Youth Track & Cross-Country News
Important Notice:
In August 2023, Ann Arbor Track Club handed over the Youth Division to the YMCA of Ann Arbor. We at the AATC are very happy about this development, since, as some of you know, we have struggled over the past few years to garner the volunteer resources needed to sustain the program.
The Ann Arbor Track Club is extremely proud of the Youth Division, which was founded by the Club 46 years ago, as it furthers our core mission of serving runners of all ages and abilities, in addition to introducing running to the youth of this region in fun and inspiring ways. Under the 23-year leadership of Ron Beasley and recent leadership of Tim Harris, Wanda Brann and Lori Robinson, and with our excellent and committed coaches, the Youth Division has helped
numerous young runners achieve their goals.
The YMCA shares the AATC mission of providing opportunities for all to engage in physical activities. The YMCA intends to retain the primary structure and content of the youth division and will continue robust scholarship offerings. The Ann Arbor Track Club will coordinate with the YMCA during the transition and plans to continue its financial support of the Youth Division through contributions to the YMCA directed to Youth Division activities.
You can find information about and register for the Y's youth division programming HERE.
OUTDOOR TRACK -- SEASON START AND END DATES
The 2023 Ann Arbor Track Club (AATC) Youth Program outdoor season will start on Monday, April 10th and will end on Thursday, July 27th. Youth ages 6-18 are welcome to participate.
Please review the information below thoroughly before registering!
Practices are held Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at UM's Ferry Field in April and May. In June and July we will switch to Greenhills outdoor track.
Practice Schedule and Locations:
April 10th - June 1st 6:30 to 8:30
June 5th - July 27th 7:00 to 9:00
There will be no practice on May 29th (Memorial Day)
Also, as we all know, there is a Dead Week for all Michigan high schools. This week is the 1st week in July. During this week there will be no practice of any kind at any high school. But we will not rest. During that week we will switch practice either back to UofM or possibly Concordia.
Ferry Field: is located at 1150 S. State St. on the UofM campus. Parking is free. However, beware of flying baseballs since it is across from the baseball stadium. No bleachers, but there are restrooms available.
Greenhills School: is located at 850 Greenhills Dr, Ann Arbor MI 48105. Parking is free and there will be restrooms available.
Meets: There will be roughly 10 to 12 meets including the AAU Junior Olympic Games which will be held in Des Moines Iowa from July 29th to August 5th. Most meets will be in Michigan. Some will be in Ohio.
Fees: All athletes are encouraged to participate in as many meets as they can, but are not required to compete. Fees will cover entry fees to all scheduled meets, with the exception of the JO Games. The season cost is $600.00 for an April start and $400.00 for a June start. The late start is for middle school and high school athletes who are competing for their schools. There will not be any reimbursements for meets that a child does not participate in.
We will not be offering Basic Training, Train Only or Trial only options this year. However, as usual, athletes will be split into groups depending on what their specialty is; either short sprints, mid-distance or distance. We also have high jump, long jump, shot put and hurdles. There may be an additional group for younger athletes 6 thru 9.
For those who are unsure about participating, you are welcome to observe our practice for a short while. But athletes may not participate until they are registered.
Uniforms: Uniforms are not included in the fee. Instructions for how to order uniforms will be sent with your registration conformation. If you already have a uniform, a new one is not necessary unless the athlete needs a larger size. All new athletes are encouraged to order uniforms immediately after registering to ensure that they arrive in time for the first meet.
Financial Assistance: The Ann Arbor Track Club is committed to ensuring that any child who wishes to participate in one of our programs can do so regardless of cost. Please contact the Youth Co-Chair, Sarai Brachman Shoup (sbshoup@gmail.com) for information about financial assistance. If you are planning to request financial assistance, please do not register your children for any programs until you have heard from Sarai.
Covid: If any athlete has been exposed to or tested positive for Covid, please do not attend practice and follow current guidelines foe isolation and mask-wearing.
Coaches:
Timothy G Harris (CoachTim) (Head Coach - short sprints, long jump and relays) 313 247-2870 (timgharris@comcast.net)
Stacey Jackson (Assistant Coach - Mid-distance, high jump, hurdles) 734 678-0546 (stacey@latcha.com)
Vesna Cadikovska Maniac (Throws and strength training) 313 587-8810 (vcadik@hotmail.com)
Mike Munson (Assistant Coach - Distance) 803 609-1126 (munsonm@med.umich.edu)
Wanda Brann (Assistant Coach - 8 & under Coach) 734 276-5164 (wcd_jr@hotmail.com)
Lori Guy-Robinson (Assistant Coach - 8 & under Coach) 734 417-8776 (school4lori@aol.com)
Each coach is USOC SafeSport trained and has many years of coaching experience. We take safety concerns for your kids very seriously. To learn more about SafeSport, please visit https://uscenterforsafesport.org/
