The club still requires officials to enable our incredible successes to continue.
As part of our recruitment drive we’re publishing personal accounts by some of the officials who support our Track and Field Competitions. They’re ordinary people who volunteer to ensure our athletes can compete safely and fairly.
If you want to be part of the team, please email Carol Wright ([email protected]), or volunteer to help on a competition day.
Miguel Branco
For me, officiating is just another way to be part of a sport I love, and I would definitely recommend it. It’s not just because the job needs doing, but also because it’s quite enjoyable – the atmosphere, the camaraderie, the tea and biscuits… The competitor in me is also attracted to the specific discipline of timekeeping, as sometimes we get to compare our manual times with those from photo-finish.
I found it quite easy to get into officiating, especially now with online courses. I had done some timekeeping many years ago, but after a long gap had to retake the course and found it all very straightforward. The club was nothing but supportive and helpful, and there was no shortage of events to get some practice. Most of these I was going to anyway because my son was competing, so it was a no-brainer.
Helping at the club level has been the most rewarding and where we have the biggest need, but I am also excited about progressing and officiating at higher-level competitions, and again, there is plenty of support for that.
Richard Thurston
Q: What do you think is the best way to get involved in being an official?
A: Just offer to help! Everyone is very welcoming, and you’ll be highly appreciated 🙂 Just giving it a go will help you to work out where you want to be involved too – there are many different roles!
Q: What’s your journey been? How did you start? What do you do now?
A: I started officiating in 2019, but then the pandemic had other plans. I started again with C+C in 2022, focused on Field, and I’m a Level 2 official.
Q: What are the main benefits for you?
A: It’s good to help athletes take part and succeed. Officials are a great bunch, and it’s been a great learning experience. There are an incredible number of nuances, but you don’t need to know everything from day one.
Q: Is there an event/story you could share that would be encouraging for anyone reading?
A: You never quite know what’s going to happen. Sometimes athletes with famous sporting relatives turn up, which can be quite interesting. And some of the newer tech, like take-off board cameras, are interesting to play with.
Q: Why would you encourage someone to get involved?
A: Like I say, officials are a good bunch. You’ll learn a lot, and there are plenty of ways to get involved. Compared to some sports, athletes are well-disciplined and respectful, and it provides an environment where new officials can get involved and start their journey from any point. We also
have our own conference where we can meet other officials and mutually learn. Oh, and you get to enjoy the great British summer outdoors!