Indoor Track and Field Session

Our Indoor Track and Field Session is open for athletes in 5th-8th grades and will run for 6 weeks (Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday) starting Monday, February 3rd and ending Thursday, March 13th. The intent of this session is to teach fundamentals, increase conditioning, and prepare athletes for the spring season with their middle school teams. The focus will be on fitness and technique rather than competition as there are limited opportunities for middle school students during the indoor season. We anticipate hosting or attending 2-3 competitions during the session, but the schedule is still developing.

To register for the winter indoor season, CLICK HERE

Price

  • $275 - New Athletes

  • $225 - Returning Athletes

  • No athlete will be denied participation due to inability to pay. Please contact Alex Soto at palatinepack@gmail.com with inquiries regarding reduced rates.

Location

  • Winston Campus Middle School (120 Babcock Dr, Palatine, IL, 60074). We have rented the Winston Campus gym so we have access to a warm meeting space, bathrooms, and sprint/field event equipment.

Practice Dates and Times

  • Practice begins Monday, February 3rd. Our last practice will be Thursday, March 13th.

  • Practices are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-6:00 for ALL event groups

  • Sprints, jumps, throws group will practice inside Mondays and Thursday and will be outside on Wednesdays

  • Distance will be outside every day. Dress accordingly for the cold weather.

  • Practice on Monday, February 17th is TBD. Weather will determine if there will be practice on this day as the school building will be closed, and we will meet outside. Parents will be notified in advance of practice plans.

Registration Includes

  • Team long sleeve

  • Team race jersey (for new athletes)

  • Stocking hat (if not already received)

  • District 15 gym rentals

  • Coaching

  • Liability insurance

  • Meet entry fees

Competition Schedule (Subject to change and will be finalized by the middle of January)

All competitions are optional and located in the Chicago metro area.

  • Sunday, February 16- Palatine Pack Youth Indoor Invite @ Rolling Meadows HS Fieldhouse (8:00 AM)

  • Sunday, March 2- March Madness Youth Indoor Invite @ Huntley HS Fieldhouse (9:00 AM)

  • Sunday, March 9 - Illinois Meet of Champions @ Chicago Gately Indoor Track (9:00 am)

Event Grouping

Parents should indicate their athlete’s event interests during registration. Precise workout schedules will be communicated each week, but in general, athletes will be grouped according to the plan below:

  • Sprint/jump/throw athletes will be inside two days per week and outside one day per week (usually Wednesdays) for general conditioning

  • Distance athletes should expect to be outside 3 days a week. They may be inside on certain days depending on outdoor temperatures.

Event Coaching this Session

  • Sprints

    • 60 meter dash

    • 100 meter dash

    • 200 meter dash

    • 400 meter dash

    • Hurdles

    • Relay exchanges

  • Distance

    • 800 meter run

    • 1500/1600 meter run

    • 3000/3200 meter run

    • Relay exchanges

  • Field Events

    • Long jump

    • High jump

  • Throws

    • Shot Put

    • Discus

Equipment

Athletes should be prepared for all weather during the winter months. Depending on the weather, we may be outside on any given day. Athletes should bring the following items to each practice in their gear bag:

  • Training shoes (Distance runners will run anywhere from 2 or 3 miles for beginners to 4-7 miles for advanced runners so a good pair of training shoes is essential. Please speak to the coaches if you need guidance on proper footwear.)

  • Running pants/shorts

  • Gloves/hats

  • Long sleeve/sweatshirt (wear layers on colder days, starting with lighter layers and moving to heavier layers on top)

  • Running tights/warm sweat pants

  • Water bottle

Safety

Practices conducted outside often end in the twilight or darkness. For distance runners especially, we recommend a reflective vest and/or a head lamp/body light. We will issue 60-70 head lamps before runs, but do not have enough for each athlete.

Runner safety on the roads is ensured by coaches and athletes following these basic protocols:

  • Athletes cross streets only at stop lights, stop signs, or cross walks

  • Athletes wait for a coach to cross streets

  • Athletes and coaches wear reflective gear and head lamps/body lights to increase visibility to cars

  • Athletes run in groups to avoid getting lost and to increase visibility to cars

Communication

Any practice changes or cancelations will be communicated through e-mail, GroupMe, Twitter, and Instagram. The primary mode for communication between coaches, athletes, and parents is our GroupMe. We will enroll all new parents at the beginning of the session.

Our Mission

We offer track and field training and racing for any 5th-8th grader. While we are a club by definition, we do not operate as a traditional club. We welcome kids of all abilities in hopes of fostering a love for track and field. Our goals are to build community, teach the fundamentals of the sport, and have fun while doing it. Every member of our club gets an equal opportunity to improve and compete. 

Our training is tailored to the needs of the individual. We teach basic fitness activities and the fundamentals of track and field to our newest runners while also providing elite training programs for our more experienced athletes. All athletes will be challenged to get better each day while having fun through gameplay and teamwork.