We're a youth track and cross country team committed to providing our athletes a chance to develop into runners and competitors to the best of their abilities, while having fun doing it! 

2025 CROSS COUNTRY (XC) SEASON INFO:

We will send out our first newsletter/email 2 weeks before the start of the season to provide you with an update about the beginning of the season. 

More info about the Blazers team, history, expectations, coaches, FAQs, etc, can be found on our website: STLBlazers.com 

2025 XC Season runs 11 weeks from Sept 8 to Nov 22 (for those going to nationals) or Sept 8 to Nov 9 (for those not going to nationals)

First Practice: Tuesday, Sept 9, 2025 
Final Local Meet: Sunday, Nov 9, 2025 (Blazer Invitational - this meet qualifies you for nationals)
Nationals: Saturday, Nov 22, 2025 (CCCNYC Nationals in Tennessee, more info on this in an early season newsletter)

Focus and train for the XC races ranging from 2k to 4k (distance varies based on age, some meets will be a standard 3k for all competitors, more on race distances below) 

 
TENTATIVE 2025 FALL MEET SCHEDULE:
The firm meet schedule will be released at the start of the season, we are still working with other teams to complete this but it should similarly reflect last seasons schedule. We anticipate having 3-4 local meets/time trials, plus our national meet. Meets will usually be on Sunday mornings and typically every other weekend through the season.

2025 Schedule is still being finalized, but should be something like this:
Sun Sept 21 @ 9am - Time Trial at Laumeier Sculpture Park
Sun Oct 5 @ 9am Time Trial at Laumeier Sculpture Park or St. Peters 5k in Kirkwood, MO
Sun Oct 19 @ 1pm (CMAC Meet at Gans Creek XC Course in Columbia, MO)
Sun Nov 2 @ 10am (Ultimate Speed Meet @ Sioux Passage Park in Florissant, MO)
Sun Nov 9 @ 9am (Blazer Invitational Meet @ Buder Park Airfield in Fenton, MO.. qualifier for nationals)
Sat Nov 22 @ 9am (CCCNYC National Championship Meet @ Knoxville, TN)

TEAM COSTS:
Season Registration Fee: $125 (covers training costs and park usage costs, paid when you register your child for the season).

Team T-Shirt/Racing Singlet: $25-30 (shirt selection and payment collected at the same time you register your athlete for the season, or in the team store). If you plan to race in events, you will need a team shirt or racing singlet). Other gear (sweat shirts, hoodies, Run! Tees, etc) are optional but fun to have!

Meet Fees: $15-20 per meet (each meet has specific entry fee that must be paid to enter, we will collect for these ahead of each meet via a meet entry registration link/email).

***PLEASE NOTE: During registration, we will ask each parent to consider this before signing up their child for the team: While participation in St. Louis Blazers is NOT contingent upon speed/ability or race performance results (we are happy to take on runners of all abilities!), retention/fit with the team WILL be based on ATTITUDE, EFFORT, SPORTSMANSHIP, and RESPECT FOR COACHES AND TEAMMATES. We look forward to coaching individuals who WANT to be here, are willing to embrace the team/training process, give us a positive attitude and the effort we ask for at each practice. Each season we have a roster cap, and have a wait list to get onto the team. In each of the previous seasons, we have had a rising number of individuals signed up for the team that express to us a dis-interest in the sport, note they do not want to be at practice (that their “parents make them be here”), and refuse to participate in running. We will do everything we can to make running and practice a positive experience for your child, however we do need you child to meet these above requirements regarding positive attitude and effort at practice. If your child does not want to come to practice to run and participate, we ask that you consider other alternatives so that roster spots are filled with individuals that want to be in our program. If individuals join that do not meet the above requirements of positive attitude and effort at practice, the Blazers have the right to remove these individuals from participation with the team.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Practices are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:45pm to 7pm. Practices will be at Laumeier Sculpture Park for the majority of the season. During the final month of the season we will move practices to Kirkwood Park so that we can practice under the lights.

Laumeier Sculpture Park
12580 Rott Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63127

(At Laumeier, we will meet at the parking lot that is on the east side of the visitor center, near the “eyeball” statue) 

Kirkwood Park (tennis courts meet-up area)
529 West Adams Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63122

(meet at the Kirkwood Park tennis courts)

Race distances:
8 years old - 2km race (about 1.25 miles)
9-10 years old - 3km race (about 1.85 miles)
11-12 years old - 3km race (about 1.85 miles)
13-14 years old - 4km race (about 2.48 miles)