Girls on the Run 5k


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Welcome, Girls on the Run Families! We envision a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams.

Dear Parents and Guardians, Welcome to Girls on the Run of Greater Kansas City! Thank you for joining us in our mission to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident by using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. Girls on the Run (3rd-5th) and Heart & Sole (6th-8th) are positive youth development programs for girls. This includes a highly interactive 10-week/20-lesson curriculum led by our amazing volunteer coaches. Over the next few months program participants will learn what it means to be strong, confident and connected. By the conclusion of the program, these young girls will be empowered with a sense of achievement when they complete a 5k run with their teammates. The finish line is just the beginning. Our ultimate goal is to provide the girls with tools and resources that will serve them well for a lifetime! Please take the time to read this welcome packet in its entirety, as it contains important program information for you and your girl.

Girls on the Run Serving Greater Kansas City 2110 W. 75th Street, Prairie Village, KS 66208 Please visit our website, www.gotrkc.org for more information

Girls on the Run What is Girls on the Run?

Girls on the Run is a transformational physical activity–based positive youth development program for girls in 3rd to 5th grade designed to develop and enhance girls’ competencies to successfully navigate life experiences. The goals of the program are to develop and improve competence, unleash confidence through accomplishment, develop strength of character, respond to others and oneself with care and compassion, create positive connections with peers and adults and make a meaningful contribution to community, all while establishing a lifetime appreciation of health and fitness. At each season's conclusion, the girls and their running buddies, complete a 5k running event. Completing a 5k gives the girls a tangible sense of achievement as well as a framework for setting and achieving life goals. The result—making the seemingly impossible, possible and teaching girls that they can.

What is Heart & Sole? Heart & Sole is Girls on the Run’s new program for middle school girls! Heart & Sole creates a positive, structured space for middle school girls to learn about themselves, explore new ideas, cultivate empathy, strengthen connections and develop life skills that will help them as they move through adolescence and beyond. The Heart & Sole curriculum is rich with themes girls can relate to, addressing the whole girl—body, brain, heart, spirit and social connection—and building important life skills such as team building, developing a support system, boundary setting, decision making, asking for and providing help, and more. This 10-week program is accessible to all girls regardless of athletic ability or fitness level and considers the range of ages and varied experiences of middle schoolers. Physical activity includes strength and conditioning appropriate for this age group. The season culminates with the Girls on the Run 5k, which is the celebratory event that underscores the confidence, competence, connection, character and caring they’ve been developing in the program and gives them a tangible sense of goal setting and achievement.

Grown-Up Guide Girls on the Run has two Grown Up Guides, one for our GOTR program and one for Heart & Sole. Both Grown-Up Guides are available to download at www.gotrkc.org under the “Get Involved” and “Parent Resources” tabs. This guide will help facilitate discussion about the day’s lesson. We encourage you to use this tool to begin dialogue regarding the topics we address. In addition, the guide includes a 5k training schedule, so you may train to participate in our 5k with your daughter! Please ask your coaches if you’d like more details on the GOTR or Heart & Sole curriculum.

How can I join the Fun? 1. Follow along with the Grown-Up Guide. o This guide is available to download at www.gotrkc.org. This guide will allow you to follow along with the GOTR curriculum for at home lessons and discussions. 2. Train outside of practice with your girl for the end season 5k event! 3. Donate today at: http://www.gotrkc.org/get-involved/donate o As a nonprofit organization, Girls on the Run relies on donations and sponsorship to keep our program running. It is the mission of Girls on the Run to offer our program to all girls who want to participate, regardless of their ability to pay. 4. Help organize the Community Impact Project. o Contact your girl’s coach with any ideas you may have. 5. Become a coach for the next season! o Register online at www.gotrkc.org or email [email protected] 6. Become a Solemate and raise funds for Girls on the Run of Greater Kansas City o Check out our website under the “Get Involved” tab for more information on our Solemates fundraiser or email us at [email protected] 7. Be a mentor for your girl!

Policies to Ensure a Fun & Safe Season! Attendance Policy:

Our curriculum is designed so that each lesson builds on the lesson before it. We are also focused on building relationships and trust between the girls on the team. It is important for the girls to attend and participate in both practices each week. Therefore, part time or once a week participation is not allowed. Due to the importance of the experiential learning process of the Girls on the Run curriculum, girls who are absent for more than four (4) practices during one season may not be eligible to participate in the program for the remainder of the season.

Pick-up Policy:

Parents and Guardians are expected to pick up their girls from practice on time and no later than 10 minutes after practice has ended. Please remember that our coaches are volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to their GOTR team, and we want to respect their commitment. Please make sure your girl has arrangements to be picked up on time. Girls who are consistently picked up late from practice may not be eligible to participate in the program for the remainder of the season.

Privacy Policy & Health History Forms:

When completing your girl’s registration form, we also had you complete a health history form. All coaches will have a copy of your girl’s information so that they can be prepared in an emergency situation. Our privacy policy ensures your information will be protected and used only for health related purposes.

