WIAA State Meet - AJ earns All-State Honors

Since 1988 the top runners from the state of Wisconsin converge on the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids for the WIAA State Championships. The course has changed slightly over the years but for the most part remains the same as that initial course. Future olympians, future NCAA champions, and even high school national champions have run this course. It has challenged each and every one of them and has made for great races throughout the decades. On Saturday AJ got to join this long line of runners and challenge himself to end his high school cross country career on a high note. He is the first athlete to wear the VPM jersey at the state meet but he continues a streak of Madison Memorial runners to accomplish great things at the state meet reaching back to the inaugural year of cross country at Memorial HS. You could not ask for a better day to race as the course was firm and fast and the weather was sunny, in the 60's, with a light breeze. The first mile was fast but AJ followed the race plan and settled into a rhythm that took him through the mile in 30th place. He kept passing guys on the hills and improved his position during the 2nd mile. As he approached the finish and the last set of hills AJ found himself in a large pack of guys all kicking for the finish line. AJ reached the line in his 2nd best time of his life running 16:27. This earned him 28th place in the D1 race and All-State Honorable Mention (which honors the top times from all three divisions). AJ's time & place is our best finish at the state meet since Jonah W in 2011. AJ's performance on Saturday and his hard work all year long in the classroom also lands him a spot on the WCCCA Academic All-State team. Congrats on a great season and a great Spartan cross country career.

AJ runs 16:27 for 28th place

RESULTS
D1 Boys Team & Individual
Interactive Results

NEWS & NOTES
End of Season Awards Ceremony - Wed Nov 9th @ 5:30pm in Wisconsin NC at Memorial
 - Family & athletes can attend

 - Present varsity/participation certificates, season recap, team awards

 - "Old" running gear & shirts available (bring cash)

 - Park in the student parking lot & enter near the Welcome Center

Off-season is when good teams become great teams...what will you do to become a better athlete?
$10 to captains for end of year gifts

NEXT COMPETITION
Saturday August 26th - Intrasquad

Will you be ready?

Sectionals - Team = 6th & AJ Qualifies to State as an Individual

 

AJ Qualifies for D1 2022 WIAA State CC Meet

The DeForest Sectional was competed at Linde Soccer Complex to determine which 2 teams and 5 individuals would qualify for the WIAA State Championships. This sectional is annually the toughest sectional in the state and that included this season again. Our team looked to improve upon our performance from Conference and we hoped to keep our streak of individual qualifiers going to make the state meet. The runners were greeted by some late fall heat with temperatures approaching 70 and gusty winds ripping across the wide open fields. The course is a looped course that you do twice and provided many opportunities to see your competition. The standard for a qualifying team to state at this meet has been putting 5 runners under 17:30 and again that is what it took as West qualified with their 5th running 16:44  Middleton having 5 under 17:27. Verona just missed making it as a team by 2 points and their 5th crossed at 17:42. These 3 teams are probably 5 of the best teams in the state it will be exciting to see what they can do at state. Our team was looking to earn a 6th place finish, to accomplish this we would have to beat some teams who had beaten us earlier in the season. The second loop was tough for our guys but we pushed really hard to get to the finish. Jack G stepped up to be our #2 runner, followed by Tommy S and Alvaro S coming in within 25 seconds. Aatman ran a solid finish to be our 5th and final scorer. Finn & Alex came in before 5 teams other #5 runners helping us to beat those teams. Together our team scored 181 points earning a 6th place finish and accomplishing our goal for the day of finishing in the top half of the field. The other goal on the day landed on our #1 runner AJ who looked to earn a return trip to the State Meet. In our sectional this has required on average a 16:45 but is up in the air every year as you don't know the qualifying teams until the race is complete. Our sectional returned 4 individual qualifiers and had multiple new faces running fast times. AJ ran a smart first lap and started to pull away with the front group on the second lap. As we neared the finish he was locked in a battle for 7th place. Not knowing which teams were making it through, we wanted that 7th place (as each potential team had at least 1 runner ahead of AJ...2 would qualify as team runners...leaving AJ in the top 5 of individuals). AJ won that battle to the finish running 16:38 for 7th place. When the final results came in, we learned AJ was the 4th qualifying individual and continued the Madison Memorial streak of qualifying athletes to the state meet going. 

