Girls on the Run

Yes! We are much more than a running program, and every participant can benefit from the experience of building confidence through accomplishment while participating in our rich, curriculum-based, age-appropriate, interactive lessons. Expect lots of games, talking, laughing and processing in addition to running at each practice. And know that when we say run, we mean run, walk, skip, roll or push, just as long as you are moving foward!

Your program registration fee includes all lesson materials, including GOTR curriculum, activity sheets, lap counters, journal and more, a GOTR T-shirt, entry into the Girls on the Run 5K celebration, a finisher's medal and 5K T-shirt, and coach and administrative support.

Yes. We strive to never turn a girl away because of finances*. We offer adjusted program fees on a sliding scale starting at $0 based on household income. The online registration system will walk you through questions to find the fee that is right for your family. 

*Thanks to generous donors and community supporters, program scholarships are available to any girl who needs it.

The spring season begins the week of February 13. The season will culminate with the Girls on the Run 5K celebration on Saturday, May 6. More information will be shared by the Girls on the Run staff and your girl's coaches once the season begins.

No, we do not offer a payment plan. The Girls on the Run program fee starts at $0 and is on a sliding scale based on household income. 

Yes! Since most of our teams fill up quickly, if your girl will be unable to attend all the sessions, please save room for a girl who can, and consider joining us in a future season when she can enjoy the entire program.

Girls on the Run reserves the right to dismiss a child without a refund if she misses more than four sessions. Girls will not be penalized for missing practices due to COVID-19. 

Girls on the Run is committed to having small teams with low coach to participant ratios. Having strong relationships between teammates and coaches is a core part of our program. Depending on the site, teams are capped at 15 or 20 participants.

Yes! As a mission-driven 501(c)3, Girls on the Run relies on generous donors in order to provide more than $30,000 in program scholarships for families in need. Click here to sponsor a participant this season.

Yes. If your household income is less than or equal to $50,000 per year, your child is eligible to receive athetic gear (running shoes and sports bras) through us. More information is included in the lottery registration form.

A girl’s parent/guardian is responsible for contacting Girls on the Run if their girl is not going to participate in the program. Girls on the Run will issue a refund if a girl drops out of the program by Wednesday, February 22, 2023. No refund will be issued for any cancellations after February 22. A $10 administration fee will be charged on all cancellations, except in cases of medical emergencies with a doctor’s note or documentation. If a site is cancelled due to insufficient registration or other circumstances deemed appropriate by Girls on the Run, the full registration fee will be refunded. 

Site-based teams are primarily open to girls attending that site/school. We encourage you to start a Girls on the Run team in your community if there is not already a team nearby! Learn more about starting a team.

Yes! Our curricula are designed to be repeated. Girls new to the program and girls repeating the program will both benefit from the lessons. We know what a child experiences and learns in Girls on the Run as a 3rd grader is quite different from what she learns as a 4th or 5th grader. With repetition, the depths of learning and the ability of a girl to apply what she learns at each lesson is greater. Within Girls on the Run, we rotate between three curricula for Girls on the Run and two curricula for Heart & Sole, so our girls experience similar topics, but with different games and activities from one season to the next. With that experience, returning girls often naturally step into mentoring and leadership roles.

Please contact yulanda.mccowin@girlsontherun.org if you are interested in starting an additional team. Alternatively, we have community teams, which are open to all girls. Coaches’ daughters are guaranteed a spot in the program and receive a program discount.

Participants must attend both sessions each week and should not sign up for the program if there is a known conflict. Due to the importance of group dynamics and the experiential learning process of the Girls on the Run curriculum, girls who are absent for more than four practices during one season are in violation of the Girls on the Run attendance policy and Girls on the Run has the right to dismiss a girl from the program. Girls will not be penalized for missing practices due to COVID-19. 

Any participant engaged in behavior that threatens the health or welfare of other participants, coaches or other key Girls on the Run volunteers will be released from participating in the program. Threatening behavior may include but is not limited to: physical injury, emotional maltreatment, abuse of prescription or illegal drugs, use of alcohol, carrying firearms or other dangerous items, using any item in a dangerous way, or any other activity determined by a coach or administrator to be threatening to another’s health or well-being. Girls on the Run reserves the right to remove any child from participation for any reason that does not fit the mission and goals of the organization.

Girls on the Run is intentional with the way in which we see behaviors. We know that behavior is a skill that individuals learn and grow. We also know that a participant’s context and life experiences influence their behaviors. We are intentional about including participants with and without disabilities and work with participants within this context as well. 

Yes. Girls on the Run welcomes cisgender and transgender girls and nonbinary participants into our program. Nonbinary participants should be aware that the word girl is used in our curriculum and is printed on our T-shirts, worksheets, etc

Girls on the Run welcomes children with and without disabilities. Our program includes movement, discussions, reading and writing. While our name is “Girls on the Run,” you do not need to run in order to fully participate in our program. Please reach out to us or your team’s coach to talk about adaptations that we can make and/or whether GOTR is a good fit for your child.