Awards Night Link

 KXC Families,

Below is the link to our Awards Night, set for Wednesday at 6:30pm. Please come ready to make history as the first ever KXC Awards Show goes online. Come in your pajamas if you like. Wear a costume if you need to. You can even tune in to us while you're having your family dinner. 

We only ask that you're present as we roll through the classes, starting with freshmen and ending with the seniors. Step in and out of the meeting as you see fit. This will be our boys team only on Wednesday, in order to keep the Zoom minutes to a minimum.

See you on Wednesday at 6:30pm, at this link....

KXC AWARDS NIGHT ZOOM LINK

Kaneland PutsThe Scare in CLC, Takes Second in Sectional on Halloween

 

As Crystal Lake Central may have had the best runners in the field, it was the Knights of Kaneland who took the field by storm and nearly flipped the script on the Tigers. CLC had not won a Sectional title since 1996, and for a long-storied program with many successes, it was their turn to hold the plaque. We gave everything we had and wound up showing the field that we are indeed True Champions.

The format of three flights was new history for us as well. Not running in our usual pack made it very challenging to do what we do so well. Our goals of having small points in the last flight and the fastest fifth runner were achieved, even when on paper that was not to be the case.

In the first flight of the day, Christian Phillips didn’t wait long to move out to the front of the pack and take over the race. Brady Babka wisely hung in with the chase pack and eventually broke loose. Each ran their race plans to perfection, with Christian pacing the gator that was filming him, all the way to a 16:36 effort on the hilly course. Babka clocked in at 16:56, again with a big Sub 17 effort. On this day, it would be huge. Phillips finished the day in 22nd place, and Babka was 37th overall.

The second race featured some very gutsy efforts by our seniors. With strong power from CLC’s 3-4-5, they were heavy favorites coming into the race to use that power and win big. All three, on paper, were to defeat our #3 scorer. Aaron Lodwig stuck himself right in the mix at the front of the pack through two miles, and heading to the second surge point felt confident in taking the lead. With about a half mile to go, a CLC-led pack started moving forward. They took a 40m advantage on the field at 400m to go. Parker Malone found an extra gear, going uphill, and incredibly wiped out that advantage in 300m.

On the final turn of the race, Parker had caught the lead runners and was preparing for another blistering finish like those he uses on Isaiah in practices. At the turn, his shoulder caught the white PVC pipe flag and his 1-2-3 strides were 1-2-3 seconds on the ground as he was flung to the turf. Courageously, Malone gathered himself and completed his race with honor and grit, clocking in at 16:32 as our #2 runner, good for 18th place.

Not lost in the mix, Lodwig and Logan Cunz continued to battle and grind to the finish chute. Aaron grabbed 27th overall in the meet (16:46), with Cunz right behind in 28th at 16:51. All three were ahead of CLC’s #5 runner.

In the final race of the season, Isaiah Dallal and Nolan Allen had the toughest job of all. Neither had teammates to key off for the run. This unique format for racing is contradictory to how our team competes and achieves.

Dallal had the goal of running with the pack of elite Top 10 runners and score some small points. Seeded 10th on Regional efforts, Isaiah rose to 7th in the standings. He was the first finisher from our Regional in the field. His time of 16:03 was just two seconds off of CLC’s #1.

Allen had put himself in great position with the other 1-2s of the field at the half mile mark and held on to finish at 16:54, which also surpassed CLC’s #5 scorer. Nolan had the hardest job of the day in not having any other Knights to support him, and he battled valiantly throughout the run.

We took second by a score of 92-100. On the day, we could not be more proud of our boys who left all they had on the course. You are True Champions, and have made history again.

HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF:

Our Three Seniors: Isaiah Dallal, Parker Malone, and Aaron Lodwig:  These boys clearly showed that “seniors get the job done.” Dallal put himself right in the mix with other All State caliber runners and moved up to seventh in a deep field of performers. Lodwig set the tone for our squad in the second flight, working right up into the lead pack, and bringing his chasing teammates into the race. Malone had arguably one of the greatest kicks in KXC history going 7th to 3rd, and eyes on a win before the post altered his day. No doubt the HUNGER these boys exhibited was “the strength of wolves.”

STATE QUALIFIERS:  While the IHSA could not put together an IHSA State Finals experience for the schools this year, due to COVID-19, our team’s placement at second would have earned
another trip to Peoria.

This would have been the 22nd State Qualifying team to advance to the Finals. While we will never know the final placement of this squad, in a “normal” year, it would be very hard not to see this group be a Top 10 program, and possibly a school record holder for pack split.