RESULTS
DeForest Sectional
All WIAA Sectionals

NEXT COMPETITION
Saturday October 29th
WIAA State Championships @ Ridges GC in Wisconsin Rapids
Van - 10:30am
12:00pm - 1st Race
1:20pm - D1 Girls Race
3:10pm - D1 Boys Race (2021 Results) (AJ is in lane 27)
4:15pm - Awards - top 2 teams & 10 individuals

SPECTATOR INFORMATION
Come watch some great cross country & cheer on AJ at the WIAA State Meet
Tickets = $9 (+ processing fee)...must be purchased in advanced & on a mobile device
Parking & Shuttles = $5 per car --> Arrive early to park & ride shuttle to the course (come watch all the races too)
Course Map - HERE
Live Results - HERE (available the day of the meet)

NEWS & NOTES
Sectional runners...Monday practice = turn in uniforms, last chance mile, & run with AJ
All runners...get your $$ to captains for 2022 team shirts and coaches gifts
End of year awards ceremony will be Wed Nov 9th...more info to come soon via email

Big 8 Conference Championships - Varsity = 9th, JV1 = 5th, & JV2 = 4th

The 2022 Big 8 Championships saw 11 teams compete at the meet for the first time as Sun Prairie has split into Sun Prairie East & West. The boys toed the line for the final competition of the season for our JV runners. The weather was frigid as we woke to frost and below freezing wind chills. The sun helped warm up the day but most of the races were completed still in the 30 - 40's temperature wise. Sheehan Park provides a nice challenge and our boys rose to the challenge. The varsity started the day with a 9th place finish, followed by our JV1 team taking 5th place, and capped by our best finish of the day as our JV2 took 4th place. Our season saw many ups and downs and our team persevered through them all to make it to this day. Many lifetime PRs were achieved, multiple memories were created, and future goals have been planted. Today we saw AJ earn All-Conference honors with his 8th place finish in varsity. Jack C & Fred S both earned lifetime PRs with their performances. Tommy S returned to competition to earn a top 10 finish in the JV2 race. Our varsity was led by seniors AJ, Alvaro, & Jack G but we have a strong talented group of underclassmen ready to take the reigns for the next season. In the meantime, our varsity prepares for Sectionals at DeForest and a chance to compete at the state meet. 

RESULTS
All results
Varsity - Individual - Team
JV1 - Individual - Team
JV2 - Individual - Team

NEXT COMPETITION (Varsity Only)
Saturday October 22nd
WIAA Sectional @ Linde Sports Complex - DeForest, WI
Bus = 8:30am
10:30am - Girls Race
11:15am - Boys Race (2021 Results)
12:00pm - Awards - Top 2 teams & 5 individuals not on qualifying teams
**We will not stop to eat...arrive back to Memorial around 1:00pm**

NEWS & NOTES
Captain are collecting money $20 for 2022 team shirt & coaches gifts OR just $10 for coaches gifts
Mon Oct 17th - EVERYONE meets at 2:45pm (JV runners turn in uniforms (put in a bag w/name) & short meeting....varsity runners, practice like normal)
Last chance mile for JV runners...FRIDAY 10/21 @ 4:15pm...meet at the track ready to race
End of year awards ceremony...more info to be emailed to parents/athletes when finalized (will be the week of 11/7 but moving from 11/8 due to election day)
Sectionals...everyone should try to come out to DeForest to cheer on the team as we try to qualify for State

Don Loker CC Championships - Varsity = 4th & JV = 3rd

The Madison running community lost a legend, teacher, coach, official, event worker, fan, and friend this past summer with the passing of Don Loker. Don came to Madison in the fall of 1959 to run at the University of Wisconsin after winning multiple state mile championships for Appleton West HS. After completing his Badger running career Don became a high school math teacher and coached cross country and track and field at Madison West. After coaching for 25+ years he continued to give back to the community by working as a meet official, volunteering at multiple athletic events, and helping develop and advance scoring systems locally and for the state. Don expanded his reach helping out at youth events, community events, and UW-Madison competitions. He has coached, assisted, and encouraged countless runners who passed through the Madison area. Whether it was being checked in at the start line, jumping over a hurdle set by Don, competing at a meet that was set up and taken down by him, or running for a coach who was influenced by Don our athletes have benefitted from his endless giving to the sports of cross country and track & field. It is because of this dedication to our Madison running community that the race was proudly named after Don Loker. We missed you at the meet this fall Don but your impact will not be forgotten. THANKS for everything you have done for Madison!

Our varsity started off the day with an outstanding race led by senior AJ K who ran a lifetime PR of 16:23 to take 4th place and earn All-City 1st Team honors. Jack G added another lifetime PR crossing in 17:42 followed closely by Alvaro S who also broke 18:00 with his 17:57 to earn a top 20 finish in 19th. Finn just missed the top 20 but ran a season best coming across in 18:07. Alex B better his lifetime PR by running 18:26 with Aatman close behind crossing in 18:29 equalling his best performance. The teams combined effort earned a 4th place finished and set the tone for the day. We continue to run better each week and I look forward to seeing what we can do at the conference & sectional meets.

