My buddy needs help coaching his 2nd grade daughter's track team. He's got no clue on what to do for sprints and long jump.

These youngin's bodies are already teeming with natural growth hormones and steroids, so a little extra gear isn't going to have nearly the side effects it does on adult users, FWIW.

It is all about the genetics...just make it fun for the kids.

This is way too young to expect any sort of training program to have an impact. You really just have to make it fun for the kids and not worry about whether anything is effective. They do a kids run club at my kids' school for k-5. The biggest issue to be aware of is that little kids are terrible at waiting their turn to do things. Whenever kids line up to take turns doing a drill or sprint, that is when the coach loses them. They all start goofing around and get silly. So, whatever you do, make sure every kid is moving or does not have to wait very long to get involved.

The kids seem to like relays and obstacle courses a lot. The obstacle courses are just things like running in and out of cones, hopping on one foot or like a frog, jumping over short hurdles, etc., Indian runs, and so on.

Sharks and Minnows for 2 hours a day.

2nd Grade track?!? 2/10

No way anyone is stupid enough to put their 2nd grader on a track team.

This is a joke right? Was this first posted on 4/1??

It's not a joke. They have like a few meets or one meet. I think the local Y does it as when I was in HS i coached a middle school team that was the same idea.

Have them play tag and chase each other. Staggered starts so that one group can chase the other. Whatever gets them tired so they are moving and enjoying themselves. Fun is all that matters at that age.

In the long jump, my coach recommends your age plus three steps. So let's say if you're 8 you take 11 steps for the run-up.

Mikeh33 wrote:

Have them play tag and chase each other. Staggered starts so that one group can chase the other. Whatever gets them tired so they are moving and enjoying themselves. Fun is all that matters at that age.

Watch the Marine drill instructor in Full Metal Jacket opening scenes (R. Lee Ermey), and put the fear of death in the little bastards. Pushups and burpees, wind sprints till they puke.

hello123Iloverun wrote:

In the long jump, my coach recommends your age plus three steps. So let's say if you're 8 you take 11 steps for the run-up.

Sounds reasonable. We let them find their own way and only correct or refine if they want to start way to close or at the end of the runway. To get them jumping further, just give them something they "have" to jump over...caution tape, a piece of foam pipe insulation, something like that.

I’ve been coaching youth sports (many of them including track) for a couple decades now. My best advice would be focus on 3 main things. 1) form - it’s doesnt matter what sport it is technique is crucial. Don’t re-invent the wheel, just let them run naturally and then try to help with little things like upper body form and arm swing. Until they build core strength you can’t help their stride too much. 2) safety - remember it in every drill and activity you do. Kids that young always find new ways to hurt themselves or someone else on accident. Be watchful. 3) fun - every practice has to have some sort of fun, and some practices should be all fun. Fun brings them back. They will have plenty of years to be serious later.

Good luck.

I coach elementary school track and was a D1 miler myself. I think one of the most important things at this age is to not run them very much, and when you do short quick sprints in an Indian file is fun, but the pace should be slow. There’s no reason to work on stamina .

Of high importance in my practices too is rhythm. I have them do step ups but all in rhythm with clapping. Dance type steps in rhythms and Things like that are entertaining, and really start to work on form and coordination, which I think are the fundamentals of running. Sprint and distance workouts are less fundamental than coordination and rhythm. Rhythm and form are harder to teach the older they get and it’s usually not taught at all or very little.

They will get the most out of their potential in the long run with efficiency of stride and rhythmic pacing. Also, they look prettier than the other elementary school kids whose heads are tilted, arm are chicken-winged, and stride is erratic. Those inefficiencies don’t smooth out spontaneously as they grow. Many times with rapid growth they just get worse. The talented young kids often aren’t as good in middle school or high school if they use their natural form instead of a purposeful one.

You can work on some coordination drills but you have to attempt to make everything you do with them fun. Kids that age are not developed enough to handle regular training.

I am a summer track coach and I train kids starting at age 5-18. If you have a email address I can send you some workouts.

that's not true I started running summer track at age 8 until 18 and then ran track at university of Houston- its not impossible, you will be amazed at what kids can do at that age. the best time to teach them how to run properly is while they are young. the older the harder because they are use to running a certain way which could be improper way of running.

At that age just keep everything fun, keep everyone engaged, and teach basic coordination as much as possible. I haven't coached a youth team but have done a weeklong youth summer camp. Some ideas:

- Kids love mini hurdles. We practice using our arms when jumping and landing correctly with those.

- Visual cues are great for jumps. We put cones on the edge of the pit to mark the best jump. You could have kids write their names on tape and move them around.

- Tag and obstacle courses are good ways to build fitness.

- Building coordination is great. You can use agility ladders (just keep the patterns super simple), have them skip, do simplified sprint drills with clapping (modified A skip w/ claps is fun - just try to have them clap with their foot hits around to build body awareness).

Good luck!