Questions & Answers
Whether you’re considering Firebirds for the first time or already part of the team, find answers about registration, practices, competition, track and field, meet day, uniforms, and what to expect throughout the season.
Getting Started
The basics for families considering Firebirds or preparing for a new season.
Outdoor participation has historically served athletes ages 6–18, while the indoor program has served athletes ages 6–14 / K–8. High-school eligibility can differ because athletes may be required to participate with their school team during the school season.
Current eligibility is published with each season’s registration information.
View Registration →No. Firebirds welcomes athletes with different levels of experience. Training is designed to build strong fundamentals, introduce event-specific skills, and help athletes progress as they gain experience.
Explore Programs →Firebirds offers indoor and outdoor track & field programming. Training evolves as athletes gain experience, with an emphasis on strong fundamentals, event-specific skills, and preparation for increasingly competitive opportunities.
Season availability, age eligibility, and registration details are published for each current season.
Explore Our Program →Indoor season has historically run from approximately mid-November through early March. Outdoor season generally runs from spring through the end of July / early August.
Exact practice dates, competition dates, and registration windows change by season, so always use the current Calendar and Registration pages for the latest information.
View Schedule →Registration has historically included organized team training and athlete entry fees for scheduled meets. Current inclusions are outlined during each season’s registration.
Uniforms, travel, lodging, meals, spectator admission, and other personal expenses may be separate.
View Current Registration Details →A sports physical form is not currently required to participate. Families are encouraged to consult their child’s physician to ensure they are able to safely participate in strenuous athletic activity.
Coaches should be informed of significant illness, injury, hospitalization, or changes in an athlete’s physical condition during the season.
Practices
What athletes should know before arriving at practice.
Athletes should wear comfortable athletic clothing appropriate for running and the weather. Jeans, jean shorts, and casual clothing are not appropriate for practice.
Proper running shoes are required. Basketball shoes, Crocs, and casual shoes are not appropriate for track training.
Families should update attendance through TeamSnap when an athlete will miss practice. Athletes arriving late should check in with a coach and complete a proper warm-up before joining the workout.
Firebirds uses TeamSnap to communicate schedule changes and cancellations. Families should check TeamSnap before leaving when inclement weather is possible.
Track & field commonly continues in rain. Lightning and unsafe conditions may require a delay, suspension, or cancellation. Athletes will not be dismissed from practice during a weather cancellation until an authorized adult has picked them up.
Water should be the primary source of hydration. Athletes should arrive well hydrated and continue drinking fluids throughout practices and meets, especially in warm weather.
Electrolyte drinks may be useful in some circumstances, but energy drinks are not an appropriate hydration source for youth athletes.
Competition
How competition supports athlete progress throughout the Firebirds season.
A track meet is a competition made up of running, jumping, and throwing events. Athletes may participate in one or more events depending on their age, development, meet rules, and coach assignments.
Developmental meets give athletes competition experience in a lower-pressure environment, reinforce race etiquette, and help coaches evaluate progress.
Qualifying meets are part of a championship progression. Athletes must meet the required placement or performance standard at one level before advancing to the next.
Meets are not generally mandatory, but they are strongly encouraged because they allow athletes to apply training, gain race experience, test personal limits, and measure progress.
Qualifying meets are different: athletes who want to advance through a championship progression must compete and qualify at the required earlier rounds.
Athlete entry fees for scheduled club meets have historically been included in registration, and Firebirds staff handles athlete meet registration.
Families remain responsible for transportation, meals, hydration, lodging when required, and spectator admission. Current-season details should always be reviewed at registration.
Event assignments are made by the coaching staff based on athlete development, demonstrated performance, training progress, meet needs, and relay considerations.
Families should review meet-entry information when it is distributed and raise any questions promptly. Final event assignments remain at the discretion of the coaching staff.
The Firebirds Calendar provides current season dates, competition information, and other important club dates as they are confirmed. Active Firebirds families should continue to use TeamSnap for the most current operational schedule and team updates.
View Schedule →Track & Field 101
A quick guide for families who are new to track & field.
