Planting the seeds for a healthy life

The Appleseeds Youth Running Program is a welcoming environment for elementary and middle 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!

Summer Running Club

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 (9 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 school age group (10+). The age breakdowns are just a guideline, you are welcome to pick the session that makes the most sense for your child. You do not need to sign up for a particular session when you register and you can switch at any point in the season. 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.

2023 Schedule

Practice schedule: June 5th – August 9th – 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.

July 15th: Road Race @ Pufferbelly Run, Walk, Stroll
July 28th: Cross Country Race @ Dekalb HS
August 7th: Track Meet @ Concordia Seminary

Pricing

March 1 – April 30: $110
May 1 – End of Season: $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: Leah Hall
Assistant Coach: Taylor Stine

Appleseeds Track Camp

The Appleseeds Track Camp is a four-day introduction into the world of Track & Field for elementary and middle school aged kids (ages 6 to 13). Our camp sessions will be a mix of education, running, and games. 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!

2022 SCHEDULE:

Tuesday, December 27th – 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Wednesday, December 28th – 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Thursday, December 29th – 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Friday, December 30th – 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm

Benefits:

4 x 2 hour practices
Guidance from experienced Track & Field coaches and athletes
Camp T-shirt
Team jersey
1 event entry for Indiana Runner track meet

Appleseeds Track Meet

Friday, March 17th, 2023

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: Must be submitted electronically to Direct Athletics by Wednesday, March 15 at 11:59 pm. https://www.directathletics.com/meets/track/78115.html

Schedule: Track opens at 5 pm. Field events begin at 6 pm with boys long jump & girls high jump. Running events begin at 6 pm and will follow a rolling schedule

Order of Events: 60m hurdles, 60m dash, 1600m run, 400m run, 800m run, 200m run, 4x200m relay

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]

Winter Track Club

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 Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from February through March. Practices will run from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. We will be focusing on sprinting and distance running and sprinkling in field events.

Practice schedule: Tuesday & Wednesday evenings

January 31st – March 22nd
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

“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: