Trojan Track Club
FAQs | Info for Parents
NOTIFICATIONS/ALERTS – REMIND
Important TTC information including practice cancellations/postponements/changes will be communicated through the Remind App (available for: smartphone app, text and email notifications ). PLEASE Sign up for Remind to be updated on timely information.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are practices and meets mandatory?
No. While we encourage you to participate fully, we understand schedules can be crazy and families are busy. It is not mandatory to attend every practice or meet. Some athletes take full advantage of every practice session and attend all the meets they can, while other athletes attend practices as a great way to stay in shape, learn form and increase speed for other sports. Meets are not required but are a great way to show off your hard work. We ask that those athletes who have committed to a relay, attend relay practices and meets.
What special equipment, clothing and/or shoes does my child need?
FOR PRACTICE
A good pair of running shoes, comfortable athletic clothing and plenty of water is all that’s needed.
FOR MEETS
Athletes should wear their TTC jersey and black athletic shorts for meets. More serious athletes often elect to buy running spikes for specific events but this is not required. Track meets can be long and hot during summer months. We recommend being prepared with plenty of water, healthy snacks and sunscreen.
Can I drop my child off at practice?
TTC is not a drop-off program. All athletes need a parent, or an adult who is responsible for the athlete, to be at each practice, meet, or event ( i.e. carpools): an adult needs to stay at practice or meets in case of injury, illness, etc. for all of the athletes they bring.
What is the general schedule and how long is the season?
Practice begins in mid/late-May. All practices are Mondays and Thursdays from 6:00-7:00pm and continue until the last meet. Athletes participating in specialized events such as jumps or hurdles that require specific steps, etc. may stay a bit longer after practice when coaches are available to get adequate run throughs. Coach may occasionally add event-specific practices to the schedule to accommodate as well. Meets are generally on weekends beginning in early June and continuing through the end of July. Check out the TTC Calendar for a full practice schedule and meet dates.
Where is practice held?
Practices are held at West York Area Highs School track located at 1800 Bannister St., York, PA 17404.
How do I enter meets?
Our Meets page has the full schedule of all offered meets. As individual meet details become available, we add links to the schedule that provide more details and entry information including entry deadlines. You’ll receive notification when meet entry links are posted.
To enter an upcoming meet, simply click the MEET INFO button from the Meets page (or navigate to the specific meet page in the menu) and you’ll see all of that meet’s details, regulations and list of events. From there, scroll down to begin the 2-step process.
- Submit Entry Form – to send event selections to TTC
Submit the entry form with event selections for EACH child (if entering more than one child). Form questions vary bases on how meet fees are structured. - Pay Meet Fees – online or give to Coach Shawn
If paying by credit card, you’ll be directed to complete your transaction. If paying by cash or check, give fees to Coach Shawn.
Entry deadlines are posted on the meet info page. Both your form and fees must be to TTC prior to the entry deadline or your athlete’s entry will be canceled. We recommend reviewing the individual meet details carefully as fees, offered events and regulations vary from meet to meet.
AAU requires a one-time, annual membership fee of $20 to participate in any of their sanctioned meets. That fee is not included in your TTC Membership and will be charged if you elect to participate in any AAU meets.
Who chooses what events my child enters for meets?
It is up to you and your child to determine what events they would like to compete in at meets. We recommend making the most of each meet you attend by entering as many events as allowed (per the individual meet regulations). You don’t want to travel for just one race that lasts 15 seconds (am I right, parents?) and it’s a good opportunity to try new events. TTC Coaches are happy to help guide that decision and make recommendations best suited for your child.
RELAYS
TTC Coaches identify athletes for relays events based on skill, availability and individual meet regulations. If your child is selected for a relay, Coach Shawn will provide more information at that time regarding how relays affect other events and meet entry (regulations are different for each meet).
In what age group will my athlete compete?
Each association/meet can handle age groups differently. It’s important to note that age classification is based on the athlete’s age on December 31, 2024. In other words, ask yourself, “How old will my child be on December 31, 2024?” and that is the age you use for classification. Entry details will be provided per meet guidelines, but most meets follow USATF’s age classifications.
USATF 2024 Age Groups
8 & Under: born 2016+
9-10: born 2014-2015
11-12: born 2012-2013
13-14: born 2010-2011
15-16: born 2008-2009
17-18: born 2006-2007
AAU 2024 Age Groups
8 & Under: born 2016+
9yrs: born 2015
10yrs: born 2014
11yrs: born 2013
12yrs: born 2012
13yrs: born 2011
14yrs: born 2010
15-16yrs: born 2008-2009
17-18yrs: born 2006-2007
What does “progressive” meet format mean?
You may have noticed that our meet schedule has certain meets noted with an asterisk* as a progressive meet. This means that in order compete in this meet, athletes must qualify in a prior series meet (qualification is per event). This is typically the case with the USATF and AAU Junior Olympic series meets (athletes must qualify at the first Mid-Atlantic meet to continue to the second round and in Region 2 meets for nationals). Qualifying standards require a top 5 to 16th place finish in your age group based on size/scale of the meet. Qualifying standards will be provided with each meet’s entry info.
*VISA, Mastercard, Discover, American Express are accepted. A service charge is added for all credit card payments to offset processing fees.