An outdoor track is typically 400 meters. Common outdoor events include:
Not every meet offers every event, and age eligibility varies.
A standard indoor track is typically 200 meters, so event offerings and lap counts differ from outdoor track.
Specific events depend on the host facility and meet rules.
When more athletes are entered in a race than can fit on the track at one time, the race is divided into groups called heats.
Winning a heat does not necessarily mean an athlete won the event overall. Final places are often determined by comparing the fastest times across all heats.
A bib is the race number issued to an athlete at a meet. It is normally pinned to the competition uniform and used to identify the athlete.
At multi-day meets, athletes may need to keep and reuse the same bib for every day of competition, so it should not be discarded after the first day.
Track & field competitions group youth athletes into age divisions so athletes compete against peers of similar ages. Divisions and naming conventions vary by sanctioning body.
AAU and USATF publish official age-division rules for each competition year. Firebirds will use the applicable meet rules when entering athletes.
Meet Day
Meet-day expectations for athletes and families.
Track meets are long and can require a full-day commitment. Meets may begin in the morning and continue into the evening depending on the number of entries, event schedule, weather, and flow of competition.
Host schedules are shared with families when they become available.
Athletes should arrive at least 90 minutes before their first scheduled event, unless coaches provide a different arrival time.
This allows time to:
Before each meet, Firebirds shares athlete entries with families. Review the information promptly to make sure your athlete is listed and communicate any concerns as soon as possible.
Final event selection is determined by the coaching staff.
Firebirds establishes a team-camp area at meets. When families arrive, follow the current meet instructions for athlete check-in and locating the team.
Athletes should remain with the team in the designated area when they are not competing. This helps coaches locate athletes, keep them out of the sun when possible, preserve energy, and maintain appropriate supervision throughout the meet.
Meet announcers call events and age groups over the facility speaker system when it is time for athletes to report or check in. Families and athletes should remain attentive to announcements.
TeamSnap may also be used to help communicate event calls during the meet. Older athletes are expected to listen for their own events and report on time.
At minimum, athletes should arrive with:
Families may also want chairs, sunscreen, hats, an umbrella, wipes, hand sanitizer, extra clothing, and other weather-appropriate comfort items.
Uniforms & Gear
What athletes need for practice and competition.
Firebirds uniforms are custom-made and do not necessarily fit like standard retail clothing, so athletes should be fitted before ordering.
The process is:
Do not order custom uniform pieces before completing the fitting process. Customized items are generally not returnable unless there is a production issue.
The current Firebirds uniform kit has historically included a warm-up hoodie, warm-up pants, a warm-up shirt, competition top, and competition shorts.
Required pieces and pricing can change, so families should use the current Team Store and season instructions before ordering.
Visit Team Store →Competition spikes are strongly encouraged for track meets. The correct shoe depends on the athlete’s event group, age, and experience.
If you are unsure about sizing, fit, or the correct type of spike shoe, speak with a Firebirds coach before purchasing.
The current Firebirds guidance uses ¼-inch pyramid replacement spikes as the maximum length for standard running track & field events.
Check spike shoes periodically and keep replacement spikes available during the season. Meet and facility rules can vary, so always follow the specific requirements for the venue.
Athletes should train in proper running shoes rather than basketball shoes, Crocs, or casual footwear. Fit, comfort, and support matter more than appearance.
Policies
Important policies that help the club operate smoothly.
Please update attendance before the meet-registration deadline whenever possible. Do not RSVP “going” if your athlete does not plan to attend.
Athlete entries create costs for the club. The current policy allows a fee to be assessed when an athlete is entered after confirming attendance but does not show. Emergencies should be communicated to the athlete’s coach as soon as possible.
Under the current published policy, a registration may be refunded, less a $30 processing fee, until three weeks after the first practice of the season. No refund is issued after three weeks of practice.
Registrations completed after the standard refund period are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Contact Firebirds for assistance with a specific request.
Contact Firebirds →The FAQ explains how Firebirds generally operates. Season-specific dates, prices, registration details, meet plans, fitting dates, and other changing information should be checked on the relevant current website page or TeamSnap.