News   8.16.2020 The practice times for the first three weeks of school are as follows:   August 17-21: We practice from 8-10 a.m. at the Cooper rock August 24-26:  We practice from 8-10 a.m. at the Cooper rock   August 27: We practice from 8-10 a.m. at Bassett Creek Park in New Hope August 28:  We practice from 8-10 a.m. at the Cooper rock Beginning the week of August 31: We practice Monday-Friday from 2:40-4:30 p.m. at the Cooper tennis courts 8.16.2020 The fall 2020 cross country season begins at 8 a.m. at the Cooper rock on Monday, August 17. Thank you to those athletes and families who were already able to submit their registration materials for the new season. Please note that you can still turn in your forms and take part in cross country as soon as those forms are turned in. The Activities Office will now be open every day during normal school hours to assist with your registration needs. There are a number of new sports protocols being introduced this fall due to COVID-19. First, athletes must complete and submit an electronic self-screening form every day before practice. This form asks athletes to assess their health on each given day to make sure no one with possible COVID symptoms takes part in a work out. The form must be completed before an athlete's arrival at Cooper in order to practice on that day. The second protocol relates to equipment. Athletes are asked to bring a mask, a water bottle, and a small bag to keep them in each day to practice. We will be wearing masks during the non-running portions of practice and we will not allow runners to drink from one another's water bottles. The bag will allow safe transport of the mask and water bottle via a coach's car if we are running to an off-campus location for a hill or field workout. The final item you might find helpful is the MSHSL guidance on cross country for the fall. While this document is geared toward coaches and athletic directors, you may find it useful to read if you are wondering about some of the details related to competitions and other COVID-related issues that may arise this season. There are still some unknowns about the season as we move into it beginning on Monday. However, the coaching staff will be working hard to make sure the athletes have the positive experience they have come to expect from cross country in the past. Additionally, we will be doing everything we can to make sure the experience is a safe one. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. 6.7.2020 The fall 2020 season should be an exciting one with a successful and growing group of returning runners. Below is some information that should cover any questions you might have about the team and preparing for next fall. Summer Training and Optional Captains' Practice This summer will mark Minnesota's transition from an at-home quarantine due to the COVID-19 outbreak back into the ability to engage in outdoor activities such as high school sports. In order to prepare for the fall cross country season, runners can follow the summer training calendar. This calendar is designed to give athletes some general guidance as to what they can do to get in shape for the fall. Runners who are just getting started can feel free to reduce the length and intensity of the recommended workouts to avoid getting injured.  For those runners who would prefer meeting up daily or periodically with their teammates to train, captains Max Rekela-Jasper and Magnus Korstad will be organizing summer practices during which participating athletes will be following the same training calendar that accompanies this message. Keep in mind that the captains have been instructed about maintaining a safe distance, ensuring that runners use their own water bottles, and organizing themselves so runners are in groups of 10 people or fewer in order to comply the state health guidelines for summer athletics. More information about meeting times and locations for these optional practices can be found by contacting the captains via the links embedded above. Ultimately, whether you train on your own or join the captains for a workout, the most important thing for team members is to be running consistently throughout the summer. This will help you achieve a good fitness level when the season officially begins in the middle of August. Before Monday, August 17: Turn in Your Registration Materials at Cooper The Cooper Activities Office, which can be accessed through the ground-level school entrance at the back of the building, will be open during normal business hours starting on Monday, August 10 so that athletes can obtain and turn in their registration materials for fall sports. Runners should be sure to take care of these forms before Monday, August 17 so they can take part in the first week of practice. Monday, August 17: Official Practice Begins Official practice begins three weeks before the start of the school year. The first two weeks of official practice will take place Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. at the Cooper rock to avoid the heat. During the week of August 31, practice will move to its normal, school-year time of 2:35 p.m. because teachers will be back at work. As the official season begins, we tailor the workouts to each runner's current age and fitness level to ensure they stay injury-free. As a result, incoming seventh, eighth and ninth graders should never feel pressured to perform at the level of a seasoned senior. I hope this initial information helps. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to let us know. 6.28.2019 This is just a reminder to take advantage of the cross country captains' practices taking place on weekedays at Cooper. Boys and girls runners are meeting Monday through Friday at the Cooper rock starting at 8 a.m. Daily updates on times and location are also posted by Hawks captains on Facebook. 