 

Knights In White Outrun Regional Field, Claim Third Consecutive Plaque

 This was a tale of two races, blended into one great team finish. COVID-19 forced us to make history in winning the first ever Regional team title in two flights. There were strong teams at Kaneland, but none stronger than the  “Pack in White.”

Dallal, Allen, and Malone entered the first flight against some of the better individuals in Northern Illinois. Dallal, meshed within the top pack of four and broke away from the rest of the field to net third place and  a course PR time of 15:54. The course was a little slower and soft today, and the flags were waving in the wind.

Nolan Allen had his hands full all through the race, seeing the solid 1’s and 2’s from multiple programs. He battled hard throughout and earned 11th overall, giving solid points to start with in team scoring.

Parker Malone pushed up toward the front with a steady start in the first mile. He finished 14th overall in the first flight, getting ahead of important scorers from other teams. Parker’s big kick at the end helped keep other scorers at bay. His time of 16:41 would contribute to a strong start in team scoring where we were in third place after the first flight.

All season long, our team strength, coming in many different combinations, has been the scoring split between our second to fifth (and sixth, and seventh) runners. Today it would prove incredibly valuable.

In the second flight that included 4, 5, 6, and 7 runners from all programs, our team of white jerseys competitively surged toward the front of the pack in the first mile. By the time the group had rounded the water tower on the second lap,  Christian Phillips had taken control of the lead. Phillips was relentless on his surges and never relinquished the lead, on his way to a career PR of 16:33. He pushed himself up to 14th overall in the team scoring and gave us a quick leg up on the field. We weren’t done with PR races, either. At the front of this competitive flight, we saw important teams that we locked onto and used to seal victory.

Brady Babka held close to important colors all the way to a fourth place finish in the flight, and earned a new career PR of 16:39. Brady ran fearlessly and with great hunger, making a huge splash in his first post season of high school cross country. Logan Cunz also  rose to the occasion and finished on Babka’s heels with a nearly identical time to Malone’s from the first heat. Even when they don’t race together, they still produce similar results. Logan’s time was the fifth fastest in the heat and the 18th in final results. Logan and Parker were in a virtual dead heat at 16:41.40 and 16:41.43. With six Knights in the Top 19 finishers, we totaled out 63 points to win by 15 over Burlington Central.

Aaron Lodwig beat the fifth runner of every team in the meet, pushing important totals and running 16:51. Our total pack split from 1-7 was :57.  While we brought home our third Regional title in as many years, the difficulty in the task is extraordinary. It seems routine at the moment, winning team titles. The truth is that it is entirely challenging to do such things. This year’s strength is in the power of the pack. We have one more week to keep this excellence moving forward, even in weird flight formats. Let’s group up as best we can in our flights and put a big exclamation point on the season.

HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF:

Christain Phillips took over a race that could have been anyone’s to have. Phillips used his experience on the course, and thrived at the front of the pack, expanding his lead throughout the final mile. His surges were crisp and intentional.

Brady Babka rose to the occasion to take a scoring position on the roster. He continued moving up through the field, utilizing his proximity to teammates and the race plan to gain position at the head of the pack in the second flight. It’s exciting to see the future while savoring the present.

 

Kaneland Fans and Volunteers Welcome on Saturday... With a Twist

 Kaneland parents have the opportunity to come to the Regional on Saturday, however the Athletics Office is asking other teams to limit their fan base to the families of the athletes competing. In honoring that, one way that you might be able to come to the meet, if you are not in that group, would be to join us on the course during, or after the races in a voluntary role. We can still use volunteers to help with course tear down after the boys races conclude at around 1:05. Please use the links below for the guidelines, and the volunteering roles still available.

As always, thank you for your continued support of our program.

Kaneland Cross Country Coaches

SPECTATOR SAFETY DOCUMENT

VOLUNTEER SIGNUP LINK

Kaneland "Three-Peats" in Conference Sweep, 4 Individual Champions

 For the third consecutive season, the Knights bring home a varsity conference team champion plaque. Best part about that, is this year we got two! Isaiah Dallal took the lead just before the first surge point and never relinquished it. His course PR of :04 was a worthy championship effort. Nolan Allen settled in among the chase pack and had a superb kick to steal 4th at the line. Nolan ran a :19 course PR at 17:10. Parker Malone also outlasted a competitor to earn 6th, with a :23 course PR at 17:15. All three Knights are repeat All Conference performers.

Senior Aaron Lodwig tied his course best (17:21), but this time it was even more important as his 9th place finish was ahead of other key scorers. Cunz held onto a top 10 spot and also earned All Conference at 17:26. Phillips was the last Knight in this top 6 only event due to COVID. Christian’s time of 17:33 was good for 13th, and All Conference as well.

