NMAA Guidelines for Participation: Cross Country


2020-2021 Cross Country Guidelines

The modifications outlined in this document are meant to decrease potential exposure to respiratory droplets by encouraging social distancing, limiting participation in administrative tasks to essential personnel, and allowing for appropriate protective equipment.

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Return to Competition Event Guidelines

  • Cross Country meets are limited to 100 people per event. This includes athletes, coaches, and event workers.

  •  In accordance with Governor's orders, spectators shall not be permitted.

  •  Per the Governor's orders, masks must be worn by everyone in attendance. Athletes participating must wear a mask during the competition. Waivers shall not be accepted. Masks cannot be removed during competition or thrown on the course at any time.

  • Restrooms must be provided and sanitized after each use. If you are the host of the meet, you are responsible for providing workers to consistently sanitize the restrooms.

  • Team camps are eliminated at competitions. All teams must remain in their buses or cars until it is time to warm up and get ready for their races. Following each race, teams must immediately cool down and retreat back to their buses or vehicles.

  •  Teams are allowed to show up at the starting line no sooner than 15 minutes prior to the start of the race. There should be no congregating at the starting line before the 15-minute mark.

  •  Starting lines must provide six feet of spacing between teams to allow for proper social distancing at the start of the race.

  • The course must be a minimum of six feet wide throughout the entire length of the course.

  • There should be no finish line chute at the end of the race to prevent gathering at the finish line. Once a runner is finished competing he/she must exit the finish line area immediately.

  •  No awards ceremonies should take place at the conclusion of each race, in order to prevent a mass gathering.

  • Each athlete will have to be responsible for his/her own water during the cross country meet. No shared water bottles will be allowed. Coaches may wait at the finish line and provide their own athletes with their own water bottles at the finish line.

  •  If you choose to host a staggered start time meet, make sure all teams know there will not be an awards ceremony at the conclusion of the day, but that you will communicate results to all coaches at the conclusion of the races. Staggered start times are required to limit the number of participants at the start line.

  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and exercise equipment.

Questions and Answers

How many teams can compete at a single Cross Country Meet?
Each team typically enters seven (7) runners per race. If you are hosting a meet and invite five (5) varsity teams, that would be an estimate of 35 female competitors and 35 male competitors. The total would be 70 competitors, which would then allow for you to factor in the coaches for each team and then your workers. No spectators would be allowed at the competition, as to not exceed the 100-person event limit.

Can we host a Cross Country meet with JV and C-team races?
Yes, but you may only be able to host a dual meet, so as to not exceed the 100-person event limit.

 Can I split my Varsity, JV, and C-teams up and only have a Varsity team compete at one race and have my JV and C-teams compete at a JV and C-Team competition earlier in the week? 
Yes, as long as your athletes do not exceed the seven (7) meet limitation for the 2020-2021 season.

Can I host a cross country meet throughout the course of an entire day, allowing more teams to compete and provide results at the conclusion of the meet at the end of the day?
Yes, you may stagger teams' start times throughout the day. You are still only allowed to have 100 people at the event at one time. This means if you plan on having staggered start times, you need to allow for enough time between races for teams to clear before the next set of teams come in to compete on the course.

Can we host multiple meets at the same host site on the same day?
 Yes, if you want to host a cross country meet in the morning at your meet site, and then host another meet at the same site for new teams to compete in the afternoon, you may do so as long as the guidelines are followed for all meets taking place during the day


Can we host virtual cross country meets?
Yes, you may organize and host a virtual meet. It is up to you to make sure you get the information out to all participating schools. Each coach participating will be responsible for following these guidelines at each race location.

Can girls and boys run together in a race?
Yes, for regular season meets only. If a school decided to host a meet and allow the boys and girls of the same school to run in the same race, they may do so. This will help teams get in and out of the facility more quickly if you choose to host a staggered meet and provide race results at the end of the day.

Season Dates
Practice Start Date: February 22, 2021
First Competition Date: February 27, 2021
Season End Date: March 27, 2021