Santa Barbara Running Association Launches New Youth Track Club – Santa Barbara Island Foxes!
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This Wednesday, February 26, the Santa Barbara Running Association (SBRA) will launch its new Santa Barbara Island Foxes Track Club at San Marcos High School. The Island Foxes is open to all Santa Barbara children born in 2017 or earlier and will offer training in a variety of track and field events, including sprints, middle and long distances, hurdles, long jump, high jump, and throwing events. While the new youth club roster is currently full with over 70 kids, parents and guardians are encouraged to add their athletes to the waitlist to be the first notified of future opportunities.
Santa Barbara has a rich history of successful track athletes and programs. U.S. State Representative Jim Ryun — the first high schooler to run a mile in under four minutes and an Olympian in middle distances — was a founding member of the local Club West run club. Club West has organized the All-County Youth Track and Field Championship for the past 20 years, following its original formation in the early 1980s by Jim Harvey, a teacher at Washington School on the Mesa. Club West also hosts its Masters Meet at Westmont College every fall. The Santa Barbara Track Club, launched in 2012, has hosted professional decathletes and heptathletes, as well as a youth track club that continues to operate at Westmont College. The club trained USA National Champion and local UCSB alum Barbara Nwaba, who competed in the heptathlon at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Additionally, Sam Adams, who grew up in the Santa Ynez Valley, competed in the 1952 and 1956 Olympic trials and was selected as the USA National Track and Field Team Head Coach in 1981.
The Island Foxes continue this proud local tradition of track and field excellence by training youth athletes interested in exploring a variety of track and field events. Athletes will have the opportunity to compete in five meets throughout their 12-week season, including competitions within the Ventura County Youth Track Conference.
Community members with experience and interest in Track & Field are encouraged to connect with the Island Foxes for volunteer opportunities.
Since 1948, the Santa Barbara Running Association has promoted and supported the local running community. SBRA hosts the annual Resolution Run on New Year’s Day, the Lake Los Carneros 1- and 2-mile race on March 9, 2025, the Semana Nautica race on July 4, and the Fox Fall Classic on October 5, 2025. SBRA is also the official beneficiary of the Santa Barbara Half Marathon, held in November, which has directed over $130,000 to local organizations since 2021. Throughout the year, community members can join the SBRA for free community runs as well as participate in the Adult and Junior Grand Prix competition where SBRA members compete throughout the year to earn points and bragging rights amongst their peers. Register for these races and find out more at SBRUNNING.ORG.