The frosh soph team picked up where the varsity left off, dominating their division with a slim 18 points. The Knights went 1-2-4-5-6 with Brady Babka taking the individual title with a :10 course best time. Neal took second, and boasted a :35 improvement from September. Behrends took his first turn around the Sycamore course, and landed a 4th place ribbon at 18:41. Chase Brennan was next to the chute in 19:02, running :29 faster. Bruhl closed out the scoring with a :12 PR at 19:03. Reutimann was the sixth finisher for the Knights and wound up 9th overall in the race. Collin ran a :21 PR on the day.

In the open, our seventh runners for each of the team races were included in results. This might have been the most hotly contested race of the day, excitingly between two teammates and friends. Fitts and Fountain have been running together for four years. It made great sense to see them battling for three miles together, and having another close finish. Fitts was the designated scorer for the varsity race. Both seniors ran near All Conference worthy times, with Fountain netting the win at 17:38, and Fitts earning 15th overall in the varsity results at 17:40 (1:35 course PR). Fitts was ahead of every other team’s fourth (or better) finisher. Fiedler ran :61 faster to take 4th, and Scherden battled through cramping to earn 5th overall at 18:27 (:60 PR). Ramos took 8th, and a 1:43 course PR for 19:18. Smith cracked the Top 10 with a 2:00 course best for himself (19:30). Senior Brady Johnson took home 11th in the Open competition, capping a stellar season of leadership. Farmer was ribbon-worthy also, running 14th at 20:40 (a :44 course PR). Stace was next to the line, running 20th at 22:08 to end his season. Gannon knocked :70 off his course best time, running strong to the chute at 22:27. Broz completes his first year in Diamonds, running 22:30, close to his best on the course.

The final run of the day was also our fourth chance to get an individual champion. Brayden Cattero managed his aches and speed to overtake the leader at 1.4 miles and never looked back. Cattero raced to a career best 21:40 to pick up the victory. Mullins finished 10th and ran a 1:21 career best time with good competition around him all day. Blickem did the same with his competition, running 12th overall to complete the day in 25:20.

HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF:

Isaiah Dallal took the bold move at 1.5 miles and surged to victory for his second All Conference finish. He would not be denied this achievement, outdistancing strong competitors.

Collin Reutimann has quietly been a scorer for the FS level all season long. His solid 9th place finish with a course PR showed his presence will be felt for three more years in the I-8.

Evan Scherden struggled with cramping at the two mile, and could have easily backed down. He didn’t. He ran a :60 course PR because he refused to let up, wanting the best ribbon possible. It was 5th overall in the conference Open.

Finn Gannon has been grinding through practices and races all season. Today, he put out his best overall effort that included a terrific kick to the finish line for a :70 course best time. Coach Baron called this “hungry” finisher for the Open and was happily impressed.

Our regular season concludes with not 23, but 35 hungry wolves, focusing on the positives, and becoming champs.

 

KXC Families - Volunteer for Regionals

 Kaneland has been a host for many IHSA State Series meets. We cannot do this work without the generous and excellent support of our KXC Families. We will be hosting the IHSA State Series Regional meet on the high school campus, on October 24th. Our needs for volunteers include: bus parking, fan parking, handicap parking, course management, and course tear down.

Please use THIS LINK to find a place to help on Saturday, October 24th. If you have a runner on the girls team and you can volunteer your time during boys races, please do so. For the families of boy runners, if you are free to assist during the girls races, please do. Any volunteers, at any time, are happily welcome.

Upon check-in at the Volunteers Table (by the Meredith Middle School/Starting Line turn on the fire road), you will get your yellow volunteer shirt to borrow for the shift (when available). A description of your role will be given to you, and you can go to your designated spot.

If you have any questions, please contact Sheila Albano (630-386-5863) or Coach Clarey.

As always, we cannot thank you enough for your incredible support of our programs, and of the runners who come to compete at Kaneland. The reason we run a top notch meet is due in large part to the incredible volunteers who assist on race day.

Ever grateful,

Your KXC Coaches and Athletic Department Staff

Our "Miles for Makinlee" Going Toward "Miracles for Makinlee"

 On Friday, the team met a remarkable young girl named Makinlee Thomas. She's nine years old, and the daughter of a Kaneland Knight. Since March of 2020, she's been faced with something far scarier than perhaps the rest of us with the COVID-19 virus. She told her story of how she is living her best life as a fourth grader, also competing as a gymnast. Her Cystic Fibrosis (CF) diagnosis has her taking a minimum 60 minutes each day for breathing treatments, along with 40+ pills, in order to stay "in the game of life."

