90-Minute Sprint Start Practice Plan

Track and Field·High School·Beginner·90 min

By the PracticePlan Coaching Team · Published June 2026

1.How Today Stays Organized
2.What “Good” Looks Like Today
3.How We’ll Coach It
4.The 90-Minute Practice Plan
5.What You'll Need
6.Run The Acceleration Period Like A Station
7.Common Breakdowns And What To Do
8.Adjustments When Reality Hits
9.What To Do Next Practice
10.Frequently Asked Questions

Practice context: Track and Field · high school · 90 minutes · Goal: teach a repeatable sprint start and a clean 10–30m drive phase, then connect it to safe relay exchanges and a short, controlled speed-endurance finish.

How Today Stays Organized#

This group is new, so the biggest win is order + reps. We’ll run almost everything in two lanes with clear “start line / finish cone / walk-back lane” rules so nobody is wandering into someone else’s sprint path. When I say “set,” everyone freezes. When I clap, the next rep goes. If an athlete is unsure, they step out, watch one rep, then jump back in—no long speeches.

We’ll teach the start from either blocks or a 3-point. If you have blocks and kids don’t know them yet, we’ll still use them, but the priority is body positions (hips, shin angles, head/eyes) and a first step that goes out, not up.

What “Good” Looks Like Today#

A consistent set position: stable hands, hips above shoulders, eyes down, back flat enough to push.
First 3–6 steps: pushing with a forward lean, feet landing under/behind the hips (no reaching), arms driving cheek-to-hip.
Acceleration rhythm: aggressive but not frantic—cadence builds as the body rises gradually.
Relay exchanges: outgoing runner accelerates in the zone, hand stays still as a target, incoming runner delivers without stopping.

How We’ll Coach It#

Every rep has one job. I’ll give a cue, you run, then you get one correction at the back of the line. If we see the same problem twice (popping up, false steps, wild arms), we’ll pause for a 20-second reset demo and go right back to reps. Today is about building a pattern we can repeat next practice.

The 90-Minute Practice Plan#

10-period beginner high school practice · 90 min

Customize This Plan →

Time	Period	Coaching Notes
0:00–0:06	Check-In And Safety Lanes	Bring them in on the start line you’ll use today. Put two clear sprint lanes with discs and a separate walk-back lane on the outside. Non-negotiables: nobody crosses a lane while someone is in a sprint rep; walk back outside the lanes; when I say “freeze,” you stop where you are. Quick demo: show where the next runner stands (“on deck”) and where finished runners go (back of line, no cutting). Watch for: athletes drifting into lanes on the walk-back—fix it early so the rest of practice isn’t chaos.
0:06–0:16	Sprint Warm-Up And Mobility	Use 20–25m lanes. Go: easy jog down/back, then dynamic mobility in place and moving. Leg swings (front/back, side/side), walking lunges, ankle rolls, 10 bodyweight squats. Movement prep: A-march to A-skip, high knees, butt kicks, straight-leg bounds (short), side shuffle. Cues: “Tall torso.” “Toes up on the skip.” “Quiet feet—don’t stomp.” Common issue: kids race the warm-up. Fix: put a coach/leader at the front and make it follow-the-leader pace—warm-up is for positions, not winning.
0:16–0:26	Wall Drives And Falling Starts	Set athletes on a fence/wall (hands on wall, body at a forward angle). Then move to falling starts in the sprint lane. Wall drives: 2 x 10 seconds each leg: drive knee up, foot dorsiflexed, punch down/back under the hip. Falling starts: 4–6 reps to 10m. Athlete leans until they must step, then pushes out. Cues: “Push the ground back.” “Nose over toes.” “Step down, not out in front.” Watch for: first step landing too far ahead (reaching). Fix: have them start with feet slightly closer together and think “quick push” for the first two steps.
0:26–0:38	Set Position Teaching: Blocks Or 3-Point	Split into two groups based on equipment. Blocks group sets up in one lane; 3-point group sets up in the other lane. This is mostly freeze-and-check, not full sprints. 3-point checkpoints: front shin angled forward, back knee under hip, shoulders slightly ahead of hands, head neutral with eyes down. Blocks checkpoints: stable hands just behind the line, hips above shoulders in set, pressure through both feet, not rocking. Cues: “Still hands.” “Hips up, don’t sit.” “Eyes down—push out.” Common issue: athletes can’t hold set without wobbling. Fix: shorten the hold to “set…go” for 2 reps, then build back to a 1-second freeze before the start.
0:38–0:41	Water Break And Reset Marks	Quick water. While they drink, set/confirm discs at 10m, 20m, and 30m. Remind them the next block is higher intensity, so the walk-back lane matters.
0:41–0:59	Acceleration Starts To 10–30m	Two lanes running at the same time. Lane A runs 6–8 reps to 10m (quality first steps). Lane B runs 4–6 reps to 20–30m (hold the drive phase longer). Swap lanes halfway. How it runs: on-deck athlete gets into set; coach checks one thing; clap/command to start; athlete runs through the cone; walk back outside the lane. Cues: “Push, push, push.” “Low heel recovery.” “Arms cheek-to-hip.” “Stay down past 10.” Watch for: gradual rise—chest comes up over steps, not all at once. Common issue: athletes spin their wheels with tiny steps. Fix: tell them “bigger push, not faster feet” and have them run one rep focusing only on powerful first two pushes.
0:59–1:09	Cadence And Rhythm Drills	Use 20m lanes with discs every ~1.5–2m for quick contacts (adjust spacing by eye so it’s challenging but doable). Run in small groups to keep it moving. Drill menu: 2 rounds of fast-feet runs through the markers (20m), then 2 rounds of wicket-style runs without hurdles (just discs) focusing on stepping down under the hips. Cues: “Tap-tap—then go.” “Knee up, foot down.” “Hands drive straight.” Watch for: feet landing under them, not reaching. If they’re reaching, pull the discs a little closer and have them relax the shoulders before the next rep.
1:09–1:21	Relay Exchange Zone Basics	Set a 30m exchange area with discs: 10m build-in, 20m exchange zone (or use track marks if available). Pair athletes by similar speed when you can. Walkthrough first: outgoing runner starts with back to incoming runner, eyes forward, arm back with a firm target. Verbal cue: incoming runner calls “HAND!” when close; outgoing runner keeps eyes forward and holds the target still. Reps: 6–10 exchanges per pair at 70–85% speed, then 2 faster ones if it stays clean. Common issue: outgoing runner turns around to look. Fix: stop the rep, reset, and make them practice 3 targets in place (arm back, palm up or down—pick one and stick with it) before running again.
1:21–1:28	Speed Endurance Finisher	Keep it simple and controlled: 3 x 80m at strong effort (around 85–90%), 2:00 walk-back recovery. If you don’t have 80m space, run 4 x 60m with 90 seconds rest. Cues: “Smooth fast—no tying up.” “Run through the cone.” “Arms keep working when legs get heavy.” Watch for: athletes tightening shoulders and chopping steps late. Fix: tell them to exhale on steps 20–30 and keep hands relaxed (no fists).
1:28–1:30	Cooldown Walk And Quick Recap	Easy walk back together. Ask two athletes to show the group: (1) what their set position should look like, (2) what the relay target arm looks like. Give one homework cue: 2 sets of 20 seconds of arm action at home (cheek-to-hip) without crossing the body.

