* The Golden South Invitational is back under a new three-meet format starting on May 15 in Florida
Here's the good news:
The year 2021 has already been much better than the last.
We all remember 2020: The canceled meets, the erased seasons and the lost opportunities along the way. But so far this spring, states have been competing, athletes have been crushing it, and we've continued to see individuals and teams strive for more and more each time out.
And yet, this week's news of the California Interscholastic Federation canceling its 2021 state championships -- for the second straight season -- reminded us all that we have to be mindful of what's still around us.
Saying that, many of us have found ways to get on the track and in the field.
As we're mindful of opportunities, and how athletes are still yearning to compete in 2021, we wanted to highlight some championship-level meets beyond the state championship season that athletes can continue to train for.
We will continue to update this list as championship events are brought to our attention.
May 15
Golden South Invitational # 1
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Where: Fort Myers, Florida -- Dunbar HS
The Scoop: After taking a year off due to COVID-19, the Golden South Invitational is back, this time with a new three-week format. Spread across three cities over three weeks, the meet will give athletes access to races beyond the high school track and field season. There are no entry standards. More on the meet can be found on the meet page.
May 21
Golden South Invitational #2
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Where: Tarpon Springs, Florida -- East Lake HS
The Scoop: After taking a year off due to COVID-19, the Golden South Invitational is back, this time with a new three-week format. Spread across three cities over three weeks, the meet will give athletes access to races beyond the high school track and field season. There are no entry standards. More on the meet can be found on the meet page.
May 22
The Wingfoot Night Of Champions
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Where: Marietta, Georgia
The Scoop: A first time event, the Wingfoot Night of Champions will be the culmination of a strong 2021 season for athletes across the Southeast and beyond. The Atlanta Track Club produces the event and has strong ties to the high school community. Each year, the organization also holds the Wingfoot XC Classic in September.
May 29
Golden South Invitational #3
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Where: Winter Haven, Florida -- Lake Region HS
The Scoop: After taking a year off due to COVID-19, the Golden South Invitational is back, this time with a new three-week format. Spread across three cities over three weeks, the meet will give athletes access to races beyond the high school track and field season. There are no entry standards. More on the meet can be found on the meet page.
June 11-12
RunningLane Track Championships
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Where: Madison, Alabama
The Scoop: The RL Track Championships are a (figurative) bookend to the record-breaking RunningLane National Cross Country Championships, which this Alabama-based company brought to athletes across the United States in November. A distance-only meet, the event hopes to yet again yield state- and record-breaking performances.
June 30-July 3
NSAF Outdoor Nationals
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Where: TBD
The Scoop: This was formerly 'New Balance Nationals Outdoor' before New Balance did not renew its contract with NSAF in 2020. The organization recently put on the NSAF Meet of Champions in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in March. The organization has not confirmed a venue yet.
July 1-4
AAU West Coast National Championships
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Where: Sparks, Nevada -- Reed High School
The Scoop: A year ago, the West Coast AAU Junior Olympics presented an opportunity for many athletes on the west coast -- and across the United States, in all honesty -- to compete through a pandemic. In some ways, it was one of only a few meets in 2020 that offered quality competition in July. A year later, it's set to be held in Nevada again and will feature
July 2
Brooks PR
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Where: Seattle Washington -- TBD
The Scoop: An elite-high school only meet, Brooks PR was canceled in 2020 due to precautions taken due to COVID-19. But the 2021 version, as of now, looks to be on (see link). We already have been notified of at least one athlete getting an invitation. So more are likely to come. How do you qualify? Well, that's all subjective. Brooks PR typically sends out 'golden invitations' to the top athletes in the country at select events. The meet itself offers only championship races and starts and is over and done in about two hours flat. There are no field events.
Registration -- Invitation Only
July 10-17
AAU Club Championships
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Where: Orlando, Florida -- ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
The Scoop: For club athletes, the AAU Club Championships present an opportunity for youth athletes across the U.S. to compete against their peers in a national championship-style environment.
July 30-August 7
AAU Junior Olympic Games
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Where: Houston, Texas -- Humble High School
The Scoop: A fitting cap to any high school season, the AAU Junior Olympic Games is a qualify-only event requiring performance-based times at regional events. Featuring athletes as young as eight and up to 18, AAU JOs has featured some of the country's most distinguished athletes in recent years. Some notable athletes have been Athing Mu, Brandon Miller, Erriyon Knighton,