Our JV kept the energy going and brought some focused determination to earn a 3rd place in their race. Racing his first CC race Tammo P led our squad with a lifetime best of 18:32. Cole W broke 19 minutes for the first of many times as he ran 18:54. PJ (19:10), Hunter (19:16), and Peter S (19:26) raced to top 20 placing finishes to wrap up our scorers. Nathan F ran a great lifetime PR in 19:27 and Jonathan wrapped up our top 7 runners with his season best time of 19:36. Fred S opened his season with a lifetime PR running 20:09. Liam B chopped over a minute off his lifetime best, while David B chiseled away over a 1/2 minute off his PR. Levi M also took a 1/2 minute PR to drop under 22:00 minutes for the first time. Elijah E ran as lifetime PR of 21:31 and Caleb S was close behind for his lifetime PR of 22:00. Nicholas S also ran to a lifetime best of 22:24 on the day wrapping up our great finish for the team. The JV runners now turn their focus to their season finale at Sheehan Park in Sun Prairie and the Big 8 Conference Championships. I'm excited to see all the hard work showcased at this meet.

RESULTS
JV - Overall - Team
Varsity - Overall - Team

NEXT COMPETITION
Saturday October 15th
Big 8 Conference Championship @ Sheehan Park - Sun Prairie, WI
Bus = 7:30am
9:30am - Boys Varsity (top 7 runners) (2021 Results)
10:35am - Boys JV1 (8 - 14 runners) (2021 Results)
11:40am - Boys JV2 (15 + runners) (2021 Results)
1:00pm - Awards - Top 15 in each race
** We will not stop to eat...plan accordingly - bring snacks or $ for concessions...we should return to Memorial about 2:00pm**

NEWS & NOTES

--> Captains will be collecting money this week for coaches gifts & team shirts...more info to be posted

--> Monday practice - right after school = finished by 5:15pm (practices this week will be a little shorter for JV runners...use this extra time to get caught up on school work and get extra rest)

--> JV Runners will have a required practice on Monday Oct 17th @ 2:45pm...uniforms & other checked out items must be returned at this time. Only varsity runners preparing for Sectionals will have required practice the rest of the week 

Stoughton Invite - Varsity = 5th & JV = 3rd

A dense fog covered the Stoughton athletic complex when our bus arrived early Saturday morning. The sun finally broke through and broke the crisp fall air leading to a mild sunny finish to our racing day. The Spartans raced to a 5th place finish in the varsity race and a 3rd place in JV. Our guys showed up and competed at a high level and now set their eyes on the championship season and the final weeks of the season.

The varsity boys started the day off and AJ did a great job of putting himself in the front of the race from the start. He competed great against some stiff competition and ran one of the top 10 fastest times ever run by a Memorial athlete on this course finishing in 8th place with a 16:48. Seniors Alvaro (18:39) and Jack (18:50) crossed the finish line next for our squad. They were quickly followed by sophomores Finn (18:58) and Jamie (19:10). Our varsity was rounded out by junior Alex B finishing in 48th place. Our team took 5th place just ahead of a couple teams which showed the importance of each runner finishing hard to for each spot on the day. This ability to battle for points will be crucial in the championship season run.

Our JV squad was led by Aatman who ran a lifetime PR to finish 5th overall and earn back a varsity spot. Cole (19:41) and Hunter (19:50) both raced themselves under the 20:00 mark. While Jonathan, Peter, Jack, and PJ were close behind rounding out our top 7 JV runners. Our JV kids really ran tough today in the warmest part of the day. It was great to see them competing to the final straightaway and giving their all. Although the course did not provide a lot of season personal records there were still a lot of guys who ran faster than there season average. This means we are running some of our best racing at the end of the season.

RESULTS
Individual
Team
Interactive

NEXT COMPETITION
Friday October 7th
Don Loker Cross Country Championships @ Lake Farm Park
NO BUS - Early Release = 1:30pm, Arrive by 2:15pm
3:30pm - First Race
4:00pm - Boys Varsity (2021 Results)
5:10pm - Boys JV (2021 Results)
5:45pm - Awards = Varsity = 1 team & 10 individuals, JV = 10 individuals

* Athletes should plan to be at the meet through the team cool down which will conclude around 5:45pm
** WIAA Regulations state NO DOGS at events...please help out with this by leaving your pets at home.

