Bryant Bandits
Track Club LLC
Track Club LLC
USATF club # 36-9626
The Bryant Bandits are a competitive running club led by experienced coach Matt Koenigs. Whether you're a youth athlete or an adult runner, the Bandits offer year-round guidance to help you develop as a runner.
Our club provides individualized training and support to help runners achieve their personal goals.
Practices: Held twice a week during most of the year, with extra sessions in the summer for additional group training opportunities.
Commitment: This is a structured program, not a drop-in club. While attending every practice isn’t mandatory, regular communication with Coach Koenigs about your overall training plan is essential. Guidance for solo training is provided via conversations, texts (with parents), or emails (with parents).
Joining the Bryant Bandits is simple and open to everyone!
USATF Membership: Register for a USATF individual membership and affiliate with the club (USATF Club #36-9626).
Membership Fee: Structured membership tiers are offered to accommodate varying levels of commitment and support for our athletes.
Requirements:
Be able to jog for at least 10 minutes.
Practices involve running in the woods, so safety and staying in groups are priorities.
Complete the club liability waiver
Complete the Tree Farm Liability Waiver and put it in the box at a trailhead
Coach Matt Koenigs brings over 20 years of coaching experience across all levels, from youth to post-collegiate athletes. Highlights of his career include:
College Success:
Coached teams to 5 NWAC Cross Country Championships.
Named NWAC Coach of the Year six times.
Restarted the track program at Everett Community College, led Trinity Lutheran College’s teams to national top-10 finishes, and helped launch the Edmonds College Track & XC programs.
USATF Certified Coach - career accomplishments pathway
High School and Middle School Experience:
Coached multiple levels and earned recognition as PTSA Outstanding Educator in 2019.
Competitive Achievements:
Former 4A District Champion in cross country and track.
6-time USAT All-American triathlete with podium finishes at world championships.
Coach Koenigs combines his experience as a competitive runner and multi-sport athlete with his passion for teaching to create a supportive and effective training environment.
The Bryant Bandits’ training program follows the Lydiard system, emphasizing:
Aerobic Base Building: Gradual mileage increases and conversational pacing for long-term development.
Periodization: Training is structured into phases for peak performance.
Running Drills: Inspired by top swimming and running coaches, drills are incorporated into training to improve running economy and prevent injuries.
For young runners, the focus is on safe and gradual progress, with most running done at an easy pace to build a strong foundation. Group training sessions are social in nature, as runners run together at a conversational pace with the team focused on skill development rather than on high intensity training.
Team Practice Calendar
Summer Schedule ends August 31 and the fall schedule begins September 1.
Fall Schedule (September & October): we will offer a 4:00 PM group run on Fridays (except Sept 6, which will be at 3:20 PM) for elite squad runners - this run will typically go around 4 miles and the time for this run will change after Daylight Savings to 3:20 PM. To run with the elite squad group, coach Koenigs must have determined you are ready for a run of this distance. For at least the month of September this run will meet at the Centennial Trail (Bryant trailhead) across from the Bryant Store, but watch for the location to return to the Pilchuck Tree Farm later in the fall.
Fall (Sept/Oct) Membership tiers: we will offer only two tiers, basic and advanced during September and October. For the basic membership, you can attend as many Friday group runs as you like. For the advanced tier, coach Koenigs will design your training - this is not approprite for high school athletes, but can work with middle school programs (each situation is different). If you are a high school athlete, your high school coach will write your training during this time but if you were advanced tier over the summer than your summer fees come with an open line of communication througout the fall with coach Koenigs so long as the golden rule is understood (that your HS coach knows what they're doing and that coach Koenigs isn't to be used to find a different opinion but rather as a consultant when this has been endorsed in advance by your HS coach). All advanced tier training will continue for middle school athletes without interruption unless you elect to pause your membership during the middle school season.
Youth Elite Squad: For runners who can run at least 3 miles without stopping averaging 10:00 minutes/mile. Year round Saturdays* at 10:00 am but not in September and October during the fall schedule.
