Track & Field

Introduction & Assessment

## Introduction & Assessment Track and field is actually a bunch of different sports crammed into one: sprints, distance runs, hurdles, long jump, high jump, shot put, discus, and more. Your first job is to figure out which events get you excited — and to find out where you stand right now. Time yourself running 100 meters and 400 meters. Try a standing broad jump and measure it. These are your baselines. Salt Lake City's Sugarhouse Park has a great open grass area for field events, and many public schools open their tracks after hours. Free training guides from USA Track & Field at **usatf.org** break down every event for beginners. You're ready for the next step when you've timed yourself in at least two running events and recorded the distances for at least one field event.

Foundation Building

## Foundation Building Great track athletes are built on two things: running form and athletic posture. For sprinting, drive your knees up, pump your arms (hands relaxed, elbows at 90°), and stay on the balls of your feet. For distance running, shorten your stride, keep your shoulders relaxed, and breathe in a 3-step rhythm. Practice the triple threat: 4 x 100m strides (relaxed, fast — not all-out), 10 minutes of easy jogging, and 5 minutes of dynamic warm-up (leg swings, high knees, butt kicks). The Jordan River Parkway trail is a perfect no-pressure place to build your running base. Check **usatf.org** for free form coaching videos. You're ready for the next step when you can complete 4 x 100m strides with good arm drive and knee lift without stopping.

Skill Development

## Skill Development Pick 1–2 events to develop seriously. **Sprinters:** work on your start — crouch, drive out at 45°, and don't stand tall too early. Hit 6 x 50m acceleration runs. **Distance runners:** add one longer run each week (aim for 20–30 minutes continuous). **Long jumpers:** focus on the takeoff — plant hard on the board, drive your free knee up, and reach forward at landing. **Throwers:** for shot put, learn the glide technique before worrying about power. USA Track & Field at **usatf.org** has free event-specific training plans for youth athletes that are worth downloading and printing out. You're ready for the next step when you can perform your chosen event's core technique correctly and have improved your baseline measurement by any amount.

Practice & Refinement

## Practice & Refinement Now you're training, not just exercising. Add structured workouts: intervals (sprint hard, recover, repeat), tempo runs (comfortably hard for 15–20 minutes), or event-specific drills 3–4 days per week. Track your times and distances every session — progress feels invisible until you look back at Week 1. Work on your weakness: if your starts are slow, drill them; if your long jump approach is inconsistent, mark your steps. Find a local track meet to watch (or enter!). Utah has a strong youth track scene through Salt Lake City school districts and local recreation leagues — check your parks and rec department. You're ready for the next step when you've improved your baseline time or distance by at least 5% and can explain one tactical element of your event.

Challenge Mode

## Challenge Mode Push into competition mode. Enter a local meet, or create your own mini-meet with friends and run it like the real thing — timed heats, measured jumps or throws, official scoring. Study elite athletes in your event: how does Noah Lyles drive out of blocks? How does Mondo Duplantis approach a vault? Even if you can't replicate their skills yet, you can steal their mindset and warm-up habits. Try a new event you haven't attempted before — cross-event athletes develop athletic intelligence faster. The Jordan River Parkway and Sugarhouse Park track are great for time trials with a stopwatch and a friend. You're ready for the next step when you can compete (or self-time) in your primary event and place your performance in context of youth age-group standards from **usatf.org**.

Mastery Demonstration

## Mastery Demonstration You've logged real training and real improvement. Now own it. Put together a personal track and field portfolio: your baseline measurements from Step 1, your current bests, a training log from the past 4 weeks, and a reflection on what worked and what you'd do differently. Then teach someone the basics of your primary event — walk them through the warm-up, the technique cues, and how to measure improvement. If you can, help organize a neighborhood or school mini-meet. Coaching others is the fastest way to deepen your own understanding. Look into registering for a USA Track & Field sanctioned youth meet at **usatf.org** as your next real competition goal. You're ready for the next step when you can present your training portfolio and successfully coach a beginner through the fundamentals of your primary event.