July 20, 2025
NDA CC Runners and Families,
We are just past the halfway point for the summer and summer training. We appreciate all the work some of our team is doing and look forward to others beginning or getting more serious about getting in shape. This is a great time to start committing to a more consistent routine, and we are happy to help or find ways to make it fun for anyone interested.
Also- we would deeply appreciate anyone sharing names and/or info about any young NDA student that would be good to approach about cross country. We are thankful to those who have recommended names already. Please help us with this effort!
As always- I can be reached at 920-860-6780. Please feel free to text or call. If you get a voicemail, leave me a message and I’ll call as soon as I can. I don’t want any parent or runner to be nervous or intimidated to contact me with questions. I am so grateful that each of you are interested in our program and hope to make things as easy as possible.
Link to NDA CC 2025 Season Schedule
Summer Running with NDA CC
We will continue to post workout guidelines on our team website every 2 weeks (usually on a Sunday). We offer 2 plans- a “Green” plan for less experienced runners and a “Blue” plan for more experienced runners.
We are moving into our 5th week of proposed training plans which means new plans will be posted for the upcoming 2 weeks. If you are just starting to train or consider running- don’t worry. You can start easier and work into higher fitness as the weeks go by. It is never a bad time to start and don’t worry about it. We would be thrilled to have new runners begin at any time.
These workouts are on the password protected part of our website to find them:
1. http://crosscountry.notredameacademy.com/
2. Open the tab: TEAM INFORMATION (it’s the last tab)
3. Enter the password: ndcc2012
4. If you have any trouble reach out to Lauri Cullen @ 920 562-7850
Our summer running groups are led by some of our more experienced leaders and they will gladly call or text anyone with questions as well. They understand some of our runners may need rides etc.
Green Plan objectives– Often young athletes can be a little intimidated by starting a distance running routine. Our highest goal is to help these young athletes get comfortable with the idea of committing to a training program that encourages 4-5 days a week of running.
I try to keep the “Green” program suggestions light enough that any athlete following it can begin getting in a higher level of fitness and gain confidence that they are more than capable of doing the recommended work. I have seen many, many incoming freshmen and other high school kids who have not run much previously grow in fitness, self-confidence and happiness by following this program. I encourage parents to consider joining their young runner for an occasional run as well. We find it fosters such positive bonds and allows it to be less monotonous.
Regardless of the program you follow- I have always found that if a young person is willing to start and embrace a couple days of discomfort- they’ll be shocked at how quickly they feel stronger. I acknowledge that kids start at different levels of fitness- they key is to start and to commit to some level of consistency.
Blue plan objectives– Each summer we start with a different level of experienced runners. This year, I’m confident that many of our “Blue” plan followers have experience and fitness to handle some higher levels of mileage and our blue plan will reflect it.
Options for summer running groups etc– We want all runners to feel welcome to join in the summer group running if it works in your schedule. Experienced team members are always willing to answer any team members questions about times for running and location or to help with anything that someone might need. Reagan Gosa and Rachel Johanski can help answer questions and our upper level boys are ready to help with anything.
The importance of summer running…
We strongly promote a summer running effort to help our young athletes prepare for our racing season that begins in late August. I fully understand every young person starts at a different place but doing the summer work helps develop fitness and increases injury prevention once the season starts.
Our leaders will work to find groups for team members to run with so no one is running alone if at all possible. In addition, our summer running program has proven to develop much deeper friendships and familiarity among our team members which is key for our newer student athletes.
Fall CC Season Official Start Date is Monday, August 18. We will provide more information as we get closer but since this is the first week of school we anticipate starting in the later afternoon.
Parent/Athlete/Coach Season Kickoff Meeting – We are considering a date/time for a season kick-off meeting. More information will be sent regarding this once we finalize details.
Please see information below regarding registration and parent volunteer requests. Thank you for your attention to these items that are very important to our team success.
Coach John Gard
Additional Newsletter Topics:
– Athlete Registration
– Team Website
– Parent Volunteer Organization and Needs
– Recent NDA CC Graduates and Parents
Athlete Registration
Please click the link here to access the Google form which must be completed in order to get set up in our team’s communication system and provide other required team-specific information. Doing so will ensure that you are receiving all necessary communication regarding summer running and the upcoming season.
Additional registration items required by the NDA Athletic Department need to be completed on the school website (link to NDA Athletic Registration page). That is where you will provide medical information, pay the school athletic fee, and upload required documentation for your runner’s most recent physical. Additional information regarding the registration process is available in the Registration section of the NDA Cross Country website which can be found here.
Note that all required registration items must be completed prior to the first official practice in August, so taking care of all items as soon as possible will make things easier for everyone as the season begins! Please be sure to complete the Google form ASAP and reach out to Amy Neveau at ilvdsny@new.rr.com or 920-217-1801 with any questions. Thank you for your help in getting this done!
Team Website
NDA CC has a website that is full of helpful information. We are in the process of updating it for the coming season, so check back frequently, and let us know if you can’t find something. We encourage you to bookmark it since it will be where you will find answers to just about any question. Link to NDA CC Website
Parent Volunteer Group
Welcome to all our new and returning families. We have many ways in which to help our teams throughout the season, on meet days and through other events. We encourage every family to find a role to assist in volunteering, whether it is at the meets or our social events. This is a great way to build our community and serve one another.
Our biggest need for the fall is help at Camp Gard. To set up Camp Gard, volunteers arrive about 1 hour before the team does at the meet site and set up our tents and get ready to help the runners. We pull a trailer to our meets with our camp set up . If anyone is interested and available for this specific job, you would pull the trailer to the meet with an arrival time of 1 – 1 ½ hours prior to the start of the meet. At the end, once we are all packed back up, you would haul the trailer either home or to our storage unit. If you have any questions about the various roles of Camp Gard and other roles during the meets, or would like to signup to help, please reach out to Michelle Nowak at 920-634-9065 or culinaryrd1@gmail.com
Look for a signup to come out in the near future for our opening social event of the year which will be a potluck brunch at Colburn Park under the tents following the time trial on August 23.
Recent NDA CC Graduates and Parents
Alumni Parents, please share this with your recent graduates. If they used an NDA email address for team communications, those have been removed from this distribution.
Congratulations on your graduation. We are sad to see you go, yet also excited for your futures. Please stay in touch with our program and know that you are ALWAYS welcome to come back and visit, go for a run with us, cheer for us at a race, and continue to feel part of our team. Once an NDA CC runner, always an NDA CC runner. After this newsletter, you will be removed from this distribution, yet please know we will always look forward to seeing you. If you would like to remain on the email distribution, please text your name to Sarah Stumpf, 920-619-7640, and we will continue to send you emails.
Alumni Parents, if you would like to remain part of the program as a volunteer, we welcome you to do so! Please contact myself (John Gard) or Michelle Nowak (cell: 920-634-9065) to make us aware of your interest. Please text your name to Sarah Stumpf, 920-619-7640, if you would like to continue receiving the team emails. Thank you!
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Coach Gard