Our seniors want the team to do something to help support Makinlee and her family. Please use the links below to learn a little about "Mak," and to help us support her. She was the 2019 ambassador for the Chicagoland chapter of the Great Strides Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Your donations will make a difference for the 30,000 Americans diagnosed with CF. Next week, we will be running all of our "Miles for Makinlee." Please consider sponsoring your son, and making connections with others, to raise awareness to our drive, and ultimately to the Thomas family. 

Please use the following links to help better understand this drive to support "Mak" and others with CF. We are most grateful for your consideration and help. In a year where we cannot get into other places (Marklund Home, local road races, FMSC) to help work on our goals of humble service to others, this was one endeavor our seniors asked to commit to this fall.

Get to know Makinlee Thomas - Meet our new friend, Mak

What is this "Miles for Makinlee"   - Coach explains the "why"

How do I support her Team? - Directions for the website below, to make your donations

LINK TO THE MIRACLES FOR MAKINLEE Page

Kaneland Scoring Pack Runs Sub :60 to Net Third Win vs Wheaton Academy

 

Mother Nature tried to rain us out of another meet, but we were able to get a dual in with Wheaton Academy. The Warriors are a ranked 1A program, and their front three looked the part.

Dallal dropped a shoe at the 1000m mark, but never let up on the pace. He raced to an :80 season best at 16:40. Second place finisher Aaron Lodwig ran a career best 16:56 on the sloppy course. WA took the next three spots with a tight pack within 5 seconds of one another, followed by Nolan Allen’s 17:07 effort. This race was :14 faster than his run at Eddington a year ago. Malone followed up on that improvement, bettering his ‘19 time by :10, good for 17:24 on the day.

Logan Cunz pushed to a home course best, finishing 8th at 17:31. Fitts was six seconds behind, with the fastest 3 mile time of his career when he ran 17:37. Fountain also found himself ahead of WA’s final scoring runner, crossing at 18:06.

Brady Babka knocked :44 off his career best, which now stands at 18:15. Neal was next to the chute, running a course PR by :75 when he clocked in at 18:19. Johnson ran :71 ahead of his Eddington pace of 2019, finishing at 18:35. Evans nearly doubled that, running 18:49, to improve by 2:16 over Eddington 2019.

Chase Brennan was the third lower level runner to enter the chute, blazing under the 19 minute barrier, at 18:58. Behrends put down another strong finishing kick, just ahead of Bruhl, who ran a :32 season’s best on the course at 19:29. Reutimann was a second behind, running a :73 career PR in 19:30.

Lechocki bettered his ‘19 Eddington time by :25 to run 19:53. Fiedler was our next Knight to the line, a few seconds off his Eddington PR last fall when he ended at 20:25. Ramos racing for real this time, found the finish at 20:46 to set a new career best. Kowalczyk maintained a strong pace throughout to finish with a :34 PR at 20:47. Farmer was completely spent when he crossed over the finish stripe at 21:43. Crisci knocked another :27 off his season’s best in the mud, finishing 28th at 23:09.

Stace was on the cusp of another PR, despite the damp course. He finished in 23:48. Cattero was just a few seconds behind, under 8:00 pace at 23:48. Gannon closed the day with another strong effort at 24:06. The finish of the day came with our final two competitors sprinting to the chute in career best times. Broz just outlasted Blickem, with Louis running a :26 PR. Broz erased 2:14 off his previous best on the home course.

We wound up taking the win, 24-34 over Wheaton Academy. It will be important for us to pack up like this again on Tuesday when we host Marmion, with Sandwich. We need to split up packs of Cadets, not letting twos and threes pack on points to our score. Let’s get after it!

 

OTTAWA DUAL: KNIGHTS NOTCH 11 SEASON PRS AND 10 NEW CAREER BESTS FOR 3 MILES

 

Back to back strong efforts, it was important for this busy week of races to get a quality workout in at the onset. With less than fresh legs, we were able to take advantage of the cool temperatures and bring some teammates to new career best times on our home course. The varsity pack set the tone early, and surged forward at Lyle’s Corner to make it a virtual dead heat at the line. Good thing we had a wide mouth chute. Malone out-leaned Dallal for the W, with Allen right on their heels, Lodwig charging hard and Cunz equally close for possibly the smallest pack split in the last 30 years at Kaneland.

