REMINDER:  Sports Physicals Must Be Turned In To the Athletic Director's Office Prior to the Participating in the First School Organized Practice For Each School-Sponsored Sport and are Good for 395 calendar days.

The first practice of the 2020 Cross Country Season will be announced by the end of July, 2020.  Any 6th, 7th and 8th grade male or female VGS students that are interested in running cross country on the first ever Vienna Grade School cross country team during the inaugural 2020 season, please contact Vienna Grade School, 658-8286 ahanks@viennagradeschool.com.

ARTICLE  XXVII:   CROSS COUNTRY
ALL COACHES SHOULD OBTAIN A RULE BOOK THROUGH THE IHSA.

Section 1.  INTENT-TO-PARTICIPATE:
a. Intent to participate should be filed with the SIJHSAA by the January 15 deadline for the return of the INTENT-TO-PLAY CARD.  No school or individual shall be permitted to sign up after October 1.

b. Failure to mark the intent card and file it with the SIJHSAA shall be considered a negative response in regard to participating in the State Cross Country Meet.

Section 2.  ELIGIBILITY:
a. Individual eligibility requirements shall be those previously covered in that section of this book.

b. Each team must have its current eligibility list available at all times.  There may be a total of 10 names on the eligibility sheet for the state competition.

c. Once entry sheets are received by the meet manager, an individual runner may be replaced by another from his/her team's eligibility list.  However, the number of participating runners shall not be increased.

Section 3.  PARTICIPANTS:
a. A team may enter as many as seven(runners) in the State Meet.

b. Team scores are derived from the team's top five runners.  Thus a team must enter a minimum of five runners in order to figure into the team standings.

c. Participants of teams with less than five team members shall be running only for individual achievement and awards.

Section 4.   STATE  MEETS
a.   The State Meet shall be held on the first Saturday following Columbus Day.    Saturday of week 15   

b. There will actually be four state meets on that date:
CLASS L BOYS      CLASS L GIRLS      CLASS S BOYS      CLASS S GIRLS

c. The distances shall be 3000 meters, which is 1.86 miles.

d. A games committee will be established to rule on meet situations/incidents.  Decisions of the starter and of the games committee shall be final.

Section 5.  SCORING:
a. Scoring shall be done as set forth in the Federation/IHSA rule book.

Section 6.  UNIFORMS:
a. Each contestant shall wear his/her school issued jersey and shorts. All runners must wear shoes.  Spiked shoes, flats, or rubber soled shoes are recommended.  Spiked shoes may be worn that have spikes that don't exceed 5/8" in length.   Refer to the IHSA rule book for additional uniform and jewelry information.  (Effective July 1, 2009)

Section 7.   DISQUALIFICATIONS:
a. Shall be as set forth in the IHSA rule book and enforced by the starter and games committee of the meet(s).

Section 8.   LIGHTNING RULE:
The SIJHSAA adheres to the IHSA's rule on suspension of play for 30 minutes following lightning or thunder during an outdoor contest.  If more lightning or thunder takes place, the time clock reverts back to the 30 minute wait, etc..