Our Mission
To expose youth to the exciting sport of track and field and foundations of speed, strength, and endurance, and to develop Champions on the track, in the classroom, and community.
Answers To Frequently Asked Questions
COVID-19 (Important)
Adhering to the COVID protocols below is a condition of club membership.
Our COVID Risk reduction protocols include:
- Face masks are required for athletes, coaches, and parents at track practice, club events, track competitions.
- Social distancing 6-10 feet when possible.
- Face mask use while on the sidelines or not actively participating.
- Hand hygiene
- No sharing of water bottles or equipment.
- Athletes warm up in large circles or next to assigned cones spaced 6-10 feet apart.
- Virtual practices via Zoom when needed.
PRACTICE & LOCATIONS
Our practice times are by training age group
Saturday – McDonough H.S., GA
- 8 – 12 (11:30 AM – 1:30 PM)
- 13 – 18 ( 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM)
Sunday – Hills @ Stone Mtn Park, GA
- 8 – 12 (12:00 PM – 1:30 PM)
- 13 – 18 (2:00 – 4:00 PM)
Tuesday – McDonough H.S., GA
- 8 – 12 (5:30 AM – 7:45 PM)
- 13 – 18 ( 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM)
Wednesday – Zoom (8U-12)
- 8U – 12 (7:00 PM – 8:15 PM)
Thursday – Hills, Core Work, & Vertimax, Conyers
- 13 – 18 ( 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM)
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WHAT SHOULD MY CHAMPION WEAR/BRING TO PRACTICE?
Summer months -
- shorts
- shirt
- running tights (if it's not too hot)
- good pair of running shoes
- running spikes
- 2 water bottles
- a great attitude
Spring months -
- shorts
- shirt
- warmups
- running tights (if it's not too hot)
- good pair of running shoes
- running spikes
- 2 water bottles
- a great attitude
Winter months -
- shorts
- shirt
- warmups top/pants
- wool hat
- gloves
- running tights
- good pair of running shoes
- 2 water bottles
- a great attitude
2022 Season Meet Schedules
Winter Track / Indoor Season
-
- Sun, Dec 5, 2021, 7 AM – SEAAU Invit, Birmingham Crossplex, AL
- Sat, Dec 18 Galleria Games, Birmingham, Crossplex, AL
- Fri, Dec 31, Alumni Age Group Speed Invitational (Youth), Birmingham Crossplex, AL
Spring Track Season
-
- Sat, Feb 26, 7 AM – Tracklab Time Trial (Atlanta Metro Area)
- Sat, Mar 12, 7 AM – Tracklab Meet (Atlanta Metro Area)
- Sat, Mar 26, 7 AM – Tracklab Meet (Atlanta Metro Area)
- Sat, Apr 9, 7 AM – Tracklab Meet (Atlanta Metro Area)
- Sat, Apr 23, 7 AM – Bring The Heat Invit, Charlotte, NC
- Sat, May 7, 7 AM – Tracklab Spring Championships (Atlanta Metro Area)
- Sat, May 21, 2022, 2 PM – Champions United Invit, McDonough HS, McDonough, GA
- Fri, May 27-29, 2022, 7 AM – Mark Trail Invit, Discovery H.S., Lawrenceville, GA
Summer Championship Season
- Jun 9-12 – AAU District Junior Olympic Qualifiers (Hampton High School Hampton GA)
- Jun 30-03, AAU Regional Junior Olympic Qualifiers (Eastside HS Taylors, SC)
- Jul 7-8, AAU Primary Nationals (location TBA), FL (ages 8 and under athletes only)
- Jul 9-16, AAU Club Nationals is (location TBA), FL
- Jul 30-Aug 6, AAU National Junior Olympics, North Carolina A&T, Greensboro, NC
Note: Meets are still being added by meet operators as we get closer to the season(s).
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- Choose a Club Membership.
- Complete purchase
- Complete a New Champion Profile Form.
- Complete team paperwork.
- Attend or next track practice as our newest team member!
We coach ages 6-18, boys and girls.
Yes, participating coaches have passed background screening by AAU / and or USATF associations.
What's included and the investment are based on the club membership season that you select.
There are four seasons:
- Off-Season Conditioning - 9/4 - 10/24
- Winter Track Season with track meets - 11/6 - 2/13
- Spring Track Season with track meets - 1/8 - 5/28
- Summer Track Season with track meets (includes Jr Olympic Series) - 4/2 - 8/2
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**What Is Included Detail**
Off-Season Conditioning (9/4 - 10/24)
- Track Club Membership
- Coaching & Development
- Track & Field Fundamentals
- Proper Running form
- Off-Season Conditioning
- Speed and Endurance
- Strength & Core Training
- Max Velocity Training
- Middle Distance Training
- Field Events
- Hydration & Nutrition Guides
- Supplemental Training Resources
- Link to Action Photos for social media
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Winter/Indoor Track Season (11/6 - 2/20)
- Track Club Membership*
- Coaching & Development
- Track & Field Fundamentals
- Proper Running Form
- Speed and Endurance
- Strength & Core Training
- Max Velocity Training
- Middle Distance Training
- Compete in Track Meets
- Starting Blocks
- Relay Training for relay members
- Field Events
- Hydration & Nutrition Guides
- Supplemental Training Resources
- Link to Action Photos for social me
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Spring Track Season (1/8 - 5/28)
- Track Club Membership
- Coaching & Development
- Track & Field Fundamentals
- Proper Running Form
- Spring Track Meets
- Speed and Endurance
- Strength & Core Training
- Max Velocity Training
- Middle Distance Training
- Starting Blocks / Sprinters
- Baton Passing For Relays
- Field Events
- Hydration & Nutrition Guides
- Supplemental Resources
- Link to Action Photos
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Summer Track Season (4/2 - 8/2)
- Track Club Membership
- Coaching & Development
- Track & Field Fundamentals
- Proper Running Form
- Summer Track Meets
- National Junior Olympic Series (championship season)
- Speed and Endurance
- Strength & Core Training
- Max Velocity Training
- Middle Distance Training
- Starting Blocks / Sprinters
- Baton Passing For Relays
- Field Events
- Hydration & Nutrition Guides
- Supplemental Resources
- Link to Action Photos
Yes, depending on the club membership type we provide from $25-$100 off each additional member.
