Track Star Track Club - Rules

Any successful organization has some rules that help it succeed.  Track Star TC have a few that have helped keep order over the years. 

What is the measure of success for Track Star TC?  

Our goal is to take talented athletes and train them to a National Ranking that will get them an offer for a college scholarship.  

As you can see these are lofty but achievable goals.  They are goals that the coach is wholly committed to.  His expectation is that the athlete and parents are just as committed.  If they are not, then the athlete may not reach their goal.  If politics, gossip, and disrespect get out of hand, it could affect the performance of the team and the coaches ability to train them.

The coaches Rules to prevent distractions and obstacles to the teams goals are listed below:

1. No Relays
1. Runners/Parents please do not ask about relays.  It has the potential of disrupting our team.
2. If a runner must run relays, they must register with another team.
3. If we decide to run relays, the coach will put the relay team together.
2. All runners (selected by the coach) must purchase weight shorts.  The coach will ask that the athlete's have them by the end of April.
1. This request is being made to advance your training.  It is a serious request in order to meet the objectives of the season.  
2. You must bring your weight shorts on Sunday's, Monday's, Tuesday's, and to every practice at Rowlett Park.
3. Parents must provide me with a copy of your child's health insurance card.
4. Parents must provide me with a copy of the athlete's 2013 AAU Card with our team name, Track Star TC, on it by the end of May.  If not, your child will not be allowed to practice.
5. If your athlete is practicing with me and another AAU sport, they must complete the other sport before returning to me.  
6. Parents must not expect more from their athlete than the coach does.
7. Parents may encourage all runners.  However, only worry about your athlete!
8. Parents if your athlete is hurt or sick do not bring them to practice.  Call or text the coach.
9. All runners need to be at practice 3 to 4 days a week.
10. On the days of a track meet, all runners must report to the track 1.5 hours before their race.
11. If you are not coming to practice, call or text me.  The coach will return the favor.
12. Respect Everyone.
13. If you have a problem with someone please call them aside and talk it over.
14. Please do not arrive to practice more than 15 minutes late.
15. Parents must not interfere with practice.  It may seem like helping but it could be distracting the athletes, and/or coach.

The coach reserves the right to add more rules or adjust the enforcement of these rules to individual situations.  These rules are not to be a burden.  They are to help the club excel, help the athlete's excel, and help the coach do his job.

Thank you so much for your support on enforcing these few rules of conduct!  If you have any questions, or concerns, they can be addressed privately to the coach.

May you all reach your goals!!!  God Bless!

Welcome to Track Star TC!!!!

I am Coach Cooper!  I welcome you to our Blog.  From time to time I will enter information that will help you understand what we are about or help you plan for the season.

Coaching is not my full time career but it is a full time passion!  It is my mission to work with a limited number of very gifted athletes and assist them on the path to National Rankings, and a college scholarship.  There is no other track club that operates with the level of focus and personalized coaching that I provide. 

We are based in Tampa Florida and race all over the state.  Our club is called Track Star TC.  Everyone in our club will be a track star.

Ingredients of a Successful Athlete

1.  Coaching is a very important ingredient in a successful athlete.  The coach can separate the athlete from the family dynamic and keep them focused on the task at hand.  The coach needs to keep the goals realistic and achievable.  The coach needs to be able to give the athlete the motivation and support they need to excel.  This comes in as many forms as athletes.

2.  The athlete needs to have the natural talent.  From that base, it is the athlete's responsibility to follow instructions from parents and coaches.  It is also their responsibility to drive hard even when their mind and body are screaming stop.  The athlete needs to get comfortable with pushing their bodies limits.  In this time of fast food and video games, it is a rare athlete that can dedicate 9 months a year to practice.  However, the ones that do will learn that anything they set their mind to is achievable with hard work and determination.

3.  The parents and guardian support group.  This group is responsible to dedicate 10 to 20 hours a week to their athlete's success.  This is no easy task.  Many dual income parents will not be able to find the time to bring their child to practice five days a week.  When we have meets, they are usually all day affairs.  The parents and guardians must be just as committed to the athlete's success as the coach, and the athlete.  Without this support, the athlete will not get the necessary training, and the conditioning at home that is required to take them to the National Level.  Parental involvement is not always required in practice.  However, it may keep your athlete the most attentive and operating at their highest level.

4.  The team:  The environment has an impact on the athlete.  Their friends have an impact on them.  Their teammates will have an impact on them.  If they train with the best, they will become the best!  If you are one of the crowd, you will continue to be one of the crowd.  Their peers will motivate them, when they are feeling down.  Sometimes they will have a greater impact than any of the other 3 ingredients.

God bless you! I hope to see you on the track!

Coach Cooper