Margaret Werrett: officiating journey started by inspirational teacher

Following on from our other interviews with those playing a vital officiating role in Paris, we spoke with Margaret Werrett just before she left England for the Paralympic Games in France. Margaret has been a Technical Official for over 40 years and took her International Starter exam 10 years ago. But what got her ‘started’ in the first place?

As is the journey for many athletes, coaches and indeed officials, it began with an inspirational PE teacher. Although an athlete at school and university, Margaret wanted to follow in the footsteps of her PE teacher Charlie Meldrum (then Scotland's Chief Starter) who had spent time explaining the role and was keen to answer her questions about starting.

"I looked up to him and envied his ability to start races from grass roots to international level. I qualified as a starter two years after he was tragically killed in a car accident." 

As a woman in the 1980s, being a starter was not easy - as women were most certainly in the minority.  She says that sheer determination as well as stubbornness were needed to become one of the very few female starters in the UK in those days. Now, a few decades later, that is not such a barrier. However, there is still a need for new male and female officials in this country.  The advent of newer electronic start systems does help, as it allow newcomers to have early exposure to larger meetings.

"I think all seasoned starters have a responsibility to welcome with open arms anyone who has a desire to join the starting fraternity, and provide the opportunity to learn from them.  This approach will help maintain the UK’s reputation of having high quality starters."   

Margaret was involved in para athletics from a very early stage in her officiating journey, but regarding her selection for the Paralympics she said she doesn’t think disability athletics is any different.

"Athletes are athletes and if you treat them with respect they will respond well to what you are asking them to do."

"The main difference on the start line, in my opinion, is to watch the para athletes carry out their practice starts so that you have an idea of any quirks which might arise when you give the start commands."

She notes that one thing to remember is that wheelchair athletes who already have their gloves on cannot easily put sticky photofinish numbers on their helmets!

Prior to Paris, Margaret has been appointed to many events around the world. She reports her biggest challenge was working in two very large start teams (21 and 34 strong) on two separate occasions in the same country. On both occasions, it proved difficult to remember names and faces and keep such a big team motivated.

"Both myself and the national officials learnt a great deal from these experiences about teamwork and communication as well as team management.   The start coordinator and I remain friends to this day."

We finished our interview with a note about someone who always accompanies Margaret on her athletics journeys – Sienna Bear! Sienna Bear is one of the many F2 bears which were sold by officiating colleague Paul Rutter in aid of Cancer Research before he lost his own cancer battle. In fact two F2 bears are now in Paris! Alison Jordan and Margaret promised Paul that the bears would come on their athletics officiating travels. 

"Sienna Bear’s favourite athletics memory was the long trip to the Paralympic Games in Tokyo where she met up once again, with her F2 friend Bear Grylls.  They spent time wandering, with a little help from us, around the track visiting the equipment store, the start and Photofinish room (of course) and meeting  a Frog called Aurelis from Finland."

Five of the international technical officials at the Paralympics in Paris are British and have been selected for roles across the disciplines;

Wales is represented by Dave Jessett as Technical Delegate, and Sue Maughan as International Technical Official / referee. From England, Tony Shaw has the same role as Sue, Alison Jordan is International Photofinish Judge and Margret Werrett an International Starter.

We wish Margaret and our other British officials all the best in Paris and look forward to hearing about their experiences.

Top and bottom photos by Gary Mitchell