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Junior Olympic Team

Elementary - Middle School

Our coaching philosophy is TLC: Teaching, Learning and Competing to enrich the lives and the futures of our young athletes. We believe in coaching the body, mind and spirit to build these kids into champions, whether or not they get to hold up a trophy at the end.  What matters is the process of training and competition that will positively affect the personal development of our young athletes. It is with these thoughts in mind that we try to be the best coaches, mentors, and role models for our athletes at 2ndWind.

Training in our program is set up on a few basic principles. It should be FUN. Each athlete should train at a level he/she can handle. It is based on continual growth over the next several years.

Practices are the single most important key to your development and improvement on this team. The coaches plan the workouts with the goal of improving everyone’s performance in the upcoming season. This plan works but it requires one thing from you as an athlete, 100% buy-in. If you are serious about being at your best by the Junior Olympics competition, follow the program as it is written. You will have to run 4 to 6 days a week to be ready.  If you have this kind of commitment level then your JO season will be a successful one.

 

The athletes will be subdivided into smaller groups.  The groupings are based on talent, current fitness level and the level of commitment to the program.  Athletes will move up and down groups throughout the season based on what the coaching staff feels is best appropriate to the athlete and the team as a whole.

Cross Country

JO cross country races range from 2000m to 4000m (see below per age group). Courses are typically on grassy surfaces or trails. The teams will generally walk the entire course prior to start of the race to familiarize themselves with the route and terrain.

The official first day of practice begins in mid August, the competition season starts in late September, with meets held generally every other weekend through the end of November. Practices are held generally on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays starting at 4:00 p.m. (subject to change) and Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. every 2nd week. There are no Saturday practices on weekends we have meets.

Track & Field

Our events are 800m to 3000m or relays. Therefore, we train as if you were an 800/1500 runners with a good deal of time spent on aerobic capacity (76%) & anaerobic thresholds (22%) plus weekly functional leg speed development (2%).

The official first day of practice begins in early February, the competition season starts in late March, with meets held generally every other weekend through the end of July. Practices are held generally 3-4 times per week starting at 4:00 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. There are no Saturday practices on weekends we have meets.

Junior Olympic Competitions

What is USA Track & Field?

USA Track & Field (USATF) is the national governing body of XC and T&F. Before any athlete can compete in a USATF sanctioned meet, whether as a member of the 2ndWind Athletics or not, he/she must first become a member of USATF in the Pacific Region (PAUSATF). The athlete is encouraged to apply for their USATF membership as soon as possible to ensure that they have their USATF membership card in hand before their first meet.

What are Youth Athletic and Junior Olympic meets?

Youth Athletic (also sometimes called “Youth” or “Age Group”) and Junior Olympic (or “JO”) competitions are where you compete only against athletes of your own age. Awards are given at all of these meets, with the opportunity to advance to Regional and National competition. The number of meets each athlete enters and participates in is up to the individual, although a few meets require the athlete to place so high at a previous qualifying meet before they can enter and compete. The entry procedure for each Youth meet will be explained at club practices, usually within a week or two of the meet.

 

What is Age Group track?

Age group track is just as the name implies: cross country and track & field competition based on an athlete's age in the current calendar year. During the track season kids in Groups 4-6 may compete in up to four (4) events, while kids in Groups 1-3 may compete in up to three (3) events. Combined event competitions (e.g. triathlon, pentathlon) do not count against an athlete's event limit. 

Example: A child turns 13 on February 15, 2024 and their friend turns 13 on December 15, 2024. Since they were both born in 2011, USATF considers them both to be 13 years old – and in the 13-14 age group – for the 2024 season, even though the one born in December would actually be 12 during the season and not turn 13 until after the season is over.

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