NEWS & NOTES
Monday practice -> right after school...finished up by 5:15pm
JV athletes will have practice through/including Monday Oct 17th
Championship season...JV = City & Conference, Varsity = City, Conference, Sectional, & State

Midwest Invite

Cool weather, plenty of competition, and a raucous crowd led to many PRs at the Midwest Invitational in Janesville. 50 teams converged on Blackhawk GC for the 3 loop 5k. The Vel Phillips Memorial Spartans were ready to compete and saw 18 lifetime PRs fall on the day. Jamie I started the day off right in the blue JV race with his 18:27 for 57th place. Cole dropped 48 seconds to run a 19:11. While Peter S and Jack C joined the sub 20:00 running 19:41 and 19:53 respectively. Our varsity tooked the course next and were led by AJ's lifetime PR of 16:36 for 33rd place. Alvaro improved his lifetime PR to 17:49 and Finn ran a season best 18:19. Alex B (18:29) and Aatman (18:30) finished right near each other and were quickly followed by Hunter N (18:44) giving our team 7 runners on the day sub 18:45. Our white JV racers were led by top 10 finisher Owen B who ran a lifetime best of 19:34. PJ joined him under the 20:00 mark for a 15th place finish (19:57). Nathan F enjoyed a great finish in his first race of the season charging to a top 30 finish in 20:10. Seniors Will T (20:40) and Elijah E (22:06) helped round out the scoring for our team to finish 8th place. Freshman Levi M improved his season best to 22:09. Liam B ran a 22:15 PR and Caleb 22:35 and Nicholas 22:36 ran great first races of the season. We head into the final month of the season running well and look to get a few more PRs in the final 3 races.

RESULTS
Team results
Individual results
Interactive results

NEXT COMPETITION
Saturday October 1st
Stoughton Invitational @ Stoughton HS
Bus - 7:00am
9:30am - First Race
10:00am - Boys Varsity (2021 Results)
11:10am - Boys JV (2021 Results)
12:00pm - Awards - Varsity = 1 team & 25 individuals, JV = 1 team & 15 individuals
**We will NOT stop to eat on the way home....approximate return to Memorial is 1:00pm

NEWS & NOTES
Clothing order #2 & bucket hats were handed out on Friday...put your name in your gear
Homecoming week...get ahead on your work, make good choices, take care of your health

Smiley Invite - Varsity = 6th & JV = 5th

The VPM Spartans returned to Wausau East HS for the 66th annual Smiley Invitational. At this team, our team gets to see some teams from the northern half of the state and enjoyed the opportunity to compete on cross country course that keeps every runner honest. It was a balmy sunny day but the boys were up for the challenge. The varsity started off the fun as they finished 6th overall out of 22 teams and 4th in the large school divisions. The JV finished off the day grinding out a 5th place finish in the last competition of the day. Our team continues to improve with each opportunity and we look forward to the second half of the season. Keep taking caring of yourself so we can finish the season strong.

The varsity race got out at a quick pace and our team responded better today to that first mile. We set up ourselves well to compete in the race. AJ took advantage of the quick start to run a season best time of 16:56 and earned a 9th place finish. Alvaro just missed his lifetime PR and ran great to 18:11 finishing 34th. Jack G was a nice welcome back to the line up and ran 18:38 for 43rd. We need to close up our scoring five to run with this group and we will continue to look at improving upon that in the coming weeks. Today, Alex B stepped up to be our #4 runner finishing in 19:04. While Finn crossed the line next in 77th place and Aatman was close behind in his first varsity race finishing 81st. Our team got to see some Sectional & Conference foes like DeForest, Waunakee, & Sun Prairie West. It was nice to beat 16 teams today and we look to continue to build on this success.

JV ran to a 5th place finish led by a top 15 finish from Max S as he ran a lifetime best of 19:07. It was great to see him stick his nose in the front of the race and keep competing to this awesome finish. Jamie & Cole were our next finishers just over 20:00. Jack C was sub 21 as Peter & PJ were just over 21 minutes. Will T rounded out our top 7 with a strong finish. Owen B and Will H were close behind and Levi and Nathan had a great first run at the Smiley Invite. Lots of season bests were run on a challenging course and these guys keep working hard at practice...fast times await the second half of the season.

