The date remains in flux, but local athletes already are gearing up for the Monroe Parker Invitational, one of the oldest high-school cross-country meets across the metro area.
Originally named the Northern Region Athletic Director’s meet, the event began in 1974 with the opening of Burke Lake Park and continues to be held there on the 2.98-mile course. It was renamed the Monroe Parker Invitational in 1994.
Parker, who died in 1993, was a longtime teacher, coach and administrator for many years in Fairfax County public schools. He annually volunteered to work the cross country meet.
What makes the Monroe Parker meet unique is it often has been an early fall season kickoff competition for many Northern Virginia public school teams, and in recent years some private-school teams have participated, as well.
Typically, the meet has been held around Labor Day. This year’s meet will be pushed back and held in October for the first time because of conflicting “no-play” dates in September, imposed by Fairfax County Public Schools.
With the later date, there could be fewer teams in this year’s event. On the up side, teams will have the chance to compete first in a number of other regional events, including in Maryland and D.C.
The Parker Invitational usually includes between 25 and 30 teams, with Millbrook High School from Winchester traveling the longest distance to participate. Schools from Maryland usually don’t attend, but have shown interest in past years.
Originally, the Monroe Parker meet was an afternoon weekday event for just girls and boys varsity teams. Eventually it evolved into a Saturday-morning competition with junior-varsity and freshmen races added for girls and boys teams.
“This year will be unique, because the meet won’t be held in September for the first time,” meet director Mike Kiernan said.
The early-season Monroe Parker competition often has showcased runners and teams that proceed to have strong seasons.
Just a year ago, the Lake Braddock boys and Robinson girls varsity teams won the Monroe Parker Meet, then capped the season weeks later by winning state championships.
Individually, Yorktown High sophomore Molly Hardwick and West Potomac High senior Robert Leonard were the 2025 Monroe Parker individual varsity girls and boys champions. Harwick went on to place second in the girls state meet and Leonard was sixth in the boys race.
Harwick was an example of a a runner who first made a splash during the meet en route to further success down the line.
That also was the case back in 2023 and 2024, respectively, for male runners Sasha Minsky from the Potomac School and Emmett Engelhardt from Washington-Liberty. Each had strong finishes at the Monroe Parker and built on them for the remainder of the season.
In terms of all-time achievements in the event, South Lakes High’s Alan Webb set the boys mark of 14 minutes 25 seconds in 2000. Langley High grad Erin Keogh set the girls mark of 16:29 in 1985.
Some of the other oldest high-school cross country meets in the D.C. area are the Georgetown Prep Classic (founded in 1971) in Montgomery County, Md., the Judges Classic in Winchester (also founded in 1974) and the District of Columbia Interscholastic Athletic Association championships, which began in the 1970s.
The Georgetown Prep Classic will be held Saturday, Sept. 19, the Judges Classic Saturday, Oct. 3, and the D.C. championships in late October.
