Who can run with Northeast Striders? Is there a try-out?

Striders are a running club - we welcome children from K- 8th grade. There is not a tryout, but your child is welcome to come to a practice to see if it's a good fit before signing up. We ask that your child (with your support) focus on running while at practice. All skill levels are welcome, but all children are expected to work to be their best. 

My child is a on a school team. Can they still run with Striders? 

Many Striders run with both the club and their school team. Striders practices provide more training than most schools offer, so kids who want to take their running to the next level often choose to do both.  Some kids practice with Striders, but run meets in their school's jersey. Others take every opportunity to wear the black and gold! It is up to you and what works best for your child.

Could I run ONLY with Striders? 

 Absolutely! Some children choose to run only with the club. Bear in mind, some meets do not allow clubs to participate - so if your child does not run with their school, they can't participate in those meets. If your child is on a school team, and that school participates in a meet where the Striders are also running, your child MUST run with their school. This is a KY State rule (not our rule). However, if your child is not on the school's team, they may run with the Striders whether or not their school participates in the meet, as long as that meet allows clubs.  

I just heard about this team, but the season has already started. Can my child still join?  

We're so glad you found us, even late in the season! Talk to us about joining mid-season. It may be possible for your child to join late. We'll look at this on a case by case basis, and will work hard to include your child if possible.

What about meets? How many meets will my child attend? Do meets cost additional money? Is travel involved?

Striders love attending meets - it's a chance for payoff after all that hard work! Meet fees are included in your registration for the regular track and cross country seasons. Post-season race fees are the responsibility of the parent or guardian. During the track season, most races are in the Louisville area. In cross country season, most races are either local or within a few hours driving distance. Meet participation is optional, though we do require RSVPs for each race so we can create an accurate roster. 

When and how do I have to sign up for meets?

We use the TeamSnap app to create meet rosters. When you submit your registration paperwork for each season, we will add you to TeamSnap. Each meet will be listed on the team calendar. Use the calendar to let us know if your child will/will not attend the meet. Select 'yes' if you would like your child to participate and "no" if your child will not attend.

Please do not select maybe — we will not sign up anyone listed as a maybe. If your child is wearing their school jersey at the meet,  select 'no.' Selecting 'yes' means they will be signed up to run as a Strider. Don't worry, we will cheer no matter what jersey your child is wearing!

What is a "drop dead" date?

The "drop dead" date is the date by which you must select 'yes' in TeamSnap in order to run with the Striders. This is the date when we must submit our meet roster to the organizers. The drop dead date for each meet will be sent to all current Striders by email. Due to circumstances beyond our control, once the meet roster is created and submitted to the meet organizer, we cannot add your child to the roster. Likewise, if you select "yes" but do not attend, it will affect your teammates and potentially create a financial loss for the club. Please check your calendar and choose the correct option for your child's participation as soon as possible. 

Who decides what races my child participates in at meets?

Coach will determine the races your child will run and sign them up accordingly. If your child is interested in training for a particular type of race please discuss this with the coaching team. 

Where do the Striders practice?

During the track season, the team splits practices between a local high school track, Tom Sawyer Park, and Joe Creason Park. In cross country season, most practices take place at Tom Sawyer, except Saturdays at Joe Creason. Practice schedules are announced at the start of the season. We use the TeamSnap app to send time-sensitive updates to registered runners during the season.

That's a lot of practice days....

Your child is not required to attend every practice. We have kids that come once a week, and kids that don't miss a practice. Each family must determine what is best for their child's development. Having said that, what you put in is directly proportional to what you get out. The team offers opportunities to develop strong runners and a strong running team - it is up to you how far you would like to go.

What happens in bad weather?

We can't control weather on race days, so we practice when it's cold, hot, and when it rains. A little water never hurt anyone, right? We do not run in unsafe conditions such as storms (thunder and lightening) or when the heat index is considered too high by safety officials. We will send cancellations or delays due to weather through our TeamSnap app.

What equipment does my child need?

We recommend just a few things. First and always - be prepared and hydrate! Your child should drink water all day before practice, and bring plenty of water to practice. Second, workouts are most effective if your child has a training watch - this does not need to be a fancy Garmin...just a simple stop watch. Last but not least, your child will need a pair of good running shoes or spikes. Local shops like Ken Combs Running Store or Swags can help you find a perfect fit. 

This sounds great! How do I sign up my child? 

Welcome to the club! Head to the forms page to sign up online. Once you are signed up, we will add you to our closed Facebook group and TeamSnap app group, so we can keep you up to date on meets, cancellations, opportunities, and success stories.