RESULTS
Varsity Overall
Varsity Large Schools
JV Overall

NEXT COMPETITION
Saturday September 24th
Midwest Invitational @ Blackhawk Golf Course in Janesville, WI (Course)
Bus - 6:45am
9:00am - First Race
9:35am - Blue JV Race (sub 20:30) (2021 Results)
10:45am - Varsity Race (2021 Results)
12:00pm - White JV Race (2021 Results)
12:40pm - 4th - 8th Grade 1 mile Race **

Awards - Varsity = top 40 individuals & 3 teams, JV (both Blue & White) - top 30 individuals
*We will stop for food on the way home...bring $ or pack a lunch!*
Approximate return to JMM is 3:30pm

** 4th-8th graders who are siblings/friends of Memorial Athletes or attend Memorial feeder schools can compete in the 1 mile cross country race at 12:40pm representing JMM...to be entered in the race, parents/coaches must contact Coach Casey (crhopp@hotmail.com) by Wed 9/21 before 6:00pm with athletes Name, Gender, Grade in school...(NO cost)...it is the responsibility of each family to provide transportation for their 4th - 8th grade athlete(s) to and from the meet and provide their own race day attire...timing bibs will need to be picked up the day of the race by 12:25pm in our team camp area.

*** NEW THIS YEAR...Janesville is charging an entry fee for spectators. Adults = $5 Kids/Senior Citizens = $3 Under 6 years old = free...CASH ONLY
Plan time for parking, walking to course, & paying admission!!

NEWS & NOTES
Monday practice --> 2:45 - 5:15pm
Still waiting on clothing order #2 & bucket hats...crossing our fingers
We are getting healthier as a team...keep up the good work on stretching, strengthening, & icing!
Great work with attendance in school & grades in classes...if you have issues or concerns, let us know. Otherwise, keep up the great job in the classroom.
See note above about spectator fee at Midwest Invite

Grade Level Challenge - 8th Place

 Full write up later in the week

RESULTS
Frosh/Soph
Jr/Sr
Team Scores
Full results

NEXT COMPETITION
Saturday September 17th
Smiley Invitational @ Wausau East HS - Wausau, WI (Course)
Bus - 6:30am
8:30am - 1st Race
10:00am - 1st D1 Race
11:10am - Boys D1 Varsity (2021 Results)
11:35am - Boys D1 JV (2021 Results)
12:00pm - Awards - Varsity = 2 teams & 20 individuals, JV = 1 team & 20 individuals
** We will stop to eat on the way home...bring $ or a sack lunch**
Approximate return to school is 4:30pm

NEWS & NOTES
Still waiting on clothing order #2 & bucket hats...but maybe by Friday?!?
Keep up in the classroom...take care of your body & health

Hadler Invite - JV = 2nd, Varsity = 8th

Every season has its bumps along the road and this season has been no different for our Memorial Spartans. Today though our team responded with a solid effort at the Hadler Invite in Menomonee Falls. We were not at full strength but we asked each guy to do their part and put in the effort to help our team. The guys rose to the challenge and had a great day finishing 2nd in the JV race and 8th in the varsity race out of 14 teams. We saw over 50% of our competitors set lifetime PRs (person records). The growth we showed this week as a team will lead to big things over the last month of the season. It is important we take care of our bodies both physically and mentally. We have a busy week ahead and many more opportunities to compete at our best.

The JV race started our day as these 13 athletes were the first to compete in our new VPM (Vel Phillips Memorial) uniforms. The group represented well as we saw multiple season bests and lifetime PRs. Max S & Jamie I both in their first official cross country races did a great job leading the team with their top ten finishes. Max ran a lifetime PR 19:11 for 6th while Jamie also had a lifetime best finishing 8th with his 19:16. Cole W joined the sub 20 club with his 17th place finish and Peter S earned a top 20 finish with a time of 20:05. Soph Jack C ran a great race earning another lifetime PR in as many races this season rounding out our scoring 5 in JV by finishing in 20:26 and in 29th overall. Freshman Will H (20:34) and soph Owen B (20:47) were in our top 7 in today's competition. Lifetime PR's were also set by Levi M and Nathan Z as they continue to see improvement each week. This group ran really tough and started the meet off great for the Spartans.

