Copley Youth Cross Country Race

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

3807 Ridgewood Rd, Akron, OH, 44321

5:15 Kids fun run 400 m (age 6 and under- no registration required)
5:30 1mi BOYS AND GIRLS START (ages 6-8) 
6:00 Boys 2mi START (ages 9-11)
6:30 Girls 2mi START (ages 9-11)
Awards to follow.

The mile and two mile races are intended for runners in grades1st - 6th.

Deadline for racer submission is Monday, September 8, 2025

Individuals and teams are welcome.  
Email Ashlee Eskelsen with questions or registrations.

Registration information should include: Name, Gender, Date of Birth, and Team (or unattached if running as an individual).

Logistics and Schedule:  logistics and schedule_2025 copley meet.pdf

Course and Parking Maps:  course and parking maps_2025 copley meet.pdf

2025 Welcome Packet: 

Copley Youth Cross Country FAQ’s

The goal of our program is to promote the sport of running and to provide a fun experience for all our athletes.

What is Cross Country?

Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. In Cross Country (XC or CC) EVERYONE competes. At the Middle and High School level there are no cuts, and nobody rides the bench.

How Far Will We Run?

That depends on the age group. In practice we will start out at a mile and work up for 6-8 year old runners. Some children will not run very far without needing to stop and catch their breath. We will work with the kids on pacing and building their endurance. Most race distance is based on age. Some races for the younger group (6-8 year old) will be 1 mile and others will be 2K (1.24 mi). Older kids (9-12 year old) will run a 2 mi or 3K (1.86) in most races.

Running Shoes

Your child should have a good pair of running shoes. Below is a link to a document we posted a while back that discusses the topic.
shoe guide.pdf

Races

The race schedule will be announced mid-summer.  The group of teams we race against are all in this to promote the sport. We have some awesome partner teams in our regional.  Some of the teams we run against are Woodridge, Field, Tallmadge and Revere.

Scoring for Cross Country

Lowest score wins! See Reference below for Details.
scoring reference.pdf

Communication

We value communication.  We use the "Teams" app for announcements, changes, and pictures.  After you register, please download the app and ask to be part of the "Copley Youth Cross Country."  You will be prompted for a reason (name of child), as this is a closed group.

Email us with questions!

Ashlee & Jeremy Eskelsen
Co-directors CAA Youth XC
[email protected]

Meet the Coaches:

Ashlee Eskelsen has been running since 2006 and has accumulated over 14,000 miles.  She competed for Washington State University as a long distance track and cross country athlete.  She has run in every distance from the 400m relay to an ultramarathon.  She has qualified for and competed in the Boston Marathon.  Ashlee broke the world record for fastest half marathon pushing a triple pram in 2018 (three oldest boys riding).  While it has since been broken, the claim to fame remains.  Ashlee wants running to be fun and she has a competitive edge for athletes that want to take it a "stride further."

Jeremy Eskelsen has been officially running since 2015, though he participated in athletics as a child in which running was involved.  He has competed in multiple 5ks, a half-marathon, triathlon, duathlon, and a marathon.  Jeremy has been taking martial arts classes to increase his fitness and core strength.  He loves to see kids reach their potential!  He knows the importance of encouragement and works with our runners where they are at.

In the Fall of 2025, Ashlee will lead the younger (2K) group with children ages 5-8.  Jeremy will lead the older (3K) group with children ages 9-12.** 

We also rely on parent coaches and volunteers to help this program function.  If you are interested in running with our youth in a pace group and helping at practice, please contact us!  Volunteer coaches are generally parents, guardians, or older siblings, but we welcome others that are interested in running.  Contact: [email protected]

**Note: Ages are based on the end of this calendar year.  In other words, what age will your child be on December 31, 2025.

Pictured above (from left): Coach Jeremy, Ethan (9), James (7), and  Coach Ashlee. 
Photo credit: Mike Gerst