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The Assistant Official course is a basic introduction into key areas of officiating, this will enable you to assist at track and field meetings under the supervision of a qualified Technical Official.

Course details

Duration: 2-3 hours

Content:

• The responsibilities and role of an Assistant Official
• Measuring and recording times and distance
• Making, sharing and recording judgements
• Ensuring safety and reporting concerns
• Communicating with athletes and other officials
• Following procedures and applying basic rules

For upcoming course dates click here.

If you would like your club to host an official course please contact Zoe Holloway for more information.

Successful completion of the Level 1 Award for Technical Officials (Track and Field) will enable individuals to work with other qualified Technical Officials in a specific discipline; Track Judge, Timekeeper, Field Judge, Starter / Starter's Assistant, Photo finish, Race Walking.

Course details

Duration: 2-4 hours

Content:

By attending the course candidates will have a knowledge and understanding in the following areas:

• Knowledge and application of rules relevant to the role specific to discipline
• Ability to follow duty sheet
• Relationships with other officials
• Relationships with athletes
• Health and Safety
• Appropriate attire/equipment

All of the modules are interactive and they are designed to help officials apply new knowledge and skills in practice, either through workshops and discussion, or through practical drills.

You are required to complete the online Health and Safety module as part of Level 1 Award for Technical Officials (Track and Field). You can take the module at your own pace and leave to return later if required. The module has multiple-choice quizzes after each section; the first section covers generic health and safety and the second focuses on Health and Safety within each of the disciplines. You will need to score 70% across all sections to pass.

To book onto the free online Health and Safety module.

For upcoming level 1 course dates click here.

If you are interested in attending a Level 1 course Officials course or if you would like your club to host a level 1 official course please contact Zoe Holloway for more information.

Track and Field pathway: Level 1

Attend

• Register and attend a Level 1 officials’ course (minimum 16 years of age).
• Upload photo to My Athletics Portal.

Complete

• Complete health and safety self-paced online module.
• Complete UKA safeguarding self-paced online module.
• Complete a DBS check.

Next steps: putting your training into practice

• Contact your local athletics or running club to find out about events they are hosting or taking teams to compete in.
• Contact your Regional Officials Secretary who will be happy to support you with finding an event tell you more about the opportunities available locally. 
• You can record the practical officiating experiences you have gained to help you with your development.

Level 2

• Complete all steps at Level 1.
• Complete Level 2 discipline-specific questions here. 

Collect

• Officiate at a minimum of ten additional experiences since Level 1 (for Level 2 Starter – this must be ten experiences as a starter AND ten experiences as a starter’s assistant).
• Complete Record of Experience (what did I learn section is optional).
• Record of Experience should include evidence of shadowing, event leader / chief judge / referee at league or County level meeting.
• Evidence of practical experience across all field events (Field Judges only)
• A minimum of one discipline feedback sheet (by a Level 3 or 4 official, or a Level 2 official with 2+ years of experience). This should be from league or County level meetings.

Contact Zoe Holloway for any support.

Submit

• Discipline feedback sheet(s), Record of Experience, discipline questions – send to Zoe Holloway 

All documents can be found here. 

 Level 3

• Complete all steps at Level 2.

Collect

• A minimum of 20 additional meetings since Level 2.
• Complete Record of Experience – showing evidence of acting as referee / chief (at county / area level meeting), by logging into myAthletics Portal and locating Record of Experience.
• Two positive report (all reports by a Level 4 official or a Level 3 official with 2+ years’ experience) at area / regional level meetings.
  • Field: Two reports covering the roles of event leader / chief judge / referee; application of long-throw protocol and competent use of EDM.
  • Photofinish: Two reports as a team member – covering all duties and at least one of the reports using Finish Lynx equipment.
  • Race Walking: Two reports as a team member.
  • Starter: One report as a chief Starter and one report as a Starter’s Assistant
  • Starter’s Assistant: One report as a chief Starter’s Assistant and one report as a Starter’s Assistant.
  • Timekeeping: One report as a chief timekeeping and one report as a team member. 85% of times within +/- 0.10 seconds.
  • Track: One assessment as a team leader / chief judge / referee and one assessment as a team member or an additional assessment as a team leader / chief judge / referee.

Contact Zoe Holloway if you need help arranging a report. 

Track and Field Level 3 discipline questions will be released at end of July 2024.

Submit

• Your positive reports
• Record of Experience,
• discipline questions (from July 2024)
• upgrade form (complete name and licence number)

All documents can be found here send to Zoe Holloway. 

Duration: 2-3 hours

Content:

Following attendance on the Level 1 - Endurance Officials course candidates will have knowledge and understanding in the following areas:

• How endurance officials operate at road and cross-country races
• The requisite skills to be an endurance official
• The key officials who operate at an endurance event and their responsibilities
• Knowledge and application of rules
• Risk assessment and practical considerations
• Relationship with other officials and athletes
• The tools to do the job
• A working knowledge of the start, course and finish of an endurance event
• Appropriate attire/equipment

Minimum age: 18

You are required to complete a Risk Awareness module as part of the Level 1 - Endurance Officials course.

Duration: 2-3 hours

Content:

Following attendance at this course candidates will have knowledge and understanding in the following areas:

• Reasons for undertaking a risk assessment
• Risk Awareness methodology and content
• Identify hazards, risks and how to control them
• Who is at risk from an event
• Who is responsible for Risk Awareness and who needs to be involved
• Appreciation of the production of a Risk Assessment document
• Timetable for the production of a Risk Assessment
• Practical considerations in the production of Risk Assessment

For upcoming course dates click here. 