Fitts and Fountain earned season best times, with Phillips right in that same mix and :21 off the final pack push at 18:21. Brady Johnson dropped his career best time on a three mile course, running 18:31. Having the pack grouped up early was a benefit to many, including Evans, who capped another career best effort when he crossed the finish at 18:42. This was a :12 PR for Liam. Fiedler ran :56 faster than his previous meet, beating Ottawa’s #2 at 19:16. Scherden was just behind Dom, racing to a :23 season’s best in 19:18. Every varsity finisher was ahead of 6:30 mile pace. That’s pretty awesome, on sore legs.

At the frosh level, a similar pack plan ensued. Trevor Neal broke loose at the end to finish off a 19:34 season’s best race. Babka was :04 behind to take a second straight second place finish for this group. Chase Brennan came through the chute with a smile, crushing his previous time by 2:41 for a career best 19:45. Behrends was next to finish the day at 19:55, and Bruhl capped the perfect 15 point score when he ended his run at 20:01, a season’s best (:25). Lechocki was next in line, only three seconds back of Aidan, and Smith ended the 1-7 split at :40 while finishing in 20:14.

Reutimann smashed his own PR from a week ago when he ran 20:43, a :54 improvement. Kowalczyk did the same when he finished at 21:21, a full :38 better than his best. Brayden Farmer improved on his 2020 season time, running :11 faster at 21:31. Freshman Brayden Cattero got his first race under his belt, and was relentless to the finish and breaking 22:00 at 21:49. Patience and persistence net good results. Ethan Stace got his first race in as well, setting the standard for his next effort when he finished in 23:21.

Finn Gannon dropped :74 off of last Wednesday’s effort to finish at 23:39. Crisci keeps improving by the day and pushed to a huge 3:32 improvement on his previous best and ended the night ahead of Ottawa’s #1 runner at 23:36. Blickem and Mullins worked together throughout the race, taking turns at taking “the edge” and each improved a bunch. Blickem had a 1:46 PR to finish at 25:52, while Mullins ran 25:57 for a 1:53 PR.

On the whole, the execution of the race plans went very well and benefited many in having good targets nearby. If we use this same approach again, we feel confident that we could use these race results to see the improvements continue. On Saturday, we won’t be holding back on the first two miles. We need to get “up” for the event, and to go take full advantage of our surge points. We will freshen up a bit, and prepare for more career best performances.

 

KANELAND SNAGS PAIR OF WINS IN FIRST DUAL MEET OF SEASON VS LASALLE PERU

 

In our first race of the 2020 COVID season, we saw some really fine things, from start to finish. Aaron Lodwig stepped up to show an aggressive presence at the front of our pack. He was only 5 seconds off a career course PR, finishing 2nd in the varsity level. Allen was next to cross, just 7 seconds later. Phillips was just 9 seconds off of his own course PR, and served as our third man. Cunz finished in the top 5, running a home course career best 17:50.

Fitts finished the night for our team scoring, when he crossed in 7th at 18:27. He was 12 seconds ahead of Malone and Dallal, who served as pushers to LP’s score. Senior Liam Evans has been working on a great fall with hundreds of miles put in during the summer. It paid off with an :08 PR on the home course.

Fountain was next in for the diamond jerseys, racing to 11th overall at 19:27. Scherden was next to cross the finish at 19:41. Fiedler took 13th at 20:12. Brady Johnson took 15th on the night, racing to 21:45, ahead of LP’s 4 and 5. Hwang ended the night ahead of 5 Cavaliers in 23:06.

The frosh soph race was run just 5 minutes behind the varsity, something we have never tried to do at home before. The format worked well, and allowed for the front runners the chance to run down some finishers from the other level.

Freshman Palmer Behrends used his closing speed to pull away and barely edge teammate Brady Babka for the win. It was the first race of the careers of both boys at the HS level. Each broke the 19 minute barrier, which is a fine achievement for the first night of racing in the heat. Neal was next to cross at 19:37, with Smith coming in 19 seconds later. Smith had :30 on Bruhl, the fifth finisher of the level, which gave Kaneland a perfect 15 point score, also known in XC lore as a “whitewash.”

That term isn’t used unless the 6 and 7 runners also defeat the #1 of the opponent. So Reutimann did his part by finishing 6th at 21:37, and Farmer was in next at 21:42. Another impressive run came from freshman Devon Kowalczyk. Devon broke 22 minutes, when he managed a 21:59 in 8th overall. Lechocki kept the Knight train rolling to the line, earning 9th at 22:15. Brennan took a top 10 spot at 22:26, for his first high school race at 3 miles.

