This is a busy week with a quick turnaround time between meets, so we have a second update this week with several items: Milesplit, Red White Blue, Family Pasta Dinner, Home Meet, and USCHSXC alumni Hall of Fame induction! Read through to the end!
1. If you watched the boys’ race on Saturday, you watched the leading vote-getter in the Milesplit USA National Boys Performer of the Week poll! It wasn’t your imagination, that kid was really fast! Check out the link here and vote for Drew Griffith of Butler so you can say your kid ran in the same race as the national winner, and you’ll have a chance to win a Milesplit Pro subscription. Plus, one of the other 5 nominees is Ryan Pajak of Ringgold, who we’ll see coming up a couple of times this season. So it’s no exaggeration to say that some of the top talent in the whole country is right here in our own backyard of the WPIAL. https://www.milesplit.com/articles/338225/national-boys-performer-of-the-week-0828-0903
2. Red White Blue Classic Saturday 9/9/23 at White Oak Park No doubt there’s going to be some amazing performances at RWB, likely including the 2 boys from above plus some other great talent. This is a really big, really fun meet, with a nice course to watch, some shade, and the hill isn’t nearly as bad! The course is a loop, completed twice, runners go to the right at the end of loop 1, and veer to the left and the end of loop 2 for the finish. Video of course can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bST3XlvEtB4 and a course map here: https://pa.milesplit.com/meets/557133-21st-annual-red-white-and-blue-classic-2023
Athletes should arrive at the high school athletic circle around 6:15am, depart at 6:20am on two buses.
Once we arrive we will explain the course, there is not much time to walk the course since races will begin early, so it’s helpful to preview the map/video.
The coaches will announce this week the lineup for the various races (Varsity/JV/Freshmen).
Race times are on a ROLLING SCHEDULE, so times could end up being EARLIER than listed below….
7:30 coaches meeting at start line.
8am AA girls 8 runners max – NOT a USC Race
8:45 AA boys 8 runners max – NOT a USC Race
9:30 all JV Girls top 25 awards
10:15 all Freshman top 25 awards boys and girls each.
11:00 all jv boys top 25 awards
11:45 AAA girls 8 runners max
12:30 AAA boys 8 runners max
1:15 awards
3. Before the athletes race, they need to fuel up with a pasta party! Family Pasta Dinner at the MAC (old rec center on McLaughlin Run Rd.) 6-9 PM FRiday 9/8. All athletes and all parents/siblings invited to the dinner. Thanks to those who signed up to bring food/assist. The students also will be making senior signs after the dinner, and a few parents will be needed to supervise/assist.
4. Our Home Meet will be sneaking right up on us! Athlete pasta dinner Monday 9/11 at 6PM-7:30 at the Mack Home, 130 Saxony Dr. As a special treat there will be an airbrush tattoo artist, so arrive promptly!
USC/Trinity/Moon section meet is scheduled for TUES 9/12/23 at the USC Community & Recreation Center at Boyce Mayview Park,1551 Mayview Rd.
2:40pm?- BUS TIME for USC athletes to be transported to the Rec Center for drop off. Based on transportation needs this time may change.
3:15PM- Visiting teams walk through should be completed around 3:15pm- Starter will review PIAA sportsmanship with teams
3:30pm- SENIOR REC at front fields with entire USC team. This part of senior rec just involves reading of athlete names and a picture opportunity with signs/banners. (More senior rec to be held at pasta dinner in October).
4pm- GIRLS race. (lineup 3:55 PM)
4:30pm- BOYS lineup, starting gun at 4:35 or after conclusion of Girls.
Several parents will be needed to assist on meet day, either as course monitors, start/finish line help, scoring table, etc. Please email Coach Petrick if you can help.
5. Savannah Shaw, USCTFXC graduate is being inducted into the USC Athletics HOF on 9/14. Savannah graduated in 2018 and received numerous accolades in XC/Track during her time at USC. She went on to be a key part of the NCAA National Champion NC State Women’s XC team.
Upper St. Clair High School Cross Country Boosters 