Our Philosophy
The New Haven Age Group Track Club is a community-based volunteer-driven organization for young people in the greater New Haven area. This club has a serious focus on athletics and academics, empowering students to excel scholastically and to run at an elite level – both at the high school and college level. But our overriding goal is to help young people become their fullest and best selves, by instilling in them a work ethic and a resilience that will foster real confidence.
Our coaches aim to forge their athletes into faster runners, better students, and more engaged members of their community. That being said, much of the learning at our club occurs on a peer-to-peer basis. We aim to create the opportunities and conditions for kids to make long-lasting friendships with other teammates from a variety of backgrounds, which span race, class, age and gender. As a team, one of our overarching goals is to build a community where kids can learn to see, listen to and mentor one another. Indeed to be a member of this team, is to be a student, a scholar, and – perhaps above all – a member of a family.
We believe that the confluence of these goals fosters an energy and an ethic that is self-perpetuating. These kids run together year in and year out, in the snow and the stifling heat. With time, they coalesce into a tribe, whose coda is passed down by the eldest among them: aim high, work hard, study hard, respect and support one another. Our goal, as stewards of this club, is simply to protect and sustain their momentum.
These kids run together year in and year out, in the snow and the stifling heat. With time, they coalesce into a tribe
Our Seasons & Where We Run
In the fall, we have our cross country season, where athletes focus on long distance running and prepare for a series of 2-mile races. We meet and practice in New Haven, at East Rock Park by the pavilion.
In the winter, we have our “indoor track” season. We have regular practices at the Floyd Little Field Center, connected to Hillhouse High School. We also have a long-standing partnership with Yale University, which allows us to use its magnificent facility at Coxe Cage. We also have a partnership with Southern Connecticut State University, which shares its facilities.
In the spring, we have our “outdoor track” season and we practice at Bowen Field, adjacent to Hillhouse High School and Wilbur Cross High School.
Parent Involvement
We count on parents to get involved and stay involved with the team, ashey are very much part of our family. Because we are run entirely by volunteers, we need parents to offer their support however they can – whether it is running a concession stand at a track meet or working as course monitor at a cross country race. This is not about writing a check and dropping off your kids. This is about being part of a community.