Gannon clocked in at 24:45 to net 12th. To finish the night, a stream of freshmen came sprinting to the line. Nate Crisci has been building momentum for three weeks, and notched his first three-mile effort at 27:08. Blickem just held on to outlast Broz at 27:38. Broz really has been coming on strong of late and is learning what speed and strength he really possesses. His mile pace on the longer course was  nearly 4 minutes faster than it was in the scrimmage about 10 days ago. Great growth! Mullins also is learning this sport’s demands and finished off his day just 11 seconds later, at 27:50.

For the first time out, under weird circumstances, we got what we needed out of tonight. The points in every varsity race count toward seeds for the varsity conference meet. So when we have a chance to race, we must be ready to go. We must focus on the details that keep us sharp!

 

A Few Odds and Ends for KXC Families Today

 Not that you needed any more to do during this last weekend in August, but there are a couple things we would like for you to check off your list. Two of the three we would love to see completed by Tuesday, September 1. The last of which you have until 11:59pm on Friday, September 4 to complete.

1. Please use THIS LINK TO REGISTER YOUR ATHLETE, if you have not already done so. The AD's office is looking for all boys who plan to compete in the first meet on Tuesday to have this take care of by that time. It's only registration at this point. They will do the fee portion later, so there's no reason not to knock this one out quick.

2. Please use THIS LINK TO SHARE YOUR PARENT INFO. In order to coordinate team events, and to help put names with faces of cheering fans calling out their son's name, this document was created to help with both. **Note that because this is a public link, please share only what you are comfortable.

3. The Team Store is now open. THIS LINK CONNECTS TO THE TEAM STORE so that you might purchase your KXC gear for the year. This is open to any and all families, near and far. The store closes at 11:59pm on Friday and will not open again. Boys are not allowed to ask about the orders until after October 1st. It takes 4 weeks to complete processing, production, and delivery.  (If needed, our access code for the store is: hwFYHHrdF

As always, we are most grateful to our KXC families for helping support the boys in their endeavors. We thank you for going the extra mile for our program.

Camp is Coming... But It's Your Decision

Going Back to Camp! Starts 7/8

Beginning July 8, we start a new era of both summer conditioning camp, as well as another season of cross country. Participating in this camp experience will have many new steps to complete, but the first one is choosing if camp is right for you and your family at this time.

The risk of corona-virus transmission will still be present to some degree at any camps during the summer at Kaneland.  Students and their families, along with school personnel must recognize these risks and implement best practices to reasonably mitigate them.  Participation in our conditioning camp is voluntary and every individual will need to evaluate the risk versus the benefits of said participation.  Those immuno-compromised students, or those who live with family members with elevated health concerns, should evaluate associated risks of participation and may choose not to participate. This is absolutely understandable, and we will work to share the same virtual training opportunities that we've used in June, via the calendar connected to this blog.

With that being said, here are a few things to help you prepare for camp days, should you choose to register and participate:

*In the morning when you rise, you should take your temperature. Write it down. Watch for a pattern of consistency. IF any day said temperature is above 100.4, DO NOT COME TO CAMP.

*Because some of our camp locations include forest preserves, there's a chance that bathrooms may be locked. Make sure you're "empty" before you show up for camp. Know how your body "works" in the morning, prior to coming to camp.

*There is NO WATER PROVIDED FOR CAMPERS at this time so please bring your own jugs and water bottles. Can't even do a refill from the cooler. The cooler won't be there. Your own bug spray would also be a need each day as we won't be sharing a bottle among team members.

*If you carpool to camp with other runners, please plan on WEARING A MASK IN THE CAR. If one member of a carpool tests positive, the carload will need to self-quarantine, and not come to camp. This is a proactive suggestion, not part of the school expectations for safety protocol.

*When you arrive at camp (without a fever or symptoms related to the five questions that we are going to ask) the coaches will physically distance you in order to take your temperature and ask the five questions related to COVID symptoms. If your temperature is below 100.4 on the thermometer the coaches use, and if you are not having any of the symptoms related to the questions - asked in private - then you'll be able to participate.

*If your temperature is above 100.4 (you shouldn't even be there, because you checked it at home...) or if you answer YES to any of the five questions (you shouldn't even be there, because you will know the questions by heart...) then your parent will be contacted and you will need to go home. Per district guidelines, you are not allowed back in camp, or practices when school starts, without a doctor's written permission.

*IF A TEAMMATE TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19, then there is the very real potential for many team members, including all in a training group who have had more than 15 minutes of exposure, to have to self=quarantine for 14 days at home. WASH YOUR HANDS AND BE SMART ABOUT THIS. TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.

