s about it. The simple sugars in sports drinks will speed muscle
recovery if you drink them directly after a workout. The rest of the time, however, these simple
sugars are just a waste.
7. Peanut butter is excellent in moderation. It provides essential fats and proteins, and when
eaten in the form of a PB & J sandwich along with a glass of milk or fruit juice and some pretzels,
it makes for a quick, simple, high powered lunch. Peanut butter is also a great recovery food –
eaten directly after a workout.
8. Beans – High in protein, rich in nutrients. Red beans and rice is hard to beat for a complete,
healthy dinner.
9. Eat a light lunch. You want your lunch to be completely digested by the time we start practice
(3:30). To train at your best, you need stable blood sugar levels and an empty stomach. A heavy
lunch will leave you feeling sluggish during your workout.
10. Eat something small between lunch and practice. Not to contradict the above rule, but you may
want to eat something small about 30-60 minutes before a workout. Going 3 hours without
eating should allow your body to digest your lunch, but you may need a little fuel going into a
workout. A small granola bar or some pretzels should be sufficient.
11. Refuel directly after a run/workout. Taking in fuel within a 30 minute window after a workout is
crucial to proper recovery. Along with water, consuming some sports drink, banana or other
source or fruit, pretzels, peanut butter, granola bar, protein bar, etc. will help your muscles to
recover quicker and allow your body to recover properly. Try to have something with you to eat
directly after practice.
12. Do not drink alcohol. This needs no explanation.
Supplements:
1. Take a multi-vitamin daily. This is just insurance to make sure you are getting all the vitamins
and minerals your body needs for proper function. If there is a magic pill (other than water) to
staying healthy, this is it.
2. Iron – A daily iron supplement may be something to look into. Talk to your doctor first to
discuss whether or not you need an iron supplement. Athletes can be prone to iron-deficiency,
which is detrimental to performance. Without enough usable iron, your body cannot build and
replace red blood cells. Red blood cells transport oxygen. Without oxygen transportation, you
can’t run. Always take iron with Vitamin C (a glass of orange juice for example). This will aid in
iron absorption. Coffee and tea actually hinder iron absorption, another reason to avoid them.
Don’t take iron directly with milk, as calcium will block iron absorption. A good rule of thumb is
to take iron with a glass of orange juice before bed, a few hours after you’ve had dinner and
probably had some milk.
3. Sports drinks – Best to drink within 30 minutes following a run or workout. This is when your
body needs it. Sports drinks put back the fluids, electrolytes, and sodium you lost during a
workout. Muscles recover faster if carbohydrates available in the form of a sports drink are
ingested during this 30 minute window of opportunity. A good rule of thumb is limiting sports
drink consumption to 32 ounces a day. Any more than that may put too much sodium in your
body that it doesn’t need.
Sleep:
1. You need, at a bare minimum, 8 hours of sleep each night. You must be consistent – you cannot
simply “catch up” on sleep if you miss – you can only get back on track. Your body does not like
disruptions in its sleep patterns. A 15 minute window is optimal for a bedtime; for example, if
you go to bed around 10:00 every night, make sure you are in bed between 9:45 and 10:15 each
night if you want to maximize your sleep. Research shows that a consistent bedtime is more
critical than simply getting the number of hours of sleep every night but at different times.
Staying up a little on the weekends is not going to kill you, but staying up until 2:00 or 3:00 in
the morning on the weekends routinely will inevitably result in illness. When your body is
deprived of sleep, your immune system weakens and you become sick.
2. While getting sleep consistently is important, two nights before a meet is the most beneficial
night for sleep.
3. Limit naps to 60 minutes max; 20-30 minutes is optimal.
Stretching:
Follow the dynamic warmup (drills) routine and be sure to stretch after each workout. This is
absolutely the most effective way to increase your range of motion, speed recovery, and
prevent injuries. Stretching effectively (as opposed to just going through the motions) does all
of these things…do not underestimate its importance.