Are you ready for a fantastic season? Important details to remember for GOTR Practice -

Girls must wear secure, close-toed, athletic shoes appropriate for walking and running. Girls should wear clothes that are good for running and stretching, and appropriate for the current weather conditions. Although we encourage our girls to run, walking is OK! Our motto is to keep moving forward. We even experience some happy skipping! Each girl can move at her own pace. All practices are held outdoors. Exceptions are made for lightning, heavy rain, snow, or extreme cold (indoor activities will then take place). Girls should arrive for practice on time and have arranged prompt pick up after practice. If your team practices before or after school, your girl can bring clothes to change in to. However, most girls choose to wear athletic clothes all day on practice days. Girls are expected to commit to coming to both lessons every week. Each girl is important, unique and special. They should come prepared for fun!

Mark Your Calendars! Date Jan 30th March 7th March 11th

Event Registration is open Season Starts! 5k registration opens for family and friends Team Community Impact Project Practice 5k End of Season Team Celebration 5k Race

Month of May Month of May Month of May May 21st

Time 8:00am Varies by site 8:00am Varies by site

Location Online at gotrkc.org Varies by location Online at gotrkc.org (Your girls are already registered) Varies by site

Varies by site Varies by site

Varies by site Varies by site

9:00am

Arrowhead Stadium

Your Girl’s Practice Dates & Information Use this calendar to fill in your team’s practice days and times. This information can be found at www.gotrkc.org

Day(s)

Time

Location

End of Season Events! Community Impact Project and Practice 5k: Each team will schedule its own Community Impact Project and Practice 5k during the season. One of our goals is for your girl to learn about giving back to the community in a service project. We also want to take the race jitters away, so that the Arrowhead race day is pure joy and fun! The Practice 5k helps the girls understand race etiquette, let’s them complete the distance in advance, and it allows them to experience how much fun a race can be! Look for communication from your Lead Coach on both of the dates, and feel free to join the team at these events!

Girls on the Run 5k:

Our 5k is the final event of the season where all the girls come together with their families and friends across Kansas City to celebrate all they have learned throughout the season. These girls will have trained with their teams to complete the race, proving to themselves and others that they most definitely CAN do anything they set their mind to! The 5k event will be held on Saturday, May 21st, at 9:00am at Arrowhead Stadium. Plan to arrive by 8:00am to enjoy the pre-race activities!

Before the 5K: -

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Girls participating in GOTR are automatically registered for the 5k. The race registration fee is included in their initial program registration. The girls will run in their team program shirt. Coaches will pick up race bibs for all girls on the team. Before the race, your Lead Coach will pass out the race bibs. Family, friends and running partners need to register for the race separately at GOTRKC.org. Early race registration is $30 and is open March 11th – April 15th. The registration fee is $35 from April 16th – May 16th. We will offer late registration at packet pick-up and race morning for $40. (If you choose this option, please arrive early as lines will be long.) If you are not interested in running, you are invited to volunteer or cheer on your girl for free! There are many family friendly activities in Fun Zone. Bring a sign and your cheer gear to support your girl!

Race Day Fun Zone The Fun Zone will be open from 8:00 to 11:30am for girls and their families to enjoy before and after the race. Girls can get their faces painted, hair sprayed funky colors, take silly photos in the photo booths and participate in dancing and games for prizes with the DJ!

Frequently Asked Questions Q: How will I know if practice is canceled? A: Your team’s coach will contact you if practice is canceled. Practice will be canceled if school is not in-session that day, or in the event of a school closure due to weather or other emergency.

Q: Can my girl still participate if she does not have proper running shoes? A: Yes! Our council offers shoe scholarships for girls who express need for running shoes. All you

have to do is contact your coach and she will contact the GOTR KC staff to arrange for a shoe scholarship.

Q: Can my daughter repeat the program? A: Yes! The Girls on the Run curricula is designed to be used over and over again, with girls new to the program and with girls repeating the program. We also know that what a child experiences and learns in Girls on the Run as a third grader is quite different from what she learns as a fourth or fifth grader. With repetition, the depths of learning and the ability of a girl to apply what she learns at each lesson is greater.

Q: What does the program fee include? A: The fee of $145 includes the following: -

20-lesson program conducted by certified GOTR or Heart & Sole coaches. Materials used for lessons throughout the program and snacks for each practice. Volunteer training and background check. Your girl’s entry fee into the 5k running event. GOTR or Heart & Sole Program t-shirt. GOTR or Heart & Sole water bottle. 5k medal. Note: You must provide your own transportation for your girl to and from the practice and the season ending 5k.

Q: Will I have to pay anything else throughout the course of Girls on the Run season?

A: GOTR KC encourages each girl to have a family member or friend run with them at the 5k

event. The family member’s race registration fee is not included in the program registration fee. Whether it’s a parent, relative, neighbor or friend who runs with the participant at the race, they must register for the 5k. Early bird registration is $30.