*We will be spreading out far more than in the past for our pre-run active stretching routines, post run static stretching, core strength work and team chats. You'll need to be on your toes, ready to listen, and ready to go. While there may be more "hanging around" at the start, initially, to get the health protocols complete, you need to be making safe choices reflective of the responsibility that it is in coming to camp amid the pandemic Phase 4 conditions.

More details will be forthcoming from the Kaneland Athletic Department, including the safety protocols as well as how to register for the camp. We will run the camp on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays until July 31.

Mondays - Meet at Elburn Lion's Park - 6:00 to 7:30 (MS camp at 8:00)

Wednesdays - Meet at Bliss Woods in Sugar Grove - Same times as above

Fridays - Meet at Nelson Lake ***DIFFERENT PARKING LOT, the one on Nelson Lake Road, not Main Street - Same times as above

If there's an impromptu run (Tuesday/Thursday) at another location, that is entirely optional, it will come via Remind text.

There will NOT be camp running through "Dead Week" even though the IHSA removed that restricted week this summer. Mrs. Clarey and the other coaches' wives have different plans for the coaches at that time.

Finally, if you determine that the Cross Country Conditioning Camp is something you'd like to do this year, you absolutely MUST get registered ahead of time. In the past, kids have shown up for three days or so and then the parent gets the registration complete online. This year, you'll have to go home if you're not on the list, the first day. Because of the waivers and contact information that is required of us, we cannot bend like in the past. NO ONE will be turned away because of financial hardship, related to the cost of the program, which always goes back to the student athletes in the form of cloth goods anyway. We will have a camp shirt again this year, and possibly incentives for consistent participation in the camp.

As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to your coaches. We are so excited to get to start back with our team, and we are taking every bit of the health and safety protocols seriously. As a matter of life or death, our collective resolve to be responsible with symptoms and being forthright is crucial. We are all relying on one another. 

Changes to the Training Log, Keeping Your PII Safe

Getting to Work: Small Groups are the New Norm

(photo credit: Jaime Neal)

We are off and running, starting the conditioning phase of getting back into cross country shape. At Sunday's meeting, we shared a document that you are to be using to log your summer work. Some of you have started, others have yet to document your work. ALL need to use this component of our summer training. 

We spoke to the power of keeping track of your miles, as well as other Personal Identifiable Information (PII) related to your morning temperature, diet habits, how you're feeling physically, and more. The journal is very complete, but it is also rich in detail that should be kept more personal. The coaches have made an adjustment to the journal to protect your PII. Moving forward, we would like you to do the following:

1. Continue to log your mileage on the SUMMER MILEAGE LOG. You won't be able to add the other details related to your Personal Identifiable Information. Beginning today, you can use the Personal Training Log (what the original looks like, but with sleep component added to it). This Personal Training Log is found in the upper right corner of the blog, with the other summer training links.

2. Open the Personal Training Log and go to FILE >> MAKE A COPY. You should then have access to a similar document, and have the power to log your other personal identifiable information, but keep it just for you. Put your name on it, and it will be your decision if you'd like to share it with the coaches. (Coach Clarey's email is 10965@kaneland.org, Coach Baron's email is 10021@kaneland.org)

3. The PII will no longer be included on the Summer Mileage Log. Coach Clarey deleted the data fields for it. You SHOULD continue to log your miles on it, so that coaches can keep track of that data to make sure you're on target for the next steps in our training. To those who logged Monday already, please add it in again on the new version of the Summer Mileage Log. Same place, one more time.

As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to Coach Clarey or Coach Baron. Thank you for your patience with these new steps. The goal is to keep you healthy, allow you the chance to reflect on what you're doing in your training and seeing positive patterns for how you feel -- relative to your training and all other important components. Most of all, your privacy in some of those key details needs to be maintained, and giving you power to keep it exclusive is absolutely necessary. 

Summer Conditioning Begins on Monday, June 15 - NO Camp Yet

Time to see this team get back on the course!

We've patiently waited to get through the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are now at the point where we can get outside and get back to work. The start of our conditioning work that we will put in this summer begins on Monday, June 15. Because we have yet to hear about the parameters for safety which will become the expectations for Kaneland student athletes, we are encouraging you to do this work on your own, or in very small groups. Remember to keep your physical distance, and do NOT show up for a run with a peer if you are feeling under the weather.

Every boy will need to fill out his own page on the summer training log, found in the upper right portion of our blog. There are tabs at the bottom which reflect the names of the coaches and athletes. Please find your tab, and then complete the sheet EVERY DAY! Those runners who are keeping up with this work will be able to advance to our speed changing workouts, which we hope to do in person, starting in July. We want to see every runner documenting the data for both miles logged running (hard miles) and those logged swimming or biking for 15 minutes straight (soft miles). Each week, we are looking for both hard and soft miles to be completed by our team members.

