Grow the Big Picture
Ever wondered what happens after you click pay on your online entry form, or how your time is calculated when you cross the finish line, perhaps using photo-finish or micro-chip equipment, or the rules for acceptable shoes at the start line, or what exactly does the race director and referee do, or how to enter results on Power of 10?
Perhaps you have realised that there is both an art and a science to get athletes to go faster and further, and you would like to progress this with a formal coaching qualification. Or perhaps you have always liked the idea of wearing a red jacket and firing a gun in the air, then a race starter job is just waiting for you.
On the other hand, you may just want to help by marshalling the runners safely in the right direction, doing risk assessments of running events, setting up signage, handing up drinks or getting involved in the hundred and one different tasks that need to be done at an event.
Opportunity for Personal Self Development
Become a better person. Woodstock Harriers is affiliated to England Athletics, the regional governing body, which offers structured training in roles linked to many of the above activities. Through the recording of experience at different types of events, attendance at face-to-face training or webinars, and assessment through tests and by senior officials or coaches, it is possible to progress by gaining higher level qualifications and for officials, acceptance at more important events, perhaps even the Olympics for a few. A minimum standard is required in order to be covered by England Athletics insurance. For example, to referee at a track or cross-country event, a level 2 licence is necessary. Further information on officiating and coaching is available online at England Athletics.
Safeguarding
All officials, coaches and club welfare officers have to undergo a government-backed DBS (enhanced level) check and take a safeguarding webinar course, renewable every three years. This is required as a consequence of a number of regrettable, highly publicised scandals occurring in recent years. A series of training courses are available to club welfare officers, including child and adult protection, vulnerable persons, mental wellness and bullying.
Officiating
The main streams are track and field, endurance, starting, timekeeping and photo finish. A track and field event will have mostly qualified officials, typically levels 1 to 4, although it is possible to progress to an international standard, level 5. A track stadium is a busy working environment with several events running concurrently, including dangerous flying implements! Hence safety and strict ways of working are important.
Fell, trail, cross country and road officials come under the endurance category. There is also a race walking stream. A one-day officials’ conference is offered yearly at a central England location. Webinars are available on a variety of extra topics, such as drug testing procedures. It is imperative to keep to the UK Athletics rules, as ignorance is negligence, which invalidates the insurance and makes an official personally liable for any damages in law.
Coaching
England Athletics offers a plethora of coaching courses, which are full cost, rather than the subsidised policy for officials’ courses. The difference relates to the popularity of coaching and price elasticity of demand. Coaching is seen as something people want to do whereas officiating is a task that needs to be done. A qualification in First Aid is also advantageous, as the lack of officials or insufficient first aid support can unfortunately mean the cancellation of a race.
The starting point is the Leadership in Running Fitness (LiRF), which takes four days, costs £160 and is available through the Athletics Hub, England Athletics online training web site. The course covers risk assessment, warm-ups, cool downs, and how to lead fun running sessions for a mixed ability group of runners. Woodstock Harriers is willing to pay the cost for selected individuals, who agree to act as run leaders on a long-term regular basis. The Fell, Hill, Off Road and Trail module can be added to the LiRF at extra cost.
For those interested in track and field, general courses towards the Coach Assistant and Athletics Coach qualification are available, together with more advanced courses in specific specialisations or working with particular groups, such as para-athletes. There are also programmes for elite athletes aiming to become coaches and for recognition of prior learning, such as for those employed as physical education teachers or who hold a sports science degree or similar.
Organising
Woodstock Harriers organises its own race, the Woodstock 12, three laps around the main lake of Blenheim Park. The race, first ran in 1980, pre-dates the re-forming of the club in the early 1980s. Apart from the organiser/race director position, a number of roles are available in set up and clear down, as well as competitor number issuing, recording the finishing order, timekeeping, marshalling and handing up drinks. The preparation for the race begins months in advance, including gaining authorisation from Oxfordshire Athletics, obtaining sponsorship, publicity and negotiating a suitable date with Blenheim Palace. Afterwards, there is the collation of results and posting on various web sites. The race usually has an external official, who acts as an adjudicator or referee, and checks that the race is run according to UK Athletics regulations and submits a report.
The club has in the past helped organise Oxfordshire Cross-Country League and Berks, Bucks & Oxon (BBO) Championship events. Officials and marshals have also been provided individually to the fore-mentioned events, track races and charity races, such as the European Transplant Games, as well as to the local evening road race series, Mota-vation. RunEvents, formerly known as RunBritain, delivers a Run Director course with England Athletics, which is aimed at bigger events. A Traffic Management course is also available, which for example, gives guidance in best practice for the placement of marshals at road junctions, so that not only will the competitors see the marshals, but other road users also. Larger events, such as the Oxford Half Marathon, will need to correctly setup traffic layouts for road closures and enact the traffic controls.