Important updates on the Field Events Review

• Frequent issues highlighted across all event groups regarding the structure of traditional leagues and local championships and the number of officials required.
• There are a lack of combined event opportunities for young athletes, which may contribute to an early specialisation into track or running disciplines.
• Participation in non-local leagues is often expensive and has a perceived lack of value from athletes.
• There is an encouraging growth in popularity of field event specific meetings.

• Clubs are heavily reliant on volunteers to manage operations and support both coach and athlete development.
• Limited time and capacity of volunteers – challenge to address event group gaps within clubs.
• Clubs lacking expertise in technical events – jumps, throws and hurdles with England Athletics technical workshops not always in all areas of the country making it harder to develop.
• Lack of accessible data on active field event coaches and clubs make it challenging to identify priority areas.

• Ongoing Coach Education Review (started in 2023) has started to address some of the development areas within the coach education pathway.
• Concern that newly qualified field event coaches feel isolated due to lack of mentorship opportunities locally.
• Further development opportunities after Athletics Coach is not always a clear, structured path.
• Advanced coaching courses can be costly and a barrier to some.
• The Field Event Review have picked up these issues and have already started to implement change. Find out more here.

• A growing disconnect between schools and clubs driven by gaps in school sports partnerships, the curriculum and increased demands on teachers.
• Teacher education lacking in fundamental field event components leaving a knowledge gap for teachers.
• Lack of structured local competition for school pupils across field events particularly in the state school sector.

• Field event athletes transitioning into senior performance athletics often report a lack of clear support and guidance when making crucial decisions about university and college environments, talent hub opportunities, and their long-term performance development options.
• Exploration needed into the growing prevalence of self-employed coaches and the impact this has on clubs – often these coaching opportunities are more track focused.
• Concern that commercial opportunities for track athletes have left the field event athletes to be seen as the ‘poor relation’.

• Athletics is rarely prioritised within local council development plans with funding for field events being typically lower to running disciplines.
• Lack of investment hinders those transitioning from grassroots to performance level.
• The forthcoming England Athletics/UK Athletics facilities strategy will play a key role in identifying priority areas for investment and innovative solutions in field events.

Short term:

• Ensure field events are central within development of new competition formats for U10s and U12s, ensuring rewards/incentive for athletes competing in multiple events
• Continue to promote and showcase competition best practice through England Athletics communication channels

Medium term:

• Work with and support league competition providers at all levels to adapt scoring to better encourage participation in field events
• Develop a regional framework/competition model for field event only competition for clubs to adopt

Long term:

• Explore and embrace technology changes to reduce the officiating requirements for field events and identify pilot competitions for implementation
• Work with broadcasters and streaming companies to find innovative ways to engage new audiences with high performance competition, and better promote elite athletes

Short term:

• Publish a detailed map of field event coaches and delivery offer within clubs across England
• Continue to implement our planned field event strategies, focusing on the development of targeted event groups and locations through ongoing athlete and coach development workshops

Medium term:

• Review and enhance current regional development opportunities for coaches, ensuring consistent delivery and broad geographical distribution of local training activities for both coaches and athletes

Long term:

• Review opportunity for increased investment in regional club support through employed roles or contracted positions, aimed at providing targeted assistance to clubs in developing field event coaches, athletes, and activities.

Short term:

• Consider the findings of the Coach Review Project and align targeted field event strategies for coach qualification and development with the project’s timeline

Medium term:

• Formalise the existing ad-hoc coach mentoring activities into a structured, event-specific mentoring programme, enabling club coaches to regularly engage with technical experts and enhance their development

Long term:

• Embed all recommendations from the Coach Review Project and ensure that field event coaches are supported through a clear, targeted strategy integrated within the overall delivery plan

Short term:

• Develop and update a database of schools’ contacts to be shared with local clubs and coaches, and equally continue to promote England Athletics Club Finder and Club Hub to schools networks
• Continue to promote run, jump throws resources to schools and teachers

Medium term:

• Explore whether an EA schools coordinator role could improve the connection between clubs and schools, and add support within the voluntary sector
• Identify partnership opportunities with county schools associations to pilot inclusive school competition formats

Long term:

• Assess the time and resources required to influence PE teacher training and the national PE curriculum in order to see better field event teaching in primary and secondary schools are supported through a clear, targeted strategy integrated within the overall delivery plan

Short term:

• Continue to promote Event Group newsletters to athletes and coaches on the talent pathway sharing development opportunities, competitions, showcase best practice and broaden communities of learning
• Broaden the current YTP education workshops on university choice and transition to the wider sixth form competitive athlete community

Medium term:

• Expand the Talent Hub network to more universities with paid coaching roles, and a field event specialist focus within at least two sites
• Relaunch the University Charter Mark scheme to recognise and highlight universities with good athletics provision, including specialist event group coaching and development opportunities

Long term:

• Explore interest within the club network for developing a programme to recognise and accredit clubs that provide excellent talent development environments, potentially aligned with the England Athletics Club Standards framework

Short term:

• Consider the findings from the UK/England Athletics Facilities Strategy Review to identify key areas of support required for the development and sustainability of field event venues
• Work collaboratively with the England Athletics Facilities Manager to develop a plan for implementing targeted resources and/or key projects aimed at protecting and enhancing field event facilities

Medium term:

• Support the promotion of key online facility platforms and tools aimed at building an accurate, nationwide map of specialist field event facilities across England and provide athletes and coaches with an up-to-date picture of available venues

Long term:

• Support the implementation of all elements of the UK/England Athletics Facilities Strategy, with a focus on embedding all aspects of the plan that directly impact the effective delivery and development of field events