Our top group has been through a lot this season but it was great to see us finish this week with an 8th place finish at this meet. It may not have been our goal coming into the season but it was a great performance for where we currently stand as a team. Senior AJ K led the team with his top 10 performance finishing 9th. Finn A and Alvaro S teamed up in the middle of the race to push through to a 42nd & 47th place finish respectively. Junior Alex B (62) and soph Hunter N (68) rounded out our scoring five as both competed in their first ever varsity races. This was a good race by both and good learning experience for many future varsity races. We look to get more pieces to the puzzle back and keep improving as the season continues. It will take every runner to make this happen

RESULTS
Varsity

JV

Live Results

NEXT COMPETITION
Tuesday September 13th
Big 8 Grade Level Challenge @ Lake Farm County Park (Course)
Early Release --> 1:30pm
NO BUS - Carpool from Memorial to Lake Farm County Park
2:15pm - Arrive at Lake Farm
3:30pm - Frosh/Soph Boys (2021 Results)
4:50pm - Jr/Sr Boys (2021 Results)
6:15pm - Awards - Top team and top 5 individuals in each grade
** Athletes are able to leave after the team cool down which will be approximately 5:45pm

NEWS & NOTES
Monday practices - 2:45 - 5:15pm (early release days)

Mon 9/12 - TEAM PICTURES --> bring uniform top & bottom !!!!
Grade checks begin this week...stay on top of your school work, ask for help if you need it
Stretch, ice, REST, hydrate, eat well....busy week, take care of yourself & each other.
Clothing order #1 was delivered....order #2 & bucket hats = we are still waiting

Verona Invitational - CANCELED

The Madison Memorial team made the short jaunt over to Verona High School for the annual Verona Invitational. Excitement was in the air with a 27 team field and some great competition from the area and from throughout the state (even an IL team). Unfortunately, that was not the only thing in the air as the middle school race concluded and teams were doing their warmups...lightning made an appearance at the Verona Invitational. Most cross country meets will continue on regardless of weather BUT lightning is the one limiting factor that can put a delay or even cancelation on the table for our meets. After many delays and multiple false rumors of return to competition, the final decision came in around 11am to cancel the 2022 Verona Invitational. It doesn't happen often but it is a part of high school athletics. As a team, we pivot and shift our focus to today's run and moving on to next weekends meet. Some things are out of our control but how we respond to these events and the next steps we take... WE CAN CONTROL. Together, we move forward and carry on with our Madison Memorial tradition. Every run, every runner, every day!

RESULTS
Middle School

NEXT COMPETITION
Saturday September 10th
Hadler Invite @ Rotary Park in Menomonee Falls (Course)
Bus - 7:00am
9:45am - First Race
10:20am - JV Boys (2021 Results)
11:30am - Varsity Boys (2021 Results)
12:00pm - Awards - Varsity = 1 team & 15 individuals, JV = 5 individuals
**We will stop to eat on the way home...bring a sack lunch or $ to eat (usually Culvers)
Approximate return to Madison Memorial will be 3:30pm
We will be using the stadium parking lot (where we practice) for drop off/pick up this season when we are riding on a bus

UPCOMING EVENTS
Mon Sept 5th - Captain's practice - 9am @ UW Arboretum Visitors Center
Mon Sept 12th - Team Pictures
Tues Sept 13th - Grade Level Challenge @ Lake Farm -> NO BUS - start planning carpools

NEWS & NOTES
Stay on top of your school work...don't let attendance or grades become an issue...ask coaches/captains if you need help.
Clothing order #1 will be delivered this week...put your name in your gear
Bucket hats ($25) we ordered a couple extra, if you still want one bring money to Coach Huggins

Intrasquad 2022 - Thundercats Repeat! Jack G for the W

Another racing season officially kicked off Saturday with the running of our 16th annual Intrasquad race at Elver Park. Our Spartans toed the line for a 5k race and a plethora of learning opportunities. Some guys learned that 5k isn't really that long, others learned why coach says to bring an extra pair(s) of socks, and some even enhanced their racing strategy for the upcoming season. Today is an important chance for our team to get better and prepare for seeing other teams next week. Whether you raced to a lifetime PR, can't wait to go to Verona to run your first race, or have learned something today to improve your performance next week...know that everyone is in this together and it is time to raise your experience for yourself and your teammates. An exciting 2022 season lays in front of us for every runner, every run, & every day.

The team battle was a nail biter throughout the entire race. The Warhawks held an early lead through the top 5 runners at 27 to 29. The Thundercats depth continued to run strong and when we scored every runner the Thundercats pulled off a repeat victory edging out the win 103 to 107. This was the Thundercats 6th victory in history and closed to only one behind Warhawks all time leading 7 victories (The CORE have won the other 3 team titles). This was our smallest number of competitors at Intrasquad (our highest number was 72 runners in 2013). For only the 3rd time in team history we had ALL racers break 30 minutes on this difficult Elver course. We also saw 6 lifetime PRs and many guys within seconds of lifetime PRs. We are excited to have some more bodies in the race next week and look forward to even more lifetime PRs at Verona.

