Nike Heartland Regional Meet - Practice and Information

Dear Parents and Athletes,

This is a letter to let you know the details of the Nike Regional.

Total cost of trip will be $60.00 including food, gas and housing and registration. $30.00 for non-runners (no registration fee).  Uniforms tops will be available for purchase for around $26.00, but no one needs to buy theirs if they do not want to.

Packing List:

Uniform bottoms will be black shorts and black tights for all. Please provide your own. They do not have to be identical. You may wear white under long sleeve under the uniform top. Please pack your high visibility t-shirt as well. Pack a swim suit if you like. One set of nice clothes for church. Spikes, socks, underwear, toothbrush and other toiletries.  The sweats your wear to the meet you could wear home. I do not know that we will have the opportunity to shower following the meet. Bring clothing to stay warm and you may want a blanket and pillow for the van ride, we will be tightly packed in. 

As we have so many travelers, please bring the minimum clothing in a duffel bag.  No suitcases please.

I would like to collect the $60.00 Next week at practices. Make the check out to Kimberly Kelly-Sommer You make put Nike Regional in the memo line. I will cash the checks and distribute the gas money to the drivers. I have already charged the entry on my credit card.

I will hold each athletes Sunday dinner money until Sunday and hand it out before we eat on the way home. This way no one spends their eating money on t-shirts.

T-shirts from the Nike race will be available for $15.00 

Other gear will also be available if kids want to bring their own spending money.

First we will depart from the Leightons house on Saturday morning at 9am sharp. Please be there by 8:45 to load. It will take us about 4 hours 20 minutes to travel to Sioux Falls SD.

We will stay at the Residence Inn in Sioux Falls near the Empire Mall and the Yankton Trails course.

Residence Inn Sioux Falls

4509 W. Empire Place · Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57106 USA

Tentative Room Arrangements:

1.     Lucy, Lotus, Grace, Katie M., Gracie C. 5

2.     Theresa, Mary, Maria, Claire,  4

3.     Ahna, Bizzy, Marcella, Madeleine, Becca 5

4.     Kim, Sally, Doris, James Henry 4

5.     Thomas, Cam, Josiah, Minhyuk, Henry Brink 5

6.     Joe, Tyler, Ryan, Henry L, John Michael, Henry C. 6

7.     Tom L., Tim W ,Kurt N. 3

   

Tentative Van Assignments:

Van1 - Sally Ennis, Doris Schifsky, Theresa Mueller, Lucy Leighton, Mary Ennis, Becca Wilkin, Lotus Schifsky (7)

Van 2 - Kim Kelly-Sommer, Josiah Sommer, Minhyuk Park, James Sommer, Katie Michalak, Grace Ennis, Gracie Carlson (7)

Van 3 - Tim Wilkin, Thomas Wilkin, Henry Brink, Cam Huntington (4)

Van 4 - Kurt Neil, Ahna Neil, Bizzy Stephenson, Marcella Brylski, Madeleine Brylski, Maria Stephenson, Claire Mealey (7)

Van 5 - Tom Leighton, Henry Leighton, Joe Berchem, Tyler Husaby, Ryan Schumacher,

Henry Croll, John Michael Berns(7)

I would like to outline the expectations for the Nike Regional. 

1. If you signed up you will come to the 4 practices scheduled the week before the meet. We will meet at the Leightons 249 Crestway Lane, West St. Paul MN. Practice will be from 3:30-5:00 at the latest. We will leave school by 3:15 and will need a parent or two to help shuttle kids to the Leightons. Please let me know if you could help. Pick up should be promptly at 5 please. We will depart from here on Saturday and pick up here as well on Sunday when we return.

My cell is 651.587.1636 you can text this number as well. Just make sure to ID yourself in the text.

2. Coaches will assign van assignments and rooms.

3. No boys in girls rooms, no girls in boys room. This is a hard rule and violation would mean you do not run. There will be plenty of common space for you to hang out in together. 

4. No leaving your room or the hotel after curfew. Again violating this rule would result in you not running.

5. Do not leave the hotel grounds with out permission. Again penalty would be not to be able to run.

6. Always travel in pairs.

7 Wear your shoes.

8 Wear clothes to cover up when going to and from the pool.

9. TV is off at 10 pm, and make sure you are watching appropriate tv programing, if you are watching it.

10. Represent your group in a way that we can all be proud of so that we will do this again. I know this sounds preachy, but if all parents talk to their kids about what a privilege this is I am sure all will be fine.

Trip Details:

I would prefer that athletes pack a bag lunch to eat on the road.It will take 4 hours and 20 min. We will stop for a bathroom if necessary, but this will help to keep everyone's cost down.

We will go directly to the course so kids should dress in sweats and tennis shoes. We plan to arrive around 1:30pm. We will be at the course for around 2-2 1/2 hours. We will then go to the hotel and kids can shower and dress for church. We will have cooking facilities at the hotel and will have pasta, salad and Doris Schifsky may make some Chinese food as well. This too will help us to keep cost down. I know we have 3 gluten free athletes and we will have a gluten free pasta available as well.

We are looking into finding a 5 or 6pm Mass for our Catholic runners and a protestant church service for our non Catholic runners. We will then return to the hotel and have a meal together. The kids will then have some free time to swim or just relax at the hotel. 

Athletes will return to their rooms by 9pm with lights out at 10pm. 

Sunday Agenda:

We will get up at 7:30 am to eat breakfast. from 7:30-8:15

Check out of hotel. 8:45

Arrive at race site at 9 am

Our first Race is 

Girls Open Green: 10:00am (Claire Mealey, Ahna Neil, Bizzy Stephenson, Madeleine Brylski, Marcella Brylski, Katie Michalak)

Boys Open Green: 11:30am (all boys)
Girls Championship Race: 1:15pm (Lucy Leighton, Maria Stephenson, Lotus Schifsky, Theresa Mueller, Mary Ennis, Becca Wilkin, Grace Ennis)

Eat lunch/dinner: 2:30-3:30 or 4pm  in Sioux Falls following the race.

Leave Sioux Falls by 4 pm arrive back in the cities by 8pm-9pm at the Leightons. We will have cell phones in the vans so kids can call parents when we are about 45 minutes from the Leightons.

Sorry for the length of the email but there was a great deal to cover.  If you have any questions please call or email me.

Thanks!