There are girls who need YOU to help them unleash their power and potential. If you are considering coaching, ask yourself: What better gift can you give to the next generation than inspiring confidence and a strong sense of self?

• Almost 100% of girls said their Girls on the Run coaches care about them.
• 99% of coaches agreed that the coaching experience was valuable for them.
• 96% of coaches said they felt they formed positive relationships with the girls on their team.
• 94% of Girls on the Run coaches said they felt like they were making a difference in their girls’ lives.

No! Girls on the Run provides the training, curriculum and supplies needed to safely lead a team for a season! You simply need to be a motivating role model for your team. Many of our junior coaches and coaches participate in their first 5K alongside their team!

A minimum of one coach per team must have CPR and First Aid certification on file by the first session of any given season and be present at every practice. This is something our council ensures. If you are planning to coach with friends or family members, this means one of you must be. It is not the expectation that junior coaches are CPR certified, but know a coach they work alongside will be.

Yes! Junior coaches are placed according to their geographic location and their availability at sites that need additional coaches. 

No! We provide you with training, curriculum and supplies – everything needed to coach a safe, successful season! You should not incur any personal costs to provide the program to your team. As a Junior Coach, you will receive guidance from the team’s coaches, too. 

Our council provides each team with the curriculum and supplies needed to facilitate the season. Those materials can be picked up by one person from your coaching team at the New Coach Training held at Kensington Hotel in Ann Arbor on Saturday, February 28th.

There are in-person and online training sessions for junior coaches. The online training modules are self-led and will take approximately 3-6 hours. The in person training is held on Saturday, February 28th at Kensington Hotel in Ann Arbor from 9:30am-12:00pm.
Along with this, we have two virtual support check-in's offered to our junior coaches on Tues. March 24th, 6:30-7:00pm, and Wed. April 22nd, 6:30-7:00pm.

Our program meets twice weekly for 90 minute sessions. Coaches and junior coaches must attend and lead at least one practice per week. To provide a consistent experience to participants, your commitment is crucial to prepare and collaborate with co-coaches to facilitate fun, successful lessons. Each season lasts 8 weeks and culminates with a team-led community project and celebratory Girls on the Run 5K event.  

Teams may practice at designated parks, recreation and community centers, and schools. The location and times are approved prior to participant registration each season. Practice times are typically set in the last afternoon/early evening hours (to accommodate participants after school). 

Junior coaches may indicate where they would like to coach. If there is not a preference, we will assign them to a location in need close to their geographical location. 

We try to assign only one Junior Coach per team, but that's not always the case! Each Girls on the Run team is led by two to three trained coaches, and sometimes a Junior Coach. If you would like to coach at an existing site with another applicant (such as a parent/guardian or family friend), please mention this in your application and we will do our best to accommodate you.