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Key Deadlines for Summer 2024

• Monday, June 3rd - Uniforms: We will wear the same uniforms as in 2023. For new athletes, we’ll need to have your order in by this date in order to guarantee we have them on time for the State Meet. Cost is $30-35 depending on the style (jersey, compression/fitted, etc).

• Monday, June 10th - USATF Verification & Fees. In order of us to get your membership processed with USATF in time to enter you in the State Meet, we’ll need to verify basic info and a copy of your birth certificate (this is for first year members only), along with annual USATF and Club Membership fees.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Get Quick T&F Club is to organize opportunities for athletes in our part of the state to compete in USATF events, mostly during the summer (although there are XC events in the fall/winter and indoor meets in the winter that our athletes do participate in). After attending a few of these events in the summer of 2022, it became apparent all the track clubs in the state are in central and northern Illinois, and athletes from Southern IL were forced to attend unattached, without any real support. We aim to bridge that gap for athletes in our region. This is year 2 for us, so in many aspects we are still getting off the ground, but we expect that our numbers will continue to grow as we move forward.

General Info on Get Quick T&F

Unlike a lot of clubs up north, we do not intend to have organized practice requirements to be a part of the club or to compete. Nor do we plan to have any minimum performance requirements or tryouts. Again, the primary purpose is to organize and give athletes a chance to compete. Please keep in mind, though, these events are extremely fun but VERY competitive (especially at the middle and high school levels)… only athletes who are serious about competing should participate.

Primary USATF Events for 2024

At least for starters, our primary goal is to attend two events this summer (to attend the second event, you must qualify at the first).

• 2024 USATF Illinois Junior Olympic Championships. This year, the state meet will be held at Proviso East High School in Maywood, IL, June 21-23. The meet is carved up into 3 different days, with different events taking place on different days. Some events (such as the 200m), have prelims on one day, and Finals on another. You can find the schedule of events here. Top 12 in each event qualify for the Region 7 Championships. More info can be found at the event site here and in the event info sheet here. Please note: Age Divisions are based on the year the athlete was born, not the athlete’s current age (see below).

• USATF Region 7 Championships. This year, held at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, IN, July 11-14. Top 5 in each event are eligible for the USATF National Championships July 22-28 (located in located in College Station, Texas in 2024). *Note, eligible does not mean obligated. Don’t be deterred from competing by the possibility of qualifying.

***AGE DIVISIONS & ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS***                                                                                

8 & under (born 2016 & later)

9-10 (born 2014-2015)

11-12 (born 2012-2013)

13-14 (born 2010-2011)

15-16 (born 2008-2009)

17-18 (born 2006-2007)

* Athletes who are still 18 through the final day of the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships are eligible to compete in the 17-18 age division through that meet.

Cost

At this time we do not intend to generate any profit from this club. The only costs involved will be the fees required to compete in the meets and travel expenses for athletes and their families. The one exception is team uniforms, which are optional. Deadline to order is Monday 6/3. Athletes can also wear their school uniform if they choose.

Fees include:

Annual Athlete USATF Membership - $35

Annual Club Fee - $25

Event Costs - $10/Event (i.e. an athlete competing in 3 events would pay $30 for that meet)

Stay Tuned

Again, there will be more info to come. In the meantime, if you are interested in your athlete competing this summer, reach out to either:

Ryan Denton - rdenton81@icloud.com

Todd Short - tshort@jccu1.org