Planting the seeds for a healthy life
The Appleseeds Youth Running Program is a welcoming environment for elementary, middle school, and high school aged children to engage in the sport of running. Whether it be recreational or competitive, we hope to spark an interest in running that will last a lifetime. Come run with us!
Appleseeds XC
Registration Now Open!
Appleseeds Cross Country is a competitive cross country racing team. Our team is open to kids going into Kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. We compete in several meets throughout the course of the season. Appleseeds welcomes kids from all schools in the area as well as kids who are homeschooled.
We have 3 age groups: elementary school, middle school, and high school. Elementary athletes will race 1 mile, middle schoolers will race 3k, and high schoolers will race 5k.
The race schedules will differ between age groups. Please make sure you register for the appropriate level based on your child’s age. The grades are denoted in parentheses next to the name of the level on the registration page.
We will practice Monday and Wednesday evenings beginning August 12th through October 2nd. Please note: we will be practicing at Kreager Park on Mondays and Buckner Park on Wednesdays.
Practice Schedule:
Mondays at Kreager Park -7225 N. River Rd.
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Wednesdays at Buckner Park – 6114 Bass Rd.
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
All Appleseeds members will receive:
Guidance from our experienced coaches
Two practices a week
Asics team singlet and shorts
Appleseeds t-shirt
Special discount on running shoes
Entries for all races
Feel free to reach out to Club Director, Lynn Marbach, with any questions at [email protected].
Summer Running Club
Click Here to Register!
The Summer Running Club is a 10-week program designed to provide the groundwork for physical fitness as well as teamwork and sportsmanship. Our practices are a mixture of education, running, and games.
We will have two sessions available at each practice. The first session is geared towards elementary aged kids (10 and under) and will be a more laid-back, game-based curriculum. The second session is a more structured, training-based program aimed at the middle and high school age groups (11+). The age breakdowns are just a guideline, you are welcome to pick the session that makes the most sense for your child. Feel free to reach out to Club Director, Lynn Marbach, with any questions at [email protected].
Appleseeds Summer Running Club practices take place at Shoaff Park, located at: 6401 St Joe Rd, Fort Wayne, IN 46835. We meet by the Conklin Pavilion each Monday and Wednesday beginning June 5th.
2024 Schedule
Practice schedule: June 3rd – August 7th – Monday and Wednesday evenings
- Session 1: 5:30 pm – 6:15 pm
- Session 2: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Race Schedule: We will be running one cross-country race, one road race, and one track race.
- June 28th: Track Meet @ Friday Night Spikes
- July 20th: Road Race @ Pufferbelly Run, Walk, Stroll
- July 26th: Cross Country Race @ Dekalb HS
- August 5th: Track Meet @ Concordia Seminary
Pricing
- Regular registration: $120
- Family discounts apply!
Benefits
- Guidance from experienced coaches
- Two practices per week
- Entries into the 3 club race; 1 track race, 1 cross country race, & 1 road race
- Appleseeds T-Shirt
- Appleseeds Singlet
- Special discount on running shoes
Meet the Coaches!
- Club Director: Lynn Marbach
- Assistant Coach: Alex Galassini
- Assistant Coach: Kayla Quimby
- Assistant Coach: Megan Theismann
Appleseeds Track Camp
Register here!
The Appleseeds Track Ca
mp is a four-day introduction into the world of Track & Field for all school aged kids (Kindergarten – Senior). Our camp sessions will be a mix of education, running, technique, and games. We break up into age groups so campers will learn alongside their peers. Campers will experience jumps, throws, hurdles, relays, distance, and sprints. We are very excited to be partnering with the University of Saint Francis Track and Field program for this camp! Our camp takes place at Turnstone’s Plassman Athletic Center located at 3320 N Clinton St.
2024 SCHEDULE:
- Thursday, December 26th – 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
- Friday, December 27th – 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
- Saturday, December 28th – 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
- Monday, December 30th – 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Benefits:
- 4 x 2 hour practices
- Guidance from experienced Track & Field coaches and athletes
- Camp T-shirt
- 1 event entry for Indiana Runner track meet
Appleseeds Track Meet
Friday, March 14th, 2025
Registration to come!
We are so excited to be offering a youth specific track and field meet to conclude our Appleseeds indoor track season!
