Carolinas Kickoff 2023

Whether they are veterans looking to run a PR in their first race so they can have a nice, mental pick-me-up to start their season, or whether they're someone who is just getting into shape and needs a flat, fast course to ease them into the season, this meet will encourage both types of runners.

--- The high school field will be capped at 25 schools (30 or so if some schools are small), so it will be a first-come, first-served basis (we had more than 1,500 entries in 2022)

--- The middle school field will be unlimited (we had 30 middle school teams in 2022 from North Carolina and South Carolina).

**If you don't want to travel too far and are looking for a local meet that will provide your kids some fast, season-opening performances, this is the meet.

We are starting early to avoid the heat (the cooler weather will be more conducive to fast performances).

MEET SCHEDULE (we are starting early to avoid the heat, so the cooler weather will be more conducive to fast performances)

***Top 15 boys and top 15 girls in each race (except the JV race) will receive a medal.

7:00 a.m., 5K Varsity Boys' Championship (top 9 runners)...Top 20 will receive medals

7:25 a.m., 5K Varsity Girls' Championship (top 9 runners)...Top 20 will receive medals

8:00 a.m., Boys' & Girls' JV 5K (anyone not in the top 7)...Top 15 JV boys/Top 15 JV girls will receive medals.

8:50 a.m., Boys' Middle School 3K Championship (top 7 from each team)...Top 15 will receive medals

9:15 a.m., Girls' Middle School 3K Championship (top 7 from each team)...Top 15 will receive medals

9:40 a.m., 6th Grade Boys' & Girls' 3K (those not in the top 7)...Top 15 boys & Top 15 girls will receive medals

10:05 a.m., 7th Grade Boys & Girls' 3K (those not in the top 7)...Top 15 boys & Top 15 girls will receive medals

10:30 a.m., 8th Grade Boys' & Girls' 3K (those not in the top 7)...Top 15 boys & Top 15 girls will receive medals

10:55 a.m., Elementary 2K Invitational (2nd-5th Grade)....Top 15 boys & Top 15 girls will receive medals

(Each middle school team can put their top 7 in the Championship, butI'm not going to hold anyone to that. DO WHAT IS BEST FOR YOUR KIDS SINCE IT'S AN EARLY-SEASON MEET. NO PROBLEM AND NO WORRIES).

***This schedule should help spread everyone out in each race so that the races aren't so packed and so that the runners have plenty of room to maneuver early in the race.

***WE WILL HAVE CHIP TIMING AGAIN THIS YEAR***

1. DEADLINE TO ENTER ROSTERS: Tuesday, Aug. 22, 11:59 p.m. (please enter earlier if possible.

2. TEAM AWARDS:

--Top three (3) teams in each Championship race will receive plaques.

--Top two (2) teams in all other races, except the JV race, will receive plaques.

3. MEDALS: Top 20 individuals in each of the 5K championship races and top 15 in all other races will receive a medal.

4. MEET ENTRY FEE: (to cover cost of awards and chip timing):

--- $70 for middle school teams (this covers both boys & girls teams)

--- $70 for high school teams (this covers both boys & girls teams)

--- **$120 combo high school/middle school (if a school brings both middle school and high school teams)

--- $25 for individuals (for unattached runners or teams with less than 4 runners total)

IF PAYING ONLINE:

--Go to this link: https://www.metrolinachristian.org/tickets

--Click "Athletics"

--Click "Register" for "Carolinas Kickoff"

--Choose your options

IF PAYING BY CHECK: Make checks payable to: "Metrolina Christian Academy" and put "Carolinas Kickoff" in the subject line, and mail to our P.O. Box (or bring the day of the meet):

Metrolina Christian AcademyP.O. Box 1460Indian Trail, NC 28079

5. COURSE: Flat, fast and through the woods on dirt/grass, which will be an encouragement for a first meet. Any shoe is appropriate (racing flats, spikes, and even trainers for those runners who don't have flats or spikes)

6 WATER: We will have water, but also please bring your own water so that your athletes can have access to fluids in multiple places.

7. CONCESSIONS: We will have Sunset Slush and a food truck.

8. T-SHIRTS: We will have meet t-shirts for $15 (new design for 2023!)

10. TENT SET UP-- Go to the back of the parking lot, where you can see the start/finish area roped off.-- You will see picnic shelters and picnic tables outside the fenced-in soccer field.-- Just beyond that, you will see some shaded grassy areas with plenty of tall trees in the back yard of what looks like a house (it's actually an office).-- Place your tents in the shaded area.

***This tent set-up area will allow runners easy access to the starting areas without creating to much foot traffic in that area.

11. PARKING:

BUSES: Please park buses in the back gravel lot (just keep going all the way back until you see gravel. It's to the far right of the back parking lot)-

SPECTATORS: Please begin parking at the back of the school (closest to the course) and then let the lot fill up so that it's easier for people to find places as they arrive.

**if you arrive for a later race, there might be parking spaces closer to the course that were left vacant by spectators from the high school meet who left after those races.-- Traffic flow should be helped by the fact we have 10 races going off from 7:00 a.m. until nearly 11 a.m.

13. QUESTIONS:Email brettrhoneycutt@hotmail.com if you have questions.Thank you,

Brett Honeycutt

Metrolina Christian Head Cross Country Coach

brettrhoneycutt@hotmail.com

Cell: 704-236-4204