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Team Mission
“To help kids get ready for competitive high school distance running while they still can, in middle school (or maybe just a little earlier)! High school distance running is challenging and takes a couple years of training. So, to hit the ground running, as it were, you need good preparation, and importantly, know-how about the sport & racing techniques! Our hope is Alpha Crush Running Club will serve this need for youth distance runners in Alpharetta, Roswell, and surrounding cities.”
For the new athletes...
This is a recap of information found elsewhere on this page and web site.
We practice Monday, Tuesday, Thursday from 6:00 pm until 7:30 pm. Coach Matthew usually arrives by 5:30 pm.
We practice at Wills Park and meet in the area near the equestrian center off Wills Road, near the corner of Wills Road and Alpharetta Hwy / S. Main Street / Hwy 9.
This Google maps link shows the exact spot where the team meets. From the Google maps image, you can see the parking lot where you can park and you see the grass field where we warm up. Coach Matthew stands in that spot at least 10 minutes before practice begins.
A typical practice starts with 30 minutes of warm-up drills and exercises, 20-40 minutes of running, and another 10-15 minutes of exercises and stretches. All ages practice at the same times. All athletes do similar workouts, though the intensity, frequency and duration will change to accommodate their ability.
For the first few weeks of practice athletes will not be far from "base camp". We typically do a series of out-and-back runs, or runs on an established loop, where new runners can take frequent breaks.
While the athletes practice, parents can wait in their cars, stand around and talk, can sit at the benches or picnic tables under the trees, can run with us or walk around the park.
Athletes should bring their own water.
Athletes are not required to attend all practices, though it is encouraged. We do not require you tell us in advance if you cannot attend a practice. It is not a problem if you miss the first practice. We understand that some athletes may have scheduling conflicts during the season or that some athletes may need additional rest between practices.
Fall 2017 Cross Country
We have a Fall cross country program that begins in August (the Monday a week after Fulton County schools begin) and ends with the USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships in December.
Registration opened July 19 - online registration [link]
First Practice August 14
Registration closes August 31
Fall 2017 XC Meets
Middle School Meets [description] (6th - 8th grade athletes)
Sat 8/19 - Pickens Preview XC meet - Roper Park [meet information]
Fri 9/8 - Covered Bridge XC meet - Garrard Landing Park [meet information]
Sat 9/23 - Atlanta Track Club Wingfoot XC Classic - Cartersville, GA [meet information]
USATF Georgia Developmental Meets [description] (USATF age divisions)
Sun 9/10 - Hokum Karem XC Relay - Marietta High School [meet information]
Sat 9/16 - Alpha Crush XC Meet - Milton High School [meet information]
Sat 9/30 - Etowah XC Meet - Boling Park [meet information]
Sun 10/8 - Jackrabbit XC Meet - Little Mulberry Park, Dacula, GA [meet information]
Sat 10/21 - Carrollton XC Meet - Carrollton, GA [meet information]
Sat 10/28 - USATF Georgia XC Preview Meet - Fayetteville, GA [meet information]
USATF Junior Olympic Meets [description] (USATF age divisions)
Sat 11/11 - USATF Georgia Association Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships - Fayetteville, GA [meet information]
Sat 11/18 - USATF Region 4 Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships - Fayetteville, GA [meet information]
Sat 12/9 - USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships - Tallahassee, FL [meet information]
Spring/Summer 2018 Track
We have a Spring/Summer track program that begins in March (the Monday after daylight savings time begins) and ends with the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships in July.
Registration opens in January 2018
Group Runs
In between sessions we host group runs that are open to the public. Your entire family and runners of all abilities are welcome; club registration is not required. There is no sign-up, no forms, no documents...you simply show up and run! These group runs give new athletes the opportunity to meet the coaches and team members and give our athletes a head start to the upcoming season. We do not hold groups runs during the track or cross country sessions; instead, we focus on practice with our registered athletes.
Scheduled Group Runs - will start in January, 2018
We encourage athletes who are unsure if they want to register for our running club to attend one or more of these group runs.
We run in one or more groups in a group run (hence, the name.) We split into groups and/or alter the route and distance based on ability. We've had athletes that can comfortably run for an hour or more; we have others who can run for 10 minutes.
The Wills Park group runs are best for beginning runners. We meet at the Wills Park Equestrian Center parking lot (see map).
The other locations are too difficult to accommodate athletes who can't run a 10 minute per mile pace for 25 minutes (unless, of course, a parent accompanies the athlete.)
