Track & Field Officials Courses

If you are interested in becoming a Track & Field Official there are two ways to enter the Officials Pathway, by either completing the Assistant Track & Field Officials Course, or you can go straight to the Level 1 courses for a specific discipline, as follows: 

• Level 1 Track Judge
• Level 1 Field Judge
• Level 1 Photo Finish
• Level 1 Time Keeper
• Level 1 Starter/ Starter's Assistant

Details on each of the courses mentioned above are shown below.

Track & Field Officials Pathway

Assistant Track & Field Official

Available for anyone aged 14 years or above, this is a 4 hour course, including theory and practical elements, to cover the following:

• 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

Next Steps

• Gain a minimum of two competition experiences by attending licensed events.
• Complete an Access NI check (aged 16 or over).
• Complete the self-taught Safeguarding module (Aged 16 or over).
• Complete the Assistant Official’s Application Form and send to officials@athleticsni.org

 

Level 1 Track Judge  

Available for anyone 16 years or older who is interested in officiating at Track events. This course covers all track events: sprints, hurdles, steeplechase, distance events and relays. The course will last around 3 hours and will cover the following topics:

• How to work as part of a team of track Officials at athletics meetings and carry out the duties of a Track Judge/Umpire.
• Knowing what equipment, you need to have with you at athletics meetings to enable you to carry out your duties throughout the meeting.
• Understand what a Track Judge/Umpire should record in relation to what is seen without being influenced by anyone else.
• To have a basic knowledge of the track markings and particularly the finishing line (how to judge the finish) and lane lines.
• To carry out the basic duties such as – judging, lap board and bell, break line, relay take over judge, hurdle observation, umpiring for observing running out of lane or impeding other athletes and what these involve.

Next Steps

• Gain a minimum of four competition experiences
• Ensure you have uploaded your licence photo to the myAthletics portal (head shot on a white background).
• Complete an Access NI check
• Complete the self-taught Safeguarding module
• Complete the self-taught Health and Safety module module (FREE).
• Complete the Level 1 application form and send to officials@athleticsni.org

 

Level 1 Field Judge  

Available for anyone 16 years or older who is interested in officiating at field events. This course covers all jumpsing and throwing events as well as those for para athletes. The course will last around 4 hours and will cover the following topics:

• To be able to follow a duty sheet
• To be able to list field events and the various roles covered
• To understand and describe Health and Safety issues in Field officiating
• Application of the rules surrounding field officiating
• Ability to present the result card accurately

Next Steps

• Gain a minimum of four competition experiences. This should cover a horizontal jump, vertical jump
• Ensure you have uploaded your licence photo to the myAthletics portal (head shot on a white background).
• Complete an Access NI check
• Complete the self-taught Safeguarding module
• Complete the self-taught Health and Safety module module (FREE).
• Complete the Level 1 application form and send to officials@athleticsni.org