Top tips for coaches to prepare for age group changes

From 1 April 2026, England Athletics will introduce the new competition age groups (U12, U14, U16, U18, U20), replacing the existing U13/U15/U17 model. These changes aim to improve long‑term athlete development, simplify progression, and align better with school years.

We recently posted some top tips for athletes and parents to prepare for the changes, top tips for clubs to prepare for the changes, and also for competition providers to prepare, and we’ll be following with tips for officials too.

Here are our top tips to help coaches prepare and support their athletes smoothly through the transition:

🎯 Know each athlete’s new age group early

Use the age group calculator spreadsheet to identify which age category your athletes will move into from 1 April 2026. This will help you plan training loads, competition schedules and progression well ahead of time.

🧠 Understand what’s changing and why

Take time to read through the Age Group Changes overview and the FAQs to fully understand the aims of the changes, including aligning age groups with school years, simplifying progression, supporting long-term athlete development and reducing pressure during exam years.

These insights will help coaches adapt programmes appropriately.

🛠️ Review new technical specifications for your event groups

Check updated requirements for:

• Hurdles specifications
• Steeplechase distances
• Throws implement weights
• Combined Events scoring tables

Coaches should familiarise themselves with the updated technical documents so training reflects the correct rules well before athletes compete.

🏋️‍♀️ Adjust training plans to match new age-appropriate demands

With athletes shifting into new two-year age blocks, training should reflect appropriate:

• Workload progression
• Physical development stages
• Technical expectations
• Competition distances (especially for endurance and off-track disciplines).

Refer to the implementation page for maximum and recommended distances per age for off-track groups to guide safe and progressive training.

🗂️ Review competition calendars and plan transitions carefully

The transition period (April 2026–March 2027) may affect competition formats and athlete eligibility. Coaches should:

• Update competition plans
• Brief athletes and parents on what the changes mean for them

UK Youth Development League (YDL) meetings have confirmed their age groups for next outdoor track season. U14 and U16 athletes will compete in lower age group YDL meetings, while U18 and U20 athletes will compete in upper age group YDL meetings.

The National Athletics League (NAL) have also confirmed their age groups for competition, with U18, U20 and Senior athletes set to compete (standards for U18 athletes must be achieved before they are allowed to compete in the NAL).

🗣️ Attend drop-in sessions

England Athletics continues to run online sessions to assist coaches and answer questions relating to rules, equipment changes, and athlete development. Make use of these to stay informed and confidently guide athletes through the transition.

🤝 Communicate early and often with athletes and parents

Help reduce uncertainty by providing clear, consistent guidance on:

• Which group the athlete will move into
• Whether or how training will change
• What competitions they will become eligible for.

Early communication supports confidence, motivation, and smooth progression during the change.

The objectives of the changes are to:

• Simplify age group dates for all disciplines
• Support athletes in their long-term development
• Retain and recruit more young people in athletics 
• Provide a clear, simplified pathway for all areas of the sport, from U10s to Seniors
• Provide better gradual progression for all athletics events
• And in creating an additional age group, better support age and stage appropriate competition formats and events

It’s important to point out that the age group changes alone are not viewed as the sole answer to the challenges we face as a sport in retaining and recruiting athletes and are part of a wider approach to arresting participation decline and increasing the number of young people engaged in track and field particularly.

As part of the upcoming age group changes from 1 April 2026, the England Athletics board agreed to support a wider review of track and field participation, and are pleased to see progress with the vision following the group's first webinar. You can find out more about the vision and sign up here.