See our team calendar for a list of upcoming Group Runs.
The schedule for Group Runs will vary from week-to-week. We send out a weekly newsletter announcing upcoming group runs, as well as putting them on the team calendar.
About our Club
We provide track and cross country coaching to boys and girls ages 7 - 18 living in the north Fulton County cities of Alpharetta, Canton, Cumming, Johns Creek, Milton and Roswell.
In track, our athletes focus on the 1500m/1600m/1-mile, 3000m/3200m/2-mile and distance relay events. As a by-product of this distance training some athletes also participate in the 800m event.
In cross country the distances are determined by the athlete's age division and are 2K, 3K, 4K and 5K in length.
See our USATF Junior Olympic page for a list of events.
We practice at Wills Park in Alpharetta. See below for additional details.
Registration History
The athlete will participate in the age group determined by the athlete’s age as of December 31 of the current year. See the USATF web site for the youth age group divisions.
Alpha Crush was founded in August 2011.
2017 Cross Country as of 10/3/2017. Registration opened 7/19/2017.
High Schools Represented - 2017 Cross Country
As of 10/3/2017
Where our athletes live
Since "the beginning of time", cities where our athletes reside:
As of 10/3/2017
Primary cities (10 or more athletes):
Alpharetta (413)
Atlanta (10)
Canton (10)
Cumming (32)
Johns Creek (58)
Milton (95)
Roswell (122)
Suwanee (10)
Other cities:
Acworth (1)
Ball Ground (2)
Crawfordville (4)
Duluth (5)
Dunwoody (1)
Ellijay (2)
Gainesville (1)
Holly Springs (2)
Lawrenceville (1)
Marietta (4)
Peachtree City (1)
Peachtree Corners (1)
Sugar Hill (2)
Woodstock (6)
Find a Club
If you are interested in sprint/field events or a USATF club located closer to your home visit "Find a Club" at the USATF web site.
In track, we do not specifically train for sprint events (distances of 400m or less) or do any training for field events (such as long jump, high jump, etc.) Alpha Crush athletes are welcome to participate in sprint and field events even though we do not train for those events. USATF clubs Department of Speed Track Club and Major Impact Track Club are clubs that train for sprint and field events in the Alpharetta area.
Our Programs/Sessions
Our online registration system can be found here.
We have a Spring/Summer track program that begins in March (the Monday after daylight savings time begins) and ends with the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships in July.
Track registration opens in the January/February time frame.
We have a Fall cross country program that begins at the end of August (the Monday a week after Fulton County schools begin) and ends with the USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships in December.
Cross Country registration opens in the July/August time frame.
Prior to the close of registration, we do allow athletes to attend a practice session to determine if they wish to register with our club.
We do not offer any other program other than our track and cross country programs.
We do not offer what is commonly referred to as a "summer program."
We do not offer a summer camp.
We do not offer a winter indoor training session.
We also schedule once-a-week Group Runs beginning 4-6 weeks before the start of the Track and Cross Country seasons. This gives new athletes the opportunity to meet with the coaches and other team members. These Group Runs are open to all. Watch our team calendar for details.
Registration Fees
Registration fees range from approximately $100 to $220, depending on season (track or cross country) and whether you are a new or returning athlete (i.e. whether you need a uniform or not.) The fees cover athlete USATF and/or AAU membership fees, team t-shirt, uniforms, meet entry fees and end-of-season team party.
Fees for the Track season range from $100 to $150:
$100 registration fee (all athletes). The registration fee covers meet entry fees (except where indicated), team t-shirt, end of season party and club administrative costs.
$20 USATF membership (for those who do not have an active USATF membership)
$30 uniform/singlet (required for all athletes; returning athletes can use existing uniform; athletes provide their own black shorts)
Fees for the Cross Country season range from $100 to $220:
$100 registration fee (all athletes); this covers meet entry fees (except where indicated), team t-shirt, end of season party and club administrative costs.
$20 USATF membership (for those who do not have an active USATF membership)
$30 uniform/singlet (required for all athletes; returning athletes can use existing uniform; athletes provide their own black shorts)
$70 warm-up (required for all athletes; returning cross country athletes can use existing warm-up).
Uniforms and Uniform Sizes
A uniform singlet is required for all athletes.
A warm-up (jacket and pants) is required for all cross country athletes.
You will have an opportunity in the first couple weeks of practice to try on a uniform for sizing purposes.
