MDRA Community Giving Grant 2018

Members of the Twin Cities Track club pose for a photo. The league begins Aug. 13 and runs through Oct. 4, 2020. Submitted photo

Twin Cities Track Club - Kids City Cross Country League

BY KELLY BOLER

The Twin Cities Track Club (TCTC) is excited to move into our fourth year of the youth cross country league in Minneapolis and St Paul in 2018. The league runs from August 13 through October 4 and is open to boys and girls entering grades three through eight in the fall of 2018. Given the rather large age range, practices and meets will often be split into smaller groups based on age and/or ability.

There are six team locations this year including: Como Park, Highland Park, Linden Hills, Theodore Wirth, St Louis Park and West Metro (Minnetonka). Each program will meet Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 to 7 p.m.; West Metro location will meet Mondays and Wednesdays; these days and times may vary based on the availability of the coaches. The season will include an All-Twin Cities championship meet in St Paul at Como Park on Tuesday, October 2. Distances for the meet are 1K, 2K and 3K.

Our coaches have said of the league, “it’s a unique opportunity to introduce young athletes to a sport they likely have had no exposure to. Most schools in the Twin Cities metro do not begin to offer cross country until high school, leaving a huge population of athletes unexposed to the sport until 14 or 15. The Kids Cross Country League introduces children in third through eighth grade to cross country and is growing the next generation of distance runners for our local community. I can recall countless times that both parents and athletes have praised our program for the introduction to the sport. Cross country is a beautiful mixture of individual development and team camaraderie that welcomes athletes of all ability levels. As a coach, I take great pride in helping grow interest in the sport, as well as build confidence and fitness in young athletes.”

Past participants also praise the program. One female runner recalled, “I ran in five seasons of the TCTC cross country league and had no prior running experience. The practices were fun, laid-back, educational and the coaches were all really amazing. I learned about running, stamina and good sportsmanship. After running in this league, I plan to continue running in high school and in the future as a hobby.”

The league has a $50 registration fee that provides each participant with a tshirt, eight weeks of instruction from our coaches and free participation in the city meets. Thanks to the Minnesota Distance Running Association Community Giving Grant, 10 need based scholarships are available to those who cannot afford the registration fee.

Each participant will also become a TCTC member and will therefore be covered under the club’s insurance. In addition, TCTC will provide background checks for all program directors, coaches and volunteers to ensure the safety and well-being of the children.

Registration link: https://twincitiestrackclub.enmotive.com/events/register/2018-kidscity-cross-league.