RunJumpThrow is a crucial part of USATF’s evolution to help improve the lives of young people, regardless of whether or not they are competitive athletes. In the free RJT curriculum, you will find activities ranging from warming up and walking to advanced hurdle and jumping activities. While all these activities meet SHAPE America standards, the most important part of RunJumpThrow is that kids have fun moving their bodies. Getting active is the first step toward getting fit. By focusing on the activity and taking joy in movement, RJT helps instill a love of movement in children and to provide a starting point for what we hope will be a lifetime of healthy, physical activity.
The FREE RunJumpThrow Core Plan consists of activities organized into 21 stations and a sample lesson plan to host a one-day event or a five to six week program. Also included are guidelines for hosting a fun competition for kids to test their skills. Each station is a designated time and place to focus on learning and practicing specific track & field skills. Event Directors may select from the stations and adjust the program to best fit their situation. Activities can be modified and scaled for small and large events and programs. The most important thing to remember when hosting an event is to have fun!
RunJumpThrow activities can be held anywhere – in a gym, in a field, on a track, or on a playground. Stations may be conducted sequentially, one at a time, or you may spread out several stations and have athletes rotate between them. The program was designed to be flexible, so Event Directors can do as many or few stations as is feasible given their specific time and space restrictions. To successfully implement a RJT one-day event, Event Directors should: Plan for an event to last 90 minutes to two hours (this accounts for breaks, rotation, and # of stations); Have one grown-up volunteer instructor for every 8-10 kids; Basic equipment (cones for marking stations, softballs for throwing, and a measuring tape for jumps).
We would love to hear about all about your RunJumpThrow event. We appreciate you taking just a few minutes to send us details about your event and share any feedback so we can continue to make the RJT program better. Thank you: https://usatf.wufoo.com/forms/runjumpthrow-post-event-form/
We would love to hear from you about your plans to host a RunJumpThrow. Fill out the interest form and a USATF program coordinator will contact you to help answer questions and make sure you have everything you need for a successful, fun-filled RJT event!
Download the full guide on how to host your one-day RJT event.
Download the full curriculum to plan your six-week youth program.
Download an example of a 10 station one-day event to help you plan your RJT event.
Download a copy of the RJT participant form.
While most of you know Hershey for iconic brands like Hershey’s, Reese’s and Twizzlers, the company was founded with an enduring social mission to support the development of children. One of the cornerstones of Hershey’s commitment in the development of youth has been the partnership with USATF. The RunJumpThrow program expands access to the sport of track and field for kids ages 7-12. Hershey values programs that provide opportunities for kids to learn by doing and the RJT program is an innovative way to extend their values around the long-standing commitment to introduce kids to basic running, jumping and throwing skills for a lifetime of activity.