2025-26 Nighthawk Athletics: General Information & Schedule (Cross Country and Track & Field)

Updated 11/19/2025. Subject to change.

Cross Country (fall) is open to student-athletes in grades 7/8**-12.
Track & Field is open to student-athletes in grades 9-12.
Grade is based on projected graduation year. To maintain MSHSL eligibility, you must delcare a grade and advance each year as "progress towards graduation."
**7/8^th graders: contact us at least one week before the registration deadline to determine MSHSL eligibility. You must have a student of grade 9-12 being currently educated in your home school. He/she does not have to participate on the team.

NOTE: Space is limited for each squad, but we do not have tryouts. We love new athletes!

• Current team members will be given priority registration beginning Tuesday, December 3, 2024.
• New team members will have the opportunity to register beginning Monday, December 9, 2024.
  Contact us in advance to let us know that you're interested in participating, so we can let you know if space might be available.
• Further instructions can be found on the Eligibility & Registration page (keep reading and scroll down for the link). 
• Mandatory team registration & orientation meetings (registration closes two days prior to the meeting):
  • Cross Country: Monday, June 2, 2025, 6:45 P.M. @Hanover City Hall.
  • Track & Field: Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 7:00 P.M. @Hanover City Hall.
• This is a combination of paperwork management and a group meeting. See Team Calendar for details.

Official Season Dates
Cross Country: August 11 - November 1, 2025
Track & Field: March 9 - June 4-6, 2026

• Varsity Section and State qualifiers go longer than others depending on individual advancement
• See Team Calendar for regular meet schedule.
• Mark your calendar with post-season meet dates to support your teammates who qualify!

Coaches
All coaches meet MSHSL training requirements.

• Kirk Swanson (MSHSL Certified Head Coach, NFHS Certified Interscholastic Coach - CC/TF)
• Jennifer Swanson (Athletic Director, Assistant Coach, MSHSL Certified Head Coach - CC/TF)
• Tim Winters (Assistant Coach - CC/TF)
• Cristine Nielsen (Assistant Coach - CC only)
• Mark Loar (Assistant Coach - TF only)

Captains’ Practices
Pre-season attendance is optional. Captains' practices do not count toward your attendance requirements.

• These may be held the two weeks preceding the first day of the official season (schedule TBD by captains).
• 2025 Cross Country Captains: Salina Michael, Katie Calcamuggio, Noah Winters, Joseph Plotts
• 2026 Track & Field Captains: Salina Michael, Katie Calcamuggio, Noah Winters, Joseph Plotts

End-of-Season Banquet

• Don't miss it! Each athlete is individually recognized and honored for their contribution to the team.
• See team calendar for this season's date.
• Families with quiet younger/older siblings welcome. :)
• Potluck. RSVP to Banquet Team Leader. See Team Calendar.

Transportation
All practices and meets require parents and/or athletes to provide transportation. Many appreciate carpools, so ask veteran team-parents about creative strategies and/or post a message to the Team Forum (message board)

Practice Attendance Requirements

• You are expected to be at all practices and meets on time and for the duration unless prior arrangements have been made well in advance with the head coach. If you anticipate regular absences, contact the coaches before you register. Track & Field is a team sport, and the team performs its best when everyone is present. Practice affects team unity, morale, and success. Your teammates need you!
• Practice attendance is required 4-5x/week depending on the meet schedule.
• Athletes are required to train 5x/week (competitive Varsity athletes 6x/week), which will require at least one day of running an assigned workout on your own (and logging your completed workout on Running2Win) and/or attending optional practices when offered.

2025 Fall Cross Country

Race Distances

• JV/Varsity (high school; 9th-12th grade) athletes run the 5K (3.1 mi).
• Junior High (7th-8th grade) races vary but are shorter--typically 2500-3200m (2 mi).

Cross Country Practice Schedule
Note: fall Cross Country and spring Track & Field schedules differ due to daylight and facility needs/availability.

• Mondays 4:00 - 6:00 P.M. @Swansons' (near Hanover, MN)
• Tuesdays 4:00 - 6:00 P.M. @Hanover City Hall/Settler’s Park (11250 5th St NE, Hanover)
• Wednesdays: work out on your own as assigned (required); we will practice on Wednesdays (4:00 - 6:00 P.M.) before Thursday meets (see Team Calendar for dates/locations).
• Thursdays 4:00 - 6:00 P.M. @Hanover City Hall/Settler’s Park (11250 5th St NE, Hanover)
• Saturdays 8:30 - 10:30 A.M. @Swansons'

Meets

• See Team Calendar for schedule--subject to change! Do not print this in May and expect it to look the same in October. :)
• Meets typically end by sunset (6:30 P.M. or so).
• JH, JV, and Varsity runners race at each meet unless otherwise noted. The level at which you compete at meets will depend on your attendance, performance, and completing and logging your assigned workouts.
• MSHSL RULES EMPHASIS: JV/Varsity athletes may only compete in events that match their race distance (i.e., 5K fun runs) before Labor Day. After that, during the CC season, the event must be at least 1K different in length. We recommend not racing outside the CC schedule during the regular season.

2026 Spring Track & Field

Events Offered
Sprints and hurdles, mid- and long-distance running, and relays. Running events span distances from 100m to 3200m (2 mile). We do not have the staff or facilities for jumps, throws (shot/discus), or pole vault.

Track & Field Practice Schedule (*TENTATIVE*)
We practice outdoors as much as possible. Be flexible, and dress prepared!
See Team Calendar.

• Monday 4:00 - 6:00 P.M. *or* 6:00 - 8:00 P.M.
  • Most of the season: 4:00 - 6:00 P.M. @Hanover City Hall/Settler’s Park (11250 5th St NE, Hanover)
  • After the snow/ice clears off the track, select Mondays from 6:00 - 8:00 P.M. @Rockford High School* (park in the upper Stadium West lot). See Team Calendar.
• Tuesday 4:00 - 6:00 P.M. *or* 6:00 - 8:00 P.M.
  • Early season (typically 4-6 weeks): 4:00 - 6:00 P.M. @Church of Ss. Peter & Paul, 145 Railway St E, Loretto, MN 55357.
  • After the snow/ice clears off the track: select Tuesdays from 6:00 - 8:00 P.M. @Rockford High School* (park in the upper Stadium West lot).
    Exception: Sections/State weeks. See Team Calendar.
• Wednesday
  • Required before Thursday meets.
    • See Team Calendar, but generally will be held 4:00 - 6:00 P.M. @Hanover City Hall/Settler’s Park.
    • When not the day before a meet, work out on your own as assigned (required Day 5 training).
• Thursday 4:00 - 6:00 P.M. *or* 6:00 - 8:00 P.M.
  • Early season (typically 4-6 weeks): 4:00 - 6:00 P.M. @Church of Ss. Peter & Paul
  • After the snow/ice clears off the track: 6:00 - 8:00 P.M. @Rockford High School*
• Friday 4:00 - 6:00 P.M. @Hanover City Hall/Settler’s Park.
  Note: we might add a few Friday evenings on the track depending on availability the other days. See Team Calendar.

*On-the-track practices are pending contract approval with Rockford; we typically do not get confirmation until February.
Having said that, we have been using this facility for years and do not expect a problem.

Track & Field Meets

• We expect to have 7-8 JV/Varsity meets plus the post season (Subsections/Sections/State). See Team Calendar for schedule (subject to change).
• The events in which you compete at meets will depend on your attendance, performance, and completing and logging your assigned workouts.
• Meets usually conclude between 8:00 - 9:00 P.M.

Watch the Team Calendar for updates!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE REGISTRATION PAGE.