What You'll Need#

Flat agility discs (12–20) for start lines and exchange marks
Measuring tape (30–50m) or a marked track for 10m/20m/30m points
Starting blocks (as available, even 2–6 is fine)
Relay batons (4–8)
Stopwatch or phone timer
Whistle or clap clicker for consistent start signal

Run The Acceleration Period Like A Station#

The acceleration work is the main teaching block, so protect it from long lines. Use two lanes and split the group: Lane 1 runs starts to 10m, Lane 2 runs starts to 20–30m. After 4–5 minutes, swap lanes. While one athlete runs, the next athlete is already in “on deck” behind the line. You should be able to send a rep every 20–30 seconds per lane.

Rep standard: no rep counts unless they freeze in “set” for a full second and launch on your clap/command.
Coach position: stand 2–3m to the side at about 5m so you can see shin angle and first contact.
One cue per rep: pick the biggest leak (usually “push out,” “stay low,” or “hands back”). Don’t stack three fixes.

Common Breakdowns And What To Do#

They pop straight up on step one. It happens because kids think “sprint = stand tall.” Fix: put a cone 2m in front and tell them, “Push the track back until you pass the cone.” If they still pop, have them do 2 falling-start reps immediately, then return to the line.
They reach with the front foot and overstride. It happens because they’re chasing distance instead of force. Fix: cue “step down and back” and watch for the foot landing under the hip. If needed, shorten the distance to 10m and demand perfect first 4 steps before moving back out.
Arms cross the body or get ‘windmill’ big. It happens when they’re trying to create speed with the upper body. Fix: stop them after 10m and do 5 seconds of stationary arm action (cheek-to-hip) right there, then re-run the rep.
Relay exchange turns into a stop-and-hand-it-over. It happens because the outgoing runner is afraid to run without the baton. Fix: mark a clear “go” cue (incoming runner says “HAND!”) and require the outgoing runner to accelerate every time, even if the pass is late—then reset and try again.

Adjustments When Reality Hits#

Limited blocks: run half the group in 3-point starts while the other half does block set-up practice (hands/feet/hip height) without leaving the line; rotate every 2–3 reps. If blocks are brand new, keep them in place all period—don’t waste time moving pedals every rep.

Not enough space: if you only have 30m, keep starts to 10–20m and make the speed endurance finisher 3 x 20m fast with 60–75 seconds rest instead of longer runs. Quality beats distance.

Athletes who can’t hold “set” without wobbling: start them from a 2-point or standing “falling start” for 3 reps, then bring them back to 3-point. They still sprint; they just earn the harder start position.

What To Do Next Practice#

Next time, keep the same warm-up and start teaching, but add one layer: timed 10m fly-in (easy build for 10m, fast 10m) to connect acceleration rhythm to upright sprinting. The first thing that will break down is patience—kids will rush to top speed too early—so keep using short distances and demand the same drive-phase posture before you extend anything.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Do I have to use blocks if most kids have never touched them?

No. Use 3-point starts as the main teaching tool and let blocks be optional. If you do use blocks, keep the goal simple: stable set position and a push for the first 3 steps, not perfect pedal settings.

How many total start reps should each athlete get?

Aim for 10–16 quality starts across the session (including falling starts and 10–30m reps). If lines get long, cut distance before you cut reps.

What if we only have a few batons for relay work?

Run exchanges in two lines with one baton per lane. Everyone else practices the outgoing arm target without a baton, then rotates in when the baton comes back.

What do I do with athletes who false start or can’t freeze in set?

Pull them out for one quick reset: 2 reps of “set-and-freeze” for a full second, then one falling start. Put them right back in line and only count reps that meet the freeze standard.

How do I keep relay exchanges safe with a new group?

Keep it at 70–85% speed first, use clear lane boundaries, and require the outgoing runner to look straight ahead (no turning). If anyone drifts lanes, stop immediately and re-mark the lanes with discs before continuing.