Kirkwood School District Cross Country Meet

4th Annual Kirkwood School District Cross Country Meet

What:

• Event: A district-wide, two-day, cross country meet for all Kirkwood Elementary and Middle Schools in October of 2026.
• Grades: Students in grades 6-8 will compete on Day 1 along with the KHS Girls' JV Cross Country Team.
• Race Distance: 1 Mile for grades 3-5 and 1.5 miles for grades 6-8.
• Cost: There will be no cost to the students/KSD families.

Who:

• Organizers: Big River Race Management with the help of the Kirkwood High Cross Country Teams and KSD Parent Volunteers.
• Eligibility: All families residing within the KSD boundaries are eligible to participate.

Where:

• Location: Kirkwood Park

When:

• Date: Tuesday, October 13th, 2026 - Middle Schools (Grade 6-8), High Schools
• Date: Wednesday, October 14th, 2026 - Elementary Schools (Grade 3-5)

Why:

• Purpose: To introduce the sport of cross country to the students of KSD.
• Goal: To foster a healthy active lifestyle within the student body of Kirkwood elementary and middle schools.

Schedule:

• Tuesday, Oct 13:
• 4:00 PM - 6th, 7th, 8th Grade Girls 1.5M
• 4:25 PM - 6th, 7th, 8th Grade Boys 1.5M
• 4:40 PM - High School Gold JV Girls 5k
• 5:10 PM - High School Silver JV Girls 5k

• Wednesday, Oct. 14:
• 4:30 PM - 3rd Grade Girls 1M
• 4:45 PM - 3rd Grade Boys 1M
• 5:00 PM - 4th Grade Girls 1M
• 5:15 PM - 4th Grade Boys 1M
• 5:30 PM - 5th Grade Girls 1M
• 5:45 PM - 5th Grade Boys 1M

Awards:

• Participation: All participants will receive a ribbon upon completing their race.
• Team Trophy: A team trophy will be awarded to one elementary school and one middle school.
• Criteria: Trophies will be earned by the school with the lowest combined points (places) for its top 5 male and top 5 female runners.
• Traveling Trophy: It will be a traveling trophy that goes to the winning school each year.

Meet Administration:

• Participation: Open to all KSD district students grades 3-8.
• Registration: Parents are responsible for registering their student athletes.
• Support: The KSD PE Teachers will be working with the students this Fall to ensure each student’s fitness and preparation is adequate.
• Management: Permitting, course set-up, electronic chip-timing and meet management will be managed by Big River Race Management and KSD Parent Volunteers.

Volunteers:

• Support Needed: Help of Kirkwood School District Parents is essential for a safe and successful meet.
• Volunteer Link: Parents can volunteer to help out here: Volunteer Signup

Race Courses:

• 1.5 Mile Course: Grades 6-8
• 5K Course: High School
• 1 Mile Course: Grades 3-5

Contact:

• Inquiries: Contact Matt Helbig (Meet Director) with any questions at [email protected].

More Information:

• Race URL: For more details visit the official race page: Kirkwood School District Cross Country Meet.