Small School, Big Neighbours: How Concordia University of Edmonton Recruits Distance Runners

The program and the coach

The Concordia University of Edmonton Thunder compete in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC), with men's and women's cross country and indoor track and field. Concordia is a small university of about 1,800 undergraduates, and the team trains on the Gold Bar Park trails along the North Saskatchewan River. Costs, academics, and facilities are on the Concordia University of Edmonton track and field program page.

Matt Norminton has coached Concordia for 17 years. He ran for the University of Alberta Golden Bears, where he finished second at the U SPORTS national cross country championships, won a U SPORTS national title in the 4x800m relay, and was part of the men's team that won the 2001 U SPORTS indoor championship. After university he moved up in distance and ran 14:36 for 5000m, 29:52 for 10km, and 2:20 for the marathon.

At Concordia, his men's and women's teams have both won ACAC cross country titles, and the women finished second at the CCAA national cross country championships. Leonard Chesoo won the CCAA individual title three times, Marriya Jenkins won three national medals, and the Thunder have won several ACAC indoor team titles. Norminton has been ACAC cross country coach of the year twice, ACAC indoor coach of the year several times, and CCAA national coach of the year once. He also coaches the Running Room athletic club in Edmonton. We profiled his cross country group in 2024 in Building Momentum: Concordia University Thunder Set Sights on Top Finishes.

The goal

Concordia is hosting the 2026 CCAA cross country national championships in Edmonton on November 14. Norminton wants both teams on the podium:

"This year, our university is hosting the CCAA national cross country championships. Our goal is to have both teams in the top three at the ACAC championships, then compete for a team medal at the CCAA national championships on home turf here in Edmonton."

That takes depth in middle distance and distance, a focus of Concordia's recruiting. If the CCAA is new to you, our overview of the college track and field landscape across the NCAA, NAIA, U SPORTS, and CCAA explains where it fits.

The challenge

Norminton named three challenges that make recruiting harder than it looks from the outside:

• Bigger programs want the same runners. The best local athletes tend to look at U SPORTS schools first.
• School size narrows the field. A smaller university offers fewer academic programs than the large schools across the city.
• Travel costs limit how far the staff can recruit in person. A small program cannot afford to send coaches to meets across the country.

He described the biggest one the way he would explain it to another coach:

"The challenge is getting athletes to consider our smaller school in the CCAA here in Edmonton. Because our school is smaller, we don't offer as many academic programs as some of the bigger schools in Edmonton. The ACAC and CCAA aren't U SPORTS, so many of the top local runners don't consider us, and many out-of-town runners are hoping for more than we can provide in scholarships."

CCAA schools can offer athletic awards, but in the ACAC the total a student-athlete receives cannot exceed tuition and mandatory fees. U SPORTS sets the same ceiling. An NCAA scholarship can also cover housing and meals, which is one reason out-of-town runners hope for more than a CCAA school can offer. Our guide to athletic scholarships in Canada versus the United States compares them.

What changed

Before Concordia joined Streamline Athletes, Norminton recruited the way most small programs do, by standing at meets and talking to athletes one at a time:

"I would attend races and try to speak to the group that might, athletically, come to an ACAC school rather than a U SPORTS program. But it was tough, because if you don't have the academic program they're interested in, you may have missed another two or three runners while having that first conversation."

Now the first conversation starts with an athlete who already wants to hear from Concordia:

"Honestly, having athletes express interest in our school first is a great way to start the conversation. Then we can talk about academic programs, and after that we can move to possibly joining the program here in Edmonton. Streamline Athletes has really helped funnel and sort athletes through the recruiting process."

It has changed how he spends his recruiting time:

"It's really the only way I recruit now, unless a coach refers an athlete or an athlete reaches out on their own to join us."

Concordia sets its recruiting criteria in the Streamline Athletes coach app, and athletes who fit hear from the program directly. The athlete decides whether to share their contact details. Our article on how athletes and coaches reach each other in the Streamline Athletes app explains how that works from the athlete's side.

