RHS Girls Cross Country / Kevin Shear
Today, Wednesday, September 12, the Roosevelt High School girls and boys cross country teams will race the teams from Newport High School on the trails of Ravenna Park. This is a home meet for RHS, which is located just a few blocks from the park.
But Ravenna Park is not their usual home course. Lincoln Park, in West Seattle, is.
RHS Boys Cross Country / Steve Wolfe
RHS Athletic Director, Mike Scott, explains the home course choice (via email):
For all of the past years that I have been here at Roosevelt, most of our meets have either been at Lincoln or at Lower Woodland. Lower Woodland tends to be a METRO site, while Lincoln tends to be a KingCo site for the 4A schools, but there is no hard and fast rule regarding this. Meets can have multiple teams involved, and the two sites listed above allow for better parking for multiple busses.
Scott says that the RHS cross country team is huge — over 100 students involved — and getting everyone (athletes, coaches) over to Lincoln Park and back requires two busses at $250-$300 (budgeted) each. And when the yellow school busess aren’t available, more costly charter busses must be hired.
A switch to a home course at nearby Cowen and Ravenna Parks would not only be great for the team, but nice on the budget.
RHS Girls Cross Country / Kevin Shear
So, what would make today’s meet a success for all involved (the team, the school, Seattle Parks and Recreation, and neighbors)? We’ve contacted Dennis Cook at Seattle Parks and Recreation (Athletics) about what his department is looking for from the event, and are awaiting a reply.
Here’s what Athletic Director Scott is looking for:
What I am looking for is to have an event that is seen by the public and patrons of the park as a good use of this resource to provide our kids with a positive and healthy event. It is my sincere hope that the patrons and neighbors will be understanding of the importance of this opportunity for our school to provide this for our kids and for our parents, as well as the community, and our commitment to be good neighbors and use this resource respectfully.
And if the people coming to the meet also decide to stop in the neighborhood and buy a hamburger or two from one of our local restaurants, that would be another great thing to come from this event!!
Neighbors of the park will be pleased to know that the parking plan for the visiting team’s busses has them parked at the high school campus, and not on surface streets.
Cowbells! On Aisle 12. / Maple Leaf Ace
As for today’s meet itself, the team is looking for volunteers to help direct runners at key intersections along the route. Meet the team in the grassy area of Cowen Park at 3:30 PM.
And, of course, neighbors and other spectators are encouraged to watch the races and cheer on the athletes (Girls race at 4 PM, boys race at 4:45). (See the previous photo for an Olympic-inspired way to do that). Boys team member and Roosevelt News Online Editor Mitchell Smith tells us the teams will be sporting their new uniforms today, too.
Special thanks to Frank Hodge (father of a RHS girls cross country team captain) for the original tip for this story.
……
UPDATE (6:40 PM): Here are some pictures of the meet (beforehand, and during the girls’ race).
Ah, this must be the place.
Big ol’ pile of Roosevelt backpacks and gear.
Kiosk at the entrance of Cowen Park with a pink notice posted about the event.
Directional marking near the start of the course.
The girls team practices their start.
The girls team during a pre-race moment, and some student photographers capturing said moment from on high.
Newport and Roosevelt girls teams at the start, getting directions from an RHS coach.
And they’re off!
I caught up with the girls again later in the course, as I peered over the edge of the 20th Ave NE footbridge:
Leading at this point in the course: Roosevelt.
Here’s the first Newport runner, alongside the third Lady Roughrider to pass under the bridge.
And what were the RESULTS of today’s races? We heard about the boys team first, from runner and Roosevelt News Online Editor Mitchell:
RHS Men’s XC fell to Newport this afternoon by just 4 points. The new Cowen course is SLOW @ravennablog
— The Roosevelt News (@Roosevelt_News) September 13, 2012
Later that night, however, we learned how the girls did against Newport:
Congrats to our girls cross country team!! They defended our home turf with a win of 41 to 22 against Newport! RIDERPOWER #canttouchthis
— Rider Nation (@RHSRiderNation) September 13, 2012
WELL DONE, LADIES.
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