The Monte Vista Invitational - Home of the Eliminator!

Dear Parents,

I hate to share bad news without some good news, so let me start by saying that your kids are working very hard and just put in a solid week of strong effort as we prepare for our most challenging meets ahead. Ask them about the sense of accomplishment they felt after running 10-12 400 meter repeats, at race pace, up a steep hill in the sun. Ask them how much fun they had and what lessons they learned about teamwork, negotiation, ethics, and resourcefulness during our recent scavenger hunt run. What a great week!

Now, the bad news. Here I sit (finally, a Saturday off!), but I'm not really off, am I? Because I am  writing to tell you that the school bookkeeper informed our coaching staff that we have a $10,000 shortfall in parent donations.

Background & Status

The worst possible situation is to have multiple families donate nothing at all, and that is where things stand right now. Are you one of the 40 families that has forgotten to send in a donation? Or decided not to donate for some reason? Please, as a parent and a coach, I beg you to donate to our program so we can get our budget in order and focus on the kids, their running, and their high school sports experience. (For those who've given already or even given extra: THANK YOU SO MUCH!).

The SRVUSD and MVHS do not fund high school sports. The district and school provide a single coach's stipend and free use of school facilities and that's about it. The school tells us that, as of Sept. 22, approximately 62% of our girls and 74% of our boys athletes' families have made a donation to our program. Our budget is based on the idea that 100% of families will donate at least something. The suggested amount of $245 is achieved by dividing our total basic needs by the number of athletes on the team. Every donation helps, no matter how small.

Donations are voluntary. We can't legally call them participation fees, as this is the way of the public school world. But make no mistake, the costs for the cross country team are borne by us parents, not by the state, the district, or the school. Our budget is funded primarily by your parent donations and to a lesser degree by our team's fundraising efforts, such as the MV Invitational. By the way, the snack table at the MV Invitational made a record profit this year, I believe, something like $1,000; so hats off to Carole Friesen, a great-grandmother and one of the hardest working volunteers ever known to the Monte Vista community, and to all the other parent volunteers who helped make our Invitational a success. But even with a successful MV Invitational, we are still $10,000 short in parent donations.

Ways to Donate

1) Turn in cash or a check for ANY amount to any coach at practice. Make check to Monte Vista Cross Country. (Send in a few installments by using post-dated checks, too, if you wish!) Alternatively, turn in cash or a check to Frances Farrell in the Monte Vista Bookkeeper's Office at any time.

2) Donate $245 online at the MV Webstore.

3) Donate your unused / unwanted gift cards that still have value. Give to any coach at practice.

4) Ask your company to match the team donation you made earlier this season.  Find corporate matching instructions HERE or contact me for help filling out your company form. Your team donation qualifies as a charitable donation and it *is* matchable by most corporate matching programs. (Note: uniform purchases are not charitable, but the team donation is.)

Thank you for your consideration,

Courtney Corda, Assistant Coach on behalf of the coaching staff

P.S. I will send a regular newsblast with details about next weekend's meets in a few days. In the meantime, please visit our team's main website at www.eteamz.com/mvxc for information. Also, find the TENTATIVE race schedule for Scott Bauhs here.
 

• What to Bring: Uniform, sweats, sunscreen, plenty of water, snacks, and lunch.
• MV Race Assignments: Coach Mandee will discuss at practice and lists will be available on the bus. 
• Meet Info: The meet is held in Concord's Newhall Park. This is a great spectator course (i.e. fans can see lots of the race without too much running around). With over 40 teams entered, the field is full of TOUGH competition and the races will be exciting. Visit the DLS/CHS Nike Cross Country Invitational website for course maps. Street parking is available for spectators, but EXPECT to have to walk quite a long way to reach the course. Race schedule.
• Buses Back / Dismissal: All must stay to the conclusion of the meet; please do not ask the coaches to leave early.  Buses will depart to MV at approx. 1pm. Athletes can ride back with their parents, but only after the conclusion of the awards ceremony.  
• Team Area: Athletes will be under Monte Vista tents. Parents are encouraged to attend the meet and establish their own "fan base camp" elsewhere. (Kids need some space and separation to prepare for their races.)

• Help! We do not have enough chaperones! Please sign up.
• Arrival: Athletes should check in at the track NO LATER THAN 6:30 p.m.
• Rules & Departure: Once there, no leaving.  Anyone leaving early must be checked out by a parent IN PERSON with a coach (even if at 3 a.m.).  Nobody leaves until the track is clean (est. around 8 a.m.). For complete rules, see Overnight Relay rules list on our team website.
• Charity: The runners have selected Save Mount Diablo as the charity beneficiary of this event. Runners are asked to donate from their own allowances or pocket money (not from Mom's or Dad's wallet). Suggested amount is $10 per athlete.
• What to Bring: Sleeping bag, pillow, tarp, warm clothes (no tents!). Running gear of course.
• Food & Drink: There will be tables for shared snacks that kids will bring.
  • Assignments have been made by the captains and announced at practice.
  • Optional: Anyone can also bring their own dinner items for themselves from home.
  • No waste / No leftovers: everyone must bring back home any leftovers from the snacks they brought for the shared table (or for themselves). We do not want to deal with excess food.

MV Invitational T-Shirts Still Available

• The very cool 2016 MV Invitational "The Eliminator" t-shirts are still available for purchase at $15 each. Bring cash or check made to MVHS Cross Country to practice.