Cross Country Youth Team

About Atlanta Track Club Cross Country Youth Team
Atlanta Track Club Cross Country Youth Team is open to kids in grades 4-8 of all ability and experience levels. Our Cross Country Youth Team members develop the endurance, strength, and speed needed to succeed in cross country and most other sports. Learning how to run with proper form, stretch correctly, set goals, and overcome the physical and mental hills and valleys of running are a few of the healthy habits that will support team members physically and mentally throughout life.

Parent/Guardian Zoom Meeting

Learn more about the postseason cross country from the program's coaches and administrators on Sunday, October 6 from 6p.m.- 7 p.m. via this Zoom Link.

Practice Information
Atlanta Track Club Cross Country Youth Team members can practice at one or both of the locations below during the 2024 season.

Practice Location Days Time Address
Brook Run Park Mondays & Wednesdays 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. 4770 N Peachtree Rd, Dunwoody, GA 30338
Piedmont Park Tuesdays & Thursdays 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. 1320 Monroe Dr. NE, Atlanta, GA 30306

Full Season & Postseason
Atlanta Track Club's Cross Country Youth Team offers two options for participants:

  • Full Season: August 12 - December 14

  • Postseason: October 7 - December 14

Runners may join the team for the full season, which is intended for participants that generally do not have access to school-based cross country programs or their school programs are limited in scope. Competitions in August, September and early October include exhibition meets throughout the Atlanta area. October and November competitions include USATF club meets and championship meets near and outside the Atlanta area including the USATF Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships. The Georgia Middle School State Championships, hosted in mid-October, are a part of the regular and postseason schedules.

The postseason only option is intended for runners that have a school-based team on which they can compete through the middle of October after which they would join our team. "Postseason" competitions include USATF club meets and championship meets near and outside the Atlanta area, including USATF Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships. The Georgia Middle School State Championships, hosted in mid-October, are a part of the regular and postseason schedules.

Both options are open to athletes of all abilities and experience levels. All participants must be current USATF Youth members. The USATF Youth Membership fee is $30, separate from the team's registration fee. To purchase a USATF Youth membership click here.

Registration prices:
We never want money to prevent kids from participating, so we offer need-based scholarships. For more information about need-based scholarships contact youthteam@atlantatrackclub.org.

Season Member Price* Non-Member Price
Full Season $313.20 $360
Post-season $147.90 $170

*The child must be a member at the time of registration, not just the parent

Registration Includes:

  • Team Uniform

  • T-shirt

  • Meet entries

  • End-of-season party

Parent's Information Guide

To learn more about what to expect during the cross country season and how to prepare for practice and competitions, please review the team parent's guide click here

Team Code of Conduct
Each team member as well as one of their parents/guardians must sign and submit the code of conduct form to the team's coach click here

2024 Cross Country Full Season Schedule


Atlanta's Finest 5K and Road Mile

August 17

Starr's Mill Panther Invite - Fayetteville, GA

August 31

USATF Developmental Meet hosted by Alpha Crush - Milton, Georgia

September 7

Wingfoot XC Classic - Cartersville, Georgia

September 21

USATF Developmental Meet hosted by Etowah Youth - Canton, GA

October 5

Middle School State Championships - Bleckley, GA

October 12

Georgia Cross Country Preview-Acworth, GA

November 2

USATF Developmental Meet hosted by Peachtree City Flash - Fayetteville, GA

November 9

USATF GA Association Championships - Carrollton, GA

November 16

USATF Region 4 Junior Olympic Championships - Rock Hill, SC

November 23

USATF XC National Junior Olympic Championships - Shelbyville, IN

December 14

Stephen Jayaraj

Coach Jayaraj comes to the Atlanta Track Club from Holy Innocents' Episcopal, where he was the Director of Track and Field and Cross Country for the past 13 years. His teams have won two State Championships (Girls XC) and (Boys TF) as well as eight Region Championships in TF and XC. His student-athletes have broken countless distance records previously held at HIES. He has instilled in all his student-athletes a love and passion for running. In his prime, Coach Jayaraj ran 31:19 for 10,000 meters, a 4:18 road Mile along with personal bests of 1:10:28 and 2:26:52 for the half and full marathon, respectively.

Will Henderson

Coach Will ran for Appalachian State University as a member of both their cross country and track & field teams, specializing primarily in middle-distance events. After a decade of competitive training experience, Coach Will began his coaching journey in the Fall of 2023 with the Atlanta Track Club. He aims to not only instill a competitive spirit in his athletes, but also a passion for running that lasts lifelong. Coach Will also ran 4:14 in high school, which is still the school record at Parkview High School in Lilburn, GA.

Hannah Wilde

Hannah Wilde grew up in Georgia and ran on the high school cross country team at McIntosh in Peachtree City. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2021 where she mostly ran for leisure in between classes. In the years since graduating, she rediscovered her love and passion for running distance on a competitive level. She just completed her first marathon and is planning on doing many more! When she's not training, she enjoys spending time with her husband, friends, and family!

2024 Cross Country Post Season Only Schedule

Middle School Championships - Bleckley, GA

October 12

Georgia Cross Country Preview-Acworth, GA

November 2

USATF Developmental Meet hosted by Peachtree City Flash - Fayetteville, GA

November 9

USATF GA Association Championship - Carrollton, GA

November 16

USATF Region 4 Junior Olympic Championships-Rock Hill, SC

November 23

USATF XC Junior Olympic Championships - Shelbyville, IN

December 12