If you are interested in attending a Level 1 course Officials course, please complete the survey expression of interest form. 

If you would like your club to host an official course please contact officials@welshathletics.org for more information.

ENDURANCE PATHWAY: Level 1

Attend

• Register and attend the Level 1 Endurance course
• Register and attend the Risk Awareness Course

Complete

• Complete a DBS check.
• Complete our safeguarding self-paced online module.
• Send or upload photo to My Athletics Portal.

Submit

• Once the above steps have been completed, please contact Zoe Holloway and we will process your licence.

Level 2

• Complete all steps at Level 1
• Complete three Level 2 modules (judging and recording, race referee, sector marshal) and questions found here. 

To referee a race, candidates are required to complete the Race Referee module.

Collect

• Officiate at a minimum of 10 additional meetings since Level 1 (a minimum of two should be from county/area level meetings)
• Complete Record of Experience (what did I learn section is optional)

Submit

• Completed module questions and Record of Experience to Zoe Holloway. 

Level 3

• Complete all steps at Level 2.

Collect

• A minimum of 10 additional meetings – including two at area/regional level, since gaining your Level 2 qualification.
• Complete Record of Experience showing evidence and self reflection, by logging into myAthletics Portal and locating Record of Experience.
• One positive report by a Level 4 official or a Level 3 official with 2+ years’ experience) covering one of the following managerial roles:
  – Referee / Assistant Referee
  – Start Coordinator / Start Referee
  – Finish Area Coordinator / Finish Director
  – Clerk of Course / Course Director.

Submit

• Positive report, Record of Experience, and Level 3 module questions – send to Zoe Holloway. 

This course will be returning Sunday 12th January 2025! Register here.

If you are interested in attending but unable to attend please email Zoe Holloway to express interest. 

We are relaunching the Race Director course, covering key areas of knowledge and expertise needed by race organisers. The course combines information given out through presentations along with group activities.The Race Directors course is the perfect opportunity for Race Directors and Event Organisers to learn more about the requirements to putting on an endurance race.

Duration: 1 day

Cost: £75

Maximum attendees: 16 people on a first come, first serve basis

Minimum age: 16 years old

Attendance is voluntary and not assessed. A certificate of attendance is issued to attendees along with the course material.

The content includes:

• Event Venue
• Relationship with Local Authority and Highways
• Event Plan
• Risk Assessment
• Race Licensing
• Other Material
• Feedback/Questions

This Summer we are looking to recruit and develop new adjudicators for Road Running And Multi Terrain events across Wales…

The role of an event adjudicator is to ensure that race organisers are compliant of licencing conditions and that races are upheld to high standards of health and safety practices. This in turn, ensures that insurance regulations are maintained. An additional benefit is that the presence of an event adjudicator will allow Race Referees where appointed, to solely focus on their role of upholding the rules of competition. Event Adjudicators will also be tasked with completing a report that will allow race organisers to increase the standard of their race and the standards of events across Wales.

Experience and Knowledge requirements:

• Current Endurance Official (Level 2)

• Current Race Promoters

• A good knowledge of Race Organisation

• Understanding of Risk Assessment

• A good communicator

• Awareness of Road Race Licence Standards

• Able to pass an online test

How to get started: 

Training is free (via the Run England online training platform) - all endurance officials at Level 2 and above are eligible. Apply to become an Event Adjudicator

If your interested:

Please contact Jacqueline Brace for further details or if you would like to discuss in more detail… a role descriptor and further details are provided below:

About the Role:

An Event Adjudicator must be appointed for all Road and Multi Terrain races licensed by Welsh Athletics. Where a race series is staged at the same venue over the same course then only one race will need to be covered unless there are concerns raised within the Event Adjudicator’s Report.

The Event Adjudicator is responsible for assessing whether the Race Organiser delivers the event to Welsh Athletics Licence Standards. The Event Adjudicator reports to the Licensing Officer and issues should be raised and flagged. Subsequent licence applications by the race or race organiser cannot be considered until the Licensing Officer is satisfied that all issues have been addressed and resolved.

A buddy system operates for when undertaking your first event.

The Event Adjudicator will:

• Be covered by UKA Public Liability Insurance

• Be issued with Welsh Athletics High Vis accreditation, access code to Welsh Athletics Licensing Portal and URL Number*

• Be DBS Checked

• Submit the report online within 7 days of the race

*This will need to be quoted by Competition Providers on application for a Licence. It will also provide access to complete Race Reviews online.

It will be The Event Adjudicator’s role to:

• Undertake the review and make comment of the current ‘‘Checklist’’ against Licence Standards

• Understand the demands on the Race Promoters on race day and not to be a burden on this role

• Communicate with the Race Promoter pre and post event as well as on event day

• Offer advice, if sought, in a constructive manner

Note: For smaller races (entries fewer than 600) the role of the Event Adjudicator and Race Referee can be undertaken by the same person provided they hold the appropriate Endurance Official’s qualification and feel able to undertake both roles. Welsh Championship races will require both an Event Adjudicator and a Race Referee.

(Potentially free race entry to the event at which you adjudicate)

More information

The Role of an Event Adjudicator presentation (including audio Nigel Jones)

Once you have opened the PowerPoint click Enable editing, next click Slide Show, next click From Beginning then the sound will start automatically.