THUNDERBIRDS TRACK & FIELD CLUB
Thunderbirds Track & Field Club is a year-round athletics club serving athletes from age 9 through masters, from first-time competitors to national and international performers. We offer coaching across all event groups—sprints, hurdles, jumps, throws, and endurance—at training hubs in Vancouver, Burnaby, and Surrey.
Our mission
Our mission is to help athletes discover what they are capable of on and off the track through quality coaching, supportive training environments, and age-appropriate competition. We welcome athletes with a wide range of goals, from learning the basics and staying active to pursuing university, provincial, national, and international competition.
Who we coach
Junior Development (ages 9–13): A multi-events program where young athletes learn all event areas with an emphasis on skill, fitness, and fun.
Power & Speed (U16, U18, U20, Open): Sprints, hurdles, jumps, and throws programs that use periodized, scientifically sound training to prepare for major competitions.
Endurance (U16 to Post-secondary and Open): Intermediate, development, and high-performance middle- and long-distance programs that bridge cross-country and track seasons.
Masters: Sprint and hurdles programming for adults returning to or discovering track and field later in life.
We also run post-secondary groups for athletes who are not part of a collegiate varsity team but want structured coaching and competitive opportunities.
Our coaching team
Thunderbirds’ coaches bring experience as teachers, former high-performance athletes, and technical specialists. Athletes train with event-area coaches in sprints and hurdles, horizontal and vertical jumps, pole vault, circle throws, and endurance, allowing them to progress into more individualized coaching as their ability and commitment grow.
Training locations
We currently run practices in three main areas to make training accessible across the Lower Mainland: UBC/Vancouver (JD West, Development, Power Speed, Throws, and Jumps), Swangard Stadium/Burnaby (JD East and Power Speet), and North Surrey Secondary Athletic Park (JD Surrey, Power Speed, and Endurance). Program-specific pages and calendars outline which groups train where and when.
Competition philosophy
From Junior Development through to high performance, we introduce competition gradually, with the focus on learning how to compete, doing your best on the day, and improving personal marks over time. Younger athletes are encouraged to start with relays and multi-event opportunities, while older athletes may target provincial championships, national championships, university qualification, and international meets as appropriate.
How to join
New athletes can start with a trial membership to experience up to three practices in a 14-day period before committing to a full membership. Competitive members follow a two-step registration process: club membership through the Thunderbirds website and BC Athletics membership through AthleticsReg. Full details are on our Registration and FAQ pages.