Location: Turnstone Plassman Athletic Center, 3320 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne, IN 46805 – 230m indoor track with 6 lanes.
Description: A track and field meet for athletes 14 and under.
Cost: $10 per athlete, unlimited events (No spectator fee).
Entry procedure: Registration and payment must be submitted electronically to Direct Athletics by Wednesday, March 12th at 11:59 pm.
Schedule: Track opens at 5 pm. Field events begin at 6 pm with long jump and high jump. Running events begin at 6 pm and will follow a rolling schedule.
Order of Events: 60m hurdles, 60m dash, 1 Mile run, 400m dash, 800m run, 200m dash, 4x230m relay (The Turnstone track is 230 meters so each member of the relay team will run 1 lap with the handoffs at the start/finish line)
Results: Will be posted on the walls throughout the meet and will be available online after the meet at AppleseedsRunning.com
Questions? Contact Meet Director Lynn Marbach, [email protected]
Appleseeds Winter Track Club
Beginning Monday, January 20, 2025!
Register Here
We are so excited to be offering a winter counterpart to our Appleseeds summer running club. Introducing the Appleseeds Track Club, a welcoming environment for kids of all ages to experience the magic of track and field!
The Appleseeds Track Club will take place at the Turnstone indoor track in the Plassman Athletic Center. We will meet Monday and Wednesday evenings from mid-January through mid-March. Practices are 1 hour in length. Please note that our practice times will change mid-way through the season. This is due to the track already being rented out during our normal practice time. Because of the size of our club, we really need the full track to ourselves.
Practice schedule:
- Monday and Wednesday evenings
- Practices run from January 20th through March 12th
- January 20th to February 5th practices – 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm
- February 10th to March 12th practices – 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm
Benefits
- Guidance from experienced coaches and athletes
- Two 1-hour practices per week
- Team jersey
- Club t-shirt
- Race entries to 2 track meets
Appleseeds Hurdle Camp
Register Here!
Join us for a two day hurdle camp at Concordia Seminary! Whether you’ve never cleared a hurdle or you already hurdle competitively, there’s a lot to learn at the Appleseeds Hurdle Camp. Our goal is to help each athlete progress from wherever they are to a confident, strong hurdler. We will practice Tuesday, June 25th and Thursday, June 27th and then it all culminates in the Friday Night Spikes meet on Friday, June 28th.
Who: Open for kids ages 10+
When: June 25th and June 27th – 5 pm to 7 pm
Where: Concordia Seminary Track, located at 6600 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne, IN 46825
Benefits:
- Two 2 hour practices with experienced hurdle coaches
- Camp t-shirt
- Entry for Friday Night Spikes meet
Race: Friday Night Spikes, June 28th at New Haven High School
“Our 8 year olds watched their older sister have fun at summer Appleseeds and decided to join the fun at the winter track camp. They immediately fell in love with the atmosphere the coaches create and looked forward to seeing their favorite coaches each day! They enjoyed making new friends, and the game approach for the younger kids is pure genius. Our kids got to try things they’ve never done before, like long jump and shot put! The track camp was such a perfect idea for winter time! ”
-Matt and Diana Kochert
“My boys have been participating in Appleseeds Running Club for the past three summers. I love it because it gets them outside, keeps them active, and off their screens! It’s fun to cheer them on at the different races and see them progress over the summer. My oldest son enjoys the friendships he has made over the years and my youngest loves all the fun games they play. It’s also a fun and easy way for my middle schooler to get in some summer training for cross country. If you want to get your kids active this summer, Appleseeds is a great program!”
-Jessie Weidner
“My son absolutely loves the Appleseeds running program! He looks forward to the summer so he can join his running club again. This program really helps kids to enjoy the sport of running while also learning techniques and fundamentals to grow as a runner. The coaches are so good with the kids and so encouraging to them. I recommend this program to anyone who wants to get their kids more active in a fun but also competitive environment! “
-Kalesia Ruprecht
“Our 10 year old did Appleseeds this summer and had a blast! She always looked forward to the practices and loved that they got to run trails in the woods while chatting with friends. She became a “runner” at Appleseeds because the coaches made running fun and social, sprinkled with good training!
-Matt and Diana Kochert
Contact
If you have any questions, please contact the club director, Lynn Marbach:
