Kids City Cross League: Learning to Love Running

Coach Ilse Renner running a warm up with the Como team.
Photo by Tyler Morey

Twin Cities Track Cub’s Mike Reneau is not only an accomplished athlete, he’s a person with big ideas.  This weekend’s Brit’s Pub Vault is one of those ideas, another is the Kids City Cross League.that is designed to provide resources for developing both athletic talent and, hopefully, the beginning of a life-long love for running among grade school children in Minneapolis and St. Paul. 

In addition to being elite runners, Reneau and Gopher grad Stephanie Price, who is the program’s volunteer coordinator, also coach high school athletes.  They observed that there is a disparity of resources within the inner cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul compared to the suburbs.  While suburban schools often have “feeder programs” that provide the opportunity for young athletes to get a head start on learning the skills necessary for success in their sport.  

The inner city kids don't get started in running until later, if at all.  "It's not that there is a lack of talent, it's a lack of opportunity." says Price

Soccer, football, basketball, baseball, and hockey, to name a few, all have youth programs, but there weren’t development/teaching programs for distance runners, said Reneau. Until now.  Thanks to a grant from Pepsico, TCTC has been able to launch the Kids City Cross League this summer. Running has the advantage of not needing lots of equipment to play, says Reneau. All you need is a park. 

Bryn Mawr team photo with coaches Ben Merchant(far left in white hat)
and Karl Heinzerling(on the far right in black shirt).

 Reneau had originally planned to start with the league with eight teams, but they got a late start.   and decided to begin with three teams instead--Como Park, Bryn Mawr, and Kingfield. Each team is supplied with the basics, said Price. Starting with a measuring wheel, a simple tool that shows the kids how courses are created and that they are a set distance. You can create short, medium, or long distances.  All you need are flags and cones to keep the runners on that newly measured course.  The cones have dual functionality in that they can also be used to mark an agility course for use doing drills that build strength in the legs and feet.

Each team has batons for relay events, emphasizing team building and having some fun.  Having fun being an important element for young kids.  Sometimes, Reneau says,  sometimes you have to trick the kids to get them started, introduce an element of play or a game, making the association  between running and fun.

For example, Elizabeth Yetzer, who is one of the coaches for the Como team, gets the kids going by playing a game.  "Gallop like the horses" being one of the fun drills taking advantage of the fact that they are based at Como Park where there is a zoo.

They are learning.  It's not all fun and games.  Each of the young runners gets a notebook and pen to record their workouts, and the times achieved in periodic time trials and/or races.  Each team also has first aid kits, stop watches, a water cooler,  flags, and all the runners get special Kids Cross League T-Shirts.

Coaches Missa Morey (green shirt) and Elizabeth Yetzer
(purple pants) under the rainbow. Photo by Tyler  Morey

The program goes through October 9 when the teams will compete against one another on Como Golf Course. "We hope the kids develop a love for running," says Price. A love they can experience for the rest of their life.