We try to keep a reasonable number of uniform singlets in inventory. But, with 3 different sizes (small, medium, large) and 3 different styles (youth, men's, women's) we may have to order additional items if we run out of a size in the 9 different combinations of size and style.
Can we attend practice before we decide to register?
While session registration is open your athlete can attend a couple of practices to see if they like it before you make the commitment to register. No reservations, forms or documents are needed for those interested in attending a practice to learn more about our club. We also have Group Runs (see above) between sessions. Group runs are another way for athletes to try our club and see what we are all about.
Where we Practice
We practice at Wills Park and meet at the equestrian center parking lot just off Wills Rd (11915 Wills Road, Alpharetta, GA 30009). We practice Monday, Tuesday and Thursday of each week from 6:00-7:30 pm. See our schedule for more details. Note: In the fall when we revert to standard time from daylight savings time we have to start practice earlier (between 5:15-5:30 pm) since it is dark by 6:15 pm.
About Practice
Athletes are not required to attend all practices, though it is encouraged. We do not require you tell us in advance if you cannot attend a practice. We understand that some athletes may have scheduling conflicts during the season or that some athletes may need additional rest between practices.
A typical practice starts with 30 minutes of warm-up drills and exercises, 20-40 minutes of running, and another 10-15 minutes of exercises and stretches. All ages practice at the same times. All athletes do similar workouts, though the intensity, frequency and duration will change to accommodate their ability.
Competitions
Our focus is on competitive running, which may be a challenge for beginning runners unable to run continuously for 15+ minutes, but that should not stop them from trying! We encourage all athletes to attend the meets and compete! It is especially important for our athletes to compete in cross country meets as it takes five athletes in each age division and gender to compete as a team in cross country. The developmental meets are perfect opportunities to compete in a friendly atmosphere. Participation in meets is encouraged, but not required.
How fast do they need to be able to run?
We welcome athletes of all abilities. Ideally, athletes should be able to run their USATF race distance prior to the first practice, but it is not a requirement. See our results page for historical performances of athletes. Below are suggested times for various distances:
Cross country athletes:
2K (1.24 miles) for athletes 8 years old and under less than 15 minutes
3K (1.86 miles) for athletes 9 - 12 years old less than 21 minutes
4K (2.49 miles) for athletes 13 - 14 years old less than 24 minutes
5K (3.11 miles) for 15+ years old in less than 28 minutes
Track athletes:
1500m (0.93 miles) in less than 10 minutes
3000m (1.86 miles) in less than 21 minutes
To make our best attempt to ensure the safety of our athletes, we reserve the right to limit the size of the team.
The social impact a running club
Many of our athletes form lasting friendships. There is a certain camaraderie that comes from training with athletes of similar abilities, competing in meets, and cheering on your teammates. Our club has athletes of varying ages from many area schools. As they move into high school, they enjoy seeing their former teammates at track and cross country events.
Calendar of Events
Our calendar has the current practice and meet schedule. We run a mix of middle school, developmental league and USA Track & Field (USATF) & AAU events. See our Results page to get an idea of the meets we participate in.
For middle school meets, athletes in all grades, typically 6th-8th, run in the same race (with girls & boys events).
For our development league meets we run according to USATF age divisions
For the competitive events, we run by the sanctioning group's age divisions
We want the kids to ramp up their training to get them ready for the mileage that high school will require and we want them to run in different kinds of competitive situations. Middle school meets will expose them to the environment where a variety of schools and older kids are competing. Our developmental league meets will introduce them to their local peers at other feeder programs. The competitive USATF & AAU meets give them the chance to compete at the state, regional, and national levels.
Alpha Crush Invitational Fall Cross Country Meet
Alpha Crush hosts a cross country meet during the Developmental part of the season. Parents will be asked to support the event by volunteering to help. We typically have over 500 athletes participate. This meet is traditionally held in September.
Coaches / Volunteers
All coaches have completed the USATF required background check and are active USATF members. Our club is sanctioned and insured by USATF. Anyone wishing to join or support the coaching staff should email
Team@AlphaCrush.org or talk to one of the existing coaches. The main requirements are a willingness to run, to follow the workouts, and to display a positive attitude with our kids.
The site also has information on the coaches, on USATF & AAU, and we’ll post announcements and team photos from each event. We will also make announcements at practice and send out a periodic newsletter via email.
Thanks again for considering our team. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Go Crush!!
Team Coaches and Staff
Below is the list of Meets and Other Events (group runs, team party, etc.) See full team calendar.
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