If you have any questions about your training log, or about your running work, please contact your coach. Parents should do the same. Putting in the work during the summer allows for many of the smiles we see in the photo above, during the fall season. Be positive and put your heart into your efforts. Your brothers are getting after it, focused on the mission ahead. Be a difference maker, and remain hungry for a spot higher up on our depth chart.

Every man will make a difference.

Scholarships Available to Our Knights

Boys, there are two more scholarships that you might be able to submit applications for to help defray some costs to higher learning. Below are links to a pair of scholarships geared toward Kaneland student athletes.

The Steven Wayne Chidester Scholarship is awarded to one cross country runner from our team each year. This scholarship is funded through an event in Maple Park, each September, on the same weekend that we host the Eddington Invitational. Steve was a teammate of Coach Clarey's, and a runner on the '87 and '88 teams that placed at State. Steve's passing came suddenly in May of 2016, while working on the roads for Kane County. Chidester was struck by a distracted driver. The link above takes you, seniors, to a page where there are questions for reflection. Steve's wife, Lorraine, reviews the responses and makes a choice parallel with what she feels mirrors the many wonderful qualities of her late husband. Please complete this scholarship questionnaire by May 15.

Additionally, there is also a scholarship available from our Kaneland Knights Sports Booster Club.  At this time, they are still taking applications.  Use this link to access the application to earn a $1,000 Scholarship.  They have extended the deadline to May 8th, 2020 and you can email the application directly to Kira Harper @ kira.rushing@gmail.com.  Applicants must have a parent who is currently a Sports Booster Member (as of Jan 1st, 2020).

Hoping this post finds all of you doing well, staying active, and getting ready for summer. Please be timely on these scholarship opportunities. Don't let them go to waste. Schooling at the junior college, 4-year schools, and trade schools is expensive. Explain how your past 4 years will impact the next four years of your life.

Belated Thanks from Coach Clarey

So this past Friday my wife and I, along with a few of our coaches, went to Lombard to pick up this plaque. It's been two months since we won State, and I'm still overwhelmed with gratitude and joy in what we were able to accomplish. It's been a month since our Awards Night, and getting the chance to celebrate the achievements of ALL our boys who share in this dream season and championship. My sentiments have come full circle, and I wanted to share a few quick things with you all as this 2019 season finally comes to a full close.

With regard to the incredible support that our coaches and immediate families have received this season, we are speechless. Thank you for the care, love, and support (physical, emotional, financial, and verbal) you've provided this year, and many others. It's easy for many to be flying high after such a memorable and successful season. However, we realize that not every year is like this one, and we still receive equal help from our KXC Families. We are so grateful for all that you've helped provide your boys, their teammates, and the staff. We are incredibly blessed.

On a personal note, I would like to thank you all for the tremendous surprise that was put together over the course of the year with the shirts for Awards Night, the patience in its rescheduling, and the way that you were able to implement it on December 11th. I'm a big "no thank you" for anything that includes the spotlight shining my way. I was good with all that you did on that night, and am most appreciative of the efforts put forth to BUILD such an experience. Special shout out to Sal Occhipinti, Michelle Brazee, Ralph Drendel, Nicole Larsen, and anyone else who had a hand in the process of collecting 265 names and supplying the masses with the shirts. It was such a meaningful gesture, and knowing that those 265 names were with us at the last meets of the season made it even more so.

On Friday night, when I went to the ITCCCA Awards, I wore the shirt you all gave me because it has been completely obvious for more than a few years that all our recent success was forged on the miles, experiences, hot summer days, and cold snowy winters of all 265 runners. The many coaches, parents, administrators, and athletes have shares in such awards received. 

Your coaches are real people. They are imperfect individuals that strive for the best for each and every boy on the team. While we strive to pull excellence out of our boys, we have equally high standards for ourselves. Not everything was perfect this season. We ALL were met with different adversities. On behalf of my coaching brothers, we sincerely thank you for your patience, your understanding, your flexibility, your efforts to help your sons, and ultimately to do so many different things to make this season epic.

I believe that God puts special people in special places, to do special things. Thank you all for being a huge part of such a tremendous year. If you're still up for celebrating, we are meeting up as one big (current and former) KXC Family on January 31st at 5:30pm, at Schmidt's in Elburn. Please come join us if it fits your schedule. This would be more of a grown up function, but I'll surely see your sons for some conditioning that afternoon.

Thank you for everything. We are truly blessed, at Kaneland.

Yours in running,

Coach Clarey