Cross Country

2021 season preview

Head coach: Mike Meistering

Key runners lost to graduation: Elliot Puckett, Antonio Camacho, John Horgan, and Jack DeLeo

Key returnees: Seniors James Corbett and Joseph Smith; junior Ciaran Chambers

2021 season outlook: Following the departure of head coach Mark Staudenmeier (who took a cross-country coaching position closer to his home at Central Bucks East High School), the Holy Ghost Prep cross-country program welcomes back a familiar face as its head coach in Mike Meistering. Meistering, who retired from teaching at Holy Ghost Prep in the spring of 2016, has coached HGP runners for the past 34 years (either as a head coach or as an assistant to Staudenmeier the past few seasons). Meistering's return as the program's head coach ensures that the Firebirds should remain one of the top cross-country programs in District 1 this fall. The Firebirds won the 2020 PIAA District 1 Class 2A title, powered by a first-place finish by Elliot Puckett, a fifth-place finish by James Corbett, and a ninth-place finish by Antonio Camacho. Puckett, who is now running collegiately at Rider University, then won a state medal with his 15^th place individual finish at 2020 state championships last November, where the Firebirds finished eighth as a team. Led by two of the area’s best returning runners in seniors James Corbett and Joe Smith (12^th place finish in the 2020 district championships), the Firebirds figure to be a force on the district and state levels once again. Like Puckett, Corbett, a natural leader with a tireless work ethic, has a goal of running collegiately and should be one of the state’s best cross-country runners. In addition to Corbett and Smith (pictured above), the Firebirds’ deep stable of runners include gifted junior Ciaran Chambers, an 11^th place finisher at the 2020 district meet.

Coaches

Summer Info

Optional Team Summer runs begin after Jul 4th at Tyler State Park's Boathouse. New members welcome!

The optional team running schedule is Mondays and Wednesdays at 6:00pm, Saturdays at 9:00am, all at Tyler State Park's Boathouse Area, for each of these days following the 4th of July Holiday until the start of official practice in mid-August.

The most important thing you can do to develop yourself is to run every day. Ideally you learn how to not feel every stride, but how to sight-see on your feet while enjoying the camaraderie of others or just a commune with nature.

Athletes increase their general fitness, endurance, and strength through daily training efforts. During the summer, participation in other sports (avoiding injury, please!) is encouraged to improve your physical fitness and stamina, but also running every day. There is no substitute for running!

Hopefully each of you wants to improve yourself and your physical condition to maximize your and the team's success. It is easier to train with teammates or with other runners to help you enjoy your runs more.

Running should be something you look forward to every day.

Summer Information

Advanced Training
ONLY for the most advanced mature athletes!
Basic Training
True for ALL participants! Run to achieve!
Organized Summer Runs
Prepare to achieve! Be ready to excel!
Other Summer Learning Opportunities
Educate yourself! Learn about your sport!

Sign-Up

Tryouts

Practices

Follow HGP Cross Country and Track on Twitter - twitter.com/HGPTrackXC

Practice/Meet Facilities: The Holy Ghost Prep Cross Country runs their home meets at Tyler State Park in Newtown, PA. The team also practices usually twice per week at Tyler in the afternoons after dismissal. About two days per week the team runs in the local area: on neighborhood roads, at Neshaminy State Park, and sometimes even Pennypack Park. The team travels for invitationals to local schools, such as Abington HS or William Tenennt HS, but also travels to Carlisle HS, HersheyPark, DeSales University, and Lehigh University. In varying years, the team will compete at Van Cortlandt Park in New York or Belmont Plateau in Philadelphia

Meet Info

Team Rules

TEAM RULES REVIEW: Team members come to team practice. Athletes who aren't on the team don't come to team practice. Athletes who are on the team come to team practice. If you are on the team, then be at practice! Clearly choosing to not be at practice is choosing not to be part of the team! Those who think they are on the team will not be on the team if they miss three team practices or more during the entire season BECAUSE....TEAM MEMBERS COME TO TEAM PRACTICE! Check the meet and practice schedule and DON'T SCHEDULE OTHER ACTIVITIES DURING TEAM PRACTICE!

Students may be removed from the team for having a negative attitude, missing practices or declining opportunities to compete. If you don't want to practice or you don't want to compete, please remove yourself! If you want to be an athlete on our team, meet your athletic responsibilities!

To get better, you have to want the best competition you can find! Everyone needs to train! Continue your development! Work hard, compete well, run fast.

Absences	Making a Team: Varsity Top 7 in Cross-Country, Relays in Track and Field
Attendance	Off-Campus Running Rules
Captains	Quotes for Motivational Purposes
Circuit Weight Training for Track & Field (except Throwers)	Performance Assessment Tool
Closed Campus Policies with Regard to Athletics	Prom / Weekend Invitational Rule
Communication/Interaction Guide for Track & Field Non-Competitors (Parents, Relatives, Friends (Girlfriends), Sub-Varsity Athletes and others)	Race Day Routine
Competitor Self-Relection Tool	Race Evaluator
Concussion Protocol	Race Risk Management
Handling of Hoped For Known Absences	Shoe Buying Information
Heart Rate Monitor Purchase Information	Sports Medicine Information
Heart Rate Monitor General Use Information	Statement on Leadership and Captaincy
Heart Rate Monitor Use Pitfalls	Track & Field Coaches' Association Rules and Regulations
Inspirational Quotes	Team Attendance Requirement
Indoor Assocation (TFCAofGP, Inc.) Rules	Tryout Event Requirements
Injury Recommendations	Uniforms
Letter Requirements	Weekend Invitational/Prom Rule
Letter Standards - Indoor Track & Field	Weight Training for Track & Field (except Throwers)
Letter Standards - Outdoor Track & Field	Weight Training for Track & Field (except Throwers)