Saturday practices at the Pilchuck Tree Farm Equestrian Lot (6700 272nd St NE, Arlington 98223)
Tryout or documented performance (ex: on athletic.net) required to join elite squad.
May also participate in Youth Developmental Squad group runs, but must stay with the group
Practices last about 1 hour.
NO MONDAY practices from 4/14, beginning again June 9 to accomodate MS track schedules
Winter (Nov 1-Jan 31): Fridays/Mondays @ 3:20 pm.
Youth/ Developmental Squad: Year round Saturdays* at 10:00 am but not in September and October during the fall schedule.
Saturday practices at the Pilchuck Tree Farm Equestrian Lot (6700 272nd St NE, Arlington 98223)
No tryout necessary. Geared toward newer and younger runners.
We take frequent breaks and work skills and coordination.
Runners are often developed from this group to the Youth Elite Squad.
Practices last about 45 minutes
Elite squad runners often help out with this group too.
Volunteer Assistant Coaches: with current USATF membership, background check and current Safe Sport training adults may run with the youth teams to provide extra supervision and support.
*XC season: to prevent potential conflict with your HS and MS programs, and so that you can focus on performing for your school, the club will take a break in September and October from most group training sessions, the exception being our regular Friday group runs which will continue year round.
Location: all practices unless otherwise noted are held at the Pilchuck Tree Farm, meeting at the equestrian lot located at 6700 272nd St., Arlington WA 98223. Be sure to park only in designated car parking - do not park in the horse trailer parking spaces.
We are committed to supporting the competitive seasons of both high school and middle school athletes. Our training sessions are thoughtfully designed to foster a welcoming social environment focused on skill development, complementing rather than conflicting with your school programs. More than just a team, we are a diverse community of runners from across the area, with athletes joining us from Bellingham to Edmonds. We seek runners who enjoy exploring the woods, forging new friendships, and being part of a larger running community. Pride in sportsmanship, maintaining a healthy life balance, and nurturing friendships are core values of our club. Running is about more than speed—it's about community, connection, and embracing a healthy, balanced lifestyle both physically and mentally.
We respect the commitments of school teams, and our activities will always take a backseat to any school obligations. If there’s ever a scheduling conflict between our club sessions and your school sports, please prioritize your school commitments. During the competitive season, athletes are encouraged to focus solely on their school teams and refrain from competing with our club.
Coach Koenigs is committed to nurturing local running talent and collaborating with community running programs. Our club philosophy is rooted in partnership with local schools and teams to enhance the running experience for everyone. We look forward to supporting your journey in running!
Contact Us
Email bryantbandits@gmail.com for more information about joining the Bryant Bandits Running Club. Let’s hit the trails together!
Congratulations to the Bryant Bandits who rocked it at 2025 Nike Indoor Nationals in NYC in March!
Kjirsten Ludeman - 11th FR 1500 (4:56.28) & 7th FR mile (5:12.81)
Ellie Oakes - 18th MS 1500 (5:02.84) & 18th MS mile (5:23.75)
Brooklyn Koenigs - 40th MS 1500 (5:19.83) & 38th MS mile (5:40.47)
Chase Koenigs - 21st FR 1500 (4:18.81) & 20th FR mile (4:35.64)
Congratulations to the Bryant Bandits who competed at the 2024 Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene!
Zakhai Williams - 22nd 400m (55.88)
Chase Koenigs - 18th mile (4:43.68), 19th 1500m (4:25.57), 46th 800m (2:12.22)
Kjirsten Ludeman - 19th 800m (2:25.73)
Brooklyn Koenigs - 81st 1500m (5:27.31), 85th mile (5:48.74), 64th 800m (2:39.53)
Ellie Oakes - 44th 1500m (5:12.57), 43rd mile (5:32.57), 59th 800m (2:35.01)
Club Records & Competition Schedule: Please use athletic.net for our club performances and competition schedule.
Competition is completely optional, our meet schedule is simply an opportunity for you to race and test your fitness - or perhaps to qualify for post-season events (like Nike and JO nationals).
Tree Farm Waiver: please print and fill out a Pilchuck Tree Farm liability release and drop it in the box at the trailhead.