For many elementary students, school sports are limited or unavailable. The new NB3FIT cross country league is giving them a chance to run, be part of a team and spend more time being active with their classmates.
Six schools are participating in the NB3FIT Cross Country League’s first season, with more than 100 students competing each week: Hemish Immersion School, Placitas Elementary, Algodones Elementary, San Ildefonso Day School, Santo Domingo Schools and San Felipe Pueblo School.
The league was created to make sports more accessible to younger students, who can be overlooked when school athletic programs focus on middle school grades. It also gives students a way to use their energy after school and build healthy habits with support from their schools and communities.
The league is separate from the established NB3FIT Running Club, which competes in USA Track & Field-sanctioned races. For league meets, NB3FIT staff work with each host school to set up the course, time runners and manage the race. Schools help with volunteers, space and course preparation. That arrangement gives schools a way to offer cross country without asking teachers and staff to organize an entire meet.
NB3FIT’s lead running specialist also held a training for school coaches to help them teach the fundamentals of the sport. League races take place Friday afternoons, allowing teachers and staff who volunteer to keep their weekends free.
The inaugural season is expected to include five to six races. Its championship race will be part of NB3 Foundation Traditions Run, following the USA Track & Field races in which the NB3FIT Running Club competes.
NB3FIT hopes to welcome more schools next season and add races as participation grows. Schools interested in joining can contact Clint Begay at Clint@nb3f.org to discuss how they can take part. NB3FIT also plans to offer basketball this winter and soccer in the spring.