The Streamline Athletes Advantage

Asked what he would tell another coach considering Streamline Athletes, Norminton kept it short:

"Absolutely worth it."

For a small program, the gain is time. Every conversation starts with an athlete who is interested and fits, so the staff spends its hours on recruits who might enrol instead of searching for them. That matters most in a season when Concordia is also hosting nationals.

What this means if you are targeting programs like this

Norminton's answers describe how many small Canadian programs evaluate recruits. Here is how to use them.

Find your academic program first

Norminton starts with what you want to study:

"The most important thing is that we have an academic program at Concordia that matches the student. I don't think it's a great idea for students to attend a university strictly for its athletics program."

Check that a school offers your program before you reach out, and say which program you want in your first message. Our guide to how college track coaches evaluate academic fit shows how to present yours.

Be ready to run cross country

At Concordia, cross country is part of the job for every athlete on the team:

"We expect all of our athletes to run cross country in the fall, including the sprinters. It's a great way to build team atmosphere and develop important aerobic fitness before the demands of the indoor track season."

It is also the first thing that ends a conversation with him:

"If they aren't willing to run cross country, or they're too focused on getting a full scholarship."

Say early that you will race in the fall, and save scholarship questions for once the conversation is underway. Our guide on when to ask college coaches about scholarships covers the timing.

Keen counts as much as experience

A short training history does not rule you out:

"I really enjoy coaching athletes who haven't done a ton of training or racing but are super keen, willing to listen, and willing to work hard. The diamonds in the rough are super fun to work with."

If you are newer to the sport, tell him how long you have been training and what you have improved. Our guide on how to build a target list and email coaches has examples of first messages.

Parents: decide on distance early

"If you don't want your child to leave your province, which is totally understandable, make sure they know early in the process, so they keep their search to more local schools, whatever that means to them."

Our college recruiting guide for parents covers the conversations to have at the start.

Who they recruit

Concordia does not set a minimum performance for the middle-distance and distance runners it recruits through Streamline Athletes. Norminton weighs academic fit, willingness to race cross country, and attitude ahead of a time.

To see how your performances compare with programs at every level, use our college track and field recruiting standards.

FAQ

What does Concordia University of Edmonton look for first in a cross country recruit?

Coach Matt Norminton checks that Concordia offers an academic program the athlete wants to study. He does not think athletes should choose a university for its athletics program alone.

Do sprinters have to run cross country at Concordia University of Edmonton?

Yes. Every athlete on the team races cross country in the fall, including sprinters. Norminton says it builds team atmosphere and aerobic fitness before the indoor track season.

Does Concordia University of Edmonton have recruiting standards for track and field?

Concordia does not set a minimum performance for middle-distance and distance recruits on Streamline Athletes. Academic fit, willingness to race cross country, and attitude come first.

Is Concordia University of Edmonton U SPORTS or CCAA?

Concordia competes in the CCAA and the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC), with cross country and indoor track and field for men and women.

When should I contact the Concordia University of Edmonton coaches?

Coach Norminton wants to hear from athletes in Grade 11. Concordia recruits from every province and welcomes transfers.

What makes Coach Norminton stop reading a recruit's message?

An athlete who is not willing to run cross country, or who is focused on getting a full scholarship.

Get recruited to Concordia University of Edmonton

• Create your free Streamline Athletes profile, or log in and update yours. Complete every section so Concordia sees the full picture.
• Check that Concordia offers your program. Academic fit is the first thing Coach Norminton looks at.
• Add every season to your profile. Include cross country and indoor, even if you are new to the sport.
• Plan to race cross country in the fall. Every athlete on the team does.
• Read the Concordia University of Edmonton program page for costs, academics, and facilities.
• Reach out in Grade 11. Concordia recruits from every province and welcomes transfers.

Follow Concordia Thunder cross country and track

Follow the Thunder on Instagram at @cue_athletics for meet results, signings, and the road to nationals in Edmonton.