Traditionally cross country captains have been voted in by their fellow teammates. Our program has had some strong leaders as captains over the years. For the 2006 and following seasons we are changing the way our team selects captains. Rather than leave it to popular vote, we are leaving this leadership position open to those who earn it. We are putting a strong emphasis on leadership, character and off-season training.
Those who want to be captain will meet the following expectations.
1) Captains are to be the best leaders on the team. Our off-season training program will determine the success or lack of success of the team. Future captains are expected to run in a minimum of 4 of these per week over the summer. Captains are also expected to train in the off-season by running in the winter and running in our track program in the spring.
2) Captains must be the most committed on the team. Future captains must commit themselves to running a minimum of 400 miles in the summer. The summer starts June 1 and ends mid-August the day before XC practice begins. These miles must be logged on a daily basis. The signatures of parents, coaches and fellow teammates will be necessary to validate the authencity of these mileage in order to ensure only those runners who met the high standards earn the title of captain. Runners will be expected to turn in a copy of their log to coach Garrison at least every other week during the summer.
3) Captains must set a good example in character. Captains are expected to follow all training rules, earn strong grades, and treat others with respect.
4) Captains must foster a strong team environment. Captains are expected to not only train in the off-season with their teammates, but to run a minimum of 2 off-season races together. Captains are expected to encourage other students with good character to join the team. Our captains are expected to mentor our new runners and take them under their wing. Captains may need to call other more timid runners to encourage them to run in the off-season and give them rides when needed.
5) Captains must know the current expectations of the Mahomet-Seymour
program and make efforts to raise this standard. Captains must be
a returning Mahomet-Seymour high school boys cross country runner who know
the current expectations of the team.
**Should any runner, no matter what the ability level of the runner is, meet these high standards, they must meet with coach Garrison to apply to be captain. Coach Garrison reserves the right to strip any runner of the captain title who after becoming a captain has a drastic reduction in their character, breaks training rules, becomes academically ineligible, treats their teammates poorly, or shows leadership that isn't consistent with the expectations of a captain.**
