Runners with heart.
Teammates with purpose.
Open to youth athletes, who in August 2026 will be entering grades 4, 5, 6. Pulling mainly from the Licking County and surrounding areas.
Running from June 2nd until Oct 6th. Meeting twice a week for in-person practice, providing an additional weekly at home workout & a full schedule of roughly 6 optional meets to participate in.
Get fit. Stay fit. Be part of a team. Compete... and of course, get sweet gear!
Fuel your excitement
Open to all levels, from competitive to recreational. We aim to get kids excited about XC and work hard on improving as individuals and as a team.
To keep the programs goals within reach, please read these three documents (as they will need agreed to prior to registration).
Lets go!
Please register by adding the desired products to your cart and completing checkout.
FAQ
What is Wood St Youth XC
We are Wood Street Youth XC. Runners with heart, teammates with purpose, and a family that pushes each other to go farther, faster, and stronger every day.
Is this a competitive program?
Our goal is for this program to become a competitive youth XC program. Since we are brand new we won’t know if we are competitive yet; but that’s our end goal! We have dedicated and experienced coaches who are runners, we have a competition focus, will incorporate supplemental training, and are team oriented with performance goals in place.
What is your training philosophy for these young athletes?
Our training philosophy for these young athletes is to develop them into long term, healthy athletes who love running. This will be accomplished by increasing volume and intensity, having a focus on consistency and recovery, and teaching young athletes to develop mental toughness through positive self-talk and focus.
What age range is permitted?
Kids entering 4th, 5th or 6th grade are permitted.
How long is the program?
Our program runs from June 2nd until October 6th.
Do members get any awesome gear?
Glad you asked. Each member of Wood St Youth XC receives a sublimated team singlet (personalized with their last name) & a team tee, and all are welcomed to celebrate at our end of season cookout. Additionally, members receive a $20 voucher to Wood St Sports & a $20 voucher to Fleet Feet.
Are food & drink provided?
Limited bagels and/or bananas plus water and/or Gatorade will be available at each practice... but all are encouraged to bring their own iced and named water bottle.
Where and when is practice held?
Practice will be held at Foundation Park in Pataskala. In consideration of other sports utilizing the park and in hopes of allowing the heat to fizzle out a bit, our schedule is as follows:
Jun 2 - Aug 20 : Tuesdays & Thursday 6-7pm
Aug 24 - Oct 6 : Mondays & Tuesday 6-7pm
An additional weekly at-home workout will be provided.
Check-in starts at 5:50pm, athletes must be picked up by 7:10
Participation in meets is optional.
Where and when are optional meets?
The schedule of options meets will; be released closer to the season. For planning purposes, we will meet up at roughly 6 meets. Most of which on Saturdays. Most or all are in the Licking County area.
Meet participation is optional. Participation in meets will range from $0-$10/runner. Each runner will likely need to be registered (we will share the registration link). Members / spectators are responsible for transportation and may be subject to parking/entree fees.
What's the registration deadline, can athletes join late?
Registration closes May 31st. Athletes are welcome to register after the deadline, but team gear is subject to availability & there are no prorated fees for late registrations.
How much does registration cost, are the discounts for family members?
Registration costs $175. Additional family members are discounted $25 each (must reside in the same primary residence & be registered at the same time).
Meet The Coaches!
Heidi Krichbaum
Heidi is a busy first grade teacher and a mom of two very active boys and is married to her high school sweetheart. She did not fall in love with running until she was 32. She has completed three marathons and numerous half marathons locally. Her favorite pastime is running in races with her family or with Team Heart and Sole, an organization who helps disabled adults and children run in races. Her love for running has expanded into the community and she has created: the Pataskala Running/Walking Club, the Elementary Run Club that is in all SWL Buildings for grades 1st-6th, and with the huge help of Wood Street Sports is bringing the very first youth XC team to our community!