Strength Training:
Do not cut out the core and strength routines that we do - this is a very critical part of our
training! If it were not important, we wouldn’t waste our time doing it! If you find yourself
weak in certain areas, do some of the routine at home while you’re watching TV or taking a
break from homework. Doing 30-50 pushups when you wake up in the morning a few days a
week will only help make you stronger!
The Mind-Body Connection:
Your body will only do what your mind believes to be possible. Fatigue will limit your
cognitive function, so stay rested and mentally sharp. Eliminating stress by staying on top of
your academics and other responsibilities will also help. In short, take care of business and
don’t sweat the small stuff. Spend time preparing your mind for races and key workouts.
Visualize yourself successfully performing the task you aim to accomplish. This lays the
mental wiring that must be in place when it comes time to actually do it.
Resources
Websites:
www.indianarunner.com
www.letsrun.com
www.runindiana.com
www.flotrack.com
www.dyestat.com
www.runnerspace.com
www.runningtimes.com
www.runnersworld.com
www.ihsaa.org
www.iatccc.org
Ask your coaches for books and other great material on track & field!
Zach Toothman (Head Coach & Distance)
zachary.toothman@gmail.com
Brandon DeHart (Mid-Distance)
bjdehart@avon-schools.org
812-608-0836
Rick Finchum (Jumps)
rfinchum10@gmail.com
Marshall Davis (Pole Vault)
MD742@chrysler.com
Doug Keele (Throws)
coachkeele@yahoo.com
Keith Pavlish (Pole Vault)
kpavlish281@marian.edu
Kyle Lee (Sprints)
kdlee@avon-schools.org
Richard White (Sprints)
rrwhite27@aol.com
Nathan Fry (Hurdles)
ntfry@yahoo.com
Kristina Slagle (Hurdles)
kristina.reynolds@covance.com
Jesse Hicks (Sprints)
jesse.hicks68@yahoo.com
Chris Hargis (Jumps)
chrishargis1@aol.com
Lee Hoopingarner (Distance)
hoopy@hotmail.com
Tony Newbern (Mid-Distance)
newbernal13@sbcglobal.net
Avon Boys Track & Field Contract
As part of the Avon High School Boys Track & Field team, I agree to all of the following conditions. I
understand that in order to have a successful, fun, and safe experience, I must be a true teammate and
abide by the following guidelines.
1. I will follow the Avon High School athlete code of conduct at all times.
2. I will make sure that my grades meet the academic requirements set by Avon High School.
3. I will have a positive attitude towards my teammates, my coaches, and myself at all times. I will
not use inappropriate language, physical violence, or complain about participating.
4. I will conduct myself with discipline, respect, and humility towards my coaches, teammates, and
competitors at all practices and meets. I will show a strong and dedicated work ethic each day.
5. I will put the 2013 ATF team and season before any other out of school athletics (i.e., club
sports). If an athletic conflict arises, my commitment to the 2013 ATF season must come first.
6. I will be at practice every day.
a. If you must miss practice (e.g., family emergency, illness, wedding, funeral, doctors’
appointment), this must be communicated with a coach prior to missing practice.
b. The first and second unexcused absence(s) will result in a consequence set by the
coaching staff and communication with your parent(s). This could include missing the
next meet.
c. The third unexcused absence will result in dismissal from the team.
7. I will be at practice on time and ready to work.
a. We will start practice Monday through Friday at 3:30 unless otherwise announced by
the coaching staff. Saturday practice times will be set by area coaches.
8. I will dress appropriately for every practice and meet (proper footwear, extra clothes, water
bottle, watch, ATF gear at meets).
9. I will have a ride on time from practice daily and meets as needed.
10. I will ride the bus home with the rest of the team from all meets unless there is an emergency or
other significant circumstance. In such an emergency or circumstance, a travel release form
must be obtained by Coach Toothman before the meet.
I have read this contract, showed it to my parent/guardian, and agree to abide by all of the guidelines.
Failure to comply with the guidelines of this contact may result in missing a meet or possible dismissal
from the team.
______________________________________________________________________________
Athlete’s Name
Athlete’s Signature
Date
______________________________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian’s Name
Parent/Guardian’s Signature
Date