Join the Pack - 2026 Cross Country
Come and run with the Wolves! Registration for our 2026 cross country season opens on Friday, June 26. We have two different programs for youth in kindergarten through 8th grade. Check out more about our programs below. Links for registration will go up on the 26th on our website:
ELEMENTARY PROGRAM
- Grades Kindergarten–6th
- 6-week season
- 15 teams at school or parks in Draper & Sandy
- Game-based workouts + fun lessons on endurance and XC basics
- Kids build up to their racing distance (1k, 2k, or 3k)
- 2 practices per week, right after school
- Chip-timed meets on Sep 25 & Oct 9
COMPETITION TEAM
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Grades 3rd–8th
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16-week season focused on racing strategies, mental toughness & goal setting
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Athletes build up to their racing distance (2k, 3k, or 4k)
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Fun team environment
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Opportunities to compete at state & national meets
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5-8 chip-timed meets + 3 Wolfpack-only 1-mile races
- Best for athletes who can run 2 miles without stopping
Why kids should run cross Country
- Builds confidence & mental toughness
- Boosts sleep & mood with feel-good endorphins
- Builds endurance for other sports like soccer, lacrosse, football, and hockey
- Encourages teamwork & friendships
In our Elementary Program, we strive to help kids discover a joy for running, racing, and being part of a team. We use games and drills that help build strength, endurance, and confidence. They learn a bit about running form through fun activities like running with a potato chip in each hand. They also learn about different running speeds and when to use them in races.
And our program doesn't make kids run for miles and miles and miles and miles. We use a variety of games to encourage them to run and eventually be able to run their race distance without stopping to walk.
On our Competition Team, we take things a few steps further with trainings 3x per week with a focus on building up to racing distances and peaking at specific times throughout the season. Our training program has been curated by former professional runners to help foster a love for running and being part of a team. While each race only has one winner, we focus much more on individual improvement and supporting each other.
An athlete should be able to run 2 miles without stopping to really thrive on our competition XC team.
On our comp team, athletes work towards competing at USATF Utah State Championship Meet with goals to qualify for USATF Jr Olympic XC Nationals. In 2026, Nationals will be in Lafayette, Louisiana on Dec 12. We usually have about 30-40 athletes who make the trip to Nationals every year.
Can my athletes run cross country if they also do another sport like comp soccer, lacrosse, football, volleyball, etc?
It depends on your schedule, but normally, yes! A lot of our comp team athletes split their time between cross country and another sport. About 1/3 of our comp team plays soccer and a bunch more play lacrosse. We just make sure they have realistic expectations when it comes to growth.
We have many multisport athletes who do extremely well in our program.
Got any questions?
For questions about our Elementary Program or if you're interested in becoming a coach, reach out to Grace at elementary@wolfpackrunning.org.
For questions about our Competition Team or if you're interested in becoming a coach, reach out to Rachel at admin@wolfpackrunning.org