Off-Season Conditioning - $25 off
A single Season Club Membership - $50 off
A Multi-Season Club Membership - (discounted $100 + $50 off)
All Seasons Club Membership - (discounted $200 + $100 off)
Yes, you will receive a multi-season discount when you combine more than one season.
Examples
- Off-Season Conditioning & Indoor Track
- Indoor Season & Spring Season
- Spring Season & Summer Season
- All Seasons
- Cash
- Cashapp
- Credit/Debit
- Paypal
- Zelle
Yes, we do have payment plans to help fit into your budget or paying off all at once. Payment plans are at a slightly higher rate than our regular club memberships, and allow to pay over time. Your payments are collected through a third-party payment processor.
TEST DRIVE PRACTICES
Yes, if we have team slots still available on our roster, one FREE Test-Drive Tryout Practice is available to all potential team members to evaluate the team and meet the coaches and potential members. Coaches use the to evaluate the athlete's potential, observe how they fit in with the team, and meet the parents. For any Test-Drive Practices beyond the first FREE one, a payment of $35 is required prior to the practice.
The competition uniform is only included with the All Seasons Membership, which is the Winter, Spring, and Summer season memberships). Warmup are purchased separately for all memberships.
Note: If the other sport is a middle or high school track and field team, please make the head coach aware so he can make sure the athlete is getting adequate rest for recovery. Typically when an athlete is also competing for their school, the focus is rest until after their school season.
Participating in Blue Lightning Track practices is a condition of being a club member unless the athlete is competing on the track team for their school.
Running Events
100 Meters
200 Meters
400 Meters
800 Meters
1500 Meters
3000 Meters
80 Meter Hurdles
100 Meter Hurdles
200 Meter Hurdles
Race Walk
Relays (4x100, mixed 4x100, 4x200, 4x400, 4x800)
Field Events
Long Jump
High Jump
Triple Jump
Javelin
Turbo-Javelin
Shot Put
Discus
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The competition age division is determined by the age your Champion will be on 12/31.
Note: We compete under two different track and field associations, AAU and USATF. One of the main differences between them is that the AAU has single age competition divisions, and USATF has double age divisions (see below).
Meet Entry Fees (also called a competition fee) are charged by meet operators to compete in their track meets. Think of it as a cover charge for athletes, which covers the bib#, officials, starter, awards, timing company, and meet host.
The average meet fee charged per meet
- $30-$35 during the Winter Indoor Track season
- $14-$18 during the Spring track development season
- $6-$25 for Junior Olympic Qualifying meets (Summer)
- $6 for final USATF National Junior Olympic Championship (covers 5-days)
- $52 for final AAU National Junior Olympic Championship (covers 5-days)
To keep it simple, your Champion will need two types of shoes, one for practices and another for track competitions. A good running shoe (without spikes) for practice is the Nike Zoom. This shoe comes in kids and adult sizes. Another shoe is the Nike Revolution, it's a good starter shoe for kids. A good starter spike for competition is the Nike Rival.
NIKE ZOOM RUNNING SHOE + FIVE OTHERS (recorded 2019 & many shoe models are still in production.)
Other Brands: Nike, New Balance, Sucany, Under Armor, Brooks, Nike Zoom
NIKE RIVAL SPIKED SHOE + OTHERS
WHERE CAN I BUY RUNNING AND COMPETITION SHOES?
- Academy Sports
- Amazon
- Dicks Sporting Goods
- Hibbett Sports
- New Balance
- Ross
Craig Johnson, owner of Kumon of Conyers Math and Learning shares how sports can improve academics.
Blue Lightning Track Club - How Sports Improves Academic Performance - Craig Johnson, Owner, Kumon Learning Center of Conyers from Strother Marketing Media, LLC on Vimeo.
Center Decades of studies show the link between sports and improved academic performance, self-esteem, and confidence ). Physically active people remain healthier and are able to perform better on tests of cerebral or intellectual ability.
A study of 317 middle school students by James Pivarnik and colleagues at the American College of Sports Medicine discovered that the fittest kids scored nearly 30 percent higher on standardized tests than the least-fit group.
Los Angeles Unified School District conducted a study on 35,000 student-athletes which showed that students average 21 more days of school attendance per year than their counterparts, while they also achieved GPAs some 0.55 to 0.74 points higher than non-athletes.
“What was proven is that students in our schools who participate in athletics attend school significantly more often, have higher GPA’s and score higher on the CST’s in both English and Math when compared to the rest of the student body,” according to a memo sent to Los Angeles Unified School District schools from Barbara Fiege, the commissioner of athletics.
An integral success factor of students who scored higher was attributed to the intervention and guidance provided daily by qualified coaches, who understand the relationship between academic and athletic success.
Some of the major benefits and life skills of students participating in the Blue Lightning Track Club include –
- a learned practice work ethic applied to academics and other areas of responsibility.
- improved self-esteem and confidence
- leadership skills
- motivation, improved goal setting, and developing perseverance
- learning how to team and collaborate other others
- a positive outlook on what is an achievable
- learning how to persist and bounce back from obstacles