Thank you for joining Potomac Valley Track Club's Young Flyers youth track & field program.

Our last two workout this season are Sunday, December 6, and Sunday, December 13, 3:00-5:00 PM, at Thomas Jefferson Community Center, 3501 2nd Street South, Arlington VA.

The workouts on nice Sunday start outdoors on the lovely half-mile trail and 24-acre park around TJ, then move indoors on the 200-meter track inside TJ.

Our coaching staff includes Albert Arcand, James Barr, Jim Darr, Jane Greenberg, Barbara Goodman, Mark Jordan, Art Klein, Betsy Peace, Abdelillah Razah, Andrzej Sakaluk, Jim Shellington, Jen Stephens, Joan Syers, Chuck Williams, and Jay Jacob Wind. Not every coach attend every training session.

Each Sunday, please arrive about 2:55 PM to pick up your young athlete's name tag. Please bring a filled water bottle marked with your young athlete's name. Please dress for the weather on the Sundays when we're outdoors. If the weather forecast is chilly for a Sunday, please wear a comfortable long-sleeve shirt over a lightweight athletic t-shirt, and bring a hat and gloves.

The workouts always start at 3:00 PM with stretching and strengthening exercises and a short prepared lecture, then age-appropriate running (50-100 meters for athletes in grades K-2, 200-400m for athletes in grades 3-4-5, 800-1600m for athletes in grades 6-7-8) until 4 pm.

Then at 4 pm, we break for water, followed by specialties -- high jump, hurdles, long jump, shot put, and racewalk, as well as more sprints and distance.

Then at 4:30 pm, we break to form relay teams of 4x200m.

We finish with refreshments at 5:00 pm. We thank parents for bringing our post-workout picnic.

  • Sunday, December 6 -- Parents of Stephen A. Ralis (bananas and clementines)
  • Sunday, December 6 -- Parents of Ahaan Kale (juice boxes and energy bars)

    Pick up if possible at Trader Joe's of Clarendon, 1109 North Highland Street, Arlington VA (free parking on Garfield Street between Washington Boulevard and Clarendon Boulevard)

    We gather inside the gym at TJ on the seating alongside the indoor track.

    With each workout, during the warm-up, one of the coaches presents a short prepared lecture. This Sunday, Jay's lecture is on competitive theory and final week preparations.

    We invite the parents to participate alongside their young athletes. If you are familiar with one of the athletic skills, we welcome you to assist with coaching.

    During the season, we build skills starting with endurance and hills, race walk, long jump, and throws. Later, we add high jump, hurdles, relay hand-off, and teamwork.

    We usually start with 50 entrants and grow to 80 over the course of the season. Please tell your friends about the workouts -- we love to have groups of students all from the same school or neighborhood so they can practice together during the week. Sign up via www.pvtc.org/youth.html

    Feel free to call me any time with questions at 703-505-3567. For the recorded message about the program, call 703-927-4833.

    We are honored to coach your young athlete this season!

    THIS SUNDAY: We have competition t-shirt for all our young athletes. ALSO: We have certificates of completion. If you can attend this Sunday, December 6, but not on December 13, please pick up your certificate of completion this Sunday.

    We now have open practice on Mondays and Wednesdays at 7:00 PM on the indoor track at Thomas Jefferson Community Center. Entry is free for young athletes, but adults must have either a membership or buy a one-day pass. The workout is always 10x200m with a 200m walk between each round. I cannot attend this Monday at 7 PM, but coach Elizabeth Row attends and leads the workouts in my absence. The workout is free, or you may donate $5 to the coach.

    Indoor track meets begin soon.

  • Our home meet is Sunday, December 13, for just us.
  • Then PVTC hosts meets at TJ on January 10, January 24, and February 7. I distribute flyers about PVTC's meets at our workouts this Sunday and next Sunday. Our meets at TJ are free, so please sign up this Sunday!
  • Hagerstown Community College hosts an all-comers, all-ages meet on Saturday, December 26
  • Prince George's Sportplex hosts its meets on Sundays, December 27, January 3, January 17, and January 31.
  • See www.pvtc.org/indoor for complete information.

    Thank you for joining Potomac Valley Track Club's Young Flyers youth track & field program!

    A bit more about tomorrow's workout:

    Upon arrival, get your name tag and run or walk a loop of the track.

    Gather together for a talk about Competitive Theory and warm-up exercises.

    Then PVTC president Craig Chasse presents a series of dynamic warm-up drills.

    Then gather at the two start lines for 55 meters.

    1st-2nd-3rd-4th graders meet at the start line on the west side of the gym, closest to the parents.

    5th-6th-7th-8th graders meet at the start line on the east side of the gym, closest to the stationary bicycles.

    We kick off the workout with practice at 55 meters. Each parent, please bring a stopwatch and take a lane. Set your watch at the whistle and report your time to each finisher in your lane.

    Next week, we record bib numbers and times on clipboards.

    Then we break into the usual groups.

    PS We invite all parents to get certified in first-aid / AED / CPR on Thursday, December 17, 6 PM to 9 PM, at Arlington Mill Community Center, 909 South Dinwiddie Street, Arlington VA, corner of Columbia Pike.

    Cost: Only $25, subsidized down from the regular $125 cost by Safety And Health Foundation, which I direct. See www.SafetyAndHealthFoundation.org#firstaid to register in advance


    Sincerely,
    Jay Jacob Wind, Secretary
    Potomac Valley Track Club