The individual race was taken by senior Jack G with a great performance. Soph Finn A led a tight group of finishers for our top 5 as junior Tommy S, senior Alvaro S, and junior Alex B followed closely behind. Junior Aatman P ran a lifetime PR just ahead of sophomore Hunter N rounding out our top 7 on the day. Freshman Will H had a great race to be our top frosh finisher today finishing 13th overall. Everyone competed really well on a beautiful day at Elver. We look forward to adding in some more depth from our guys who were unable to compete today. The team returns to the grind on Monday to continue to improve. It will be important that we take care of our bodies by stretching, icing, sleeping, eating well, and hydrating if we want to see continued improvement (especially with school starting).

RESULTS
2022 Results

NEXT COMPETITION
Saturday September 3rd
Verona Invitational @ Verona HS (Stewart Woods School Forest)
NO BUS - Arrive at 7:30am
8:30am - First Race
9:40am - Boys Varsity (2021 results)
11:00am - Boys JV (2021 results)
11:40am - Open Race ($5 & must sign waiver at the meet)
12:40pm - Awards Ceremony - Varsity = 2 teams & 40 individuals, JV = 20 individuals

** Reminder - NO BUS but ALL athletes should arrive at 7:30am AND stay until after the final boys race & team cool down are completed before they may leave (around 11:20am)**

Drop off can occur near the course but parking must take place by the high school G1/F4 (see map)
Give yourself time to walk from the parking lots to the course
NO DOGS ALLOWED (this will be the case at most courses we go to this season)

NEWS & NOTES
Athletic Fees ($115 or waiver) - must be paid through Infinite Campus
Bucket Hats - bring $25 Monday to practice
Uniform Handout (athlete will be assigned top ($35) & bottom ($35) for the duration of the season and must return assigned items at the completion of the season). Uniforms should be worn only at meets and washed in between uses.
Wed - Varsity (jacket ($75) handout too)
Thurs - Sr & Jr competing at Verona
Fri - So & Fr competing at Verona

Week 3 practices --> 4:00pm - 6:15pm Mon, Tues, Wed....3:45pm - 6:15pm Thurs & Fri (note: school starts Sept 1/2...we will start right after school)

Labor Day (Sept 5th) Practice --> Run on own or captain's practice...more info shared at practice

Great Start to the 2022 Season

Clothing Order

(Closes by Midnight Mon 8/22)

The journey has begun for the 2022 season as we have 30 boys ready for a fun and competitive season. We are working on making our practice space into our own and enjoying the move to the stadium. Guys have been working hard learning the new routines, running the miles, taking on hills, and getting our first time trial in for the season. These are all the first steps towards our goal of running fast 5k's at the end of this nine week journey. We look forward to continue to grow as a team and as athletes every run and every day. It is important we continue to get good sleep, eat well, hydrate, and stretch/ice so our bodies are ready for practice day in and day out. 

WEEK 2 PRACTICE SCHEDULE
Monday - 4:00pm - 6:15pm @ Memorial
Tuesday - 4:00pm - 6:15pm @ Memorial
Wednesday - 4:00pm - 6:15pm @ Memorial
Thursday - 4:00pm - 6:15pm @ Memorial
Friday - 4:00pm - 6:15pm @ Memorial

Saturday - INTRASQUAD - 6:15 - 8:30am @ Elver

** Some athletes will meet for optional morning runs at Elver...more information shared at practice

-- Planning ahead...week 3 practices will be 4 - 6:15pm with a meet on Sat (9/3) at Verona HS...Mon 9/5 (Labor Day) will be a run on your own/senior led practice day

ATHLETIC FEES
The athletic fee for MMSD is $115 and can be paid starting Monday through Infinite Campus (waiver forms are also available through IC for families that qualify). Please take care of this ASAP so we are ready to compete at our meets.

2022 Season starts Monday!

CLOTHING ORDER
Orders must be entered by 11:59pm on Mon 8/22

UPCOMING EVENTS & WEEK 1 PRACTICE

Sunday August 14th - Team Meet & Greet @ Walnut Grove Park - CANCELED
Monday August 15th - 8:00am - 10:30am - Practice @ Memorial + Family/Athlete Meeting via Zoom @ 6:00pm
Tuesday August 16th - 8:00am - 10:30am - Practice @ Memorial
Wednesday August 17th - 8:00am - 10:15am - Practice @ Memorial + 4:00pm - 5:15pm Practice @ Memorial (Strength)
Thursday August 18th - 8:00am - 10:15am - Practice @ Memorial
Friday August 19th - 8:00am - 10:00am - Practice @ Memorial
Saturday August 20th - 8:00am - 10:00am - Practice @ Elver (meet near Splash Pad)
** Optional afternoon runs for upperclassmen & varsity contenders...more info shared at practice

