Cross Country Rules and Procedures

_(2011-2012)

GENERAL INFORMATION:

A. Cross Country is a team championship sport for boys and girls that is held on region basis in each classification.

B. The distance for both boys and girls Cross Country will be approximately three (3) miles or five (5) kilometers.

C. All GHSA Cross Country meets will be run in accordance with the rules as published in the National Federation Track

and Field and Cross Country Rule Book with any exceptions as may be found in this section.

D. The maximum number of meets in Cross Country shall be ten (10), exclusive of region and state competitions.

1. It is permissible for coaches to use "split squads" during the regular season. However, the use of split squads will count as two (2) of that school's maximum allowed competitions.

2. Any meets involving eight (8) or more schools must be approved by the GHSA Executive Director in accordance with the process found in By-Law 2.64.

E. Beginning and ending dates for practice and competition can be found at the front of this publication.

1. There will be no interscholastic practices in Cross Country.

2. Athletes may run in non-GHSA events as long as they do not represent their school, do not wear school uniform, and are not coached at the event by their high school coach ("unattached runner").

3. The following items are not allowed during competition:

(a) jewelry

(b) hair beads of any type

(c) sunglasses

(d) Electronic devices

REGION COMPETITION:

A. Notification of entry in Cross Country must be filed, using the form provided on the GHSA web site, with the Region Secretary no later than September 26, 2011.

B. The team roster of twelve (12) participants must be submitted electronically to the GHSA no later than October 17, 2011. Region Secretaries will be able to download their region's schools' rosters after this date.

C. 1. Four teams in each region will qualify for the State Meet.

a. Region qualifiers must be determined by October 29, 2011.

b. Region qualifiers must be sent by electronic submission to the GHSA Office within 48 hours of the completion of the Region Meet; but not later than 9:00 a.m., on October 31, 2011.

2. The first six (6) individual finishers from each region will qualify for the State Meet regardless of whether they are a member of a qualifying team.

D. Cross Country rosters should list twelve (12) contestants. No replacements may be made in the list submitted to the Region Meet Director. Any seven (7) of the twelve (12) may run in the Region or State.

STATE MEET:

A. The State Cross Country Meet (for all classifications) will be held at Carrollton High School.

1. There will be a $5.00 admission fee for all spectators.

2. The Meet Director will be Craig Musselwhite of Carrollton High School - Phone: 770-832-2120, ext. 632 - Fax: 770-214-2079

3. The schedule will be as follows:

8:30 am - Boys AA

9:00 am - Girls AA

10:00 am - Boys A

10:30 am - Girls A

11:30 pm - Boys AAAAA

12:00 pm - Girls AAAAA

1:00 pm - Boys AAA

1:30 pm - Girls AAA

2:30 pm - Boys AAAA

3:00 pm - Girls AAAA

4. Awards will be presented at the conclusion of each classification.

B. A minimum of five (5) and a maximum of seven (7) entrants are allowed for each team that qualified.

1. The first five (5) finishers for each team will count for the total team score.

2. Each team must begin and end the competition with a minimum of five (5) runners. If, for any reason, a qualifying team does not have five (5) runners, that team will not be allowed to compete in the State Meet.

3. Each member of a qualifying team, as well as individual qualifiers from each region, are considered to be in contention for individual honors.

4. The state cross country course at Carrollton is closed to any individual or team practice until Friday, November 4, 2011, after 3:30 p.m. (the afternoon prior to the state meet).