Jeff Kline
Jeff is a high school Math teacher and father of two active girls. He and his wife, Kim, live in Pataskala and are involved in all areas of the community. He has 21 years of experience coaching boys and girls cross country at Canal Winchester High School as both Assistant and Head Coach. Jeff has 11 years of experience as girls Distance Track Coach at Canal Winchester High School. His Cross Country teams won a combined 11 district titles and 4 top seven State Meet finishes. Jeff has coached a combined 19 state qualifying individuals and 9 All-Ohio individuals between cross country and track. Jeff loves to run in local races and competed four years collegiately at Capital University.
Charles Krichbaum
Charles is a dad to two very busy boys. He works for Aetna insurance, but his passion is whatever sport his children are involved in. He has been a head coach for the Warrior Rec Basketball league, and an assistant basketball coach for the Warrior Travel League, coached the WMS summer league, and has been an assistant coach for the Pataskala Parks and Rec soccer program. He loves to play basketball and has completed three marathons and numerous half marathons.
Autumn Crawford
Hi! I’m Autumn. I was guilted into running cross country for junior olympics in 5th grade and have been in love with the sport ever since :) I have ran off and on for 25 years now (yikes). I’ve ran in lots of races ranging from 5K's to a couple of marathons. My husband and I have 3 kids who are involved in all the activities (or so it seems). I am an OR nurse. When there is any free time that is not spent soaking up some laziness, I like to read and go on glamping adventures with my family.
Kelly Parker
A lifelong runner and dedicated coach with a strong history of competitive success. A high school state qualifier and placer, Kelly went on to run collegiately for Kent State University. She later served as the head coach at Columbus Academy, where her teams earned a state runner-up finish and produced multiple state champions. After transitioning to an assistant coaching role at Watkins Memorial, Kelly continued to help athletes reach top levels, including another state champion and several state qualifiers. Kelly has carried her passion for running into the community, staying active through local Run Clubs thanks to Heidi’s leadership and remaining a committed supporter of the running community in Pataskala.
Brian Baum
Recently relocated to Pataskala from Canton, Ohio to work as a controls/automation specialist for Williams Power Innovation in Pataskala/New Albany and I live here with my wife Taylor, daughter Gia and dogs Sandy & George. I have been running competitively for roughly 20 years and have trained under one of the most decorated distance running programs in the NCAA. I graduated from Adams State University in 2016 as an 11x NCAA All American, 1x NCAA Champion, 1x NCAA Runner-Up, and 1x NCAA All American in cross country. I still enjoy running for fun and occasionally racing when I get the competitive bug, and I am excited to meet and work with the future of Pataskala distance running and a passionate group of coaches!
Taylor Baum
Born and raised in Cleveland Ohio before attending the University of Mount Union for my degree in Nursing. I played soccer at Mount Union, and spent two years as a team captain. My time since college has been spent working in the adult critical care setting as a registered nurse, and educating future nurses at the collegiate level as a masters-prepared nursing educator. I am the mom of a speedy, sassy four-year-old little girl named Gia. I am excited to come on and help the youth of Pataskala find a love for running and fitness!
Owen Tennant
Owen Tennant is a graduate of Watkins Memorial High School where he ran track and XC. He graduated from Ohio Dominican University in 2014. Owen was an assistant soccer coach for Pataskala Parks and Rec last spring. He enjoys cheering on his nephews in their sports, especially XC. He resides in Gahanna with his wife, Danielle, their dog, two cats and fish tank.
Eli Krichbaum
Eli is a member of the WMS XC team, track team, and 8th grade basketball team. He volunteers in the church nursery and helps his mom coach the elementary Run Club each fall and spring.
Elizabeth Parker
A driven and multi-talented young woman whose energy seems to create its own orbit. A dedicated athlete, she splits her time between the track, the cross-country course, riding arena where her love for horses come alive and the dance studio. Beyond athletics, Elizabeth is a committed leader in her community. She serves as a Middle School Bible study leader and is an active member of The Real Church, where her kindness, faith, and willingness to step up have made her a trusted role model for younger students. She also puts her problem-solving skills to use in LEGO robotics competitions, where she combines imagination with engineering to tackle challenges piece by piece. Elizabeth Parker is a young woman who approaches life with determination, heart, and an infectious sense of enthusiasm—always ready to run, create, lead, and inspire.
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