8.7.2018 We are just a few days away from the start of the 2018 cross country season. If you have not already done so, please make sure you are turning in your registration materials to the Cooper Activities Office before the first day of practice. We look forward to seeing you at 8 a.m. on Monday, August 13 at the Cooper rock!  8.14.2017 The 2017 season is officially underway! If you are interested in taking part in cross country, be sure to visit Cooper's Activities Office on the first floor during regular business hours to turn in your registration materials. We are meeting for practice every morning at the Cooper rock beginning at 8 a.m. We hope to see you there. 10.27.2016  The 2016 boys and girls cross country banquet will take place Wednesday, November 2, from 6-8 p.m. The event will be held at Cooper’s cafeteria. The cost of dinner and refreshments for the evening will be $10 per person. Please bring cash on the night of the event instead of checks to help us immediately reimburse the people who bought the food and drink. The meal will include pizza, salad, desserts and beverages. In order to attend the banquet, you need to let Coach Zuccola or Coach Utter know in advance if you are coming and how many people you will be bringing with you. The coaches will be collecting this information from you during the last week of practice. We need this attendance information so Coach Zuccola can order enough food to cover everyone attending the event.  8.16.2016 Please plan on taking part in the 2016 Alumni Meet, which takes place on Thursday, August 18 at Bassett Creek. The women's race begins at 7 p.m., while the men will run at 7:15. Current team member should arrive at 6:15 to run the course and warm up for the competition. 8.8.2016 With the first day of cross country practice rapidly approaching, it is important to remember to complete and turn in your official paperwork to Cooper's Activities Office. The office is open during regular school hours through the remainder of the week. Please note that you need to have your paperwork turned by the start of practice on Monday in order to begin participating on Monday. I hope to see you all at 3:30 on Monday afternoon! 7.23.2015 August is approaching quickly, which means that the new cross country season is nearly upon us. For those of you who have been using your free time in June and July to come to captains' practices or work out on your own, you will have a smooth transition into the start of the season on August 17. For those of you who have been a bit more relaxed this summer, you still have more than three weeks to lace up those running shoes and put in some miles to prepare yourself for the 2015 season. In order to make sure you can run with us beginning on the very first day of practice, please be sure to have all of your registration materials turned in to the Cooper Activities Office before August 14. The office will be open during normal school hours beginning on August 3, which should give you plenty of time to take care of this administrative step. New assistant coach Brad Johnson and I are looking forward to a great season. 8.24.2014 This is just a reminder that practice moves to 3 p.m. for the week of August 25. See you at the Cooper rock! 8.10.2014 Tomorrow is the big day: Cooper cross country kicks off the 2014 season! Coach Prillwitz and Coach Zuccola look forward to seeing you at the Cooper rock at 8 a.m. for the first practice of the fall. Be sure to take care of your registration steps in the Activities Office so you are able to begin your training with us! 10.31.2013 The 2013 boys and girls cross country banquet will take place Wednesday, November 6, from 6-8 p.m. The event will be held at Cooper’s cafeteria. The cost of dinner and refreshments for the evening will be $5 per person. Please bring cash on the night of the event instead of checks to help us immediately reimburse the people who bought the food and drink. The meal will include pizza, salad, desserts and beverages. 8.30.2013 Congratulations to the Hawks varsity boys cross country runners for their victory at the Matterhorn Invitational on Thursday, August 29. The race was won by Cooper's own Garrett Williams, while Kyle Goldman finished a close third. Also turning in a good performance was Mitch Munar, who finished fourth overall in the JV race. Well done, gentlemen! 8.11.2013 Below is a list of our practice times and locations for the first two weeks of the season. Week One Monday, August 12-Wednesday, August 14: 8 a.m. at the Cooper rock Thursday, August 15: 6:15 p.m. at Bassett Creek Park Friday, August 16: 8 a.m. at the Cooper rock Week Two Monday, August 19-Friday, August 23: 8 a.m. at the Cooper rock 7.31.2013 I hope you are enjoying the dwindling days of your summer break. With August nearly upon us, it is important that you get yourself registered for cross country. The Cooper Activities Office is now open during regular school hours to pick up and drop off your activity forms for the fall season. Please remember that all forms need to be submitted before you can take part in practice, which officially begins on Monday, August 12. If you have not been doing so, be sure to use this final week before the season starts to log some miles on the road. Better still, do so with your soon-to-be teammates by coming to the remaining days of Captain's Practice. Hawks runners are meeting at 8 a.m. Monday through Friday at the Cooper rock. Coach Zuccola and Coach Prillwitz look forward to seeing you all in two weeks!