Cross Country
Season Overview
Cross Country runs from September through October, with practices held at Deep Meadow Park in Horsham, PA. Practices are one hour long and designed to keep athletes moving, learning, and having fun.
SJR competes within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia CYO Cross Country program.
Age Divisions
Sub-Novice
Birth year 2017 and later.
A parent or guardian (not just an older sibling) of a Sub-Novice athlete must be present for all practices and meets and be ready to assist the coach for any needs which may arise with their child.
“May my Pre-K or Kindergarten age child participate?” Please see the FAQ section for details.
Varsity
Novice: Birth Year 2015 - 2016
Minor: Birth Year 2013 - 2014
Cadet: Birth Year 2011 - 2012 and on or after September 1, 2010 (up to 8th grade).
What We Do
CYO Track is offers athletes opportunities to participate in on-track running events and field events at age-appropriate levels. For a breakdown of what events are offered at which age level, see the table below. While athletes may run in events with others who are older or younger than they are, they are only timed/scored within their own age and gender division.
| Event | Bantams | Varsity |
|---|---|---|
| Track Events | ||
| 100m | ✔ | ✔ |
| 200m | ✔ | ✔ |
| 400m | ✔ | ✔ |
| 800m | ✔ | ✔ |
| 1600m | ✔ | ✔ |
| 4x100m Relay | ✔ | ✔ |
| 4x200m Relay | ✔ | |
| 4x400m Relay | ✔ | |
| 4x800m Relay | ✔ | |
| Distance Medley Relay (DMR) | ✔ | |
| Event | Bantams | Varsity |
| Field Events | ||
| Long Jump | ✔ | ✔ |
| High Jump | ✔ | |
| Shot Put | ✔ | |
| Triple Jump | ✔* | |
| *Cadets only | ||
Practices and Meets
Practices
Practices are generally held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6-7pm at Unami Middle School, Chalfont, PA. Athletes should arrive 10 minutes before the start of practice. The full schedule of practices and meets is maintained within TeamSnap. A link to join the TeamSnap app will be sent to registered athletes at the beginning of the season.
Practices focus on conditioning, technique, and event‑specific training. Parents with knowledge of Track & Field are encouraged to help out at practices, especially with the Bantam athletes.
Athletes should have proper running sneakers (for more information, see the FAQ section) and wear layers of athletic clothing to adapt to changes in temperature. Athletes should bring a large water bottle (sports drinks are not recommended for young athletes when the duration of intense physical activity is less than one hour, as is the case with CYO Track).
Practices conclude with a brief team meeting and a prayer.
Meets
The Green Region in which SJR participates conducts 5 practice meets on weekends starting in late March and running through early May. Teams compete either on Saturday morning or Sunday afternoon. If an athlete has a conflict on the assigned Practice Meet day, they can attend any other AOP Track Practice Meet on the alternate weekend day. Talk to your coach ahead of time if interested in this option. The Championship Meet Series consists of a single Bantam Championship meet along with Varsity Regional, Area, and Archdiocese Championship meets. Athletes qualify based on performance to advance to the Area and Archdiocese Championship meets.
Parents are expected to volunteer at meets. Volunteer positions include athlete check-in at the paddock (staging) areas, lane timers at the finish line, and pit volunteers at Long Jump, High Jump, and Shot Put. A SignUpGenius will be sent out before the season for parents to choose the meets and jobs at which they can volunteer. No experience is necessary - on-the-job training is provided!
Athletes will be issued an SJR running singlet to wear at the meets. They can wear any athletic shorts they wish, and black running shorts are available from the coach if needed. Athletes should wear their running sneakers for all events. Varsity athletes may consider racing spikes, but they are absolutely not required. For more information on running shoes, see the FAQ section.
2026 SJR CYO Track & Field Meet Schedule
| Meet | Date & Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Practice Meets | ||
|
Practice Meet #1 (Varsity Athletes Only) |
Sunday, March 22, 2026 1:00pm |
Unami Middle School Chalfont, PA |
| Practice Meet #2 |
Sunday, March 29, 2026 1:00pm |
Unami Middle School Chalfont, PA |
| Practice Meet #3 |
Sunday, April 12, 2026 1:00pm |
Unami Middle School Chalfont, PA |
| Practice Meet #4 |
Saturday, April 18, 2026 10:00am |
La Salle High School Wyndmoor, PA |
| Practice Meet #5 | Saturday, April 25, 2026 |
La Salle High School Wyndmoor, PA |
| Championship Meets | ||
|
Green Region Championship (Varsity Athletes Only) |
Sunday, May 3, 2026 |
Hatboro Horsham High School Horsham, PA |
|
Bantam Championship (Bantam Athletes Only) |
Saturday, May 9, 2026 |
Unami Middle School Chalfont, PA |
|
Area III Championship (Qualifiers Only) |
Saturday, May 16, 2026 |
Cardinal O’Hara High School Springfield (Delaware County), PA |
|
Archdiocese Championship (Qualifiers Only) |
Saturday, May 30, 2026 |
University of Pennsylvania Franklin Field Philadelphia, PA |