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Back to USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships

Athlete Info

Table of Contents

  • General Competition Info
  • Athlete Check-in
  • Awards
  • Bib Numbers, Hip Numbers and Chip Timing
  • Course Info
  • Opening Ceremonies
  • Packet Pickup
  • Pasta Dinner
  • Protests
  • Spectator Area
  • Starting Box Assignments (PDF)
  • Team Tent Area
  • Uniforms

Competition Info

Age Divisions

Youth competitions take place in two-year age divisions. These age divisions provide young athletes the opportunity to compete with other athletes of similar ability. The age divisions for competition year 2010 are as follows:

Age Division Year of Birth
Age DivisionBantam Year of Birth2000+
Age DivisionMidget Year of Birth1998-1999
Age DivisionYouth Year of Birth1996-1997
Age DivisionIntermediate Year of Birth1994-1995
Age DivisionYoung Year of Birth1992-1993

Team Tent Area

A specific area for team tents will be designated in proximity to the start/finish area. The City of Hoover Fire Dept. requires permits for any tent larger than 10’ x 10’. There is no charge for the permit, but it involves an inspection to ensure the tent is properly set up. Meet management has partnered with Special Occasions to take care of tent needs (regardless of size) and they will take care of set up, permitting, and take down. Any tent larger than 10’ x 10’ must be set up on Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010, and must be coordinated through Steve Bedsole, Race Director. All other tents must be set up on Thursday or Friday. We will have 24 hour security on site, so your tents will be secure.

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Athlete Check-in

All athletes must report to the staging area 30 minutes before the start of their races; only competing athletes are allowed in this area. Please observe all areas that are roped off and please obey all course monitor directions. Individuals and teams will have designated starting positions.

Awards

Individual awards will be given to the top 25 athletes in each event. Team awards will be given to the top 3 teams in each age division. The awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, December 11 at 6:30pm at Spain Park High School located near Veterans Park Cross Country Course.

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Bib Numbers, Hip Numbers and Chip Timing

Each athlete will be assigned a bib number, one hip number (to be worn on the left hip), and two data tags at packet pick-up. Athletes in all races will be required to wear all of these identifiers to ensure the races are properly scored.

Athletes must wear the bib number, hip number and data tags assigned to them. If any of these are lost or forgotten, replacements can be supplied at packet pick-up on the day of the race for a fee.

The bib number must be worn on the front of the athlete's outer layer of race clothing and cannot be folded or altered in any way. Each number will have a pull tab at the bottom. Do not remove the pull tab on the bottom of the bib or put safety pins through the tab. The hip number (worn on the left hip) should also be worn on the athlete’s outer layer of clothing.

Each athlete must wear one data tag on each shoe. One data tag may be kept as a souvenir and athletes must return the other data tag to the event organizers in the finish line area immediately after their race. Unreturned data tags will incur a charge of $25.

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Course Information

“The 5K course at Veteran’s Park on Valleydale Rd. is deceivingly tough.  What seems like a relatively flat course has long gentle grades for much of the first 2400 meters.  After exiting the tunnel the first time, the roller coaster ride begins…. What seemed like insignificant hills during the pre-race jog begin to take their toll on the unsuspecting racers through the woods.  The packs of racers have spread way out by the time they head back through the tunnel for the final 400 meters of the “survival of the fittest” journey to the finish line.  The picturesque and challenging course leaves the racer wanting to race this course again – but most certainly on another day! “

- Devon Hind, Head Coach Hoover High School

The 3K course does not go through the tunnel into the woods and is mostly flat with one small hill coming over the dam.  The 4K bypasses the loop around the lake and takes on the challenging wooded section described above for the 5K course.

  • 3 km course (PDF)
  • 4 km course (PDF)
  • 5 km course (PDF)

Note: Course maps will be available onsite

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Opening Ceremonies

The Opening Ceremonies will be held at Samford University in Homewood, Alabama on Friday, Dec. 10 at 5:00pm.  Athletes should arrive by 4:30 p.m. so they can be staged to march into the venue. Athlete will march in by Region.

The pasta dinner will immediately follow the conclusion of the opening ceremonies.

Packet Pickup

Date Times Location
DateThursday, December 9, 2010 Times4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. LocationWynfrey Hotel*
DateFriday, December 10, 2010 Times9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. LocationWynfrey Hotel*
DateSaturday, December 11, 2010 Times7:00 a.m. - 1:00 a.m. LocationVeterans Park

* FREE parking is available at the Galleria Mall which is adjacent to the Wynfrey hotel

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Pasta Dinner

The pasta dinner will immediately follow the opening ceremonies on Friday December 10th. It will begin at 6:00pm at the CAF on the Samford University Campus (about 2 blocks) from the Pete Hanna Center.  Advance tickets were available online through Wednesday December 8th 2010 for $10 per person but are no longer available. Online purchases will receive an email confirmation/receipt which will be required to pick up tickets at packet pickup.

Online ticket sales are no longer available.   A limited amount of tickets will be available onsite for an increased price of $12 per person.

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Protests

Protests relating to matters which developed during the conduct of the compe­tition must be made to the Referee at once and not later than 30 minutes after a result has been announced, except in the case of long distance races, where the time period shall be 24 hours, and cross country races or the Professional Section of road races, as defined in the race material (website, entry form, etc.), where the time period shall be one hour.  The fee to file a protest is $100.  This fee will be returned if the protest is upheld. Please note USATF Rule 119.4 when considering the use of video /photo footage for protests.

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Spectator Area

Spectators are encouraged to watch the races from the many excellent viewing areas without crossing into the course itself. Areas marked with “no spectators or out of bounds” or are fenced and roped off are not accessible to the spectators. Course marshals will ensure that spectators honor the established boundaries. The course will be closed at 9am on Saturday December 11 to everyone except meet officials, course marshals, official meet photographers, and competitors of each event as called by the meet announcer.

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Team Tent Area

A specific area for team tents will be designated in proximity to the start/finish area. The City of Hoover Fire Dept. requires permits for any tent larger than 10’ x 10’. There is no charge for the permit, but it involves an inspection to ensure the tent is properly set up. Meet management has partnered with Special Occasions to take care of tent needs (regardless of size) and they will take care of set up, permitting, and take down. Any tent larger than 10’ x 10’ must be set up on Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010, and must be coordinated through Steve Bedsole, Race Director (sbedsole@hoovertrack.com). All other tents must be set up on Thursday or Friday. We will have 24 hour security on site, so your tents will be secure.

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Uniforms

Each competitor on a qualifying team must have a jersey or singlet that is basically identical in color and style to those worn by his/her teammates. The team jersey must be clearly visible throughout the race. This means the team jersey should be worn as the outside layer of clothing if other garments are worn during the race. Athletes who are unattached or who compete for a team not in team competition may wear any apparel as long as it is safe, not offensive, and has the athlete's bib number attached to the outside layer.

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