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What it costs

Most of our athletes compete locally, and that’s a full season.

Nobody has to travel to be part of this club. Below is what training costs, what the governing bodies charge, and what a family should budget if their athlete starts qualifying — so there are no surprises in June.

Monthly payment plans are available for club training

Training

Training with Metropolis

Club dues

Group training and practice, by the week or the month. Monthly payment plans are available so the cost spreads across the season rather than landing at once.

Rates depend on the season and the programme — tell us your athlete’s age and events and we’ll send you current pricing with practice times.

Ask about rates and payment plans

One-off costs

What a family buys once, not every season.

Club uniform
Singlet and shorts — worn at every meet
Spikes
Not needed on day one. Ask a coach before buying — the right pair depends on the events.

New to the sport? Come to a practice in trainers first. Nobody needs kit to start.

Competing

AAU and USATF charge separately

These are the two governing bodies. Our athletes compete in both, and each has its own membership, its own qualifying ladder and its own fees. Every figure below is published by them, not by us.

Amateur Athletic Union membership

$22–24 per year

Membership year runs 1 September – 31 August

Every athlete needs their own membership before they can compete. It’s bought directly from AAU, not through the club.

  1. Cross CountryFall

    How you get there

    1. 1.District Qualifier
    2. 2.Regional
    3. 3.AAU XC National Championship

    Published fees

    National entry
    $40 per athlete
    Team entry
    No additional fee

    National championship

    Tallahassee, Florida — 5 December 2026

    Requires flying

    Athletes 12 and under must run a district qualifier to be eligible.

  2. IndoorWinter

    How you get there

    1. 1.Local and invitational meets
    2. 2.AAU Indoor National Championship

    National championship

    2027 host not yet announced — usually early March

    Metropolis athletes competed at the AAU Indoor National Championship in March 2026.

  3. OutdoorSpring & Summer

    How you get there

    1. 1.District Qualifier — top 16 advance
    2. 2.Regional Qualifier — top 6 advance
    3. 3.AAU Junior Olympic Games

    Published fees

    National entry
    $55 flat, any number of events
    Spectators
    $20 per day, or $50 for the whole event
    Housing
    Booked through the AAU housing bureau — required

    National championship

    Houston, Texas — 26 July – 7 August 2027

    Requires flying

    Baltimore in 2028 is a four-hour drive, which makes that year far cheaper.

USA Track & Field membership

$38.88 per year

Individual Youth Membership covers athletes 18 and under

Every athlete needs their own membership before they can compete. It’s bought directly from USATF, not through the club.

  1. Cross CountryFall

    How you get there

    1. 1.Association Championship
    2. 2.Regional Championship
    3. 3.National Junior Olympic XC

    National championship

    Lafayette, Louisiana — 12 December 2026

    Requires flying

  2. IndoorWinter

    How you get there

    1. 1.Local and invitational meets

    National championship

    2027 indoor schedule not yet announced

    The big invitational indoor meets run in Boston and New York — close enough to drive.

  3. OutdoorSpring & Summer

    How you get there

    1. 1.Long Island Association Championship
    2. 2.Region 1 Championship — top 5 advance
    3. 3.National Junior Olympic Championships

    Published fees

    Association entry
    $10 per event · $26 per relay
    Region 1 entry
    $13 per event on time · $25 late
    Region 1 spectators
    $12 per day · $35 for four days · under 12 free

    National championship

    2026 was Norwalk, California — 2027 host not yet announced

    Requires flying

    Entering online is required to advance — day-of entries cannot move on to Regionals.

Budgeting

Three levels to plan against

Figures are for an athlete and one parent, and cover entry fees and travel — not club dues. They are ranges, because a four-event athlete costs more than a one-event athlete.

  1. Where most athletes are

    Level 1

    Compete locally

    $400–750 a year

    Train year-round and race locally. No qualification needed, no travel, no hotels. Most of our athletes are here, and it is a full season.

    • Local and association meets
    • Entry fees only
    • No overnight travel

  2. Level 2

    Through the regionals

    $1,200–3,000 a year

    Add the district or association qualifier and the regional. Requires placing locally. The regionals are overnight trips — this is the step families most often underestimate.

    • Everything in Level 1
    • Regional entry fees
    • Two to three nights away

  3. Level 3

    National championships

    $2,000–6,600 per trip

    Add a national championship. Requires placing at the regional. Cost swings hugely with where it is held — a drivable year costs roughly $1,400 less than a fly year.

    • Everything in Level 2
    • National entry
    • Flights or a long drive, and 5–7 nights

Levels 2 and 3 are earned, not bought. An athlete has to place at each stage to move on to the next, so these are budgets to plan against rather than packages to choose. Nobody pays for a national season up front.

Planning further ahead? The AAU publishes its national host cities eight years out — two of the next seven are close enough to drive. See the host calendar.

Want a number for your athlete?

Tell us their age, their events and how far they want to take it, and we’ll give you a realistic figure for the season — and the payment options.

Get in touch

Or email hello@metropolisli.org