Cross Country

Cross Country is all about distance running. It's a fall sport and the season usually begins the week after Cherokee County schools start back in August. Whether you're an experienced runner or just starting out, all students ages 6-16 (including homeschoolers) are welcome to join our cross country team! No tryouts required - just bring your enthusiasm, running shoes, and some water!

What to Expect at Practices:

Our practices include a dynamic mix to support developing endurance, strength, and confidence. Elementary and Middle School students practice together, but are provided different challenges based on their age group and running level. We welcome parent volunteers to run with the athletes.

• Trail runs & distance training to build stamina.

• Form & technique drills to prevent injury and improve efficiency.

• Core & conditioning exercises to support overall fitness.

• Team-building activities to make running fun!

• Warm ups, cool downs, and stretching to keep our athletes running safely.

Practice Schedule:

Practices are held 2-3 times a week. Times and locations subject to change based on weather or facility availability.

• Tuesdays & Thursdays: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

• Saturdays OR Sundays: On non-meet weekends, we will practice either Saturday or Sunday mornings or afternoons, depending on the availability of the coaches.

*The most up-to-date practice schedule for each season can always be found in TeamSnap for registered athletes.

Competition Season:

Our runners will compete in a variety of local and regional meets throughout the season (usually between 6-8 meets). The first meet is typically early to mid-September. We will share a detailed meet calendar with registered athletes once the season begins.

Race Distance by Age Group:

The distance your child will run is based on the age they will be on December 31 of the current year.

• 8 and under: 2k (~1.24 miles)

• 9/10: 3k (~1.86 miles)

• 11/12: 3k (~1.86 miles)

• 13/14: 4k (~2.49 miles)

Summer Running:

We encourage our cross country runners to get some miles in over the summer, especially our returning athletes! While we don't hold any official practices over the summer, we do encourage our athletes to participate in the summer running challenge. Trackers are available for download below.

• Elementary runners: 100 mile suggested goal 

• Middle school runners: 200 mile suggested goal