-- Planning ahead...week 2 Practices will be 4:00pm - 6:15pm Mon - Fri (Sat = Intrasquad)

PAPERWORK NEEDED

1) Athlete Questionnaire - HERE (Fill out form with contact info for coaches)
2) Online Athletic Forms - HERE
(Parents AND Athletes BOTH must complete - use Infinite Campus log-ins)
3) Physical Cards (Green or Yellow Cards)
- Green Card = physical from a doctor after April 1st 2022
- Yellow Card = Alternate year card...If you turned in a physical to JMM in 21/2 school year
- Questions...e-mail our athletics secretary Leigha Sponsel lksponsel@madison.k12.wi.us
Send scan/picture of cards to lksponsel@madison.k12.wi.us & jschlitz@madison.k12.wi.us
4) Watch Spartan Sports Kickoff -  (Virtual)
You can watch the recording through the MMSD Youtube page

MONDAY AUGUST 15TH @ 8:00AM - 10:30AM
1st Day of Practice - Mansfield Stadium (South "throws" fields)

NO ACCESS TO INDOORS (one Porta-Potty)....try to come dressed ready for practice!
Bring a filled water bottle. Use bathroom at home if possible. Leave valuables in car or at home.

Must have all your paperwork completed and turned in to participate
We will run for 30+ minutes on 1st day of practice...have your running shoes and watch
REMINDER - Everyone will need a watch this season!!!! Any watch will do coach's recommendation - Timex Ironman or Garmin 35
Bring a filled water bottle!

** We will practice everyday regardless of the weather...plan accordingly

Upcoming 2022 CC Season

 Things to do this summer to prepare for the fall 2022 boys cross country season at Madison Memorial

1) RUN - Get out & run...take a teammate with you
*Summer running group will meet at 8am @ Madison Memorial (Jefferson parking lot)

2) Fill out the Athlete Questionnaire (provides contact info to coaches)

3) Fill out Online Athletic Forms (Parents AND Athletes BOTH must complete - use Infinite Campus log-ins)

4) Turn in Physical Cards (Green or Yellow Card)
- Green card = physical from a doctor after April 1st, 2022
- Yellow card = alternate year card...IF you turned in a physical to Madison Memorial in 21/22 school year
- Questions...email our athletic director - jschlitz@madison.k12.wi.us

5) Attend Spartan Sports Kickoff - Thurs July 28th @ 6:30pm (Virtual)

First Day of Practice = August 15th, 2022

8:00am @ Madison Memorial HS

Must have all PAPERWORK completed before practices begin!

We will go for a run on the first day of practice...have your running shoes & watch!

EVERYONE will run 30+ continuous minutes or running the 1st day of practice...make sure you are ready

Summer Training Options

The more you do during the summer the easier it will be to reach your goals during the season.
Consistency and building from week to week are essential to a successful fall.

SUMMER TRAINING

June 13th - August 12th (M-F) - Summer Running @ Memorial (Jefferson Parking Lot) - 8:00am

June 13th - July 22nd (M, T, R, F) - Summer Speed & Strength @ Jefferson

SUMMER RUNNING CAMPS

June 24th - 26th - Luther Distance Running Camp

July 6th - 10th - UW-Madison Camp of Champions (week 1)

July 10th - 14th - UWSP Middle/Long Distance Camp

July 10th - 14th - Univ of Minnesota Cross Country Camp

July 11th - 14th - MMC Summer Distance Camp

July 12th - 16th - UW-Madison Camp of Champions (week 2)

July 17th - 21st - UWW Cross Country Camp

July 17th - 21st - UWEC Cross Country Camp

July 17th - 21st - Central Wisconsin Cross Country Camp

July 24th - 28th - Wartburg College Cross Country Camp

August 1st - 4th - UWO Cross Country Camp

SUMMER RACING OPTIONS

Wisconsin Track Club Summer Series - June 16th, 23rd, July 7th, 14th, & 23rd

June 18th - Hot2Trot Half Marathon/5k
June 25th - Prairie Chase 5k/10k

July 9th - Fitchburg Festival of Speed 5k

July 10th - Verona Day at the Races 5k

July 28th - Full Moon Run 5k

July 30th - Waunafest 10 Mile/5k

August 13th - No Fear All Fun 5k

Get Signed Up Today

Take a Teammate with You!