Officials’ Taster Sessions are back

You can recommend this page to a prospective official using the link www.englandathletics.org/tasters

England Athletics are delighted to announce that the Officials’ Taster Sessions are back!

Applications are now open for events coming up in the New Year, starting with the indoor England Athletics National Championships – so now is the time to get your name down. This is the beginning of the series of taster sessions being planned at the England Athletics Championships and if you live in or near to the Sheffield area, we would love to hear from you.

Officials and volunteers are the beating heart of our sport. The role they play within clubs and at events is invaluable; highly regarded and respected for their time, effort, and expertise! If you are interested in being part of the sport but you are unsure the role you want to volunteer for in the sport, then our taster sessions are the perfect opportunity for you to try your hand at various officiating roles and get stuck in at the very core of our sport.

You do not need any previous experience or qualifications within officiating, as our highly skilled and supportive volunteer officials will take you under their wing to ensure you have a fantastic and enjoyable experience.

Attendees will have the opportunity to try all disciplines e.g. Track Judging, Field Judging, Starter/Starter’s Assistant, Timekeeping, Photo finish, Ancillary Roles. However, if there are particular areas you would like to try, please just let us know.

At England Athletics, we recognise the hard work all the wonderful volunteers within our sport do at each event across the country. By attending one of our free taster sessions, you will receive,

• Travel expenses covered (maximum limit applies).
• A FREE place on any official’s course of your choice.
• Mentoring provided by experienced and supportive qualified officials.
• Opportunity to experience officiating at a Track & Field event in various disciplines including Track Judging, Field Judging, Starter/Starter’s Assistant, Timekeeping, Photofinish, Ancillary Roles.
• Lunch and refreshments provided throughout the session.
• Experience gained from the taster session can be used towards your Level 1 qualification in any discipline.

The taster sessions all take place at the EIS Sheffield and are scheduled between 10am to 2pm on each of the indoor championship days and you can volunteer for any one of the sessions on any of the following days/events:

• Saturday 7 January - Senior and Under 20 Combined Event Championships
• Sunday 8 January - Senior and Under 20 Combined Event Championships
• Saturday 11 February - Under 20/Under 17/Under 15 Championships
• Sunday 12 February - Under 20/Under 17/Under 15 Championships
• Saturday 11 March - Under 15 / Under 17 Combined Event Championships
• Sunday 12 March - Under 15 / Under 17 Combined Event Championships

Any interested individuals, please contact mritchie@englandathletics.org, indicating which sessions you are available for and any particular disciplines you are interested in. Confirmation of individuals selected for each session will be sent in due course.

“Officials are our driving force and the backbone of the sport; their passion and commitment are second to none. We strive to ensure that volunteering in our sport is a rewarding and positive experience for everyone, with a pathway and opportunities to progress and develop as an official, at all levels of the sport. Officiating in this sport is very flexible and you can volunteer for how many or how long you are able to, as we know it is important to have a healthy balance between volunteering and life outside of sport”.

“We have many roles available to cater for all kinds of skills, for anyone from all kinds of backgrounds to make our events enjoyable, fair and safe. You will enjoy the support and camaraderie of being part of our wonderful official’s community alongside our supportive, encouraging volunteer technical officials and the enjoyment of helping athletes and alike to enjoy their sport and reach their potential”

Marc Ritchie, England Athletics Technical Officials’ Development Manager