Sage Creek High's cross country team needs more than 100 community volunteers to pull off its biggest fundraiser of the year.

The annual Carlsbad Grit n Grind XC Invitational is set for Saturday, Sept. 26, at Cal State San Marcos. The meet will feature 12 races on 3-mile courses and is open to both high school and middle school runners. Organizers expect more than 70 teams to compete, according to a volunteer recruitment post on the Sage Creek High website.

Volunteers are needed across two days. Setup begins Friday, Sept. 25, and the team is specifically asking for helpers with trucks to haul and arrange course equipment. On race day, volunteer shifts run from about 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., with most lasting just over three hours. Morning shifts carry the heaviest demand.

The school's volunteer call, posted Sept. 13, described the invitational as the program's largest annual fundraiser and urged families, friends and neighbors to sign up. No experience is required. Roles range from course setup to race-day operations, and the team said most help is needed during the morning hours.

The Bobcats head into the invitational with early-season momentum. At the Cool Breeze Invitational, the first meet of the 2026 cross country season, Sage Creek's boys varsity team won the overall title and the girls varsity squad finished second, according to a Sage Creek morning announcement.

High school races begin at 7 a.m. Middle school events follow in the afternoon, with varsity boys at 12:15 p.m. and varsity girls at 12:30 p.m., according to an Aviara Oaks Middle School schedule. Junior varsity middle school races are slated for 12:50 p.m. and 1:10 p.m.

Residents interested in volunteering can find the sign-up form through the Sage Creek school website post. Questions can be directed to Lynette Nicolas, a Sage Creek staff member, at [email protected].